Chap. 247.—An ACT to Establish the Seals and Flags of the Common-
wealth.

Approved March 27, 1873.

Whereas, the seals of the commonwealth of Virginia, which
were adopted in seventeen hundred and seventy-nine, and used
until the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five, were stolen or
mislaid at the time of the evacuation of the city of Richmond,
in April, eighteen hundred and sixty-five; and whereas, on the
restoration of the state government, under governor Pierpont,
he caused a new seal to be engraved similar in every respect
to the old, except that it contained the words “Liberty and
Union,” which said words seem to have been added to the seal
without any authority of law; and whereas, the legislature of
Virginia, on the twenty-eighth day of February, eighteen hun-
dred and sixty-six, passed an act entitled an act concerning the
seals of the commonwealth, defining their use, and the cases
in which the tax upon them is to be collected; the first section
of which said act is in the following words, to wit: “Be it
enacted by the general assembly, That the great seal and the
lesser seal, now under the care of the secretary of the com-
monwealth, as keeper of the seals, are and shall continue to be
the seals of the commonwealth”; and whereas, at the time of
the passage of the said act, the old seal had been returned to
the custody of the secretary of the commonwealth, and both
seals were then under his care, leaving some doubt as to which
seal the legislature intended to adopt and legalize; and whereas,
the old seal is very much worn by long usage: therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That the great
seal of the commonwealth shall consist of a metallic disc, two
and three-quarter inches in diamater, containing, within an
ornamental border one-quarter of an inch wide, the following
devices and mottoes: On the obverse, viz: Virtus, the genius
of the commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on &

held in her left hand, and holding a sword in her right
hand, her left foot on the figure of Tyranny, represented by a
man prostrate, his head to her left, a crown falling from his
head, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his
right hand. Above the group, in a line parallel with the bor-
der, the word “Virginia,” and in the exergue, on a curved
line, the motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis.” On the reverse a
group, Libertas with her wand and Pileus in her right hand.
On her right, ASternitas, with the globe and phoenix in her right
hand; and on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a cornucopia in
her left hand, and ears of wheat in her right. Over this de-
vice, in curved line, the word Perseverando.

2. The lesser seal of the commonwealth shall be one and
nine-sixteenths inches in diameter, and have engraved thereon
the device and inscriptions contained in the obverse of the
great seal.

3. The governor is hereby authorized and directed to pro-
cure and cause new seals to be prepared, as hereinbefore de-
scribed, to be engraved in the best manner, with a suitable
press for taking impressions therefrom; and thereafter to cause
the seals now under the care of the secretary of the common-
wealth to be defaced, by filing two marks at right angles across
the faces of the same, and the seals now being used by the
secretary of the commonwealth shall continue to be used until
the fourth day of July, eighteen hundred and seventy-three;
and their use heretofore, and until the new seals are ready for
use, is hereby declared to be valid.

4. The great seal shall be affixed to documents, signed by
the governor, which are to be used before tribunals, or for pur-
poses outside of the jurisdiction of this state; and in every
such case, except where the state is a party concerned in the
use to be made of the document, the tax imposed by law on
the seal of the state shall be collected and accounted for by
the secretary of the commonwealth, as keeper of the seals.

5. The lesser seal shall be affixed to all grants for lands and
writs of election issued by the governor; to all letters of par-
don and reprieve ; to all commissions, civil and military, signed
by the governor; and to all other papers requiring seal, autho-
rized to be issued by the governor, for the purpose of carrying
the laws into effect within this commonwealth; and also, when
deemed necessary by the secretary of the commonwealth, may
be used by him as an authentication of his official signature ;
but no tax shall hereafter be charged upon said lesser seal, ex-
cept upon commissions appointing notaries public, inspectors
of tobacco and other commodities, commissioners of wrecks,
and commissioners in other states for taking acknowledgments,
and so forth, and upon certificates of the secretary of the com-
monwealth, when, at the request of the parties desiring such
certificates, the seal is attached. In all such cases the tax shall
be the same as upon the great seal, and shall be collected and
accounted for in the same manner. :

Flag of the state.

6. The flag of the commonwealth shall hereafter be made of
bunting or merino. It shall be a deep blue field, with a cir-
cular white centre of the same material. Upon this circle shall
be painted or embroidered, to show on both sides alike, the
coat-of-arms of the state, as described by the convention of
seventeen hundred and seventy-six, for the obverse of the great
seal of the state; and there shall be a white silk fringe on the
outer edge, furthest from the flag staff. This shall be known
and respected as the flag of Virginia.

_ %. The governor shall regulate the size and dimensions of
the flag proper for forts, arsenals and public buildings,.for ships
of war and merchant marine, for troops in the field respectively,
and for any other purpose, according to his discretion; which
regulations shall be proclaimed and published by him as occa-
sion may require.

8. During the sessions of either house of the general assem-
bly the flag of the state shall be kept raised over the capitol,
or other place of session, and the superintendent of public
buildings shall see that the same be done.

9. This act shall be in force from its passage.