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A NATIONAL PAPER, PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 69, HIGH.STREET, PHILADELPHIA
[No. 101, of Vol. lII.]
ADVERTISEMENT.
(p- TO comprize in the present volume of this Gazette all the
Laws which are and may be enafied by Congress in the present feffton,
it will he necefary to extend the numbers to the lajl of May. The fourth
■volume, therefore, wilt commerce with the beginning of June— and will
te printed on paper of larger dimenjions than thf present, provided the
liitor's receipts of arrearages Jhall enable him to dolt—the price to con
tinue at Three Dollars per annum.
Three years are nearly expired Jince this publication firfl made its ap
f trance; during which, scarcely a fngle injlance has occurred of re
mijnefs in punßually dijpatching the papers from the Printing-Office—
tlteirfailures in reaching the subscribers, have been owing to causes
which were entirely beyond the controul of the publisher. Under the
new regulations of the Pofl-Office Department, the Subfcibers for the
GAitrrt of the United Statss may therefore promise themselves
the advantage of the flriflejl punßualityon the ' part of the Editor—
which, aided by that energy we have the greatejl reason to expe£l will
4ijlinsuijh thefuperintcndance of the Gentleman now at the head of the
Pop-Office Department, will ensure afieady tranfmijion of Newspapers
to all parts as the Union.
SECONP CONGRESS OF the UNITED STATES.
AT THE FIRST SESSION,
Begun and held at the cify o\ Philadelphia, in the State of Penn
sylvania, Monday the tw< nty-foutth of O&obfcr, one
thouland seven hundred and ninety-one.
AN ACT eftablifliing a Mint, and regulating
the Coins of the United States.
Section -•'D E enabled by ihe Senate and House of Repre-
IJ fentatives of the United Stales of America, in
Congress a(Tembled; and it is hereby ena&ed and declared, That
a mint for the of a national coinage, be, and the fame is
effoWtfhed ; to be iituate and carried on at the feat of the govern
ment' of'ttie United States, for the time being: And that for the
well conrilifting of the business ot the said mint, there (ball be the
following officers and'perfons, nanrfely—a dire&or, an affayer, a
chief coiner, an engraver, a treasurer.
Sec. 2. And be it further enaftcd, That the director of the
mint llia 11 employ as many clerks, workmen and servants as he
shall from time to time find necessary', lubjeft to the approbation
of the Prefidcrit of the United States.
iSec. 3. And be it further ena&ed, That the refpeflive fun&ions
and duties of the officers abovementioned, fhal 1 be as follow
she 'dire£lor of the mint shall have the chics management ot the
bu'fincfs thereof, and (hall luperihtcnd all othei officers arid per
sons who lhall bi employed therein. The aflayer shall receive
and give receipt-s for ail metals which may lawfully be brought to
the mint to be coined ; shall alTay all such of them as may require
it, and (hall deliver them to the chief coiner to be coined. The
chief coiner shall .aufe to be coincd all metals which fhail be re
ceived by' him'frr that purpose, according to fucli regulations as
lhall be prelcribcd by ttrs or any future law. The engraver fhail
fink and prepare the nectflary dies for such coinage, with ihe pro
per devices and infenptions,' but it shall be lawlul tor the func
tions and duties of chcf coiner and engraver to be performed by
©ne person. The treafuror shall receive ftom the chief coiner all
the coins which shall have been, struck, and shall pay or deliver
them to the persons refpe&ively to whom the fame ought to be
paid or delivered : He shall moreover receive and fafely keep ail
monies whith shall be tor the use, maintenance and support of the
mint, and shall dlfburfe the 'lame upon warrants figticd by the
direttor.
, Slc. 4. And be it further enabled, That every officer and clerk
of the fa id taiihf, shall, b fore he enters upon the execution of his
©ffice, take an »ai h or affirmation before some judge of the United
States, faithfully and diligently to perform the duties thereof.
Sec. And be it further ena&cd, That the said aflayer, chief
coiner and treasurer, previously to entering upon the execution ot
their refpt&ive offices, shall each become bound to the United
States of America, with one or more sureties, to the fatisfaftion
of the Secretary of the Treasury, in the sum of ten thousand dol
lars, with condition for ihe faithful and diligent performance of
the duties of his office.
