The sun., 1908-05-10

fifty-nins years and the second forty-four
years. the third one lasted only eighteen
years According to the rate Al which
tho life Of the seal was being shortened The
present one won Z he good for more than a
decade. The explanation oI this contracted
usefulness probably lies in the increased
work which % the country grows the
Great Seal has to perform,
On the other hand, since 1874 the Great
Seal has been telie, ed 81 so many small
jobs that Il seems as II II ought TO be enjoy
ing the leisure Of an aristoerat now. Jpto
that time II was placed on all civil commits
sions, even those of postmasters, Since then
the system has been changed.
POstmasters' commissions bear the seal
Of the Post Onice Department Judiciary
officers, marshals and United States At
torneys are appointed under the seal OF
the Department OF Justice; officials OF the
Interior Department under the seal OF that
Department, and 40 on.
At present the Great Seal is ahixed 'to
the commissions OF all Cabinet officers
and Of dipIomAtic and consular officials
nominated by the President and confirmed
by the Senate to all ceremonious communl-
cations from the President TO heads Of for
eiEp Governments, to all treaties, con-
ventIons and formal agreements with
foreign Powers; to all pardons or commute
tions Of sentence by the President; TO Of
Tenders who have been convicted before
the courts Of the United States; to all
proolAmations by the President, TO all
exequaturs to foreign consular officers In
the United States who are appointed by
the heads Of the Governmepts they repre-
sent; to warrants by the President TO receive
persons surrendered by foreign Govern
ments under extradition treaties and to
all miscellaneous comm issions OF civil
officers appointed by the President, by
and with the advice and consent OF the
Senate. whose appointment is not now
especially directed by law TO be signed
under different seal
As before said, no two Of the four great
seals have been exactly alike, Number two
had six arrows in the eagles left claws
instead Of the thirteen which had been
clutched by eagle number one, The bird
himself was moro graceful IN number two
the clouds were less like spit cuTls, the olive
branch bore berries along with its leaves
the outline OF the shield was entirely dif-
ferent and 90 was the border.
In 1885, when number three was 10 be cut
the Department Of State submitted the
design to several authorities on heraldry
with a view to correcting any faults that
might exist The experts declared the seal
to bo quite correctly conceived. so the same
design was cut. but again there were slight
differences The whole seal was slightly
smaller than the present one; the nutter OF
the scroll was altered so were the claws and
the olive branch,
AZ the seal is impressed directly on doc
ument no reverse design is needed. Never
theless we have an officially accepted de-
sign for this unused reverse.
In its centre Is an unfamiliar pyramid, TO
signify strength and duration; over II an
eye Coi Providence) in triangle surrounded
by a glory; on the base Of the pyramid the
date 1910 in Roman capitals, and a Latin
motto above and another below. In the
report accompanying the design OF the
present seal ii was said that Of the national
colors the white represented purity and
innocence. the red hardness and valor.
the blue vigilance, perseverance and jus
tice. The fact that the escutcheon is borne
on the breast Of the eagle without the
usual supports on either side denoted that
the United States should rely -on their own
virtue alone
The Great Seal IL not operated by a spring
lever, as ia the case with many private
seals. IL is mounted on a soldly built
wooden base about three feet high and
perhaps three by four feet on top
The stamp is held in position by a solid
curved iron arm and is operated by turning
a oross arm Of steel with a pair Of terminal
balls weighing 20 pounds. The wooden
cover. which turns back on hinges. Is always
locked when the seal is not to be used. The
key-there ia only one-is in the possession
Of the Chief Of the Bureau OF Appointments.
in whose private Office the Great Seal is
kent