Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-10
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAS HISTORY
THE ADOPTION OF OUR SEAL


 The founders of our Government did | nothing without careful deiberation, | and we are told that the adoption | of a seal for the United Sates was as carefully considered as he fram- ing of the Declaration of Independence. It was adopted during the period of the Confederacy, several years before the adoption of the Constitution. but not till after several years delibera- ion.
 On the 4th of July, 1776, after the Declaration of Independence had been finally acted upon, John Hancock, president of the Congress, appointed Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson a committee ito pre- pare a device for a great seal of the United States of America.@2 A seal was to certify the official commissions soon noe needed for ornament or show, but to be issued by the United States. The committee took the matter up at once.
 Each of the members of the com mittee had some ideas of his own, and they called in an artist of P4liladel- phia to help them formulate a de- sign. This artist was Pierre Simitier- ri, a patriotic Swiss, who was doing some excellent portrait painting in the y
 The Swiss drew a design which was discussed by the committee after which each member suggested additions or changes, which were incorporated by 1 Jefferson in a report made to Congress on August 10, 1776. This report was ! in heraldie language, describing the shield, crest, dexter, legend, etc. The following is an extract of this report.
 '-The great seal should on one side | have the arms of the United States ] of America, which arms should be as | follows: The shield has six quarters l the first an enamelled rose for Eng | land; the second a thistle proper, for | the fourth, a fleur- -de-lis, for France; Scotland; the third, harp, for Ireland; the fifth, the crowned lion for Hol- land and sixth, the imperial eagle for 1 Germany. pointing out the countries from which the colonies have been l peopled.
 After describing other details as the Goddess of Liberty, the initial letters of the Colonists, etc, the report said: | Crest, the eye of Providence in a radient triangle whose glory extends over the shield and beyond the fig ures motto, F Pluribus Unum. For some reason or other Congress refer red this device back to the committee for further report. Franklin had pro- posed for a motto. Rebellion to Ty- rants is Obedience to God" Adams proposed Hercules leaning on a club, with all the virtues and nearly all the vices grouped about him in different | attitudes. His design would have been a monstrosity and laughing stock Jeff ferson's composite design simplified matters, and it was he who suggested the motto of 'E Pluribus Unum" This was in August, 1776. The war soon absorbed the attention and nothing l further was done about a seal until March, 1779, when a committee of three was appointed to consider and report on the subject. This committee report. ed in favor of shield with thirteen diagonal tripes, alternately red and white, a constellation of thirteen stars IJ a figure of Liberty and the motto "BeTlo vel Pace Paraus" (Ready fol War or For Peace) This report alsc was recommitted and it was nearly year before the matter came up agair Not to follow through repeated discus. sions and rejections of several design. the present seal was not adopted til June 20, 1782.
 It was the work of young artist William Barton by name, who follow ed in many respects the design sub mitted by Jefferson six years before l but simplified it. He retained the ca = gle. a bundle of arrows in one tallol and an olive branch in the other; tn
 helmet with six bars, or quartering signify the six nationalties from whicl the country had been mainly peoplee q and the motto, "E Pluribus Unum'
 which survived all the discussions.
 The designer said "The motto alude to the Union." He added in his explan
 ation: '%The escutcheon is borne on tn
 breast of the American eagle, withou
 any other support. to denote that tn
 United States of America ought to rel
 on heir own virtues The different ex | ecutive departments of the Governmer have each their own seal, but ever 0 commission signed by the President
 stamped with the great seal of tn
 United States which is kept in the stat l. deparment.
 | tTomorrow- Explosion of he Peace