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Francis Hopkinson letter to Congress -
May 25, 1780
This Francis Hopkinson letter to Congress was written by Francis
Hopkinson, a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey and
signer of the Declaration of Independence, in
May, 1780. The letter is a bill asking for payment in return for designing various
items for Congress including the Continental Currency, the Seal for the Board of
the Treasury, the Seal for the Board of the Admiralty, the American flag and other
items.
The letter is significant in studying who created the first American flag
because it is the only documentary evidence of anyone claiming to have created
the flag. Some scholars attribute the first flag to Hopkinson, while others
discount the claim, partly because the bill was rejected by Congress and partly
because Hopkinson resubmitted the bill a few days later asking for reimbursement
for the United States navy flag, instead of for the United States
flag.
You can read the resubmitted
letter
from Francis Hopkinson to Congress of June 6, 1780 here.
If you would like to read more about the Hopkinson Flag, please
read our 13 Star Flag page.
For information about other historical flags from the Revolutionary War, check out our
American Revolution Flags page.
Francis Hopkinson letter to Congress
May 25, 1780
Gentlemen:
It is with great pleasure that I understand that my last Device of a Seal
for the Board of Admiralty has met with your Honours' approbation. I have with
great readiness upon several occasions exerted my small abilities in this way
for the Public Service; & as I flatter myself to the satisfaction of those I
wished to please, viz:
The flag of the United States of America
7 Devices for the Continental Currency
A Seal for the Board of Treasury
Ornaments, Devices, Checks for the new Bills of Exchange in Spain & Holland.
A Seal for the Ship Papers of the United States
A Seal for the Board of Admiralty
The Borders, Ornaments, and Checks for the New Continental Currency
now in the Press, a work of considerable Length.
A Great Seal for the United States of America, with a Reverse.
For these Services I have as yet made no charge nor received any
Recompense. I now submit it to your Honours' Consideration whether a
Quarter Cask of the Public Wine will not be a proper & a reasonable
Reward for these Labours of Fancy and a suitable Encouragement to
future Exertions of a like nature.
I sincerely hope your Honours will be of this opinion & am with great Respect,
Gentlemen
Your very humble servant,
Fras. Hopkinson.
Published October 10/21/11
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