Difference between revisions of "Seals of Virginia"

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Seals of Virginia.
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'''Seals of Virginia.
  
 
Part II.
 
Part II.
  
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Period of Statehood.
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Period of Statehood.'''
 
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As the various quarterings on •the arms of private families often depict by heraldic symbol~ great deeds performed, so the great seal of a commonwealth should not only be the symbol of sovereignty, but should be a faithful reflection of the great principles which are the foundation of the state's very existence, and an expositor of the science, literature, history and art of its period. It should be a great picture of the noble impulses and truths of the commonwealth's life reduced to a miniature, yet clear and precise in detail. In other words, it should be the ''multum in parvo.'' Such is the seal of Virginia. The importance of the great seal of the Commonwealth, as an emblem of sovereignty and an evidence of high political functions, was appreciated by the Convention of 1776, and it appointed a committee composed of some of the greatest minds of the day to prepare the design for the seal. The committee consisted of Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, Mr. Treasurer [Robert Carter Nicholas] and George Wythe. The following is an abstract from the minutes of the Virginia convention of Friday, July 5, 1 1776:  
 
As the various quarterings on •the arms of private families often depict by heraldic symbol~ great deeds performed, so the great seal of a commonwealth should not only be the symbol of sovereignty, but should be a faithful reflection of the great principles which are the foundation of the state's very existence, and an expositor of the science, literature, history and art of its period. It should be a great picture of the noble impulses and truths of the commonwealth's life reduced to a miniature, yet clear and precise in detail. In other words, it should be the ''multum in parvo.'' Such is the seal of Virginia. The importance of the great seal of the Commonwealth, as an emblem of sovereignty and an evidence of high political functions, was appreciated by the Convention of 1776, and it appointed a committee composed of some of the greatest minds of the day to prepare the design for the seal. The committee consisted of Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, Mr. Treasurer [Robert Carter Nicholas] and George Wythe. The following is an abstract from the minutes of the Virginia convention of Friday, July 5, 1 1776:  
  
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. . . “Mr. George Mason, from the committee appointed to devise a proper seal for this Commonwealth, reported that the committee had accordingly prepared the following device thereof; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same was again twice read and agreed to.  
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. . . "Mr. George Mason, from the committee appointed to devise a proper seal for this Commonwealth, reported that the committee had accordingly prepared the following device thereof; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same was again twice read and agreed to.  
  
