DOCUMENTS
A STATE MOTTO
By Harlow Lindley
The recent appearance of a book
published by the Ohio
Development and Publicity Commission
entitled Ohio, an Empire
within an Empire offers an opportunity to make some comments
concerning a state motto. This title is
purported to be taken from
the State's motto; the State of Ohio,
however, has no official
motto.
In 1866 a law was passed providing for
the inscription of a
motto on the State seal. The motto
adopted was "Imperium in
Imperio"--an empire within an
empire, or a government within
a government. This motto, however, did
not meet with general
approval and the law was repealed in
1868. The law of 1868
provided for the seal without a motto,
and there has been no
legislation since that time for a motto.
Evidently there had been some agitation
about a motto for
the State. A letter which has recently
been found is of interest
in this connection. It is written by
William D. Henkle and ad-
dressed to William Henry Smith, of
Cincinnati, who was then
Secretary of State, after having served
as private secretary to
Governor John Brough, Ohio's war
governor. Smith and Henkle
were personal friends. They were both
Ohio born and had taught
together in Green Mount College, a
Quaker institution located at
Richmond, Indiana. Henkle's mother was a
Quaker, and in this
college Smith met his future wife, a
Quaker student. Henkle's
life was devoted to education. At the
time this letter was written,
he was superintendent of schools in
Salem, Ohio, and later became
superintendent of schools for the State
of Ohio.
This letter suggests that the State was
taking the initiative in
finding a suitable motto and it reflects
the attitude of the time
160
A STATE MOTTO 161
concerning the
desirability and possibly the necessity for selecting
a motto from foreign
classics. The English language seems to
have been considered
insufficient for such purposes. All the sug-
gestions made by
Henkle are of Greek, Latin or French origin--
mostly Latin.
Following the letter,
the reader will find the English transla-
tion of each motto
numbered in accordance with the ones sug-
gested by Mr. Henkle.
Salem, O., Feb. 19,
1866
Dear Smith;
Yours is at hand.
Accept my thanks for your Report. I was much
interested [in] it. I
have selected a number of mottoes from which you
may be able to choose
one suitable for the great State of Ohio. There are
several stand-points
from which we may look at the matter, Each sug-
gesting its
appropriate motto. Our confidence in an over-ruling Providence,
our power in war as
exhibited in the late rebellion, our loyalty, the intelli-
gence and vi[r]tue of
our people, our natural advantages, our being the
first-born of the
ordinance of 1787 (not 1778 as printed in your report)
etc. etc.
1. Labor omnia vincit.
Lat. 20.
Palman qui meruit ferat. L.
2. L'avenir. Fr. 21.
Possunt quia posse videntur. L.
3. Laus Deo. L. 22.
Post nubila Phoebus. L.
4. Le point de jour.
Fr. 23.
Pro aris et focis. L.
5. Libertas et natale
solum. L. 24.
Pro bono publico. L.
6. Loyal en tout. Fr. 25.
Pro patria. L.
7. Loyaute m'oblige.
Fr. 26.
Prudens futuri. L.
8. Macte virtute. L. 27.
Qui non proficit, deficit. L.
9. Magna est virtus,
et prevale- 28.
Recte et suaviter. L.
bit. L. 29.
Renovato nomine. L.
10. Magnum est
vectigal parsi- 30.
Res gestae. L.
monia. L. 31.
Respublica. L.
11. Mantien le droit.
Fr. 32.
Rien n'est beau que le vrai. Fr.
12. Mars gravior sub
pace latet. L. 33.
Sans Dieu rien. Fr.
13. Mens legis. L. 34. Sic
itur ad astra. L.
14. Mirabile visu. L. 35.
Sicut patribus, sit Deus nobis. L.
15. Miseris succurrere
disco. L. 36.
Sic volo, sic jubeo. L.
16. Exegi monumentum
aere peren- 37.
Suaviter in modo, fortiter in
nius. L. re. L.
17. Nobilitas sola est
atque unica 38.
Tam Marte quam Minerva. L.
virtus. L. 39.
Tam Marte quam Mercurio. L.
18. Omnia cum Deo. L. 40.
Tempora mutantantus, et nos
19. Ope et consilio.
L. mutamur in illis. L.
162 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
41. Tempori parendum.
L. 84. Ignorantia legis
neminem ex-
42. Tenax propositi.
L. cusat. L.
43. Tiens a la
verite. Fr. 85.
