Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/286

* MEDAL. 258 MEDEA. rations en France (Le Mans, 1890) ; Long, British Saiy Medals and How They ^'ere lVci;i (London, 18'J5) ; Irwin, lirilish War Medals and brcoratio)is (2d ed., London, 1890). There is a scries of articles by M.Trvin on ilasonic medals in the American Journul of yuinisinalics, vols, x.xiv., xxii.-xxxvi. (Boston, 1870-80; 1888- 19U2). MEDALLION (Fr. medaillon, augmentative of medditie, medal). In architecture, a circular or oval panel carved in Ijas-relief with a licad, Ijiist. figure, ornamental design, etc. The term is also used of a similar design in color. MEDAL OF HONOR, Umted State.s. Tlic medal of honor of the I'nited States, given for l)ravery on the field of battle, was first instituted in 18(12 by a law approved -July 12th of that year. It is a five-pointed star of bronze tipped "with trefoil, each point containing a crown of laurel and oak; in the middle, within a circle of thirty-four stars, America, pers<milied as Minerva," stands with her left hand resting on llie fasces, while with lier right, in which she holds a shield emblazoned with the American arms, she repulses Discord, represented with two snakes in each hand; the whole sis|)ended by a troi)hy of two crossed cannons, balls, and a sword surmounted by the American eagle, which is united by a ribbon of thirteen stripes, pale- wise, gtiles and argent, and a cliief azure, to a clasp composed of two cornucopias and the American arms. On March 25, 177, before even independence had been proclaimed. Congress ordered that a gold medal be struck and pre- sented to General Washingtcm. Benjamin Frank- lin, who at the time was in Paris, was instructed to employ the greatest artists in France to execute a" suitable design. Although this was the first medal voted, the first one struck was a silver medal ]iresented to Lieutenant-Colonel Fleury. a volunteer officer from the Freneli reg- ular army, who, entering the United States .rniy in 1777 as a |)rivate. distinguislied liimself so greatly and rendered such valuable services, that Congress promoted liim to be lieutenant-colonel. For his gallantry in the assault upon Stony Point, July 15. 1779, Congress voted him a silver medal, and afterwards a vote of thanks. It was not until the institution of the medal of honor that the I'nited States possessed a mili- tary e(|uivahnt to the Victoria cross (q.v.) of F.nghuxl, or the iron cross (q.v.) of Prussia. Like the former decoration, it is l)estowed on both commissioned an<l non-commissioned ranks alike, the decoration being the same in every instance. Medals of honor are only awarded to officers or enlisted men for distinguished bravery or conspicuous gallantry, which has liivn mani- fested in action, tiy conduct distinguished above the others, and that involved risk of life, or duty more than onlinarily bazardnus. An interest- ing account of the deeds by which the medal of honor has been won will ie found in Roden- boiigh, Uncle Sam's Medal of Honor (New York, 18fl0). MEDAL OF HONOR LEGION. A patriotic society ulmse nicMdiei>bip cumprises otiieers and enlisted men who have received the medal of honor (q.v.). The society was originally organ- ized to admit those who had participated in the Civil War. hut the membership was subsequently extended to those who took part in the war with 8pain(189S) and in the fighting in China( 1900). The nnmlier of members on the rolls in 1903 was aljout (100. MEDANO, mi-da'no. A Spanish term ap- pliiil to the curious traveling, crescent-shaped sand hills wliieh occur in nundjers on the ele- vated ijampa of Islay near Arecpiipa, Peru. They move across the desert from south to north in the direction of the prevailing day wind. They are composed of a white sand apjiarently quite dill'erent from that wdiich makes up the rest of the desert surface. MED'ARY, Samuel (1801-64). An Ameri- can editor and politician. He was born in Jlont- gomery County. Pa., and had an academic educa- tion. In 1825 he removed to Ohio, and in 1828 became editor of the Ohio Sun, a Democratic paper. After serving in both Houses of the Ohio Legislature, he was editor from 1830 to 1857 of the Ohio Statesman, which became a great power in the West aiul Southwest. He was high in the confiilence of President Jackson and the succeeding Democratic Presidents, and is said to have originated the plirase "Fifty-four forty or fight" during the Oregon boundary dis]nite. In 1853 he declined the position of ' L'nited States Minister to Chile. He was the ' last Territorial Governor of Minnesota in 1857- 58, was postmaster of Columbus. Ohio, in 1858, and was Governor of Kansas Territory from 1858 to 1800, when he resigned to found The Crifis, which he contiimed to edit until his death. The Democrats of Ohio erected a handsome monu- ment to his memory at Columbus. MEDE'A (Lat., from Gk. MijSeia, Medeia). In Circcian legend, a famous sorceress, the daughter of .Fetes, King of Colchis, and of the . Oeeanid Idyia, or of Hecate, and niece of Circe. On the arrival of the Argcmauts (q.v.) at the Court of -Ectcs, in search of the Golden Fleece, she fell in love with .Tason, aided him by her magic arts to perform the tasks set him, and finally to carry oil" the fieece. Pursued in her flight with the Argonauts by her father, she killeil her brother Absyrlos and scattered the fragments of his body on the sea. Her father pausing to give burial to the remains, the Ar- gonauts gained time for their escape. On the return of Jason to lolcus, she aided him to take vengeance on Pelias, who had murdered her hus- band's parents. Having cut up an old sheep and boiled the pieces with magic herbs, she brought forth from the caldron a young lamb, an inci<lent represented not infrequently on G'rc<'k vases. She t,hen easily persuaded the daughters (if Pelias to cut their father in pieces, that be might regain his youth: hut when they liad yielded, she refused to employ her art. For this she ami .fason were forced to flee to Corinth, where .Tason repudiated Medea to marry Glam'e, or Creusa, the daughter of the King. Medea sent her rival a poisoned robe and crown, whereby both the princess and her father were destroyed. T mplcte her revengi'. she then slew the children she had borne Jason, and fled on her dragon chariot to .thens. where she was received by King .Fgcus, to whom some said she bore a son, Medos. On the arrival from Trn-zen of the son of .Fgeus, Theseus, she ])lotted against his life, but was discovered, and with her son lied back to .sia, where Medos gave his name to the Medes. As a sorceress she seems, like Circe, im-