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Show mcjyp on MLD L-iL I17' Device Proposed by Benjamin Franklin. "T'jW.ij", 4 T. Patrick's day, fV March the 17th, be- longs to the Sons of Erin by world-m world-m Vj wide assent, but A ySiwy ew Americans, out- jPSJll scended from na-(yll6 na-(yll6 tives of the Emer-W Emer-W ald 'sle Pause t0 V$? I a consider what S , memorable services jSSW were rendered by 2f ' Irish during the mnuLng Revolutionary war. niiiiHimiiHiiia ijvitn tne single exception ex-ception of our French allies, they merit the highest commendation for their aid to the cause of freedom; and only because the former people hailed from an already al-ready established government are their claims granted precedence. Irish historic emblems, both in device and tincture, are woven unalterably Into the fabric of the evolution of American history. Here, for the first time, are set forth items of great heraldic importance, giving the proper credit to Erin's emblems, as they have formed an equation in the development of the present governmental govern-mental devices of heraldic or symbolic sym-bolic meaning. It Is generally supposed that the only important matter which engaged the attention of the first Continental Congress, on the fourth day of July, was the adoption of the Declaration of Independence; but the records show that no less essential national problem a government signature, or seal was a part of the considerations of that eventful occasion. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon, when the Liberty Bell was still sounding the call to arms and proclaiming the dawn of freedom, that John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, arose from his chair and said: "We are now a nation, and I appoint ap-point Dr. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams Ad-ams and Thomas Jefferson a committee commit-tee to prepare a device for a great seal of the thirteen United States." The committee immediately proceed- the national banner was taken until June 14, 1777. But Jefferson was so impressed with the idea of recognizing recogniz-ing the countries from whence America Amer-ica was peopled, and to show definitely definite-ly admiration for their patriotism in the fight for liberty, that he placed below be-low the Du Simitier idea the 'motto, "E Pluribus Unum," to indicate "From Many (People), one (people);" or "From Many Nationalities, one nation;" na-tion;" or "From England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, and the .Netherlands the United States." The motto does not mean"From many Colonies, one nation," as the basic" definition is clearly indicated in the device and in Jefferson's description. Still, Congress was hard to please, and the report of the distinguished committee was set aside and a new committee assigned to the task. Though Jefferson continued deeply interested in-terested in the matter and submitted several other devices, no less than twenty designs were under discussion, and four subsequent committees labored la-bored with the seal problem. Then In 17S2 a committee called to their aid a certain Mr. William Barton, Bar-ton, a patriot, soldier and heraldic expert, ex-pert, and he designed a seal which again incorporated the emblems In token of the Irish allies of the Republic. Re-public. His design was elaborate and practically became the basis of our present seal. In the shield the Stars and Stripes appear and the eagle and eye of Providence. But the special consideration of the Irish Is found in the two figures supporting the proposed pro-posed design. The harp and the tleur-de-lys relate to the assistance rendered ren-dered by Ireland and France, and are blazoned on a green banner. However, How-ever, this committee's report fared no' better than its predecessors, and finally the entire question of evolving an appropriate seal was placed in the-hands the-hands of the secretary of the Continental Conti-nental Congress the Irishman, Charles Thomson. He, with the aid of William Barton, gave to the world our present emblematic signature. Americans in general, and those of Irish ancestry in particular, will be In- gle. Six thousand Irish came to this country in 1729, and dispersed and settled throughout the colonies, prince pally in Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas. From among those devout settlers sprang some of the most prominent and influential colonists. The musical instrument which symbolizes sym-bolizes the land of Erin was an attributive at-tributive ensign of the Goddess Hi-bernia, Hi-bernia, the patroness of early Ireland. As early as the fifth century, the harp was so common in Erin that hardly a peasant house was without one. In the old laws of Wales and Erin the Triads specified the use of the harp as one of the three things necessary to distinguish a freeman or gentleman gentle-man from a slave. Pretenders were jected to as an American emblem on account of the harp being representative representa-tive of Ireland. But this, like many other devices, was not reported from the committee. There Is good reason to believe that the following design came as a later proposal from Doctor Franklin, as he refers to it in his writings: "Supporters. In the dexter side: the genius of America (represented by a maiden with loose auburn tresses), having on her head a radiated radi-ated 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 a scarf, Bemee of stars, the tinctures Thompson's Design, the Basis of Present Seal. Du Simitiere's Design of Seal. ed to