River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-10-05
SEAL OF OUR UNION
Uncle Sans Mark When He
Stamps Official Documents.
HISTORY OF ITS ADOPTION.

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the Men Appointed by John Hancock
to Prepare the Device For the Great
Seal of the United States.
The founders of our government did
nothing without careful deliberation.
and we are told that the adoption of
seal for the United States was as care
fully considered as the framing of the
Declaration of Independence. 1t was
adopted during the period of the Con
federacy. several years before the adOp-
ton of the constitution, but not till
after several years deliberation.
On the 4th of July. 1I16, after the
Declaration of independence had been
finally acted upon. John Hancock, pres,
ident of the congress. appointed Benja-
min Franklin. John Adams and Thorn
as jefferson Il committee Ito prepare
device for the great seal of the United
States of America" A seal was not
needed for ornament or show, but TO
certify the official commissions soon to
be issued by the United States. The
committee took up the matter at once.
Each of the members of the commit
fee had some ideas of his own, and
they called in an artist of Philadelphia
to help them formulate a design. This
artist was Pierre Simitierri. patriotic
Swiss, who was doing some excellent
portrait painting in the then capital
city Of the country.
The Swiss drew a design. which was
discussed by the committee. after
which each member suggested addi-
tions or changes, which were incOrpo-
rated by Jefferson in a report made to
congress on Aug 10. 1776. This report
was in heraldic language. describing
the shield, crest, dexter, legend. etc.
The following is an extract of this re-
port:
1.-THE great seal should on one side
have the arms Of the United States of
America, which arms should be as fol
lows: The shield has six quarters-the
first an enameled rose, for England;
the second a thistle proper, for Scot
land; the third a harp. for Ireland;
the fourth a feur-de-lis, for France;
the fifth the imperial eagle, for Ger
many: the sixth the crowned lion. for
Misunderstanding out the countries
from which the colonies have been
peOpled."
After describing other details. as the
Goddess of Liberty, the initial letters
of the colonies. etc., the report said.
Crest, the eye of Providence in a
radiant triangle. whose glory extends
over the shield and beyond the tig-
ures: motto, e Pluribus Unum.'
For some reason or other congress
referred this device back to the COM
mittee for further report. Franklin
had proposed for q motto Rebellion to
Tyrants Is Obedience to Cod" Adams
proposed Hercules leaning on club.
while all the virtues and nearly all the
vices grouped about him in different
attitudes. His design would have been
a monstrosity and laughingstock. JEFF
Persons composite design simplified
matters. and it was he who suggested
the motto "E Pluribus Unum."
This was in August. 177G. The war
soon absorbed the attention and moth
ing further was done about the seal
until March, 1910. when a committee
Of three was appointed to consider and
report on the subject. This committee
reported in favor of a shield with thir-
teen diagonal stripes. alternately red
and white, constellation of thirteen
stars, a figure of Liberty and the motto
"Bello vel Pace Paratus" ("Ready for
war or for DnaCQ"l
This report also was recOmmitted.
and it was nearly a year before the
matter came up again. Not to follow
through repeated discussions and re-
jections of several designs. the present
seal was not adopted till June 20. 1872.
1t was the work Of young Ameri-
can artist William Barton by name.
who followed in many respects the de-
sign submitted by jefferson six years
before. but simplified it. He retained
the eagle, q bundle of arrows in one
talon and an olive branch in the other:
the helmet with six bars or quarter
ings, signifying the six nationalities
from which the country had been main
ly peopled, and the motto e Pluribus
CnUm. WHICH SuTA ~ ell oil CHe ulSGu@-
sions.
The designer said. The motto al
ludes to the Union" He added in his
explanation. 1.-THE escutcheon is borne
on the breast of the American eagle.
without any other support. to denote
that the United States of America
ought to rely on their own virtues"
DOM rfnnnfc
of the government have each their own
seal, but every commission signed by
the president is stamped with the great
seal of the United States. which is kept
in the state Washington
! Post.
Changing 1t a Bit.
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