Imperium in imperio. L.
44. To kalon. Gr. 86. In
sola Deo, salus. L.
45. Tutor et ultor.
L. 87. In
te, D'omine, speravi. L.
46. Ubi jus incertum,
ubi jus 88. Inter
fontes et flumina nota. L.
nullum. L. 89.
In utrumque paratus. L.
47. Ubi mel, ibi
apes. L. 90.
J'ai bonne cause. Fr.
48. Ut prosim. L. 91. Jamais
arriere. Fr.
49. Ut quocunque
paratus. L. 92.
Justitiae soror fides. L.
50. Valet anchora
virtus. L. 93.
Amicus humani generis. L.
51. Ventis secundis.
L. 94. Ami
des noirs. Fr.
52. Vincit amor
patriae. L. 95. Animo et fide. L.
53. Virtus in ardius.
L. 96.
Animo, non astutia. L.
54. Virtus millia
scuta. L. 97.
Audax et cautus. L.
55. Virtus semper
viridis. L. 98.
Aude sapere. L.
56. Virtute et
labore. L. 99.
Basis virtutum constantia. L.
57. Virtuti, non
armis, fido. L. 100.
Benigno numine. L.
58. Vis unita
fortior. L. 101.
Bis vincit, qui se vincit in vic-
59. Virtus sola
noblitat. L. toria. L.
60. Vivat respublica.
L. 102. Bonis nocet quisquis
pepercerit
61. Vox populi, vox
D'ei. L. malis. L.
62. Dulce et decorum
est pro patria 103.
Carpe diem. L.
mori. L. 104.
Carpe et colligere. L.
63. Dum tacent,
clament. L. 105.
Cassis tutissima virtus. L.
64. Dum vivimus,
vivamus. L. 106.
Cavendo tutus. L.
65. En avant. Fr. 107.
Cedant arma togae. L.
66. En Dieu est ma
fiance. Fr. 108.
Cede Deo. L.
67. Esperance et
Dieu. Fr. 109.
Comitas inter gentes. L.
68. Esse, quam,
videri. L. 110.
Consensus facit legem. L.
69. Esto perpetua. L. 111.
Consilio et animis. L.
70. Ex auctoritate
mihi commissa. L. 112.
Constantia et virtute. L.
71. Fax mentis
incendium gloriae. L. 113.
Cor unum, via una. L.
72. Fidus et audax.
L. 114.
Culpam poena premit comes. L.
73. Fiat lux. L. 115.
Deo duce. L.
74. Fide et fiducia.
L. 116.
Deo favente. L.
75. Fide et
fortitudine. L. 117.
Deo juvante. L.
76. Fide et amore. L. 118.
Deo volente. L.
77. Fides et
justitia. L. 119.
Deus major columna. L.
78. Fiat justitia,
ruat coelum. L. 120.
Dieu defend le droit. Fr.
79. Fortes fortune
juvat. L. 121.
Doli incapax. L.
80. Fortiter et recte.
L. 122. Droit
au travail. Fr.
81. Fortiter in re.
L. 123.
Droit et avant. Fr.
82. Haut et bon. Fr. 124.
Droit et loyal. Fr.
83. Humani nihil
alienum. L. 125.
Ducit amor patriae. L.
A STATE MOTTO 163
These will certainly
answer to choose from. 94 would not be appropri-
ate until the State
permits the darkies to vote. 4 and and [sic] 103 would be
appropriate to the
rising sun on the present seal or coat of arms 4 meaning
daybreak and 103
seize the day. I wish I were not too tired to comment
on a dozen or more
which I think would be very appropriate. 63 means
the darkies. 65 "forward"
and 91 "never behind" are good and simple.
68 is good.
You can find
definitions of these mottoes in any collection of Latin,
etc. quotations. They
are generally well defined in Webster's new Dic-
tionary. I leave you
to study them hoping that I have rendered you a
little assistance in
making the collection.
Give my regards to
your wife. We would much like to have you
visit us. We are
keeping house in our own house, and are ready for our
friends. Have you
become acquainted with our young Senator J. Twing
Brooks of Salem?
The new school
commissioner will have to appoint a new board of
State Examiners as
the present board intend to resign. Their [term ?] I
believe is almost up
anyhow. If he does not reappoint suggest to him I. W.
