Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-08-18
OUR COUNTRY's SEAL
ITS DESIGN WAS SUGGESTED BY
SIR JOHN PReSTWiCH.
The Device He Proposed Was Adopt
ed by Congress In 1852, and 1t Re-
mains to This Day the Great Seal
of the United States.

4
ed by Congress In 1852, and 1t Re-
mains to This Day the Great Sea-
of the United States.
| 1t is a fact not generally known ant
yet one of peculiar significance that the
| great seal Of the United States, which
was adopted in 1882, was suggested 10y
| a citizen of d country with which oul
| own was then at war.
| The history of the great seal and the
difficulties which beset those having in
charge the matter of selecting a suit
| able and satisfactory design are full OF
| interest Soon after the Declaration OF
Independence was signed Benjamin
Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John
Adams were appointed committee to
prepare a great seal for the infant re-
public. They employed a French West
Indian named Simitiere to furnish de-
signs and sketches; but, although a
satisfactory.
Then each member of the committee
was asked to submit a design Frank
lin proposed for the device Moses lift
ing his wand and dividing the Red sea
and Pharaoh and his hosts overwhelm-
ed with waters, and for motto the
words of Cromwell, rebellion to ty-
rants is obedience to God" Adams
proposed the choice of Hercules, the
hero resting on club, Virtue pointing
to her rugged mountain on the one side
and persuading him to ascend, and
Sloth on the other side glancing at her
fiowery beds and persuading him into
vice. Jefferson proposed the children
of Israel in the wilderness, led by a
cloud by day and a pillar of fire by
night, and on the reverse side Hengist
and Horsa, the Saxon chiefs from
whom we claim the honor of being
descended and whose political princi-
Piles and form of government we have
assumed. Jefferson was then requested
by his colleagues to combine their sep
arate ideas into one design, which he
did, and this description, in his own
handwriting, is still on file In the state
department. This design consisted of
shield with six quarterings-the first
gold, with an enameled rose, red and
white, for England; the second, white,
with a thistle in its proper color, for
Scotland; the third, green, with a harp
of gold, for Ireland; the fourth, blue,
with golden lily, for France; the fifth,
gold, with an imperial black eagle, for
Germany, and the sixth, gold, with the
Belgic crowned red lion, for Holland.
These denoted the countries from which
America had been peopled.
He proposed to place this shield with
in a red border, on which there should
be thirteen white escutcheons, linked
together by a gold chain, each bearing
initials in black of the
thirteen original states. There were
on either side of the shield,
the one on the right being the Goddess
Of Liberty in Il corSelet of armor, in
allusion to the then state of war, and
holding a spear and cap in her right
hand. while the left supported the
shield. On the left was the Goddess
of Justice, leaning on a sword in her
right hand and in her left n balance.
The crest was the eye of Providence,
In a radiant triangle, whose glory eX-
tended over the shield and beyond the
figures. The motto was "E Pluribus
Unum"-one out of many. For the
reverse he proposed the device of Pha-
III an OpCh NilclIOtJ SIONAi
on his head and sword in his hand,
passing through the waters of the Red
sea in pursuit Of the Israelites-rays
from pillar of fire in cloud, express
we of the divine presence and COM
nand, beaming on Moses, who stands
,n the shore and, extending his hand
over the sea, causes it to overwhelm
Pharaoh and his followers. Motto,
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to
God"
Jefferson's device met with the I'M
qualified approval of his associates.
md the committee reported to the Con-
mental congress on Aug. 10, 1776. but
or some unaccountable reason its
eport was never acted upon.
Nothing further was done in the mat
committee, composed of Messrs. Lowell
# Massachusetts, Scott of Virginia |
md Houstoun of Georgia, was appoint |
d to make another device.
They suggested design four inches |
u diameter, one side of which should |
,e composed of a shield with thirteen |
iagonal red and white stripes. This |
HELD was supported on one side by (
Warrior holding a sword and on the |
ther by the figure of Peace bearing |
n olive branch. The crest was radi-
mt constellation OF thirteen states; |
MOTTO, "Bello vel Pace"-for war or
eace-and the legend, ''Seal of the
United States;;" on the reverse the
CURE of Liberty seated In chair,
gliding the staff and cap; motto, |
Semper" - forever - and underneath
This device met with the same neg
ect at the hands of congress as the
ormer, and the matter remained in1
beyance until 1882, when another
ommittee was appointed. They re
artcd In 10 ha Snnnc da1-ica |