Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-04-12

ulIlonS OF tnaC famous Gay, also WHAT
might have been his method or ap-
pliance utilized for registering the
heat of the atmosphere Here again
the supposedly valueless documents
furnish corroborative evidence of JEFF
ferson's ability to obtain the desired
information. On July 4. 1776, Jeffer-
son called on Mr. Sparhawk to settle
an account, and this entry appears
among his papers as witness of GER
tain purchase and payment:
"July 4, 1776. Paid Sparhawk for a
thermometer, G3, 10. Paid for pr.
(probably pair) women's gloves. 81.
Gave to charity 1-6.'
The foregoing entry removes all
doubt as to Jefferson's ability to de-
termine accurately the 76 degrees Of
heat on the noon of July 4th. and Is-
tablishes the fact that 1t was a calm
and delightfully."- tempered summers
day.
Further search among Jefferson's
papers brings to light the correct
name Of the German family which fur
nished him with room and board at
the time when he wrote the Declara-
ton and devised a number of designs
for seal of the young republic. one
entry reading:
"Pd. Mrs. Graaf one weeks lodging,
35."
On the 9th day Of July, 1776, the
committee on seal met at the tavern
of the London Coffee House, and while
hn lot n1 hot
sion contains much of general inter
est. 1t is only necessary to consider In
this connection the items in which the
hand of Jefferson is seen. He was
made chairman of the committee, and
1t was he who addressed congress on
the subject. While Jefferson's device
was not accepted by the committee,
he assisted in creating a conjoint de-
vice in which the Ideas of Dr. Frank
lin, himself and French artist
| named Du Simitier were blended. In
the report to congress In the fall of
| 1776 Jefferson presented the double
sided idea of a seal on the diverse, or
front of which the following appear
| ed:
- QlfiuSu Blk u6IuS upon
which were emblems of the leading
European nations: above the shield
the eye of Providence; the shield was
supp rted on the right side by the
goddess Of Liberty, on staff she held
Phrygian cap; on the left side of
the shield the goddess of Justice held
forth the scales of justice In the left,
and sword in the right hand. Around
the entire device the thirteen shields
of the colonies appeared, with their
initials blazoned upon them" On the
back, or reverse, Of the proposed seal
the Franklin idea was displayed as
follows:
Legend round the whole achieve.
ment. Seal OF the United States of
America, MDCCLXXVI.'
"On the other side of the said Great
Seal should be the following device:
"Pharoah sitting In an open chariot,
a crown on his head, and sword In
his right hand, passing through the
divided waters of the Red Sea, In pur,
suit of the Israelites. Rays from a
pillar of fire In the cloud, expressive
of the divine presence and command,
beaming on Moses. who stands on the
shore. and extending his hand over
the sea. causes 1t to overthrow Phar,
aoh
Motto. Rebellion to Tyrants is
Obedience to Cod
But congress rejected the device
and report, dismissed the committee
and appointed new one. Yet JEFF
ferson's keen interest in the heraldie
creation of a symbolic seal did not
wane. He kept in touch with several
future committees and submitted two
other important designs. both of which
throw new light on the religious and