Part 2

The subject of a National Mint for the United States was first introduced by Robert Morris,[2] the patriot and financier of the revolution; as head of the Finance Department, Mr. Morris was instructed by Congress to prepare a report on the foreign coins, then in circulation in the United States. On the 15th of January, 1782, he laid before Congress an exposition of the whole subject. Accompanying this report was a plan for American coinage. But it was mainly through his efforts, in connection with Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, that a mint was established in the early history of the Union of the States. On the 15th of April, 1790, Congress instructed the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, to prepare and report a proper plan for the establishment of a National Mint, and Mr. Hamilton presented his report at the next session. An act was framed establishing the mint, which finally passed both Houses and received President Washington’s approval April 2, 1792.[3]

NOTES ON THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE MINT.

FROM ROBERT MORRIS’S DIARY.

1781. July 16th. Wrote to Mr. Dudley at Boston inviting him hither in consequence of the Continental Agent Mr. Bradford’s Letter respecting him referred to me by Congress.

July 17th. Wrote Mr. Bradford respecting Mr. Dudley.

Nov. 10th. Ordered some money on application of Mr. Dudley to pay his expences.

Nov. 12th. Sent for Mr Dudley to consult him respecting the quantity of Alloy Silver will bear without being discoloured, he says he can put 6 drops into an ounce. Desired him to assay some Spanish Dollars and French Crowns, in order to know the quantity of pure Silver in each.

Nov. 16th. Mr. Dudley assayed a number of Crowns and dollars for our information respecting the Mint.

1782. Jan. 2d. Mr. Benjamin Dudley applied for money to pay his Board which I directed to be paid by Mr. Swanwick, this gentleman is detained at the public expence as a person absolutely necessary in the Mint, which I hope soon to see established. My propositions on that subject are to be submitted to Congress so soon as I can get the proper assays made on Silver coins &c.

Jan. 7th. Mr. Dudley applies about getting his wife from England. I promised him every assistance in my power.[4]

Jan. 18th. I went to Mr. Gouvr. Morris’s Lodging to examine the plan we had agreed on, and which we had drawn up respecting the Establishment of a Mint, we made some alterations and amendments to my satisfaction and from a belief that this is a necessary and salutary measure. I have ordered it copied to be sent into Congress.

Jan. 26th. Mr. Dudley applied for money to pay his Lodgings &c. I ordered Mr. Swanwick to supply him with fifty dollars, informed him that the Plan of a Mint is before Congress, and when passed, that he shall be directly employed, if not agreed to by Congress, I shall compensate him for his time &c.

Feb. 26th. Mr. Benjamin Dudley brought me the rough drafts or plan for the rooms of a Mint &c. I desired him to go to Mr. Whitehead Humphreys to consult him about Screws, Smithwork &c. that will be wanted for the Mint, and to bring me a list thereof with an estimate of the Cost.

Feb 28th. Mr. Dudley informs me that a Mr. Wheeler, a Smith in the Country, can make the Screws, Rollers &c. for the Mint. Mr. Dudley proposes the Dutch Church, that which is now unoccupied, as a place suitable for the Mint, I sent him to view it, & he returns satisfied that it will answer, wherefore I must enquire about it.

March 22d. Mr. Dudley and Mr. Wheeler came and brought with them some Models of the Screws and Rollers necessary for the Mint. I found Mr. Wheeler entertained some doubts respecting one of these Machines which Mr. Dudley insists will answer the purposes and says he will be responsible for it. I agreed with Mr. Wheeler that he should perform the work; and, as neither he or I could judge of the value that ought to be paid for it, he is to perform the same agreeable to Mr. Dudley’s directions, and when finished, we are to have it valued by some Honest Man, judges of such work, he mentioned Philip Syng, Edwd. Duffield, William Rush and —— all of whom I believe are good judges and very honest men, therefore I readily agreed to this proposition. And I desired Mr. Dudley to consult Mr. Rittenhouse and Francis Hopkinson Esquire, as to the Machine or Wheel in dispute, and let me have their opinion.

March 23d. Mr. Dudley called to inform me that Mr. Rittenhouse & Mr. Hopkinson agree to his plan of the Machine &c.

April 12th. Mr. Dudley wants a horse to go up to Mr. Wheelers &c.

May 20th. Mr. Dudley wrote me a Letter this day and wanted money. I directed Mr. Swanwick to supply him, and then disired him to view the Mason’s Lodge to see if it would Answer for a Mint, which he thinks it will, I desired him to go up to Mr. Wheelers to see how he goes on with the Rollers &c.

June 17th. Mr. Dudley applied for money to pay his Bill. I directed Mr. Swanwick to supply him.

