Gaillard Hunt

“ As the duties of the Government have expanded, the impracticability of having the seal of the United States attached by the Department of State to the commissions of officers who are under some other Department has been recognized by Congress. ”

“ The work was ordered without any specific appropriation being made for the purpose by Congress, and was entrusted to Edward Stabler, of Sandy Spring, Md., where he was postmaster from 1828 to 1883, who cut many government seals, and had a reputation as a seal engraver. He was doubtless permitted to design the seal in his own way, and it was accepted without notice being taken of its palpable deficiencies from an artistic and heraldic point of view and its failure to satisfy the plain requirements of the law in the important particular of the number of arrows in the eagle’s sinister talon. ”

“ Adams’s letter shows nothing to suggest the possibility that he himself chose the motto; on the contrary, his mind was full of a moral rather than a political allegory for the arms. Jefferson’s mind had, on the other hand, already been engaged on the subject of a suitable device for a seal to express the idea of weakness in separation of the States and power in their combination. In 1774 he made this note in his almanac:
A proper device (instead of arms) for the American states united would be the Father presenting the bundle of rods to his sons. ”

“ In affixing such a seal to a treaty it is so large that the wax would inevitably break if it were unprotected, so it is enclosed in a metal box, usually of gold or silver, highly ornamented. After the United States secured a great seal it affixed the same one to all its acts, and did not have a separate pendant treaty seal until about 1856, when one was made at the State Department’s instance, or upon an understanding with the Department, by Samuel Lewis, a jeweler in Washington. ”

“ There is no claim here that Sir John Prestwich suggested the eagle as an emblem, or the placing of the shield upon the eagle’s breast, but simply the pales and the chief. The theory is that Adams communicated this suggestion to Charles Thomson, who engrafted it upon his own and Barton’s designs. But it must be remembered that two shields were already on the files of Congress, with alternate red and white, or white and red, stripes, and Barton’s first design had bars of the same colors. ”

“ The reverse of the seal has never been engraved by the Government. The original die of the obverse, after being in use for about sixty years, was replaced by the present die, which has become very much worn and no longer gives clear impressions. It is also to be observed with respect to the latter that it does not strictly conform to the device established by law. It seems to me, therefore, to be eminently important that a new and correct die be made without delay. ”

“ An eagle displayed must be an heraldic one. The term American eagle, I infer, means a bald-headed eagle, not the European type which shows in heraldry a tuft or crest on his head. This is allowable, just as a double-headed eagle is. ”

“ The present device was legally adopted and all we can do is to follow the provisions of the act, having an eye, of course, to general heraldic propriety; but even if the laws of heraldry are transgressed in some minor particulars, I think we still are bound to follow the letter of the law, despite the rules of heraldry. If we must have a strictly heraldic seal, let us go to work ab initio and change the law. ”

“ As to the reverse, the device adopted by Congress is practically incapable of effective treatment; it can hardly (however artistically treated by the designer) look otherwise than as a dull emblem of a masonic fraternity. * * *
Mr. Winsor commented upon Professor Norton’s notes. He agreed that the seal was not a good coat of arms. He thought, however, that it had not been the purpose of Congress “to show an heraldic bird”—that “the American eagle displayed proper” could not be an heraldic eagle. ”

“ Soon after the seal was adopted the obverse was cut in brass; but the identity of the engraver is unknown. It was intended to be impressed in wax over a paper wafer, and is found on a commission dated September 16, 1782, granting full power and authority to General Washington to arrange with the British for exchange of prisoners of war. The commission is signed by John Hanson, President of Congress, and countersigned by Charles Thomson, Secretary, the seal being affixed in the upper left-hand corner, instead of the lower left-hand corner as is now the custom. ”

“ John Adams, 9in a letter to his wife, August 14, 1776, told the story of the committee’s efforts to make the seal:
[Du Simitière is] a painter by profession, whose designs are very ingenious, and his drawings well executed. He has been applied to for his advice. I waited on him yesterday, and saw his sketches. * * * For the seal he proposes the arms of the several nations from whence America has been peopled, as English, Scotch, Irish, Dutch, German, etc., each in a shield. ”

