"A device for an armorial atchievement for the Great Seal of the
United States of America, in Congress assembled, agreeably to the
rules of heraldry, proposed by William Barton, A.M.
"ARMS.--Barry of thirteen pieces, argent and gules, on a canton
azure, and many stars disposed in a circle of the first; a pale or,
surmounted of another, of the third; charged in chief, with an eye
surrounded with a glory proper; and in the fess-point, an eagle
displayed on the summit of a Doric column, which rests on the base
of the escutcheon, both as the stars.
"CREST.--Or, an helmet of burnished gold damasked, grated with six
bars, and surmounted of a cap of dignity, gules, turned up ermine,
a cock armed with gaffs proper.
"SUPPORTERS.--On the dexter side; the genius of America
(represented by a maiden with loose auburn tresses, having on her
head a radiated crown of gold encircled with a sky-blue fillet,
spangled with silver stars; and clothed in a long loose white
garment, bordered with green. From her right shoulder to her left
side a scarf, _seme_ of stars, the tinctures thereof the same
as in the canton; and round her waist a purple girdle, fringed or
embroidered argent, with the word 'Virtue'--resting her interior
hand on the escutcheon, and holding in the other the proper
_Standard of the United States_, having a dove argent perched
on the top of it.
"On the sinister side: a man in complete armor, his sword-belt
azure, fringed with gold, his helmet encircled with a wreath of
laurel, and crested with one white and two blue plumes; supporting
with his dexter hand the escutcheon, and holding in the interior a
lance, with the point sanguinated, and upon it a banner displayed,
Vert., in the fess-point an harp stringed with silver, between a
star in chief, two _fleurs-de-lis_ in fess, and a pair of swords,
in saltier, in basses, all argent. The tenants of the escutcheon
stand on a scroll, on which is the following motto:--
'_Deo Favente_,'
which alludes to the _eye_ in the arms, meant for the eye of
Providence.
"Over the crest, in a scroll, this motto:--
'_Virtus sola invicta_,'
which requires no comment.
"The thirteen pieces, barways, which fill up the field of the arms,
may represent the several States; and the same number of stars,
upon a blue canton, disposed in a circle, represent a new
constellation, which alludes to the new empire formed in the world
by the confederation of those States. Their disposition in the form
of a circle, denotes the perpetuity of its continuance, the ring
being the symbol of eternity. The eagle displayed, is the symbol of
supreme power and authority, and signifies the Congress; the pillar
upon which it rests is used as the hieroglyphic of fortitude and
constancy, and its being of the Doric order (which is the best
proportioned and most agreeable to nature), and composed of several
members, or parts, all taken together, forming a beautiful
composition of strength, congruity, and usefulness, it may, with
great propriety, signify a well-planned government. The eagle being
placed on the summit of the column is emblematical of the
sovereignty of the government of the United States; and as further
expressive of that idea, those two charges, or five and six azure,
are borne in a pale which extends across the thirteen pieces into
which the escutcheon is divided. The signification of the eye has
been already explained. The helmet is such as appertains to
sovereignty, and the cap is used as the token of freedom and
excellency. It was formerly worn by dukes; says Guillien, _they
had a more worthy government than other subjects_. The cock is
distinguished for two most excellent qualities, viz.,
_vigilance_ and _fortitude_.
"The genius of the American confederated Republic is denoted by the
blue scarf and fillet glittering with stars, and by the tag of
Congress which she displays. Her dress is white edged with green,
colors emblematical of innocence and truth. Her purple girdle and
radiated crown indicate her sovereignty; the word "Virtue," on the
former, is to show that that should be her principal ornament; and
the _radiated_ crown, that no earthly crown shall rule her. The
dove, on the top of the American standard, denotes the mildness and
purity of her government.
"The knight in armor, with his bloody lance, represents the
military genius of the American empire, armed in defence of its
just rights. His blue belt and blue feathers, indicate his country,
and the white plume is in compliment to our gallant ally. The
wreath of laurel round his helmet is expressive of his success.
"The green field of the banner denotes youth and vigor; the
harp[61] [with thirteen strings], emblematical of the several
States acting in harmony and concert; the star _in chief_ has
reference to America, as _principal_ in the contest; the two
_fleurs-de-lis_ are borne as a grateful[62] testimony of the
_support_ given to her by France, and the two swords, crossing each
other, signify the state of war. This tenant and his flag relate
totally to America at the time of her Revolution.
(Signed,) "WM. BARTON."
[61] The pen is run through the words, "with thirteen
strings," in the original.
[62] "In the arms of Scotland, as manifested in the royal
atchievement, the double fressure which surrounds the lion is
borne _flory_ and _counter-flory_ (with _fleurs-de-lis_),
which is in consequence of a treaty that was entered into
between Charlemagne, then Emperor and King of France, and
Achius, King of Scotland; to denote that the French lilies
should guard and defend the Scottish lion."
