Existing comment:
The Mace of the House of Delegates:
A ceremonial object symbolizing power and authority, a mace representing English authority was presented by Virginia;s royal governor at Williamsburg in 1700. The House of Burgesses ordered a new mace about 1722. After the American Revolution, the House of Delegates sold the royal mace and deposited the money into the public treasury. This modern sterling silver mace with 24-karat-gold finish was made in England in 1938 and presented to the Virginia House of Delegates by the Jamestown Foundation in 1974. When the House is in session, the Sergeant of Arms carries the mace to the House Chamber each day where it is displayed in front of the Speaker's podium. Today the mace is a symbol of the important political and legal traditions shared by the Commonwealth of Virginia and Great Britain. |