The Correct Arms of the State of Neio York. 



251 



and then shown that the written description of them has apparently 

 been lost, I am now able to adduce the strongest evidence of what was 

 the original device, — evidence which in most respects is of more value 

 than a description would be. The evidence consists in three speci- 

 mens of the State Arms which have been preserved as they were en- 

 graved or painted before the year 1785, a date which is within eight 

 years of the first passage of the law for a State Arms; and each one 

 of the three is impressed with a measure of official authority. 



The first of these early specimens is a copy of the Arms as they are 

 engraved upon a military commission signed by Gov. George Clinton, 

 June 25, 1778, the commission itself being dated within about three 

 months after the passage of the law of March 16, 1778. Mr. Edward 

 F. DeLancey, president of the Westchester Historical Society, a 

 master of the mysteries of heraldry, who first brought this specimen 

 to my notice, gave a photographed copy of it to the State Library. 

 He thus speaks of it in a letter to me dated July 8, 1878: — 



The whole form of the commission is engraved upon a 



copper plate elegantly executed, about eight by ten inches in size, the 



arms being in the upper right hand corner I never saw or 



heard of it till this week It is as fine a piece of copper plate 



engraving as I know of executed in America. I have had the elegant 

 initial letter T in which the arms are used as an interior ornament, 

 photographed. The engraver's name is Dawkins, and he is I believe 



the same man who made the first seal of the State He lived 



at Poughkeepsie. The date of the commission is June 25, 1778 



The photograph of the T is only a trifle larger than the original 



This commission is a general military commission, and could 



be used for any rank of field or company ofiicers, blanks being left to 

 be filled as required." 



The commission was for Daniel Mortine, as second lieutenant of 

 Capt. Samuel Haight's company of Westchester county, in Col. 

 Samuel Drake's regiment. The initial letter T was for the first word 

 of the commission, The. The first clause of the sentence reads, The 

 people of the State of New York." 



In this specimen the shield is much broader at the hasp than in the 

 two following specimens, for a reason which will afterward be ex- 

 plained. The scales of Justice are held clear of her body, and the 

 sword is not held firmly erect. The drapery of the figures though 

 not classic is more agreeable than in the third specimen. As this 

 specimen is the first in order of time and is employed upon a mili- 

 tary commission signed by the Governor, it necessarily takes prece- 

 dence over the others as having more direct official authority. 



Mr. G. E. Howell of the State Library has kindly furnished a blazon 

 of the Arms on this commission, that should have technical exactness 