Sec. 6. And be it further enabled, That there shall be allowed
and paid as compensations for their refpc&ivc service the said
dire&or, a yearly salary of two thousand dollars; to the said af
faycr, 3 yearly salary of one thousand five hundred dollars ; to the
said chief coiner, a yearly salary ot one thousand five hundred
dollars ; to the said eng'raver, a yearly ,salary of one thousand two
hundred dollars ; to the said treasurer, a yearly salary of one
thousand two hundred dollars; to each clerk who may be em
ployed, a yearly salary not exceeding five hundred dollars; and to
the several subordinate workmen and servants, such wages and al
lowances as are cuftor.iary and reasonable, according to their re
fpeftivc ftaiions and occupations.
Sec. 7. And be it Imthcr enacted, That the accounts of the
officers and persons employed in and about the said mint, and for
services performed in relation thereto, and all other accounts con
cerning the bufiuefs and administration thereof, shall be adjufled
and fettled in the treasury department of the United States ; and a
quarter yearly account of the receipts and difpurfements of the
said mint shall he rendered at the said treasury tor settlement, ac
cording to such forms and regulations as shall been prelcrib
cd by thatdepartinerit; and that once in each year a report ot ihe
tranfaflions of the said mint, accompanied by an abftratt ot the
fcttlements which fhail have been from time to time made, duly
certified bv the Comptroller of the Treasury, fhall'be laid before
Congrcfs tor their information.
Saturday, Aphil 14, 1792.
Src. 8. And be it further ena&ed, That in addition to the au
thority vcfted in the Prefidcnt of the United States by a resolution
of the last feflion, touching the engaging of artists, and the procur
ing of apparatus for the said mint, the President be authorized* and
he is hereby authorized to cause to be provided and put in proper
condition such buildings, and in such manner as (hall appear to
him requisite for the purpose of carrying on the business of the
fatd mint; and that as well the expenses which (hall have betn in
curred pursuant to the said resolution, as those which may be in
curred in providing and preparing the said buildings, and all other
expenses which may hereafter accrue for the maintenance and sup
port of the said mint, and in carrying on the business thereof, over
and above the fuins which may be received by rcafon of the rate
per centum for coinage herein after mentioned, shall be defrayed
from the Treasury of the United States, out of any monies which
from time to time shall be therein, not otherwise appropriated.
Sec. g. And be. it. further enabled, That there shall be from
time to time struck and coined at the said mint, coins of gold,
silver and coppter, of the following denominations, values and dc
fcriptions, viz. Eagles—each to be of the value of ten dollars
or units, and to contain two hundred and fortv-feven grains and
four eighths of a grain of pure, or two hundred and leventy grains
of standard gold. Half Eagles—each to be of the value of
five dollars, and to contain one hundred and twenty-three grains
and fix eighths of a gram of pure, or one hundred and thirty-five
grains of standard gold. Quarter Eagles—each to be of the
value of two dollars and a half dollar, and to contain hxty-one
grains and seven eighths of a grain of pure, or sixty-seven grains
and four eighths of a grain of standard gold. Dollars or
Units—each to be of the value of a Spanish milled dollar as the
fame is now current, and to contain three hundred and seventy-one
grains and four sixteenth parts of a grain of pure, or four hundred
and sixteen grains of standard silver. Half Dol l ars—each to
be of half the value ©f the dollar or unit, and to contain one hun
dred and eighty-five grains and ten sixteenth parts of a grain of
pure, or two hundred and eight grains of standard silver. Quar
ter Dollars—each to be of one fourth the value ot the dollar
or unit, and to contain ninety-two grains and tnirteen sixteenth
parts of a grain of pure, or one hundred and four grains Ot standard
hlver. Dismes—each to be of the value of one tenth of a dollar
or unit, and to contain thirty-seven grains and two sixteenth parts
of a. grain, of pure, or forty-one grains and three fifth parts of a
grain of standard silver. Half Dismes —each to be of the value
of one twentieth of a dollar, and to contain eighteen grains and
nine sixteenth parts of a grain of pure, or twenty grains and four
fifth parts of a grain of standard silver. Cents—each to be of
the value of the one hundredth part of a dollar, and to contain
eleven penny-weights of copper. Half Cents—each to be of
the value of half a cent, and to contain five penny-weights and
half a penily-wcight of copper.
Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That upon the said coins
refpeftively, There (hall be the following devices and legends,
namely : Upon one fide of each of the said coins, there shall be
an impression emblematic of liberty, with an infeription of the
word Liberty, and the year of the coinage; and upon there- J
verse of each ot the gold and silver coins, there fhali be the figure
or representation of an Eagle, with this inferiptipn, u Unitej>
States of America," and upon the reverse of each of the
copper coins, there shall be an infeription which shall eXpTefs the
denomination of the piece, namely, cent or half cent, as ti.e cafe
may require.
Sec. ii. And be it further enacted, That the proportional va
lue of gold to silver in all coins which (hall by law be current as
money within the United States, shall be as fifteen to one, ac
cording to quantity in weight, ot pure gold or pure silver ; that is
to fay, every fifteen pounds weight of pure silver shall be of equal
valise in all payments, with one pound weight of pure gold, and
so in proportion as to any greater or less quantities of the respec
tive metals.
Sec. 12. And be it furtherenafted, That trie standard for all
gold coins of the United States, shall be eleven parts fine to one
part alloy ; and accordingly that eleven parts in twelve of the
entire weight of each of the said coins (hall consist of pure goid,
and the remaining one twelfth part of alloy ; and the said aJoy
(hall be composed of silver and copper, in such proportions not
exceeding one halt silver as (hall be found convenient; to be re
gulated by the Director or the mint, tor the time being, with
the approbation of the President of the United States, until fur
ther provision lhall be made by law. And to the end that the nr
ceflary information may be had in order to the making of such
further provision, it (hall be the duty of the Dire&or of the mm!,
at the expiration of a year after commencing the operations of the
said mint, to report to Congress the practice thereof during the
said year, touching the composition of the alloy of the fsid gold
coins, the reasons for such practice, and the experiments and ob
servations which (hall have been made concerning the efte&s oi
different proportions of silver and eopper in the said alloy.
Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That the standard for all
silver coins of the United States, shall be one thousand four hun
dred and eighty-five parts fine to one hundied and seventy-nine
parts alloy ; and accordingly that one thousand four hundred and
eighty five parts in one thousand fix hundred and sixty four
parts of the entire weight of each of the said coins shall consist of
pure silver, and the remaining one hundred and seventy nine parts
of alloy ; which allov shall be wholly of copper.
Sec! 14. And be it further enaded, That it shall be lawful
for any person or persons to bring to the said mint gold and silver
bullion, in order to their being coined ; and that the bullion so
brought shall be there aflayed arid coined as speedily as may be
afterlhe receipt thereof, and that free of expense to the person or
persons by whom the fame shall have been brought. And as soon
as the said bullion shall have been coined, the peifon or persons
by whom the fame lhall have been deliveied, shall upon demand
receive in lieu thereof coins of the fame (pecics ol bullion which
shall have been so delivered, weight for weight, of the pure gold
or pure silver therein contained : Provided nevertheless, that it
final I be at the mutual option of the party or parties bringing such
bullion, and of the Director of the said mint, to make an immc
dtate exchange of coins for standard bullion, with a deduaion of
one half per cent from the weight of the pure gold, or pure silver
contained in die said bullion , as an indemnification to the mint
for the time which will necessarily be required for coining the
said bullion, and for the advance which .hall have been so made
in coins And it shall be th,e duty of the Secretary of the I rea
fury to furnifh the said mint from time to time whenever the
state of the Treasury will admit thereof, with such fuins as may
be n?ceflary for effecting the said exchanges, to be replaced as
speedily as may be ou'.ot the coins which shall have been made
of the bullion for which the monies so furmfhed fhal! have oeen
401
tib&o
[Whole No. 509.]
exchanged ; and the said dedu£lion of one half per cent. fli«tll
conftituie a fund towards defraying the expenses of the said mifu.
Sec. 15. And be it further ena&ed, That the bullion which
shall be brought as afortfaid to the mint to be coined, (hail be
coined, and the equivalent thereof in coins rendered, if demand
ed, in the order in which the said bullion fhal! have been brought
or delivered, giving priority according to priority of delivery on
ly, and without preference to any peifonor persons ; and it any
preference shall be given contrary to the dire&ion aforefaid, the
officer by whom such undue preference shall be given, shall 111
each cafe forfeit and pay one thousand dollars ; to be recovered
with cods of suit. And to the end that it may be known if such
preference shall at any time be given, the alTayer or officer to
whom the said bullion shall be delivered to be coined, shall give
to the person or persons bringing the fame, a memorandum in
writing under his hand, denoting the weight, finenefs and value
thereof, together with the day and order of its delivery into the
mint.
