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Sword of the Senate |
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* This sword is in the Charleston Museum. * It was made in Charleston by a local silversmith in early 1700's or late 1600's |
* It has a pointed straight blade, the upper portion of which is etched with a design containing the State Flower, the yellow jessamine. |
*One side of the design is centered with the State Seal. It has a golden curved guard and a handle wrapped with gold braid. |
There is a detailed history of the sword below.
"That this sword of State was made in Charles Town (now Charleston) by a local silversmith is evidenced by the fact that it contains no hallmarks, which would not be the case had it been made in England."
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* This sword rests in the customary rack on the Senate rostrum in front of the President's chair during the daily sessions . *Is carried by the Sergeant-at-Arms on all State occasions. |
* The present Sword of State was presented to the Senate February 20, 1951, by Lord Halifax, former British ambassador to the United States. |
*The sword was thought to have been fashioned by master craftsmen of London, England. |
This sword replaces the cavalry sword that was used after the Sword of State disappeared from the Senate rostrum in 1941. The cavalry sword was presented on March 5, 1941, and is carried in the Senate Journal of that date as follows:
"Mr. Means, on behalf of the Charleston Museum, which is the oldest like institution in the U.S., presented to the Senate a cavalry sword made in 1800 and used in the War of 1812 and in the War of the Confederacy, to replace the Sword of State recently stolen from the Chamber."
This sword has been returned to the Charleston Museum.
The history of the Sword of State and of the one that mysteriously disappeared in 1941 were secured from A.S. Salley, Historian Emeritus, and are as follows:
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*Earliest mention about the sword is found in the Journal of the "Commons House of Assembly of South Carolina" for Friday, May 5, 1704: *$129 was paid for a Sword of State, "for the Rt. Hon. the Governor and all succeeding Governors for the Hon. of this Government." |
*The Sword of State was secured and used by the Grand Council until the Upper House of the General Assembly passed out of existence with the overthrow of the government of the Lords Proprietors in South Carolina in December 1719. |
* From then on it was used by His Majesty's Council for South Carolina, until June 23, 1722, when Arthur Middleton, President of the council, and acting Governor, informed the Commons House that it was "no way proper to be used by any of His Majesty's Governor" and suggested that the House give it to the "Corporation of Charles City (Charleston) and Port, to be carried before the Mayor." |
Says Mr. Salley:
"Whether this suggestion was carried out and a new sword procured, the
writer has so far been unable to determine, but throughout the records of His
Majesty's Council for South Carolina down to the Revolution evidence is found of
the use of a Sword of State.
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On March 26, 1776, South Carolina adopted a Constitution independent of the government of Great Britain and elected John Rutledge, President of the State. |
He was inaugurated on the following day, and the Journal of the Lower House records that His Excellency was preceded by the sheriff bearing the Sword of State and the Officers of the Legislative Council." |
"The same sword of State," says Mr. Salley, "has been in constant use ever since, being borne by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate instead of the Sheriff of Charleston District (now County) as then." |