Andrews of Marietta,
A. J. Rickoff of Cincinnati and some one from this
part of the State:
Yours
W. D. Henkle
TRANSLATIONS OF
MOTTOES
1. Labor conquers
all. 17. Virtue is the true
and only no-
2. The future. bility.
3. Praise be to
God. 18. Everything with
God's
4. Daybreak. help.
5. Liberty and native
soil. 19.
With assistance and counsel.
6. Loyal in
everything. 20.
Let him who has won it bear
7. Loyalty binds
me. the palm.
8. Go on in
virtue. 21. They can
because they think
9. Great is virtue
and it will pre- they can.
vail. 22.
After clouds, sun.
10. Economy is a
great revenue. 23.
For altars and firesides.
11. Maintain the
right. 24.
For the public good.
12. A severer war
lies hidden under 25.
For native land.
peace. 26.
Provident of the future.
13. The spirit of the
law. 27.
Who is not proficient is de-
14. Wonderful to
see. ficient.
15. I am learning to
succor the mis- 28.
Rightly and gently.
erable. 29.
By a revived name.
16. I have reared a
monument more 30. Exploits.
enduring than bronze. 31. The commonwealth.
164 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
32. Nothing is
beautiful but the 63. While they are
silent, they cry
truth. out.
33. Nothing without
God. 64. While we
live, let us live.
34. Thus is
accomplished the road 65.
Forward!
to the stars. 66. My
trust is in God.
35. As with our
fathers, so may 67. Hope
and God.
God be with us. 68. To be,
rather than to seem.
36. Thus you toil, not
for your- 69. Let it
endure forever.
selves. 70.
By the authority intrusted to
37. Gently in the
manner, firmly in me.
the act. 71. The desire of glory
is the torch
38. Having equally
courage and of the mind.
genius. 72.
Faithful and bold.
39. As fit for war as
for business. 73. Let there
be light.
40. Times are changed
and we are 74. By fidelity
and confidence.
changed in them. 75. With faith and
fortitude.
41. One must yield to
the times. 76. By faith
and love.
42. Tenacious of his
purpose. 77. Fidelity
and justice.
43. Hold to the truth. 78. Let justice
be done though the
44. The
beautiful. heavens
should fall.
45. Defender and
avenger. 79.
Fortune aids the brave.
46. Where justice is
uncertain, 80. With
fortitude and rectitude.
there no justice
exists. 81. With
firmness in acting.
47. Where honey is,
there are bees. 82. Lofty and
good.
48. That I may be of
service. 83. Nothing
relating to man is for-
49. As prepared for
any and every eign to me.
emergency. 84. Ignorance of the law
excuses
50. Virtue serves as
an anchor. no one.
51. With prosperous
winds. 85. A government within
a gov-
52. Love of country
will conquer. ernment.
53. Virtue in
circumstances of diffi- 86. In
God alone is safety.
culty. 87.
In thee, Lord, have I put my
54. Virtue is a
thousand shields. trust.
55. Virtue ever green
and flourish- 88. Among familiar
fountains and
ing. rivers.
56. By virtue and
labor. 89.
Prepared for either event.
57. I trust in virtue,
not in arms. 90. I have a
good cause.
58. Strength united is
stronger. 91. Never
behind.
59. Virtue alone
ennobles. 92.
Faith is the sister of justice.
60. Live the republic. 93. A friend
of the human race.
61. The voice of the
people is the 94. A friend
of the negro.
voice of God. 95. With
courage and faith.
62. It is sweet and glorious
to die 96. By courage, not
by craft.
for one's country. 97. Bold and wary.
A STATE MOTTO 165
98. Dare to be wise. 111. By wisdom
and courage.
99. Constancy the
basis of virtues. 112. By
constancy and virtue.
100. By the favor of
Providence. 113. One heart,
one way.
101. He conquers a
second time who 114. Punishment
follows close upon
controls himself in
victory. crime.
102. He hurts the good
who spares 115. God being my
leader.
the bad. 116.
With God's favor.
103. Enjoy the present
day. 117. With God's
help.
104. To pluck and
gather. 118. God
willing.
105. Virtue the safest
defense. 119. God the
greatest support.
106. Safe through
caution. 120. God
defends the right.
107. Let military
authority yield to 121.
Incapable of criminal intention.
civil power. 122. The
right of living by labor.
108. Submit to
Providence. 123.
Right and forward.
109. Politeness
between nations. 124.
Upright and loyal.
110. Consent makes the
law. 125. The love of
country guides.