The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-06
STORY OF GREAT
 SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Rudolph De Zapp, in the Washington
 Herald.
 June is the month par excellence in which two of the most important devices or symbols representing the United States of America first saw the light of day and received official adoption These two de- vices are the stars and stripes and the great seal of the United States. The flag had it's day on the 14th, and brief re- view of the origin of the great seal which celebrates it's 146tf1 anniversary this month will prove as instructive as it is interest ing.
 It may not be generally known that we are indebted to an English baronet for the simple and appropriate device which con stitutes the great seal of the United States Not only was the motif of the flag of this country suggested by the coat-of- arms of the English Washingtons, the an cestors of the Father of His Country, but sven the device which graces official documents emanating from the state de- partment and giving them official sanc- tion was suggested by a supporter and adherent of King George III, the enemy of the united American colonies.
 Prepare Great Seal.
 Soon after the declaration of independ ence Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were appointed ccm- mittee to prepare a great seal for the in- fant republic. They employed a French West Indian named Du Simitiere, not only to furnish designs, but also to sketch such devices as were suggested by themselves. In one of his designs the artist displayed on a shield the armorial ensigns of the several nations from whence America had been peopled-embracing those of Eng land, France, Germany and Holland. On one side was placed Liberty with her cap and on the other was a rifieman In uni form, with his rife in one hand and tomahawk in the other-the dress and weapons peculiar to America.
 Franklin proposed for the device, Moses lifting his wand, and dividing the Red sea- and Pharaoh and his hosts oVer- whelmed with the water. For motto, the words of Cromwell, Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God"
 Proposed by Jefferson.
 Adams proposed the Choice of Her cules, the hero resting on a club. Virtue pointing to her rugged mountain on one hard and persuading him to ascend; and Sloth, glancing at her f1owery paths of pleasure, wantonly reclining on the
 
 her eloauence and person, to detain him.
 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 Hengist and Horsa, the Saxon chiefs, from whom we claim the honor of being descended, and whose political principles and form of gov ernment we have assumed.
 Franklin and Adams then requested Jefferson to combine their ideas in compact description of the proposed great seal which he did, and that paper, in his handwriting, is now in the office or the Secretary of State at Washington. This design consisted of a shield with six quarterings, parti one, coupi two in her aldic phrase. The first gold, and an enameled rose, red and white, for Eng land; the second white with a thistle, Tn it's proper colors for Scotland; the third, green, with a harp of gold. for Ireland; the fourth blue with a golden lily flower for France; the fifth gold, with the inn perial 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 the shield within a red border on which there should be 13 white escutcheons, linked together by a gold chain, each bearing appropriate initials in black, of the confederated states. Supporters, the Goddess of Lib erty on the right side, in a corselet Of armor. in allusion to the then state of war. and holding the spear and cap in hcr right hand, while her left supported the shields.
 Motto, "E Pluribus Unum.'
 On the left, the Goddess of Justice. leaning on a sword in her right hand, orI ip of crest. the eye of Providence in a radiant tri- angle, whose glory should extend over the shield, and beyond the figures Motto: E Pluribus Unum-"M Many In one.' Around the whole, Seal of the United States of America, MDCCLxXVI."
 For the reverse he proposed the de- vice of Pharoah, sitting in an open char tot, crown on his head, and a sword in his hand. passing through the divided waters of the Red Sea in pursuit of the Israeites. Rays from a pillar of fire in a cloud, expressive of the Divine pres- ence and command, beaming on Moses, who stands on the shore, and, extending his hand over the sea, causes it to over whelm Pharoah and his followers. Motto: Rebellion to tyrants Is obedience 10 God"
 Jefferson's device was highly approved by the coadjutors and the committee re- ported on the 10th of August, 1776 but, for some unaccountabe reason, their re- port was neglected not having even been placed on record and the affair was al- lowed to slumber until the 24th of March, 1779, when Messrs. Lowell of Massachu- setts Scott of Virginia and Houston of Georgia, were appointed a committee to make another device.
 "For War or Peace."
 On the 10th of May following they re- ported in favor of a seal four inches In diameter, one side of which should be composed of a shield with 13 diagonal stripes, alternate red and white. Support CTS, a warrior, holding sword, on one side, and on the other the figure of Peace bearing an olive branch. The crest, radiant constellation of 13 stars Motto: Bello vel Pace-"F,or War or Peace"- and the legend, Seal of the United States" On the reverse, the figure of Liberty seated in a chair, holding the staff and cap. Motto: Semper-'Foreyer' Aand underneath MDCCLXXVI.
 This report was recommitted and again submitted with some slight mod ification Substituting the figure of an Indian with bow and arrows in his right hand for that of a warrior), just