The Seal to be 3 Inches in Diametre
On one Side the Arms of the United States, as follows; The Shield charged on the Field Azure with 13 diagonal Stripes alternate rouge and argent—Supporters; dexter, a warriour holding a Sword; sinister, a Figure, representing Peace bearing an Olive Branch—The Crest—a radiant constellation of 13 Stars—The motto Bello vel Paci; The Legend round the Atchievement—The great Seal of the United States of America
On the reverse, The Figure of Liberty seated in a Chair holding the Staff and Cap—The motto virtute perennis—underneath, MDCCLXXVI.
A Drawing of the Seal is annexed—
May 10th 1780—
A Miniature of the Face of the great Seal to be prepared of Half the Diametre, to be affixed as the less Seal of the United States.
The report is endorsed, “Report of the Comeee. on the device of a great Seal—Delivered May 10, 1780 read—May 17, 1780 Recommitted. N. B. The within report has been altered since the Recommitment of May 17, 1780,” the endorsement being in the handwriting of Charles Thomson, the Secretary of Congress, except the note, which is in the same hand as the report, apparently,[[20]] that of Houston; but the motto virtute perennis in the report is in Thomson’s hand. The committee submitted designs of both obverse and reverse. The more finished of those for an obverse has the stripes alternate white and red, whereas the report called for red and white. A second and rougher design shows a slightly different arrangement of the constellation, a helmet as a crest, which is struck out as unsatisfactory, and a shield with alternate red and white stripes. For dexter supporter there is a naked Indian carrying in his right hand a bow and arrow.
Two drawings were made for the reverse, the differences between them not being great. In one the figure carries in her left hand a sword instead of an olive branch, and at the bottom is the date MDCCLXXX, while at the top the motto, “Aut haec aut nullus,” has a line drawn through it; another has over the top outside the circle the words “Libertas virtute perennis,” a line having been drawn through the word “Libertas;” within the circle is the word Semper struck out and the date is MDCCLXXVI. Underneath is this fragment of a note: “a rough Sketch of the Design & Decorations by the ——.”
The report of this committee is important, because it shows for the first time the use of the constellation of thirteen stars, the shield, and the white and red and red and white stripes. The stripes and stars had undoubtedly been adopted from the flag. In these designs appears for the first time the olive branch as an emblem of peace.