Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-11-04
NOTICES OF STATES.
How Some Phrases Became the Slogans
of Various Localities.

II you desire to have fun with a
learned acquaintance ask him simple
questions about his country, its his
tory, financial condition, political di-
visions, geographical lines, climatolo-
gy, topography, etc. Questions that
any schoolboy can answer DR.. Know
all will stumble clumsily over, often
getting a bad fall. There Ia one ques-
tion that l have never heard any one
answer, namely, What are the mot
toe of the several states of the I'm
ion and their meaning?" A clever
man may name that of his own state
and guess at those of three or four
of the more important sister states,
but he is unlikely to know the mean
ings of any that are in the original
Latin. Try some able professor in a
crowd and see him founder.
Ask the professor if he knows that
the great seal of the United States
was designed by an Englishman, Sir
John Prestwich, who also suggested
the motto. sc Pluribus Unum?" Our
ablest men had failed to propose any
thing acceptable, Franklin, Jefferson,
Adams, Lowell, Scott, Houston and
others wasting nearly four years on
the task. Franklin proposed Moses
dividing the Red Sea with this mot
to, Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience
to Cod; Adams proposed the choice
of Hercules and Jefferson the children
of Israel in the wilderness. Doesn't
it seem funny? Some Of the suggest
ed notices were "Bello vel Pace" Qn
War or Peace, "Semper' (Forever),
'Deo Favente" with Gods Favor),
"Virtus Sola Invicta" Virtue Alone
Invincibleo, etc. After six years the
Englishman's device was adopted, and
it yet remains on the arms of the
United States.
If the professor Is familiar with
the diverse of the great seal, ask him
what he has to say of the reverse,
and the chances are 100 to 1 that he
cannot recollect the unfinished pyra-
mid, the eye in the triangle, the glory
proper, the motto over the eye, "An-
mutt Coeptis" (God Has Favored the
Undertaking), and that under all NO
vus Ordo Seculorum" CA New Series
of Ages). The diverse of the great
seal, with its splendid eagle, the 13
stripes the IS stars, the glory break
ing from the clouds and the "E Pluri-
bus Unum," is magnificently Ameri-
can, but the pyramid, the desert, the
forbidding Egyptian sky and the eye
In the triangle on the reverse are sim
ply barbarous.
The great seal of the confederacy by
strange arbitrament Of fate was
never used. 1t was made in England
and reached Richmond about the time
of its evacuation by the armies of the
lost cause and the confederate gov
ernment. Its motto was "Deo Vim
dice" (God Maintains). The seal is
handsome silver die about three
inches in diameter, bearing an eques-
trian portrait of Washington (after
the portrait in Richmond), surround
ed with a wreath composed of cot
and rice-the principal product of the
confederate states. 1t cost in England
about 5000. with press, waters, seal
papers. wax, silk cords, etc. 1t was
presented to the state of South Caro-
lima about 1887 and is kept in the
Office of the secrtary Of state.
Ask the professor if he remembers
that Minnesota, founded by Ameri-
cans, is the only state in the Union
that has a French motto. The one
originally selected and ordered en-
graved was Latin, but the die was
spoiled and the French substitute was
adopted, "L'Etoile du Nord" (The
Star of the North). Does the profess
sor recall that Montana is the only
state with a Spanish motto? Strange
that fur traders should have adopted
"Oro y Plata" (Gold and Silver. If
you say that one state has a Greek
motto he probably will do some pret-
ty hard thinking before answering
that it is California. Eureka" is be-
lieved to be Greek for 81 have found"
The only Italian motto belongs to Ma
ryland. and it originally belonged to
the Calvert family, Patti Maschi. Pa
role Femme" Deeds Are Males, Words
Females). To be trife palmer,
Manly Deeds, Womanly Words" Ask
the professor If he knows that Wash
ington is the only state with an In
dian motto, "Al-Ki' is pure Chinook
for "by and by" in the future or here
after.-Philadelph Times.