 
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larly the fact that the description could have been written by no other •hand than that which wrote the Declaration of Rights. I can find no grounds what• ever for this view except the fact that George Mason made the report of the Committee to the Convention.
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The description which thus excited Col. McRae's admiration was so lacking in clearness, and such confusion took place thereby in the designing of the seal at later times that the General Assembly passed an Act in 1873 and again in 1903 describing the seal with greater minuteness in order to overcome this difficulty.
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On the other hand, the facts as stated in Geo. W. Munford’s note in the Code of Virginia, 1873, p. 122, seems to offer a stronger claim for the authorship by George Wythe than any that has ever been advanced for Mason. He says: "The late Wm. Munford, who was a pupil of Chancellor Wythe and lived in his house for several years, studied law under his guidance and direction, was in habits of great intimacy with him to the day of his death and delivered the eulogy at his funeral in 1806, stated repeatedly and implicitly to the editor that Mr. Wythe always claimed the paternity of the Seal, and the Convention, who knew to whom the honor belonged, appointed Mr. Wythe, and Mr. Jno. Page, the first as the man who designed it, to superintend• the' engraving and take care that it should be properly executed."
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The Committee received suggestions and help from such distinguished men as Benj. Franklin, Thos. Jefferson, Benj. West, the famous artist, and the then well-known engraver de Cimetiere. The following is the idea offered by Dr. Franklin as a design for the seal of'. Virginia:
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MOSES-standing on the shore and extending his hand over the sea, thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharoah, who is sitting on an open chariot, a crown on his head, and a sword in his hand. Rays, frame a pillow of fire in the clouds, reaching to Moses, to express that he acts by the command of the Deity.
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Motto-Rebellion to Tyrants, in obedience to God.
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Dr. Franklin, who was on July 4, 1776, appointed by the Continental Congress to serve on a committee with Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Jefferson "to prepare a device for a Seal of the United States of North America" offered the same scheme for the reverse of the U.S. seal and the Committee reported favorably on it, but it did not meet with the approval of Congress and was not adopted.
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The coat of arms for Virginia as devised by M. de Cimetiere of Philadelphia, was as follows:
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Field-a cross of St. George (as a remnant of the ancient Coat of Arms, showing the origin of the Virginians to be English) haying in the center a sharp pointed knife, in pale, blade argent, handle or, alluding to the name the Indians have given to that state.
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In the first quarter, a tobacco plant fleury, proper.<br />
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In the second argent, two wheat sheafs in saltoir, proper.<br />
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In the third argent, a stalk of Indian corn, full ripe, proper.<br />
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In the fourth vert, four fasces waved argent, alluding to the 4 great rivers of
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Virginia.
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N. B. The pieces contained in the above, may very well admit of a different disposition, if thought necessary, any more emblematical or heraldical.
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SUPPORTERS—Dexter, a figure dressed as in the time of Queen Elizabeth, representing Sir Walter Rawleigh, planting with his right hand the standard of Liberty, with the words of Magna Charta written on it, and with his left supporting the escutcheon.
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SINISTER—A Virginian rifleman of the present times, completely accoutered.
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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.
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Motto—Rebellion to Tyrants in obedience to God; or Rex est qui regem non habet. (Suggested by Mr. Jefferson.)
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Another interesting design which there is no reason to suppose ever came before the Committee is that which appeared as heading for the Virginia Gazette during the months of May and June, 1776.  It consisted of the heading “Thirteen Colonies—United we stand, Divided we fall,” below which was the following coat of arms:
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On a shield a coiled rattle snake with head in dexter chief and tail in sinister base.
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SUPPORTERS: Dexter—a bear rampant, with collar around neck and loose flowing rope attached to the collar;
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SINISTER, a dear rampant.
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Back of the bear is a stalk of growing corn, and back of the deer is growing plant of tobacco.
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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.”
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On July 20th, Mr. John Page wrote thus to Mr. Thomas Jefferson:
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“We are very much at a loss here, for an engraver to make our seal.  Mr. Wythe and myself have, therefore, thought of 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 direction 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.” . . . 
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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.
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The accompanying illustration (No. 12) is from a photograph of the cut representing “Virtus” or “Fortitudo” appearing in Spence’s Polymetis.
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“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
  
  
 
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==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 16:08, 18 September 2014

"The Seals of Virginia," Seventh Annual Report of the Library Board of the Virginia State Library (1909-1910), 7-47.[1]

Article text

Page 31

Seals of Virginia.

Part II.

Period of Statehood.

As the various quarterings on •the arms of private families often depict by heraldic symbol~ great deeds performed, so the great seal of a commonwealth should not only be the symbol of sovereignty, but should be a faithful reflection of the great principles which are the foundation of the state's very existence, and an expositor of the science, literature, history and art of its period. It should be a great picture of the noble impulses and truths of the commonwealth's life reduced to a miniature, yet clear and precise in detail. In other words, it should be the multum in parvo. Such is the seal of Virginia. The importance of the great seal of the Commonwealth, as an emblem of sovereignty and an evidence of high political functions, was appreciated by the Convention of 1776, and it appointed a committee composed of some of the greatest minds of the day to prepare the design for the seal. The committee consisted of Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, Mr. Treasurer [Robert Carter Nicholas] and George Wythe. The following is an abstract from the minutes of the Virginia convention of Friday, July 5, 1 1776:

. . . "Mr. George Mason, from the committee appointed to devise a proper seal for this Commonwealth, reported that the committee had accordingly prepared the following device thereof; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the clerk's table, where the same was again twice read and agreed to.

TO BE ENGRAVED ON THE GREAT SEAL.

