article about the bald eagle in a German magazine

 
emrys
 
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emrys
Total Posts:  852
Joined  08-04-2006
 
 
 
06 September 2006 07:52
 

I came across this article about the bald eagle, it is in German but as there are a number of people who can read German on this forum I tought I would give the url :

http://www.diepresse.com/Artikel.aspx?channel=h&ressort=ws&id=580770

 

:p

 
Jochen
 
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Jochen
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06 September 2006 15:34
 

Oh, that is the old Benjamin-Franklin-and the Turkey-thing…....

Kind regards

 

Jochen

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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06 September 2006 16:24
 

Jochen wrote:

Oh, that is the old Benjamin-Franklin-and the Turkey-thing…....


...which the official history of the US arms/great seal dismisses as sarcastic. Richard S. Patterson and Richardson Dougall, in The Eagle and the Shield (Washington, 1978 ) point out that Franklin raised the issue of the eagle vs. the turkey in a "caustic commentary" on the Society of the Cincinnati in a private letter to his daughter a year and a half after the design of the arms was adopted and 7 1/2 years after his own involvement in the design of the great seal came to an end.

 

Franklin was reacting to the arrival in France of the ribbons and badges of the Cincinnati which were destined for French members of the society. He says, "To me they seem tolerably done; but all such Things are criticised. Some find fault with the Latin, as wanting classic Elegance & Correctness; and since our Nine Universities were not able to furnish better Latin, it was Pity, they say, that the Mottos had not been in English. Others object to the Title [of Cincinnati], as not properly assumable by any but Gen. Washington, who serv’d without Pay. Others object to the Bald Eagle, as looking too much like a Dindon, or Turky. For my own part I wish…" and then the letter continues as it is usually quoted. Franklin later makes clear that his comments on the subject are in the specific context of the society, saying that the eagle "is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America," whereas the turkey "tho’ a little vain & silly" [perhaps like the members of the society, which Franklin thought was also vain and silly?] "would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on." Thus ending on a similarly satirical note.

 

Patterson and Richardson also point out that Franklin promptly started using the arms on official publications issued by his legation in Paris as soon as he received notice of the approval of the design, never raising the slightest quibble about the choice of emblems.