MR. WILL BARTON, Sir: I am much obliged for the perusal of the "Elements of which I now return. I have just dipped into it so far as to be satisfied that it may afford a fund of enter tainment, and may be applied by a State to useful purposes. I am much obliged for your very valuable present of For tescue de Laudibus Legum Anglue," and shall be happy to have it in my power to make a suitable return.
I enclose you a copy of the device by which you have displayed your skill in heraldic science, and which meets with general approbation.
I am, sir. Your obedient, humble servant, (Signed) CHARLES THOMSON. June 24, 1782.
In reference to the above letter Mr. Barton in after years wrote the following note, which goes to corroborate the statement, that he de signed the present Great Seal of the United States: Lancaster, Penn.
In June 1782, when Congress was about to form an armorial device for a Great Seal for the United States, Charles Thomson, Edc .. then secretary, with the Hon. Arthur Lee and Elias Boudinot, members of Congress, called on me and consulted me on the occasion. The Great Seal, for which I furnished those gentlemen with devices (as certified by Charles Thomson. Esq.), was adopted by Congress on the 20th of June 1782. Mr. Thomson informed me four days after the design met with general approbation.
(Signed) W. BAkTON.
Charles Thomson had the obverse side of the seal cut in brass — the reverse side was never cut or used. Strictly speaking the na tional documents are not sealed as the enact ment calls. The first time the Great Seal was used it was found on a commission dated 16 Sept. 1782, granting• full power and authority to Gen. George Washington for arranging with the British for exchange of prisoners of war. This commission is signed by John Hanson, president of the Confederation Congress, and countersigned by Charles Thomson, secretary of the same body; the seal on this document being impressed upon the parchment, over a white wafer, fastened by red wax in the upper left hand corner, instead of the lower left hand corner as is now the custom. This document
is in the possession of the State Department and few papers are more carefully stored or more highly cherished. The seals of many of our States contain emblems borrowed from the ((Great Seal.* This is also true of many of the seals of government departments. The historic and much admired china set of the White House has the Great Seal blazoned upon every piece,— the seal being in heraldic tinctures. The Great Seal of the United States being used very f re .quently, its wear of necessity is great and sev eral secretaries of State had it retouched and corrected. Officially the Great Seal has been changed in Webster's term, in Frelinghuysen's 'term and in John Hay's term.
In 1841, during the administration of Presi dent Tyler, it was found by Webster, then Sec retary of State, that the Seal was badly worn and beyond the engraver's power of redemption. The President then ordered that Webster see that a new Seal be engraved. The engraver, it seems, found it difficult to engrave the bundle of 13 arrows, and with Webster's advice and consent agreed that six arrows would suffice.
In 1885, during the administration of Chester A. Arthur, Mr. Frelinghuysen, the Sec retary of State, found that the Great Seal was badly worn and beyond restoration. The sec retary consulted Mr. Arthur, who ordered that a new Seal be executed. This Seal also lacks the true heraldic significants. In 1903 Secre tary John Hay's attention was called to the lapses in the execution of the Seal, and Presi dent Roosevelt ordered that a new one be made. The present Seal is a beautiful emblem and is considered the most artistic mark* of the nations. See SEAL.