June 18th. Issued a warrant in favor of B. Dudley £7.11.6.

July 15th. Mr. B. Dudley applied for money, he is very uneasy for want of employment, and the Mint in which he is to be employed and for which I have engaged him, goes on so slowly that I am also uneasy at having this gentleman on pay and no work for him. He offered to go and assist Mr. Byers to establish the Brass Cannon Foundry at Springfield. I advised to make that proposal to Genl. Lincoln and inform me the result to-morrow.[5]

July 16th. Mr. B. Dudley to whom I gave an order on Mr. Swanwick for fifty dollars, and desired him to seek after Mr. Wheeler to know whether the Rollers &c. are ready for him to go to work on rolling the copper for the Mint.

August 22d. Mr. Saml. Wheeler who made the Rollers for the Mint, applies for money. I had a good deal of conversation with this ingenious gentleman.

August 26th. Mr. Dudley called and pressed very much to be set at work.

Sept 3d. Mr. B. Dudley applied for a passage for his Friend Mr. Sprague, pr. the Washington to France & for Mrs. Dudley back. Mr. Wheeler applied for money which I promised in a short time.

Sept. 4th. Mr. Wheeler for money. I desired him to leave his claim with Mr. McCall Secretary in this office, and I will enable the discharge of his notes in the Bank when due.

Novr. 8th. Mr. Dudley applies for the amount of his Bill for Lodgings and Diet &c. and I directed Mr. Swanwick to pay him, but am very uneasy that the Mint is not going on.

Dec. 23d. Mr. Dudley and Mr. Wilcox brought the subsistance paper, and I desired Mr. Dudley to deliver 4000 sheets to Hall and Sellers.[6]

Decr. 26th. Mr. Hall the printer brought 100 Sheets of the subsistence notes this day, and desired that more paper might be sent to his Printing Office, accordingly I sent for Mr. Dudley and desired him to deliver the same from time to time, until the whole shall amount to 4000 Sheets.

1783. April 2d. I sent for Mr. Dudley who delivered me a piece of Silver Coin, being the first that has been struck as an American Coin.

April 16th. Sent for Mr. Dudley and urged him to produce the Coins to lay before Congress to establish a Mint.

April 17th. Sent for Mr. Dudley to urge the preparing of Coins &c. for Establishing a Mint.

April 22d. Mr. Dudley sent in several Pieces of Money as patterns of the intended American Coins.

May 6th. Sent for Mr. Dudley and desired him to go down to Mr. Mark Wilcox’s, to see 15,000 Sheets of paper made fit to print my Notes on.

May 7th. This day delivered Mr. Dudley the paper Mold for making paper, mark’d United States, and dispatched him to Mr. Wilcok’s, but was obliged to advance him 20 dollars.

May 27th. I sent for Mr. Dudley to know if he has compleated the paper at Mr. Wilcock’s paper mill for the Certificates intended for the pay of the Army. He says it is made, but not yet sufficiently dry for the printers use. I desired him to repair down to the Mill and bring it up as soon as possible.

May 28th. Mr. Whitehead Humphreys to offer his lot and buildings for erecting a Mint.

July 5th. Mr. Benjn. Dudley gave notice that he has received back from Messrs. Hall and Sellers the Printers, three thousand sheets of the last paper made by Mr. Wilcocks. I desired him to bring it to this office. He also informs of a Minting Press being in New York for sale, and urges me to purchase it for the use of the American Mint.

July 7th. Mr. Dudley respecting the Minting Press, but I had not time to see him.

August 19th. I sent for Mr. Benjamin Dudley, and informed him of my doubts about the establishment of a Mint, and desired him to think of some employment in private service, in which I am willing to assist him all in my power. I told him to make out an account for the services he had performed for the public, and submit at the Treasury office for inspection and settlement.

August 30th. Mr. Dudley brought the dies for Coining in the American Mint.

Sept. 3d. Mr. Dudley applies for money for his expenses which I agree to supply, but urge his going into private business.

Sept. 4th. Mr. Dudley for money, which is granted. Directed him to make three models for constructing Dry——

Nov. 21st. Mr. Dudley applies for money. He says he was at half a guinea a week and his expenses borne when he left Boston to come about the Mint, and he thinks the public ought to make that good to him. I desired him to write me and I will state his claims to Congress.

Nov. 26th. Mr. Dudley for money, which was granted.

Dec. 17th. Mr. Dudley with his account for final settlement. I referred him to Mr. Milligan.

1784. Jan. 5th. Mr. Dudley applies for a Certificate of the Time which he was detained in the public service. I granted him one accordingly.

