Art. X. Observations on the Design and Import of Medals. 

 By Henry A. Homes. 



It may be thought that no misapprehension of the design 

 of medals exists in the public mind — that the import is too 

 obvious to require any careful explanation — and that it is 

 sufficient to say that they are designed to honor those 

 deemed worthy of receiving an expression of the public 

 esteem. No denial of this last couclusion need be offered, 

 but the question presents itself none the less, and it is the 

 question upon which we propose to offer a few observations, 

 how shall a medal of honor be most effectively made such 

 an expression of esteem and gratitude ? 



Serious and radical mistakes have been made on several 

 occasions within a few years in devising medals prepared 

 in this country. The mistakes are of such a nature as to 

 show that, the design of a medal as interpreted by the 

 study of history has been lost sight of, aud consequently, 

 that the aim of the promoters of the medal has been dwarfed 

 to a feeble and contracted result. 



With the progress of our arms in the present war, many 

 medals will doubtless be struck in honor of those by whose 

 valor successes have been won. And it seems import- 

 ant therefore that legislators, associations and individuals, 

 whose zeal on any fit occasion may lead them to order a 

 medal to be struck, should not in carrying out the measure, 

 come short of fulfilling the highest purpose of a medal. 

 We think it will clearly be seen from the remarks which 

 follow, that the resolutions initiating a medal, should include 

 certain provisions, too often neglected, and that otherwise, 

 the medal created in patriotic gratitude will fail of its de- 

 sign. 



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