Report ol the Secretary of the Treasury, on the
fubjeift of a Mint.
(CON TI N U ED.]
O.NSIDERIXG , tin icfoie, the uncn taint v of the fucccfs *
ihe expedient, and the inconveniences, which Seem incider
to it, it would appear preferable to submit to those of a free cain
age. It is obfervablc, that additional expence, which is one Oi
the principal of these, is also applicable to the proposed remedy
It is now proper to resume and finifh the answer to the fiift
queflion ; in order to which the ihree fuccceding ones have ne
cdTarily been anticipated. The conclusion to be drawn from the
observations, which have been made on the fubje£fc, is this
That the unit in the coins of the Unitecl States, ought to corres
pond with 24 grains and 3-4 of a grain of pure gold, and with
37 1 grains and 1-4 of a grain of pure silver, each answering to a
dollar in the money of account. The former is exa&ly agreea
able to the present value of gold, and the latter is within a small
ira&ion of the mean of the two last emiflions of dollars; the only
ones which are now found in common circulation, and of which
the newest is in the greatell abundance. The alloy i/i each cafe
to be 1-12 th of the total weight, which will make the unit 27
grains of jtandard gold, and 405 grains of standard-silver.
Each of these, it has been remarked, will answer to a dollar in
the money of account. It is conceived thatnoihing better can be
done in relation to this, than to pursue the track marked out by
the resolution of the Bih of August, 1786. This has been ap
proved abroad, as well as at home, and it is certain, that nothing
can be more Simple or convenient, than the decimal subdivisions.
rhere is every rcafon to expc£l that the method will fpcedily grow
into general use, when it shall be seconded by corresponding
coins. On this plan, the unit in the money of account, will con
tinue to be, as established by that resolution, a dollar; and its
multiples, dimes, ccnts and milles ; or tenths, hundredths, and
thousandths.
Vls ich regard to the number of different pieccs which shall com
pose the coins of the United States,two things are to beconfulted :
convenience of circulation, and cheapness of the coinage. The
fiift ought not to be Sacrificed to the last ; but as tar as they can
be reconciled to each other, it is desirable to do it. Numerous
and small not too minute) fubd'vifi >ns aflifl circulation ; but
the multiplication of the smaller kinds expence; the
lame process being nect flary to a small as to a large piece.
As it is easy to add, it will be moil advifeable to begin with a
small number, till experience shall decide wh'e her any othei
k'nds are necefTary. The following, it is conceivcd, will be
Sufficient in the commeno njeni.
1 Goid pi tec, equal in weight and vaiqe to 10 units or dollars.
1 Gold piece, equal to a tenth part of former, and which
mall be a unit or a dollar.
1 Silver piece, which shall also be a unit or dollar.
1 Silver piece, which shall be in weight and value a tenth part
of the Silver unit or dollar.
1 Copper piccc, which shall be of the value of a hundredth part
of a dollar.
J Othercopper piece, which shall be half the value of the form r.
It is not propof d that the lightcft-of the two gold coins should
be numerous, as in large paymtnts, the larger the pieces, the shor
ter the proccfs of counting, the less the risk of mistake, and conse
quently the greater the fafery and the convenience ; and in small
payments, it is not pcrceived, that any inconvcnience can accrue,
irom an entire dependence on the silver and copper coins. The
chief inducement to the establishment of the small gold piece, js
to have a sensible object in that metal, as well as in silver, to ex
press the unit. Fifty thousand at a time in circulation, may fuf
fice tor this purpose.
The tenth part of a dollar is but a small piece, and with the aid
of the copper coins, will probably fuffifce for all the more minute
uses of circulation. It is less than the least of the silver coins now
in general currency in England.
I he largest copper piece will nearly answer to the half-penny
sterling, and the frnallefl of course to the farthing. Pieces of very
small value are a great accommodation, and the means of a bene
ficial economy to the poor ; by enabling them to purchase, in small
portions, and at a more reasonable rate, the neceH ries of which
they ftarid in need. If they are only cents, the lowijt price for
any portion of a vendible commodity, however inconlkierable in
quantity, will be a cent ; if there are half cents, it will be a half
cent ; and in a great number of cafe exa&ly the fame things will
be fold for a half ct nt, which if there were none would cost a cent.
lsut a half cent is low enough for the minimum of price. Exccl
five minuteness would defeat its object. To enable the poorer
cliflVs to pocuie neceffarics cheap, is to enable them with more
comfort to themfelvej, to labor for less ; the ad\antagcs of which
need no comment.
The denominations of the silver coir.s contained in the resolu
tion of the 8: h of Atiguft, 1786, are concciv d to be fignificant
and proper. The dollar is recommended by its correfpondenc)
"with the present coin ot thi;t name, for which it is designed to be
a substitute; which will facilitate its ready adoption as luch in the
minds of the citizens. The dime or tenth,the cent or hundredth,
the mille or thoulandih are proper, because they exprels the pro
portions which they are intended to designate. It is only to be
regret ed, that the meaning of these terms will not be familiar to
those v, ho are not acquainted with the language from which they
are bonowed. It woe to be wished, that the length, and in some
degree the clumsiness of some of the corresponding terms in Eng
lish, did not difcouiage Irom pr ferring them. It is ufetul to ha\e
names which fignify the things to which they belong; and, mre
fpccl to ohjefts of general use, in a manner intelligible to all. Per
haps it might be an improvement to let the dollar have the -
lation either of dollar or unit (which last will be the mofl fignifi-*'
cant) and to substitute " tenth" for dime. In time, the unit maj|
succeed to the dollar. The word cent being in tile fn various iraft
aflions and inftiuments, will, without much d fficulty, be under
stood as the hundredth; and the half cent of couifc as the two
hundredth part.
The eagle, is not a very expreflive or apt appellation for the
Jargt ft gold piece, but nothing b< tter Occurs. The fmallcft of the
gold coins may be called the dollar or unit, in common with the
silver piece, with which it coincides.
The volume or file of each piecc is a matter of more confe
rence than its denomination. It is evident, that the more {yc
perficies or furfaee, the more the piece will be liable to be
by frt&ion ; or, in other words, the faftcr it will wear. For this
reason, it is deferable to render the thickness in proportion to the
breadth, as great as may consist wi h neatnef* and good appear
ance. Hence the form of the double guinea, or double louis d'or,
is preferable to that of the half johannes, for the large gold piece.
The finall one cannot well be of any other size than the Portuguele
piece of eight, of the fame metal.
As it is of confluence to fortify the idea of the identity of the
dollar, it may be best to let the form and size of the new one, as
far as the quantity of matter (the alloy being less) permits, agree
■with the form and size of the present. The diameter may be the
feme.
The tenth may be in a mean between the Spanish 1-8 and 1-16
of a dollar.
The copper coins may be formed merely with a view to good
appearance, as any difference in the wearing, that can result from
difference of form, can be of little confrquenc'e in reference to that
metal. (To be concluded in our next.)
(tST A slated mating of the HIBERNIAN SOCIETY, for the
relief of Emigrants from Ireland, will be held at Mr. Patrirk Byrne's
tavrrv, or Monday next, the Ith injl. at 6 o'clock in the evening.
March 2,1,91. MATHEW CAREY, Sec'rv.
PROPOSALS
FOR PRINTING BY SUBSCRIPTION, A
COLLECTION of STATE PAPERS,
INTENDED H MATERIALS FOR
AN HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
By EBENEZER HAZARD, A. M.
TN this rollc&ion will be contained the Cha rte rs of the
X leveialftates which now compose the Union ;—the Records
of the United Colonies of New-England ;—Royal Induc
tions to Colonial Governors ; —Extracts from Public
Records ; —and other authentic Documents tending to elucidate
our History.
1 he design of this compilation was intimated to Congress, and
honored with their approbation.— On the 20th July, 1778, their
committee, to whom his memorial was referred, reported it as
iheir <J Opinion, that Mr. Hazard's undertaking is laudable and
deserves the public patronage and encouragement, as being pro
du6live of public utility;" Whereupon they Rcfoived, Tha«
it be recommended to the Governors, Presidents, and Executive
Powers of the fcveral states in the union, to Mr.
give facility to his labors ; and that for this purpose he be admit
ted to an infpeftion of public records, and be furnifhed without
expenee with copies of such papt rs as he may judge will conduce
to the valuable end he hath in view.
