IV
THE SECRETARY’S DEVICE
Barton’s elaborate design fixed the reverse, but that part of the seal
does not appear to have caused much discussion. For the obverse it
produced the displayed eagle, but Barton’s eagle was crested and not the
American or bald-headed eagle.
The whole matter now having by order of Congress come into the hands of
Charles Thomson, he took a radical departure from all previous designs.
Putting the eagle as the central figure of his design, he specified that
it be an American eagle, rising, not displayed. As emblematic of the war
power he put in the sinister talon a bundle of arrows, where Barton had
put the American flag, introducing the arrows into the seal for the
first time. To picture peace he put in the eagle’s dexter talon an olive
branch which had figured in the device of the second committee, instead
of Barton’s sword and wreath of laurel. For the crest he used the
constellation of thirteen stars surrounded by clouds, as in the second
committee’s report, and arranged the red and white stripes, which the
second committee had made diagonal and Barton horizontal, in chevrons,
one side of red and white, the other of white and red. From the report
of the first committee he took the motto “E pluribus unum.” He made or
had made a rough drawing of his device, which was colored. It was almost
4 inches in diameter. For the reverse he adopted Barton’s device,
changing only the mottoes. These were from Virgil, “Audacibus annue
cœptis” (favor my daring undertaking), being found in the Æneid, book 9,
verse 625 (also in the Georgics, 1, 40), and “Magnus ab integro seclorum
nascitur ordo” (the great series of ages begins anew), coming from the
fourth eclogue, fifth verse. Although the form “seclorum” was adopted,
the more approved spelling is “sæclorum.”[24]
The report which follows is entirely in Thomson’s handwriting and is
endorsed by him “The Secretary’s device:”
Device for an Armorial Atchievement and Reverse of a great Seal for
the United States in Congress Assembled.
Arms.
On a field Chevrons composed of seven pieces on one side & six on the
other, joined together at the top in such wise that each of the six
bears against or is supported by & supports two of the opposite side
the pieces of the chevrons on each side alternate red & white. The
shield born on the breast of an American Eagle on the Wing & rising
proper. In the dexter talon of the Eagle an Olive branch & in the
sinister a bundle of arrows. Over the head of the Eagle a
constellation of Stars surrounded with bright rays and at a little
distance clouds.
[Illustration: