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| Mace of the Senate | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mace of the Senate |
| Caption | Ceremonial mace used in legislative sessions |
| Country | United States |
| Location | United States Capitol |
| Established | 1789 |
| Material | Brass, ebony, gilt |
| Length | 46 inches |
Mace of the Senate The Mace of the Senate is the ceremonial staff that signifies authority in the United States Senate and is carried by the Sergeant at Arms during formal sessions and joint meetings. It functions as a symbol of legislative order, representing the constitutional authority vested in the Senate by figures such as George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison, and is present during events involving dignitaries like Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan.
The mace combines visual elements that recall imperial regalia and republican iconography associated with Augustus, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton, while echoing motifs found in artifacts displayed at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Monticello. Its shaft, knop, and globe employ imagery such as the Great Seal of the United States, the Bald Eagle from heraldic traditions, and laurel wreaths reminiscent of Pax Romana and Victorian ceremonial aesthetics. The mace’s presence in the chamber parallels symbols of authority used by the British Parliament, the French National Assembly, the Roman Senate, and the Congress of Vienna, linking American legislative ceremony to a lineage that includes the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights.
Origins of the mace trace to parliamentary practice imported from Great Britain, where the office of the Serjeant-at-Arms carried a similar emblem during sessions of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and events involving monarchs such as Charles I and Elizabeth I. Early American framers including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton referenced precedents from the Federalist Papers and corresponded with figures like John Jay and George Washington about legislative protocol. The first maces in American legislatures took inspiration from ceremonial staves used by the Continental Congress and by state legislatures in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Pennsylvania following Revolutionary War-era practice embodied by leaders like John Hancock and Thomas Jefferson.
Craftsmanship of the mace involves metallurgic and woodworking techniques comparable to pieces crafted for institutions such as the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, and the Pentagon ceremonial collections. Materials—brass, gilt, ebony, and silver—mirror those used in regalia for Presidential inaugurations and state funerals of figures like Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Decorative elements—stars, stripes, and eagles—reflect iconography seen in the Great Seal of the United States and civic sculpture by artists linked to the Beaux-Arts movement and commissions by the Commission of Fine Arts. Makers historically drew on workshops connected to firms that supplied the U.S. Mint, the Mount Vernon estate artisans, and cabinetmakers associated with Paul Revere and Samuel McIntire.
During convenings presided over by the Vice President of the United States, sitting as President of the Senate, or the President pro tempore, the Sergeant at Arms brings the mace into the chamber at the beginning of sessions, mirroring customs seen in the House of Representatives and in legislative bodies such as the Congress of the Confederation and assemblies convened under the Articles of Confederation. The mace rests near the presiding officer and is used to command attention during addresses by visiting heads of state including Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, and Margaret Thatcher, as well as during orations by senators like Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Senator Robert A. Taft, and Senator Robert Byrd.
Custody of the mace is the responsibility of the Sergeant at Arms, an office once occupied by individuals linked to notable political figures and offices such as Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., and Joseph P. Thrasher (historically analogous custodians), and institutionally connected to entities like the United States Capitol Police and the Architect of the Capitol. Ceremonial practices include placement during joint sessions presided over by the Speaker of the House and during inaugurations of congressional officers and state funerals, echoing protocols employed at the Supreme Court of the United States investitures and State of the Union joint addresses attended by presidents such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and George W. Bush.
The mace has figured in episodes that drew public attention and debate involving physical disruptions, procedural confrontations, and disputes over decorum that recall clashes in chambers like the House of Representatives during the eras of Newt Gingrich, Nancy Pelosi, Tip O’Neill, and Dennis Hastert. Incidents in which the mace’s placement signaled changes in control or interruptions—paralleling disputes seen in bodies such as the Illinois General Assembly and the California State Legislature—have provoked discussions among scholars at institutions like Harvard University, Yale University, and Georgetown University about legislative tradition, authority, and reform influenced by legal precedents from cases considered by the Supreme Court of the United States.