SUPPORTERS-Dexter, a figure dressed as in the time of Queen Elizabeth, representing Sir Walter Rawleigh, planting with his right hand the standard of Lib. crty, with the words of Magna Charta written on it, and with his left supporting the escutcheon. SINISTER-A Virginian rifleman of the present times, completely accoutred. CREST-The crest of the ancient arms of Virginia-the breast of a Virgin naked, and crowned with an antique crown, alluding to Queen Elizabeth, in whose reign the country was discovered. Motto-Rebellion to Tyrants in obedience to God; or Rex est qui regem non habet. (Suggested by Mr. Jefferson.) Another interesting design which there is no reason to suppose ever came before the Committee is that which appeared as a heading for the Virginia Gazette during the months of May and June, 1776. It consisted of the heading "Thirteen United Colonies-United we stand, Divided we fall," below which was the following coat of arms: On a shield a coiled, rattle snake with head in dexter chief and tail in sinister base. SUPPORTERS: Dexter-a bear rampant, with collar around neck and loose flowing rope attached to the collar; SINISTER, a dear rampant. Back of the bear is a stalk of growing corn, and back of the deer is a growing plant of tobacco. The CREST consists of a knight's helmet surmounted by a wreath upon which is a demi virgin queen crowned with an ancient crown. Underneath is the motto: "Don't tread on me." On July 20th, Mr. John Page wrote thus to Mr. Thomas Jefferson: "We are very much at a loss here, for an engraver to make our seal. Mr. Wythe and my-self have, therefore, thought it proper to apply to you to assist in this business. Can you get the work done in Philadelphia? If you can, we must get the favor of you to have it done immediately. The enclosed will be all the directions you will require. The engraver may want to know the size. This you may determine; unless Mr. Wythe should direct the dimensions. He may also be at a loss for a Virtus and Libertas; but you may refer him to Spence's Polymetis, which must be in some Library in Philadelphia." Spence's Polymetis referred to above was and is one of the best authorities describing Greek and Roman characters. It was published many years before this period, and the wood cuts used, though accurate in general and engraved with classical simplicity, were some of them poorly executed and as compared with our present standards of engraving. The accompanying illustration (No. 12) is from a photograph of the cut representing "Virtus" or "Fortitudo" appearing in Spence's Polymetis. "Virtus is a Roman goddess, dressed either in a flowing white robe, or like an Amazon, holding in the left hand a peculiar sword, called a parazonium, sheathed and inverted, or point upward and not pendant, worn as a badge of honor, and not as a weapon of attack or defence. The right hand resting on a spear point downward and touching the earth; her head erect and face upturned; her foot on the globe-the world at her feet; posture indicating proud consciousness of victory-conquest completed. Such is the Roman Virtus and such the Virtus of the seal, substituting Tyranny for tne globe, and especially prescribing the dress of the Amazon, for Virtus." The significance of the entire seal depends on the significance of Virtus: fortitude, courage, and even more-virtue and abstinence, as opposed to the goddess Voluptas, but, above all, courage, that chief of Roman virtues, the foundation of the Roman Empire. "Rome, ever sustained by Virtus, the type of courage, commanded victory by not admitting the possibility of defeat." "A3 by the theory of Rome, it was her destiny to accomplish everything which she undertook, she is represented not in progression, but at the time of completion; not in action, but as having finished her work." This is the significance of Virtus as understood by Wythe, himself a classical scholar, and by the committee who reported the device to the Convention of 1776. This fact is further emphasized by the moito on the reverse side of the seal: "Deus Nobis Haec Otia Fecit," God has given us this ease. The desire of the Committee to use the Polymetis as a standard, as voiced in John Page's letter to Mr. Jefferson quoted above, was not followed, as is only too evident from the seal itself, which was made in Philadelphia and forwarded to Virginia in 1778. The figure of Virtus resembles that of a Turk with a drawn sword in her right hand and a spear, point upward, in her left. The tyrant, bearing a resemblance to George III, seems to be struggling to rise, and the whole beauty of the