“ The committee submitted designs of both obverse and reverse. The more finished of those for an obverse has the stripes alternate white and red, whereas the report called for red and white. A second and rougher design shows a slightly different arrangement of the constellation, a helmet as a crest, which is struck out as unsatisfactory, and a shield with alternate red and white stripes. For dexter supporter there is a naked Indian carrying in his right hand a bow and arrow. ”

“ Indications of color should not be given in the olive branch, fruit, arrows, scroll, etc.; they should be represented as termed in heraldry ‘proper’.
Regarding the reverse the pyramid is drawn to the scale of the great pyramid; the side seen in perspective to the right means East, this view being desired. The eye and the date on the foot of the pyramid should not be incised; on ancient monumental work and work of 59that character the die is sunk, or the impression it of course would be in relief. ”

“ N. B. the Head & tail of the American bald Eagle are white the body & wings of a lead or dove colour.
This design of Thomson’s was returned to Barton, who changed it by inserting pales for the chevrons, the colors alternating white and red, with a blue chief. He restored the displayed eagle as in his own design and specified that the bundle of arrows should contain thirteen. He also recommended that in the exergue should be the date of American independence and in the margin a Latin legend, “Sigul. Mag. Reipub. Confœd.,” but in the final design this was left out. ”

“ On the sinister side: a Man in complete Armour; his Sword-belt, Azure, fringed with Gold; his Helmet encircled with a Wreath of Laurel, and crested with one white & two blue Plumes: supporting with his dexter Hand the Escutcheon, and holding, in the exterior, a Lance with the point sanguinated; and upon it a Banner displayed, Vert,—in the Fess-point an Harp, or, stringed with Silver, between a Star in Chief, two Fleurs-de-lis in Fess, and a pair of Swords in Saltier, in Base, all Argent. ”

“ With all this 66injustice he is never in good case; but, like those among men who live by sharping and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. Besides, he is a rank coward; the little kingbird, not bigger than a sparrow, attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. ”

“ The Helmet is such as appertains to Sovereignty; and the Cap is used as the Token of Freedom & Excellency: It was formerly worn by Dukes “because,” says Guillim, “they Had a more worthy Government than other Subjects.”—The Cock is distinguished for two most excellent Qualities, Necessary in a free Country, viz. ”

“ Two drawings were made for the reverse, the differences between them not being great. In one the figure carries in her left hand a sword instead of an olive branch, and at the bottom is the date MDCCLXXX, while at the top the motto, “Aut haec aut nullus,” has a line drawn through it; another has over the top outside the circle the words “Libertas virtute perennis,” a line having 22been drawn through the word “Libertas;” within the circle is the word Semper struck out and the date is MDCCLXXVI. Underneath is this fragment of a note: “a rough Sketch of the Design & Decorations by the ——.” ”

“ The motto “Insuperabiles si inseperabiles” an answer given in parl [iament] to the H [ouse] of Lds, & comm [ons] . [13]
14Jefferson’s preference for a “device” rather than a coat of arms was due to the fact that he thought more allegorical meaning could be obtained by using the former. The idea he wished to convey was from one of Æsop’s fables. A father called his family of discordant sons about him, and taking a bundle of rods bound compactly together bade each one try to break it, which none could do. ”

“ M. B. 3d. R. I. 4th. C. 5th. N. Y. 6th. N. J. 7th. P. 8th. D. C. [10] 9th. M. 10th. V. 11th. N. C. 12th. S. C. 13th. G. for each of the thirteen independent States of America.
Supporters, dexter the Goddess Liberty in a corselet of armour alluding to the present Times, holding in her right Hand the Spear and Cap and with her left supporting the Shield of the States; sinister, the Goddess Justice bearing a Sword in her right hand, and in her left a Balance.
12Crest The Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the Shield and beyond the Figures.
Motto E Pluribus Unum. ”