perform its assigned duty, and after six weeks of labor, during which time many designs were considered, It was announced that the device ar- discovered by their unskillfulness in "playing of the harp." That the heraldic device of which Du Simitier was the author pleased his critics is proved by the fact that Franklin at once withdrew his design, Adams abandoned his and Jefferson relegated his diagram to oblivion in favor of the compilation offered by the French expert. Also there were other designs placed in evidence by distinguished distin-guished colonists. Among them was an emblem of Ireland, a "Harp" with thirteen strings, and the motto, Majora Minorobus Consonant, meaning "The greater and lesser ones sound together." togeth-er." The strings of the harp were of different lengths, yet they composed one instrument in a strong frame and sounded in harmony. This appropriate appropri-ate device was intended to represent thereof the same as in the canton; and round her waist a purple girdle, fringed or embroidered, argent, with the word 'Vlrtute,' resting her interior in-terior hand on the escutcheon, and holding in the other the proper standard stand-ard 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; (green), in the fess-point a harp strung with silver, between a star in chief, two fieurs-de-lys in fess, a pair of swords in saltier, in bass.es, all argent. terested in the following sketch of the career of the man who solved the problem of providing a seal for the-Government the-Government of the United States: Charles Thomson v as born at Ma-1 ghera, Ireland, November 29, 1729, and"-came and"-came to America with his three elder brothers in 1741. They landed at New Castle, Delaware, with no other dependence than their industry; Thomson was educated by Doctor AI--lison, the tutor of several of the' signers of the Declaration of Independence. Inde-pendence. He bad a great passion for leading and when yet a young man he had gleaned sufficient knowledge knowl-edge to be counted among the "literl." He was afterwards a teacher In the Friends' academy, at New Castle, Delaware. Del-aware. From thence he went to' Philadelphia, where he became acquainted ac-quainted with and obtained adrlce from Benjamin Franklin; he soon became be-came the Intimate friend of the "learned Philadelphlan" and their friendship seemed to Increase daily. In 1772 lie served as negotiator with' the Iroquois and Delaware Indiana, and his good, conscientious work among the natives brought for hlrn-the hlrn-the worthy nickname, "Truthtellcr." by which name the Indians always" after called him. He was a man of rare abilities and had the peculiar requisites requi-sites to make and keep friends where ever he happened to wander. He was called to the responsible duty of keep-J Ing minutes of the proceedings of the' first Continental Congress In 1774, and from that time until he resigned his office In 1789 then fifty-nine years old he was the secretary of that 1ignl-fied 1ignl-fied and Important body. John Adams called him "the Gara AdamH or Philadelphia, the life of the cause of liberty." This certainly was a compliment, corning as it did from a tried and honest patriot. Thomson, It is true, made a most diligent secretary, secre-tary, and in that position he had the rare pleasure of taking notes of all the Important congressional actions. For the first year's work he received no pay. He served as permanent secretary sec-retary during the eventful fifteen' years that followed. His seal was a ccpted officially on June 20, 782. One of the Proposed Harp Designs. ranged by Jefferson, based on the compilation com-pilation of a Huguenot named Du Simitier, be reported to Congress on August 10, 1776. The design in question ques-tion was quite elaborate and indicated fundamental knowledge of the laws of heraldry, besides containing primal symbolic language, and one important impor-tant element which appealed strongly to the Irish pride of race. The proposed pro-posed shield carried an emblem to represent the six great nationalities taking part in the war for independence, independ-ence, or those who populated the colonies col-onies and were earnest in the fight for American freedom. Thus, for England Eng-land appeared a rose, for Scotland a ! thistle, for Ireland a harp, for France a fluer-de-lys, for Germany a black eagle, and for the Netherlands a lion. Du Simitier, who was the heraldic artist, art-ist, placed Ireland third in this important im-portant subdivision of that proposed shield for the Union, and It is interesting inter-esting t(5 note the reasons set forth for this recognition of the patriotism of the colonial inhabitants who came here from Ireland: The third Quartering, green, with a harp of gold, was to be the respected symbol of Ireland, and was placed upon the shield as a token to the Irish patriots who took an active part In the war for independence; in fact, having brought over with them a spirit of dij-like dij-like and revenge against England, they fought most bravely in our strug- Barton's Second Design. the new government under the Continental Con-tinental Congress, as composed of provinces of various sizes and strength, but all working and responding re-sponding harmoniously for the general gen-eral good made united in strength and purpose by the framework of Congress. Con-gress. This design no doubt was ob- 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." The Congress evidently counted it more Important to possess the seal than a flag, for no definite action on I |