Sic. 16. And be it further enatted, That all the gold and sil
ver coins which shall have been struck at, and issued from the said
mint, shall be lawful tender in all payments whatsoever, thofeof
full weight according to the refpeftive values herein before de
clared, and those of less than full weight at values proportional to
their respectiVe- weights.
Sec. 17. Ajtd be it further enabled, That it shall be the doty
of the refpettive officers of the fa id mint, carefully and faithfully
to use their best endeavors that all the gold and (ilver coins which
shall be struck at the said mint shall be, as nearly as may be, con
formable to the several (land a ids and weights aforefaid, and that
the copper whereof the cents and half cents aforefaid may be
composed, (hall he of good quality,
Sec. 18. And the better to fccure a due conformity of the said
old and silver coins to their refpeftive standards, Be it further
na£ted, That from every fcparate mass of standard gold or filver #
which (hall be made into coins at the said hunt, there (hall be
aken, set apart by the Trealurer and rcferved in his custody a
ertain number of pieces, not less than three, and that oncc in
ivery year the pieces so set apart and sieved, (hall be allayed
inder the infpettion of the Chief Judice the United States, the
Secretary and Comptroller of the , the Secretary tor the
Department of State, and tin Alio .cral of the United
Mates (who are hereby required to - cl ior that purpose at the
raid mint, on the last Monday in Jul} ar.h year) or under the
infpetlion of any three of them, i. ai ncr as they or a ma
jority of them lhall dire£fc, and prefenCc of t te director, af
fayer and chief coiner of the said mint; and if it 'iall be found
that the gold and silver so assayed, (hall not be infeiior to their
refpettive standards herein before declared .bre than one pan in
one hundred and fort/ four parts, the offic » or officers of the laid
mint whom it mdy concern shall be he'd ej:c«feable ; but if any
greater inferiority (hall appear, it (h 1 tifnd to the President
of the United States, and the said oiheer - ofiiccrs (ball be deem
ed difqualified to hold their refpe&ur* offices.
Sec. 19. And be it further envied, ( hat if any of the gold or
silver coins which (hall be struck or coined at the said mint (hall
be debated or made woife, as tvj the propoition of fine gold or
.:ne silver therein contained, ff>r f; 11 be of less weight or value
than the fame ought to be pu (nam to the dire&ions of this adt,
through the default or with the confluence of any of the officers
,or persons who (hall be employed at the said mint, for the
purpose of profit or gain, or otherwise with a fraudulent intent*
and if any of the said officers or pcfons (hall embezzle any of the
metals which shall at any time be committed to their charge for
the purpose of being coined, or any of the coins which (hall be
struck or coined at tho said mint ever fuc or per foil who
shall commit any or either of the said offences, ihali be deemed
guilty of felony, and (hall fu.Ter death.
Sec. 20. And be it further ena&cd, That the money of ac
count of the United States, inall be exprefled in doilaisor units,
difmes or tenths, cents or hundredths and milles or thousandths,
a diftncbeing the tenth part ot a dollar,a cent the hundredth part
of a dollar, a mille the thousandth part of ? dollar, and that all
accounts in the public offices and all proceeding of the courts of
the United States (hall be kept and had in conformity to this it
gulation.
JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Speaker
of the House of Reprejentatives.
JOHN ADAMS, Vice-Prejidcnt of the United States,
and Vrejidenl oj the Senate.
APPROV ED APRIL THE SECOND, 1792.
PHILADELPHIA.
ENERAL St. CLAIR has resigned the com
v-X maud of the army, and we have been favor
ed with the following copies of letters that pafl
ed between the Prefidenc of the United States
and the General upon that occalion.
Philadelphia, March 26, I 792.
Sir,
I BEG leave to offer you my unfeigned thanks
for the honor conferred upon me, by the appoint
ment to the command of the army of the United
States the last campaign. Though that campaign
was unfortunate, I am not confjrious thac any
thing within my power to have produced a more
happy iff'ue was negledlea. As J was prompted
to accept that command by no motives of either
ambition or interest, but by a fervent wilh to be
of service to my country, and a belief, perhaps
too fondly entertained, that I could be so— tliac
I am led to decline it in future, proceeds neither
from disgust nor disappointment.
Having been much afflidled with sickness dur
ing nearly the whole of the campaign, though I
flatter niyfelf the public interefls did not fuffer
by it, and though my health is now tolerably re
(lored, my constitution has received a very severe
GEORGE WASHINGTON,
Prejtdent of the United States.