The Great Seal of the United States. a part of it, was an interpretation of the symbols used, reading as follows : "The escutcheon is composed of the chief (upper part of shield) and pale (per pendicular stripes), the two most honor able ordinaries. The pieces paly (stripes) represent the several States all joined in one solid compact entire, supporting a chief, which unites the whole and represents Con gress. The motto alludes 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 con federacy 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 Amer ica: White signifies purity and innocence, red hardiness and valor, and blue, the color of the chief, signifies vigilance, perseverence 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 tak ing its place and rank among other sover eign powers. The escutcheon is borne on the breast of an American eagle without any other supporters, to denote that the United States 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 signal interposi tions of Providence in favor of the Ameri can 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." The preliminary steps taken to design the national seal began appropriately on the Fourth of July, 1776, after the Decla
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ration of Independence had been read in the Continental Congress, when a resolution was offered and passed providing " that Dr. Franklin, Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Jefferson be a committee to prepare a device for a seal of the United States of North America." .The committee reported on August 10 following, a design embodying among other objects a shield in the centre, bearing six quarters, containing, respectively, a rose on a gold ground, a thistle on a silver ground, a harp on green, a fleur de luce on blue, a German black eagle on gold, and a Belgic lion on gold, as symbols representing Eng land, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, and Holland, the countries whence the American States were chiefly peopled. This shield was supported on either side by a female figure, the Goddess of Liberty at the right and the Goddess of Justice at the left, with a motto below, "E Pluribus Unum," and the whole encircled by a red border bearing thirteen small shields, la belled with the initial letters of the thirteen original States, and surmounted by a crest consisting of the " Eye of Providence," looking out from a radiant triangle. As an outer border was the legend in Roman cap ital letters : " Seal of the United States of America, MDCCLXXVI." This design failed of acceptance; but it will be observed that two of its most impor tant features were retained in the design fi nally adopted — the motto, "E Pluribus Unum" on the face side, and the " Eye of Providence" in a triangle on the reverse side. The matter was referred to a new commit tee of three less distinguished members, Messrs. Lovell of Massachusetts, Scott of Virginia and Houstoun of Georgia. They reported on May 10, 1780, a device con taining thirteen alternate red and white stripes, placed diagonally across a shield
