The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-02-10
THE GREAT SEAL.
Another Version of it's Origin and
Adoption by Congress.

AuOptlOH ny congress.
Mr.. William Henry Hayward, of
this city, has called to the attention
of the News and Courier an account
of the seal of the United States dii-
fering in important particulars from
the account published in the News
and Courier of last Thursday in the
course of the series of historical stud
les entitled "Odd Incidents in Amer
ican History The following His
tory of the Great Seal" is taken from
an old book called ''The Footprints
of Time"
Soon after the formal establish
ment of the republic by the declara-
tion of independence, Benjamin
Franklin, John Adams and Thomas
Jefferson were appointed a commit
tee to prepare seal. They employ
ed an artist and furnished various de-
vices, Jefferson combining them all at
the request of the others. The pa
per still exists in the Office Of the Sec
retary of State at Washington. They
reported August 10, 1776, but for
some unknown reason, probably ne
glect, it was not acted on.
In 1779 another committee was ap-
pointed to make device. They re-
ported May 10, 1880. It was not ac-
ceptable, and was recommitted, being
again reported year afterward, but
not adopted. In 1882 third COM
mittee was appointed, but could not
satisfy congress in their report. 1t
was then referred to the secretary of
congress, Charles Thomson, who pro-
cured various devices that were un-
satisfactory.
After vainly striving to perfect a
seal which should meet the approval
of congress, Thomson finally received
from John Adams, then in London an
exceedingly simple and appropriate
device, suggested by Sir John Prest-
wich, baronet of the west of Eng
land, who was warm friend Of Am
erica, and an accomplished antiquar-
ian. 1t then consisted of an escutch-
con bearing g perpendicular stripes,
white and red, with the chief blue,
and spangled with 13 stars; and, to
give it greater consequence, he pro-
posed to place it on the breast of an
American eagle, displayed, without
supporters, as emblematic of self-re-
lance. 1t met with general approba-
ton, in and out of congress, and it
was adopted in June, 1882; so it is
manifest, although the fact is not ex-
tensively known, that we are indebt-
ed for our national arms to a titled
aristocrat of the country with which
we were then at war. EscheWing all
heraldic technalities, it may be thus
described in plain English: Thirteen
perpendicular pieces, white and red;
a blue field; the escutcheon on the
breast of the American eagle display
ed, holding in his right talon an OIL
i've branch, and in his left bundle
of thirteen arrows, and in his beak
scroll, inscribed with the motto E
Pluribus Unum. For the crest, over
the head of the eagle, which appears
above The escutcheon, golden glory
breaking through a cloud, and sur
rounding thirteen stars, forming a
constellation of white stars, on a
blue field.
Reverse-a pyramid unfinished. In
the zenith, an eye in triangle, sur
rounded with a glory. Over the eye,
the words Annuit Caeptis-"God has
favored the undertaking." On the
base of the pyramid are the numer-
al Roman letters MDCCLXXV1, and
underneath the motto, Novus Ordo
Seculorum-"A New Series of Ages"
-denoting that new order OF
things had commenced in the west
ern hemisphere. Thus, after many
fruitless efforts, for nearly six years,
very simple seal was adopted, and
vet remains the arms of the United
States and Courier.