Mr. Middleton, Mr. Boudinot, and Mr. Rutledge, reported a modification
of this, June 13, 1782, which was referred to the Secretary of the
United States, in Congress assembled, to take order.
Device for a Great Seal, as adopted June 20, 1782.
"The Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled, to whom
was referred the several reports of committees on the device of a
Great Seal to take order, reports:--
"That the device for an armorial atchievement, and reverse of a
Great Seal for the United States in Congress assembled, is as
follows:--
"ARMS.--Paleways, of thirteen pieces, argent and gules, a chief
azure. The escutcheon on the breast of the American bald eagle,
displayed proper, holding in his dexter talon an olive-branch, and
in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, and in his
beak a scroll, inscribed with this motto: _E Pluribus Unum_.
"FOR THE CREST.--Over the head of the eagle, which appears above
the escutcheon, a glory, or, breaking through a cloud proper, and
surrounding thirteen stars forming a constellation, argent on an
azure field.
"REVERSE.--A pyramid unfinished. In the zenith, an eye in a
triangle, surrounded with a glory proper. Over the eye these words,
_Annuit Coeptis_. On the base of the pyramid, the numerical
letters, MDCCLXXVI., and underneath the following motto:
'_Novus ordo Seclorum._'
"_Remarks and Explanations._--The escutcheon is composed of the
chief and pale, the two most honorable ordinaries. The pieces paly,
represent the several States all joined in one solid compact
entire, supporting a chief, which unites the whole and represents
Congress. The motto, alluding to this Union. The pales in the arms
are kept closely united by the chief, and the chief depends on that
union, and the strength resulting from it, for its support, to
denote the confederacy of the United States of America, and the
preservation of their Union through Congress.
"The colors of the pales are those used in the flag of the United
States of America; white, signifies purity and innocence; red,
hardiness and valor; and blue, the color of the chief, signifies
vigilance, perseverance, and justice. The olive-branch and arrows
denote the power of peace and war, which is exclusively vested in
Congress. The constellation denotes a new State taking its place
and rank among the sovereign powers. The escutcheon is borne on the
breast of the American eagle, without any other supporters, to
denote that the United States of America ought to rely on their own
virtue.
"REVERSE.--The pyramid signifies strength and duration. The eye
over it, and the motto, allude to the many and signal
interpositions of Providence in favor of the American cause. The
date underneath is that of the Declaration of Independence; and the
words under it signify the beginning of the new American era, which
commences from that date."
In most of the above reports, a reference will be perceived to the
devices and colors of the flag of the U. States, and many of the ideas
presented in them are drawn from it, viz., the chief azure
corresponding to the union of the flag, the pales corresponding to the
stripes, which together constitute a whole; the constellation of stars
also taken from the flag, and indicating a new State (composed of
thirteen States) dependent upon their union. As these are the principal
ideas presented in the arms of the United States, may we not reasonably
conclude that, being borrowed from the flag, they are the views that
prevailed at the time of its adoption, presented under another guise?
The reference to eternity, in the arms, was indicated by the circle of
stars in the flag; the reference to Providence, in the eye, was in the
flag presented in the field of thirteen stripes, a combination of the
red and white flags, which bore the mottoes: "_Qui transtulit
sustinet_," and an "Appeal to Heaven."
It is intimated, in some of these reports, that the colors for the flag
were adopted apart from other reasons, as implying certain virtues; of
the fact of their implying them there can be no doubt, but that they
were not immediately adopted into the flag for that reason, but rather
because they were already in use, with these meanings attached to them,
at least so far as the red and white colors were concerned, we think we
have conclusively shown. We shall presently offer some suggestions
relative to the blue color, which will indicate a more direct reason
for its adoption than the virtues implied by it.
But to return to the account of the flag. We remarked, under the head
of the Great Union Flag of the Colonies, that the stripes in the field
of the flag were not only designed to show the union of the thirteen
colonies, but also the number of members which composed it, and their
dependence as a whole upon the Union. The first change in the flag of
the United States, shows that this conclusion was a correct one. It was
directed in the following resolution:--
"_Be it enacted_, &c., of May,
Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, the flag of
the United States be fifteen stripes, alternate red and white. That
the union be fifteen stars, white in a blue field." Approved
January 13, 1794. (See Fig. 2, Plate III.)
This was the flag of the United States during the war of 1812-14.
In 1818, the flag of the United States was again altered, and, as we
are informed, on the suggestion of the Hon. Mr. Wendover, of New York,
a return was made to the thirteen stripes; as it was anticipated the
flag would become unwieldy if a stripe was added on the admission of
each State; and, moreover, by the plan proposed, the union of the old
thirteen States, as well as the number of members composing the
existing Union, would be presented by the flag of the United States.
Mr. W. also proposed the arrangement of the stars in the union into the
form of a single star. In this, there was a departure from the original
design, as the perpetuity of the Union ceased to be indicated by the
flag, as it had previously been in the circle of stars, except so far
as indicated by the several stars forming one large star.