classical idea is destroyed. Virtus, the calm, the unconquerable, gives place to a belligerent Amazon or Turk, with victory still in the balance. The accompanying illustration (No. 13), taken from a document in the Virginia State Library, is that of the first, or emergency, seal, engraved in Philadelpnia. In the office of the President of the University of Virginia there hangs framed a commission to John Alexander (and others) as Justices of the Peace for the County of Loudon, signed by Thos. Jefferson, dated Mar. 13, 1781, bearing a good specimen of this seal. There are other specimens on the credentials of Virginia senators on file in the United States Senate document room. Judging from the following extract form Zieber's Heraldry in America, 1895, pages 159-160, the work on the first seal was done by Pierre Eugene de Cimitiere: "In the office of the Honorable Henry C. Kelsey, Secretary of the State, at Trenton, is the silver seal designed by [Pierre Eugene] Du Simitiere, and with it the carefully preserved report of the 6th of September, 1776. Upon a comparison of the two it will be seen at a glance that the artist deviated from the wording of the report. From his note-book it is learned that he drew the design in India ink during October, 1776, having finished the Great Seal of Virginia in August and preparing for the artistic execution of the seals of Georgia and Delaware, which he finished in November, 1776, and January, 1777, respectively. The date of the completion of the seal for Virginia as given in the above abstract is evidently incorrect, for we find Mr. Page complaining of the delay in the following letter to the Speaker of the House: *Sherwin McRae's "Report on The State Seal," p. 5. "Hon'ble Sir: "Palace, Oct'r. 7th, 1776. As Mr. Wythe and myself who were appointed by the late hon'ble Convention to superintend the engraving of the Seal of the Commonwealth and to take care that the same should be properly executed, finding it impracticable to procure an Engraver in this State, those who were in any manner qualified for such an undertaking being engaged in engraving Plates for the paper Money, have been under the necessity of employing proper Persons to execute this Eusiness in Philadelphia. I have been informed by Mr. Jefferson whom I applied to, to eugage Artists qualified for the work, that he had employ'd such as were excellent and that the work must be in great Forwardness but, that from the Nature of it, it will be sometime before it can be completed. I expect to have a particular account of the State of this Business from Mr. Wythe by the next Post. I thought it my Duty Sir, to lay this short account of the unavoidable Delay of this important Business before you that the House may take such steps to remedy the Inconvenience arising from the want of the Seal, as they may judge proper. I have the honor to be Sir, Your Mo. Obed't. h'ble. Serv't., JOHN PAGE. The Hon'ble The Speaker of the House of Delegates." 49 In accordance with the suggestions in the above letter the General Assembly enacted the following: "I. WHEREAS, by an ordinance of convention, it is declared that all commissions shall run in the name of the commonwealth of Virginia, and bear teste by the Governour with the seal of the commonwealth annexed, and certain persons were directed to provide the said seal, but, from unavoidable delays, they have not been able to execute the same; and whereas, in some instances, of great and pressing necessity, the governor, with advice of the council, hath already granted commissions, the validity of which may be drawn into question, to remedy which inconveniences, it is necessary that some provision should now be made. "II. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the Governour, with the advice of council, shall have full power and authority henceforth to issue commissions under his signature, without any seal, until the seal of this commonwealth shall be provided, as by the said ordinance is directed; and that all commissions heretofore granted, or which may be hereafter so granted, shall be as efficacious and valid, to all intents and purposes, as if the same had issued according to the above recited ordinance." 50 In 1777, Gov. Patrick Henry appointed William Lee (brother of Richard Henry Lee and Arthur Lee) an agent of Virginia to France to obtain arms and ammunition, or a loan of 2,000,000 livres to purchase the same. There was no seal to authenticate his credentials, and the delay in obtaining the seal ordered 49 Va. Mag. of Hist. and Biog., Vol. 17, p. 226. 50 Hening's Statutes at Large, IX, p. 211. |