Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-10-10
NEW GOVERNMENT SEAL.
rearfh Since the Foundation OF The
United States Is Soon to
he Used

One of the smaller appropriations,
out one of the most interesting, pade
oy the recent congress, was one Of
$3.50 for a new great seal of the
United States. Secretary Hay said
he old one was worn out; that it
10 longer made the proper impress
sion, and that he must have a new
>ne. And congress, realizing the
necessity for the United States hav-
ing a really impressive great seal.
promptly voted the necessary money
and the seal is now being cut, says
Washington report.
This will be the fourth great seal
that has been cut for Uncle Sam,
each one practically reproducing the
last in design and being cut to re-
place one that had worn itself out
N the service of the country. The
irst was cut in 1852 and was used
lot by a secretary of state, but by
congress. The first. document, at
east the earliest that has been pre-
served, bearing its imprint is dated
September 16, 1882. Tt is a parch-
nent commission granting Gen.
Washington full power to arrange
prisoners of war. The document was
signed by John Hancock, president of
congress, and countersigned by
Charles Thomas, secretary. The seal
instead of being attached, as is now
he custom, to the lower left-hand
corner, was impressed upon the
parchment over a white wafer fes-
;ooned with red in the upper left
hand corner:
The act of congress which created
he department of state on Septem-
Der IS, 1889, also authorized the use
Of this old congressional seal and
gave it into the custody of the new
y-created secretary of state. 1t con-
,inued in use until 1s41, when a new
one was cut for Daniel Webster, sec
-etary of state under Tyler. This
n turn was declared WORKOUT, and
he third, the one now in use, was
cut for Frederick Frelinghuysen,
Who was head of the department I'M
Ter Arthur. The design has remained
practically unchanged except for a
slight variation in the form of the
glory" over the eagles head. The
seal of 1S41, however, Webster's seal,
vas notable in that the eagles left
;alon grasped only six arrows in
stead of the IS required by law.
The new seal now cutting will have
l3 olives on the olive branch. and
word has gone out that the eagles
claws will be turned forward, not
back as they have in the old seal.
This does not, when one studies it
put, mean that the new eagle is to
De what the children call pigeon
joed.
1t is interesting to note that the
irst seal lasted nearly 60 years, the
second 43, while the third has lasted
only II. This wearing out of cut
| steel bears eloquent testimony to
the increase of Uncle Sans business,
and it is fair to conclude that the
seal now being cut will hardly last
4 decade. Evidently in the early
| lays there were not many papers
IF the first Importance to which the
great seal had to be affixed, for it
was the custom to afix it to all civil
/ commissions of United States Off
-ers, whether appointed by the presi-
cent alone or with the advice and
| consent of the senate after they had
| -eceived the presidents signature.
| hat custom, however, fell into dis
| Use, and the great seal is only af-
| 'Sed to the commissions of cabinet
officers and of diplomatic and con-
T sular officers, to ceremonious COM
[ nunications from the president to
-oreign governments, to treaties,
,art1ons, proclamations, exequaturs
o foreign consular officers in this
,ountry and to miscellaneous com
missions of certain civil officers. The
/ PRESIDENTS signature is no longer re-
yarded as warrant in itself for at
ixing the great seal. Nowadays the
department seals are affixed to the
commissions of the different depart
| nents and the state seal reserved
'or documents of real state imPe<'
lance