The History of the Seal of the United States

The History of the Seal of the United States, by Gaillard Hunt, dates from 1909. The contents list chapters titled The First Device, The Lovell Committee, William Barton’s Designs and The Illegal Seal. An opening letter to Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State, recalls that in 1892, by direction of Secretary James G. Blaine, an historical sketch of the seal of the United States was prepared.

The text calls the seal’s use very limited and strictly guarded by law, with the Secretary of State as its custodian, though even he has no authority to affix it to any paper that does not bear the President’s signature. In 1803 Chief Justice Marshall, delivering an opinion of the Supreme Court, said the great seal is only to be affixed to an instrument which is complete. One design is called important because it establishes that the idea had become fixed of having in the seal the thirteen stars, the blue field, and thirteen stripes of red and white or white and red.