VIRTUS, the genius of the Commonwealth, dressed like an Amazon, resting on a spear with one hand, and holding a sword in the other, and treading on TYRANNY, represented by a man prostrate, a crown fallen from his head, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right. In the exergon, the word VIRGINIA over the head of VIRTUS: and underneath the words Sic Semper Tyrannis. On the reverse, a groupe. LIBERTAS, with her wand and pileus. On one side of her CERES, with the cornucopia in one hand, and an ear of wheat in the other. On the other side AETERNITAS, with the globe and phoenix. In the exergon, these words:

DEUS NOBIS HAEC OTIA FECIT.

Resolved, that George Wytbe, and John Page, Esquires, be desired to superintend the engraving the said seal, and to take care that the same be properly executed. . . ." The authorship of the design has been a disputed point among historians for many years. Col. Sherwin McRae, in his report to the Governor on the State Seal, made Fell. 25, 1884, gives the credit to George Mason, emphasizing particu-

Page 32

larly the fact that the description could have been written by no other •hand than that which wrote the Declaration of Rights. I can find no grounds what• ever for this view except the fact that George Mason made the report of the Committee to the Convention.

The description which thus excited Col. McRae's admiration was so lacking in clearness, and such confusion took place thereby in the designing of the seal at later times that the General Assembly passed an Act in 1873 and again in 1903 describing the seal with greater minuteness in order to overcome this difficulty.

On the other hand, the facts as stated in Geo. W. Munford’s note in the Code of Virginia, 1873, p. 122, seems to offer a stronger claim for the authorship by George Wythe than any that has ever been advanced for Mason. He says: "The late Wm. Munford, who was a pupil of Chancellor Wythe and lived in his house for several years, studied law under his guidance and direction, was in habits of great intimacy with him to the day of his death and delivered the eulogy at his funeral in 1806, stated repeatedly and implicitly to the editor that Mr. Wythe always claimed the paternity of the Seal, and the Convention, who knew to whom the honor belonged, appointed Mr. Wythe, and Mr. Jno. Page, the first as the man who designed it, to superintend• the' engraving and take care that it should be properly executed."

The Committee received suggestions and help from such distinguished men as Benj. Franklin, Thos. Jefferson, Benj. West, the famous artist, and the then well-known engraver de Cimetiere. The following is the idea offered by Dr. Franklin as a design for the seal of'. Virginia:

MOSES-standing on the shore and extending his hand over the sea, thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharoah, who is sitting on an open chariot, a crown on his head, and a sword in his hand. Rays, frame a pillow of fire in the clouds, reaching to Moses, to express that he acts by the command of the Deity.

Motto-Rebellion to Tyrants, in obedience to God.

Dr. Franklin, who was on July 4, 1776, appointed by the Continental Congress to serve on a committee with Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Jefferson "to prepare a device for a Seal of the United States of North America" offered the same scheme for the reverse of the U.S. seal and the Committee reported favorably on it, but it did not meet with the approval of Congress and was not adopted. The coat of arms for Virginia as devised by M. de Cimetiere of Philadelphia, was as follows: Field-a cross of St. George (as a remnant of the ancient Coat of Arms, showing the origin of the Virginians to be English) haying in the center a sharp pointed knife, in pale, blade argent, handle or, alluding to the name the Indians have given to that state.

In the first quarter, a tobacco plant fleury, proper.
In the second argent, two wheat sheafs in saltoir, proper.
In the third argent, a stalk of Indian corn, full ripe, proper.
In the fourth vert, four fasces waved argent, alluding to the 4 great rivers of Virginia.

N. B. The pieces contained in the above, may very well admit of a different disposition, if thought necessary, any more emblematical or heraldical.



Page 33

SUPPORTERS—Dexter, a figure dressed as in the time of Queen Elizabeth, representing Sir Walter Rawleigh, planting with his right hand the standard of Liberty, 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 accoutered.

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 heading for the Virginia Gazette during the months of May and June, 1776. It consisted of the heading “Thirteen 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 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 myself have, therefore, thought of 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 direction 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



See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Seals of Virginia," Seventh Annual Report of the Library Board of the Virginia State Library (1909-1910), 7-47.

External links

Read this article in Google Books.

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