He was, of confequenee, ad mitted to the infpe&ion and use both
of public records, and the collc&ions made by individuals, from
whence this compilation (much the largest he has ever met with
on the fubjeft, and, he flitters himfelf, the largest ever made in
America) was formed. It has finer met the approbation of many
eminent charafters,and even in its manuscript »state, has facilitated
the fettlemcnt of some important controversies.
The compiler cannot suppress the following letter from the honor
able the Secretary of State, to whose infprftion part of the com
pila'ion was submitted, as it contains /o flattering and refpefta
blc a teitimony in favor of the importance of the work.
" Philadelphia, February 18, *791.
S I /?, *
I return you the two volumes of Records, with thanks for the opportu
nity of looking into (item :—they are curions Monuments of the Infancy
or our country. Ileum with great [itijfaflion that you are about com
muting to the Press the valuable Hiftsrical and State Paprs you have
been so long collecting. Time and accident are committing daily havoc
on the originals depofted in our public offices : the late war has done the
work oj centuries in this bufin fs : the lojl cannot be recovered; but let
usfave what remains ; not by vaults and locki, which fence them from
the public eye and use in conftgning them to the wafle 0) time, but byCuch
a multiplication of copies as shall place them biyond the reMk 0/ aedtknt ;
this being t ;e tendency of your undertaking, beajfured thejs is no ory who
wiflies it a more complete success than S1 R,
Your mojl obedient and most humble Servant,
Mr. Hazard,
CONDITIONS
I. The Work to be published in numbers, cach containing
160 pages, large quarto A number to be delivered every three
months.
11. On delivery of the firfl Number, payment to be made for
the nrll and second, and afterwards for each Number as delivered
(cxcept the last) so that the price of one Number will beconftant
ly in advance. The very great expence attending so large a work,
at the fame time that it renders this condition absolutely ne«eflci
ry, will be a fufficient apology to the candid tor its insertion.
11 Iv The price toSubfcn &>«•*•• will he for cach num
ber. It is supposed that the Work will probably be comprised in
eight Numbeis, forming two handsome Volumes, in large quarto,
printed on a neat Type and good p»per.
IV. To those who choose to fubferibe for the Work in Vo
lumes, the pricc will be Four Dollar s and a Quarter of a Dollop for
each Volume, in boards. %
V. The coll eft ion will be put to tVffc Press as foonT? there,*
shall be a fufficient number of fubferiptions to juftify an hope that
the expencrs will be defrayed.
§3~Thofe who receive Subjcripticus will please trunfmit accounts of
the numberi obtained to Thomas Dobfon, A'o. 41, Second-flreet Phila
delphia, by the fitjl of M<i v text. '
Subsc dipt ions will be received in Pnrtfmouth, (N. H) by-
Jeremiah Libbr v ; Solton, Thomas & Andrews; Woictfter,
Isaiah Thomas; Hartfo'H, Thomas Hildrup ; NeW-H • en, lf,ac'
Beers; New-L >n on, Timothy Green (R. I.) Jacob
Richa-'ifon ; Pmvidence, fihn Carter -York He Al
len & Campbell ; Albany, Abraham G. "nfing ; Philadelphia,
Thomas D obfon, and Hazard & Addoins; Wilmington, (Dela
ware) Fll dericlf Craig; Baltimore, I. Holmes; Alexandria, JO
- Merriman ; Norfolk. Mr. Linafey ; Frederickfburg.h, Cal
lender and Hid.Con; Peterfburgh, John Grammer ; Rich
mond, Auguftin- Divra ; Newbern, (N. C.) F. X. Martin; WiU
mington, John Bradley ; Charleston, (S. C.) William P. Young
A NEGRO MAN ELOPED.
