Supporters, dexter, a warrior holding a sword; sinister, a figure representing Peace, bearing the olive branch.
The Crest, a radiant constellation, of thirteen stars.
The motto, Bello vel Pace.
The legend round the achievement, "The Great Seal of the United States."
On the Reverse, Virtute Perennis, underneath MDCCLXXVII.
A miniature of the face of the great seal and half its diameter to be prepared and affixed as the less seal of the United States.
But our critical forefathers were still dissatisfied, and exhibited no more disposition to adopt the false heraldry of the committee of 1779 than the allegorical and Biblical monstrosity of that of 1776. Three years more of incubation were needed to hatch the "bird o' freedom," and it is not until 1782 that we hear of a further movement. On June 13 of that year, William Barton of Philadelphia proposed the following for the arms of the United States:
Arms, Paleways of thirteen pieces argent and gules; a chief azure, the escutcheon placed on the breast of the American (the bald-headed) eagle, displayed proper; holding in his beak a scroll inscribed with the motto, viz., E Pluribus Unum, and in his dexter talon a palm or olive branch, in the other a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper.
For the Crest, over the head of the eagle, which appears above the escutcheon, a glory, or, breaking through a cloud, proper, and surrounding thirteen stars forming a constellation, argent on an azure field.
In the exergue of the great seal, "Jul. IV. MDCCLXXVI."