The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-15

From the Philadelphia Press.
Westinghouse new and Interesting
piece of office furniture is about to be
provided the department of STATE. It is
nothing less than freshly cut great
seal of the United States" and Is being
made to replace the old one which Is now
so worn by excessive use that 1t is no
longer capable of making the proper i'm
preston upon the important papers to
which such a seal must be attached. On
the recommendation of Secretary Hay,
official custodian of this powerful imple-
ment, congress lately made provision tor
the recruiting to the extent of $3.50, and
the work is already under way.
In the history of this country the Unit
ed States government has heretofore
used only three great seals, a new one ot
the same general pattern of Its predeces-
sor having been cut as each existing one
became worn out. These three were cut,
respectively, in the years 1882, 1S41 and
1885.
Philadelphia has the honor of being the
scene of the first great seals BIRTH 1t
was cut there in 1882 in conformity with
the provisions of the act Of congress OF
June 20 of that year. The result of no
end of study, experiment and revision
and was finally based upon designs pre-
pared partly by Charles Thomson, Sec
rotary of congress, and William Barton
of Philadelphia. The report made to con-
gress by Secretary Thompson and adopt
ed officially by that body reads as fol-
lows:
1.-The device for an armoriaI achieve
ment and reverse OF the great seal for
the United States in congress assembled
is as follows:
Arms. Pathways upright stripes on
shie1d) OF thirteen pieces, argent (silver)
and gules (red); the escutcheon on the
breast of the American eagle displayed
proper I'm natural colors) holding In his
dexter talon an olive branch. and in his
sinister bundle of thirteen arrows all
proper and in his beak a scroll inscribed
with this motto. Il Pluribus Unum.'
For the crest over the head of the
eagle, which appears above the escutch-
eoh. glory, or (goid) breaking through
a cloud proper and surrounding thirteen
| stars forming constellation argent (sil-
| ver), on an azure (blue) field.
Reverse. A pyramid unfinished.
I'm the zenith, an eye In triangle, sur
| rounded with a glory proper. Over the
| eyes these words, 'Annuit Coeptis.' On
| the base of the pyramid the numerical
letters MDCCLxxvI.' And underneath
the following motto, Novus Ordo Seclo-
rum"
Accompanying this report and forming
a part of 1t. was an Interpretation of
the sembols used, as follows:
1.-THE escutcheon is composed OF the
chief upper part of snield) and pale
perpendicular stripes) the two most hon.
orable ordnaries. The two pieces paly
Cstripes) represent the several states all
joined in one solid compact entire, sup
porting a chief, which unites the whole
and represents congress. The motto al
ludes to this union. The pales in the arms
are kept closely united by the chief and
the chief depends on that union and the
strength resulting from 1t for its support.
to denote the confederacy of the United
States of America and the preservation
of their union through congress.
THE colors of the pales are those used
in the flag of the United States OF Amer
lea: White signifies purity and inno-
cence, red hardness and valor, and blue,
the color of the chief signifies vigilance,
perseverance and Justice The olive
branch and arrows denote the power OF
peace and war, which Is exclusively vest
ed in congress. The constellation denotes
a new state taking it's place and rank
among other sovereign powers. The es-
cutcheon is borne on the breast of an
American eagle without any other sup
porters, to denote that the United States
ought to rely on their own virtue.
Reverse: The pyramid signifies strength
and duration. The eye over 1t and the
motto allude to the many signal inter-
positions of Providence in favor of the
American cause. The date underneath
| is that Of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence, and the words under 1t signify the
| beginning of the new American era,
which commences from that date"
| 1t was William Barton of Philadelphia,
| who was the court of appeal in the de-
] signing of the seal. He was familiar with
the mysteries of heraldry and within a