RAN away (lorn his owner about the 25'h Jan. lift',' CJESAft,
a negro man, countiv born, noted as ? p eachcr anions ihe
blanks, 30 yrarsof a_;e, abour 5 teet 7 in hes hi ;h—thick, °wei:
fct ; had on a brown cloth coat, light cloth jacket, leather breeches,
and t oarfe wilton fto<. k'ngs.—He also had a tow linen frock with
him ; and wore a fm»M round hat. He is fuppofect to be gen-- to
Vnginia, as his father lives on Dr. Vandeveer's plantation, in tha;
State. Whoever will take tip said negro, and secure ' ir in the
gaol of Philadelphia, or of Trenton, and give noticc thereof to the
fubferiber living in Bound-Brook, New-Jersey, (ball receivc
Twelve Dollars reward, and all necefijry charges.
PUBLIC NOTICE.
Somerset County, IF.
BY virtue of a writ of fieri facias to me dire&ed, against the
goods and chattels, lands and tenements ol Christopher
Beekman, I have levied on, and seized that valuable house and
lot of land, filuate on the north fide of the Main S:iect, in Princc
on, now in polTeffion of Adam Shaw, and known by sign of the
College ;itis an excellent stand for a public house, and^has been
occupied in that way for many vears. A 1 the above mentioned
>remises will be exposed to falc, on Thursday the tenth day n'
larch next, between the hoursof twelve and five in the afternoon
said day, of which all persons concerned will please take no-
WILLIAM WALLACE, Sheriff.
Wcjlern Prtcirtd, 18th February, 1791
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 1
January 25, 1791. J
THE Public Creditors arc reminded that, in order in the pro
per d'fpofiuons for paving the Intertft in the fcvrral States,
it is nccelT.iry that the ammint to be paid in eaeh (hould be prc
vlonfly known at the Treafurv. And as the expiration of the fir ft
quarter is not far distant, it is wiftied that those who have not v t
done it, may be expeditious in M iking and lignifving their elcc'.
;ion, pursuant to the ast making proyifion for the debt of the
United States.
772
Philadelphia, February 24th, 1791
AMERICA.
THOMAS JEFFERSON."
HUGH ROWAN.
HENRY KUHL,
No. 143, North Second-Street.
FROM an expectation that a mutual advantage would be deri
ved by the dealeis in public securities, and a person who
Should undertake to tranlatt such bufmefj on commission oniv, has
concluded to offer himlclf for that purpose. Being of opinion,
that every requisite to convince them and otfcrsof his difuirerefi
cdnefs ought to be attended to on his part, he has duly made oath
before the Hon. the Chief Justice of the State of Pennfylvatiia, :h«it
he will faithfully execute the trusts which may be reposed in'him.
" I Henry Kuhl, of the city of Philadelphia, Jock broker, do Jaear
that I will not be concerned either direSlly or indireSly, on m\ otcn ac
count,™ any purchases or sales of the evidences of the debt of the Unitet
Stales or tj particular States, but wUtttfy-nd jaithfully exteute fuck
Purchases andJalts on commiffitm anty'far' theje who way en phi me ■
that is to fay, until I shall announce ii me **, *»re of the neaibapert
printed at the fat of the 'States, my deter
mutation to the contrary. ' " HENRY KUHL*
Sworn at Philadelphia, February before
THOMAS M'KEAN."
1 he commissions he will charge for the prelent, are
On the fpecle amount of .ill funis below SCOO nominal dollars
one half per cent, on do. from 5000 to 10,000 do. one fourth pej
cent, on do. from ie,ooo and upwards do. oneeighih percent.
Accounts slated, and certificates funded at the Treafuiy 0r
Loan-Office of the United State s, on moderate terms.
N. /!. AH orders for purchases or J'a'es to be in writing.
Philadelphia, February 19, 1791. f f )
Virginia, Cutpeper County, 25th Jan. 1791.
