.... It is
seventy-two years since the first inauguration of a President under our
National Constitution. During that period fifteen different and greatly
distinguished citizens have in succession administered the executive
branch of the Government. They have conducted it through many perils,
and generally with great success. Yet, with all this scope of precedent,
I now enter upon the same task for the brief constitutional term of four
years under great and peculiar difficulty. A disruption of the Federal
Union, heretofore only menaced, is now formidably attempted. 11
I hold that in contemplation of
universal law and of the Constitution the Union of these States is
perpetual. Perpetuity is implied, if not expressed, in the fundamental
law of all national governments. It is safe to assert that no government
proper ever had a provision in its organic law for its own termination.
Continue to execute all the express provisions of our National
Constitution, and the Union will endure forever, it being impossible to
destroy it except by some action not provided for in the instrument
itself .
Again: If the United States be not a
government proper, but an association of States in the nature of
contract merely, can it, as a contract, be peaceably unmade by less than
all the parties who made it? One party to a contract may violate it—break
it, so to speak—but does it not require all to lawfully rescind it? 13
Descending from these general
principles, we find the proposition that in legal contemplation the
Union is perpetual confirmed by the history of the Union itself. The
Union is much older than the Constitution. It was formed, in fact, by
the Articles of Association in 1774. It was matured and continued by the
Declaration of Independence in 1776. It was further matured, and the
faith of all the then thirteen States expressly plighted and engaged
that it should be perpetual, by the Articles of Confederation in 1778.
And finally, in 1787, one of the declared objects for ordaining and
establishing the Constitution was "to form a more perfect Union."
.......
The Great Seal of the United States
The American bald eagle is the most
prominent feature of the Seal of the United States. Across the breast of
the eagle is a shield with 13 alternating red and white stripes (the
pales) representing the 13 original States. Note that the stripes
alternate in opposite fashion from the stripes on our flag. On the seal
the stripes begin and end with a white stripe, while on the flag the
first and last stripe are red. Across the top of the shield is a blue
field (chief) that unites all the stripes into one. The blue chief
represents the United States Congress. In his talons the eagle grasps an
olive branch representing peace, and 13 arrows representing war. These
demonstrate our desire for peace but our willingness to defend with
might, the Nation the Seal represents.
Above the eagle are thirteen stars
inside a circular design, representing a "New Constellation", the same
constellation referred to in the blue union of the of the United States
Flag. In his beak the eagle grasps a flowing ribbon bearing the first
MOTTO of the United States:
E Pluribus Unum
These Latin words are translated "Out of many, One", reminding us
that out of many States was born One new Nation.
The similarities between the Great
Seal and the United States Flag are no accident. Francis Hopkinson of
New Jersey is generally credited with the design for our first flag, the
Congress Colors of 1775. He was Chairman of the Continental Navy's
Middle Department at the time the Flag Resolution was adopted on June
14, 1777 establishing the "Stars and Stripes" flag, and most historians
believe that he was responsible for replacing the British Union Jack of
the Congress Colors with the 13 stars of the new flag. He is also
generally credited with the design for the Seal of the United States.
**(Years later Francis Hopkinson sent
a petition to the Continental Admiralty Board seeking reward for his
services in design of these and other early American symbols. In that
letter he asked if "a Quarter Cask of the public wine will not be a
proper and reasonable reward for these labours of fancy and a suitable
encouragement to future exertions of a like nature." His request was
denied because he was considered a "public servant", and was ineligible
for payment for such services.)
On July 4, 1776, our first Independence Day, the Continental Congress
passed a resolution authorizing a committee including Benjamin Franklin,
Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams to research and devise a National Motto
as well a seal for their new Nation. On September 9th Congress gave that
new Nation a name, calling it the "United States". During that meeting
the motto "E Pluribus Unum" was generally accepted as the Nation's motto,
though the official vote did not occur until later. Likewise, the
adoption of a National Seal would not occur until much later.
In 1782 Charles Thompson, Secretary of
the Continental Congress, introduced this design for the new Seal of the
United States. He told the members of Congress:
"The colors of the pales are those used in the flag of the United States
of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness and
valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief signifies vigilance,
perseverance and justice."
On June 20, 1782 Congress approved the design, and the Great Seal of the
United States was born. The image of the eagle within the seal became
our National "Coat of Arms".
Heraldic devices such as our Great
Seal have been in use for centuries. Some of the earliest seals were
carved into the face of a ring worn by a monarch. Official documents
were quickly recognized by the impression of the king's seal in soft wax
applied to the document.
The OBVERSE FRONT of the Great Seal of the United
States authenticates the President's signature on many official
documents. The Great Seal die, counter die, press and cabinet that
contains them are located in the Exhibit Hall of the Department of
State. Nearly 3,000 times a year the Department of State receives
official documents ranging from ratification of treaties to
communications from the President to officials of foreign governments.
When these have been duly signed by the President and counter-signed by
the Secretary of State, an officer from the State Department's
Presidential Appointments Staff affixes the Great Seal of the United
States to authenticate the signatures.