The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-26

The ancient seal of Virginia has at
last come into its own, after many
years reign OF various spurious de-
signs. To former Governor Mann,
Governor Stuart, Secretary of the
Commonwealth James. the Virginia
legislature and to the unremitting
efforts of General 7. T. Munford, of
/ Lynchburg, the restoration of the
rightful design is due.
For many years the old seal OF the
Commonwealth has been buried In
oblivion, and many designs have
usurped its place for brief periods.
The trouble started during the adj
ministration of Governor Pierrepont.
AT that time the Legislature defined
the seal of the Commonwealth, and In
so doing materially changed it from
that designed by George wythe. Vari-
Gus changes have been made and dur
ing the last few years General Nun
ford has earnestly striven to restore
the ancient design.
Old Design Restored.
In 1912 the Legislature adopted a
resolution declaring that whereas
unfortunately there is an apparent
disregard of the original and lawful
design of the true seal and of the true
flag as evidenced by the many fanciful
and diverse misrepresentation of
both the seal and the flag and "a
great indignity was put upon the
State by the making of counterfeit
seal, the Governor and Secretary of
the Commonwealth should be re-
quested to obtain correct duplicates"
Governor Mann and Secretary
James undertook the commission and
made declaration as to the true seal
and directed its use on all official
stationery, papers and flags. How
ever. the artist mistook his instruc-
tions and the new seal was sim In
correct in design. Now Governor
Stuart has given a rush order for the
making of State flag according TO
the ancient and correct design. This
flag will be carried to San Francisco.
and later all existing flags win be
supplanted by the new and State
papers and stationery will bear the
correct design.
The difference between the new and
the old seal are few. but important,
The dictum of General Munford chat
a tyrant has but two hands and cam
not bear a scourge, chain and sword
being accepted as indisputably true
the broken sword by the side Of the
PROSTATE form of the tvrant does not
appear in the new seal which Is
modelled after the ancient seal of the
Commonwealth. The position of the
crown is changed. being placed ba ok
of the tvrant's head as If it had just
rolled off, instead of heing placed be-
! side his body. The scenery is also
eliminated from the medal. Follow
! ing is the new design as explained in
the report of Governor Mann. but not
carried out by the artist:
! Mann's Description.
| The great seal of the Common
! -ts-t fol fr
| two and three-quarter inches in
| diameter containing. within an orna-
mental border one-quarter of an inch
wide, the following devices and mot
| toes: On the diverse, viz: Nirtus, the
genius of the Commonwealth dressed
as an amazon, resting on spear held
| in her left hand, and holding a sword
! in her right hand. her left foot on the
! figure of Tyranny, represented by a
man PROSTATE, his head to her left,
Grown fallen from his head broken
chain in his left hand. and scourge
! in his right hand Above the group,
/ In a line parallel with the border. the
word Virginia" and in the exergue.
on a curved line, the motto sic Sem
per Tyranns." On the reverse a
| group. Iibertas with her wand and
pileus in her right hand; on her right,
/ Aeternitas. with the globe and phoenix
/ in her right hand, and on the left OF
/ I,ihartas, Ceres, with a cnrnucopia in
her left hand, and ears of wheat In
her right Over this device, in a
curved line. the word "Perseverand
The lesser seal of the Commons
wealth shall be one and nine-sixteenth
inches in diameter, and have en-
graved thereon the devices and in
scriptions Of the Great Seal.
The flag Of the Commonwealth shall
hereafter he made of silk. bunting,
merino or other suitable material 1t
shall he a deep blue field. with cir
cular white center of the same ma