To be SOLD by the Subscriber,
The plantation, where
on he resides, laying oiuMnh fides ttifCarolina road, in the great
rork or Rappahanock river, 36 miles from the town of Dumfries,
33 f r°i a Frederickfburg, and a 8 from Falmouth; in a most
healthy part of the country Confiding of 2,000 acrcs—half clear
ed, and ingood fence, well adapted for farming and grazing—the
foil IS good, lays well, abounding with many excellent springs and
ureams ot water, so dispersed as to afford great opportunity of
making watered meadow of the firft quality, perhaps more tlun 300
acrcs —°f which 120, in one body, is already in grass, and all wa
tered and drained at pleasure by a number of ditches, for that pur
pole, palling through the whole. Orchards of about 2000 bear
ing apple trees—near as many peach (roes, and a variety of molk
other kinds of fruit, natural 10 the climate. A good dwelling
house, the fituatton whereof is remarkably beautiful and plealant •
and many other valuable improvements of divers kinds. "
° nC ot^er P' antat ion about 5 miles nearer said towns, con
lilting of about 1500 acres, 011 which is good merchant, grift, and
law nulls, where nature, labour and art, have fully conspired t»
rendcrthcm complete; a large constant stream, on which ther
d, affords them water in great abundance ; convenient thereto
is a kiln end houf-, for drying com, a bake house, a dwelling
hou.e and several other improvements mostly new ; about 30*
acres of the lands are in cultivation, very goodm quality ; the othef
part thin foil, but abounding with timber, is an incxhauftaUl*
source for the saw-mill.
Aifo several detached traflsWithin said county, of about 2.JL,
and 400 acres each,and though not offo fen ilea foil, their vicinity £ '
the towns render them valuable, 011 some of them there aie fm<f
improvements, and the lands so fuuated, that they can easily Mt'
made convenient little farms. ,
or an y P of the vrfjp
be dnpofed of, on very reafon.ible terms—a
ieady money, for the balance, the paymer.ts will be made entirjH
to accommodate the convemency of the purchasers, who may DM
applied on the fame terms, with all kind, of flock, work hoiSJ
>,oxrn,& f . fa. &c. by JOHN STRODE, ft. f.j**
MASSACHUSETTS STATE LOTTERY.
nrHK Man.,grrs allb*orATE LOTTERY, prcfent the Pnbie
X wuh ihe First C,'?ffs of (lie Maflachufctts ft mi-annual State Lot
- J „ dl W1 " comnil< *ncc drawing] n the Rcprefcntativcs' Chamber
in Bolton, on the Seventeenth of March next, or fooncr, if the
Tickets lHa.ll be disposed of. '
SCHEME.
NOT TWO BLANKS TO A PRIZE
25,000 Tickets, at Five Dollars each, are
' 2 5.°°° Dollars, to be paid in thefoilowing Piizes, fubicftto a
deduttion oi twelve and an half percent, for the ufc of the Com.
mon wealth.
Prizes.
1
3
6
19
30
80
9°
100
123
16l
soo
-7585
8388 Prizes.
16612 Blanks.
25000,
f IC K.ETS may be had of the several Managers, who will
)ay the Priz.es on demand— of the TREASURER of theCommon
w"a 11 h ol JAMES WHITE, at his Book-Store, Franklin' i-Hcai y
tiKtrt-Street, and at other places asufual.
BENJAMIN AUSTIN, jun.J
DAVID COBB, I
SAMUEL COOPER, W Managers*
GEORGE R. MI NOT, I
JOHN KNEELAND, j
Bcfton. July 28. 8790.
'' Pickets in the above, Lottery are to be [old by Stephen Aullia,
corner oj front and Pine Streets, Philadelphia.
PLEASE TO NOTICE.
ICj™ FOR the accommodation of those who wor/lif
■ wijh to become Adventurers in the First Class of the
Massach us i: ttsS ■: mi-annual St at r Lottery,
letters t pod paid, directed to Samuel Cooper, at
.his Office, North fide State-House, B of}on, encloftng
Philadelphia, New-Tork or Boston Bank-Bilh, *r
other good Bills, will be particularly attended to, and
Tickets forwarded immediately upon the receipt of
such litters.
Boston, Dec. 22, 1790.
fpT The Managers of the STATE LOTTERY afTure the
rniblic, that the firft CJafs of the Semi-anuual Lottery will pofitive
v commence drawing on the day appointed, viz, the 17'h of
A[arch next. As the Managers have in their feverai Monthly Lot
teries commenced drawing at the hour alfigned, so they are deter
mined to be equally as punctual in this. Jan. ,52.
COPY OP THE OATH
Dollars.
10000 is
3000 are
2000
1000
500
209
100
5°
4®
3®
29
ia
»
Dollars 9
20009
600 a
6009
6oo»
5000
600®
Booe
45°®
400®
3600
322*
2000
6u6&»
125001%'