Jan. 7th. Mr. Dudley after the settlement of his account, which I compleated by signing a warrant.

[Illustration: [Fac simile of original, photo-engraved by Levytype Company.]

Congress of the United States:

AT THE THIRD SESSION,

Begun and held at the City of Philadelphia, on Monday the sixth of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety.

_RESOLVED by the SENATE and HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES of the United States of America in Congress assembled_, That a mint shall be established under such regulations as shall be directed by law.

_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to cause to be engaged, such principal artists as shall be necessary to carry the preceeding resolution into effect, and to stipulate the terms and conditions of their service, and also to cause to be procured such apparatus as shall be requisite for the same purpose.

FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, _Speaker of the House of Representatives_.

JOHN ADAMS, _Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate_.

APPROVED, March the third, 1791.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, _President of the United States_.

DEPOSITED among the ROLLS in the OFFICE of the SECRETARY of STATE.

_Th. Jefferson Secretary of State._]

_The following is a copy of an old pay roll, framed and hanging upon the wall of the Cabinet._

NAMES AND SALARIES OF THE OFFICERS, CLERKS, AND WORKMEN EMPLOYED AT THE MINT THE 10TH OCTOBER, 1795.

Henry Wm. DeSaussure, Director @ 2,000 Drs. per Ann. Nicholas Way, Treasurer 1,200 ” ” Henry Voigt, Chief Coiner 1,500 ” ” Albion Cox, Assayer 1,500 ” ” Robert Scott, Engraver 1,200 ” ” David Ott, Melter and Refiner pro tem. 1,200 ” ” Nathaniel Thomas, Clerk to the Treasurer 700 ” ” Isaac Hough, ditto to Director and Assayer 500 ” ” Lodewyk Sharp, ditto to Chief Coiner 500 ” ” John S. Gardiner, Assistant Engraver 936 ” ” Adam Eckfeldt, Die Forger and Turner 500 ” ”

_Workmen Employed in Chief Coiner’s Department._

Wages per day. Doll. Cts. John Schreiner, Chief Pressman 1 80 John Cope, Chief Adjuster 1 60 William Hayley, Roller 1 40 Nicholas Sinderling, Annealer 1 40 John Ward, Miller 1 20 Joseph Germon, Drawer 1 20 Lewis Laurenger, Brusher 1 20 Henry Voigt, Junr, Adjuster 88 Sarah Waldrake, ditto 50 Rachael Summers, ditto 50 Lewis Bitting, ditto 1 20 Lawrence Ford, ditto 1 20 Christopher Baum, Pressman 1 John Keyser, ditto 1 Frederick Bauck, ditto 1 Barney Miers, Cleaner 1 Martin Summers, Doorkeeper 1 Adam Seyfert, Hostler 1 John Bay, Boy. 66

_Workmen Employed at the Furnace of the Mint._

Peter LaChase, Melter 1 60 George Myers, ditto 1 50 Eberhart Klumback, ditto 1 40 Patrick Ryan, Filer 1 25 Valentine Flegler, Labourer 1 25 Andrew Brunet, ditto 1 William Ryan, ditto 1

Endorsed in two places, “Names and Salaries of the Officers, Clerks and Workmen employed in the Mint the 10th Oct. 1795.”

THE PHILADELPHIA MINT.

[Illustration: THE FIRST MINT IN THE UNITED STATES, ERECTED IN 1792.]

The popular estimation in which the Mint is held in the United States, is, for obvious reasons, more distinctively marked than that entertained for other public institutions. Its position, in a financial point of view, is so important, its use so apparent, and its integrity of management so generally conceded, that it enjoys a pre-eminence and dignity beyond that accorded to general governmental departments. Party mutations usually effect changes in its directorship, with but slight interference, however, with the other officials, as those of attainments, skill, and long experience in the professional branches, required to intelligently perform the various duties assigned, are few in all countries. Those occupying positions are chosen for their proficiency in the various departments, their characters being always above question. The confidence reposed in the officials of the United States Mint has never been violated, as, for nearly a century of its operations, no shadow of suspicion has marred the fair name of any identified with its history.

The need of a mint in the Colonies was keenly felt to be a serious grievance against England for years before the Revolution, and as soon as practicable after the establishment of Independence, the _United States Mint_ was authorized by an Act of Congress—April 2, 1792.

A lot of ground was purchased on Seventh Street near Arch, and appropriations were made for erecting the requisite buildings. An old still-house, which stood on the lot, had first to be removed. In an account book of that time we find an entry on the 31st of July, 1792, of the sale of some old materials of the still-house for seven shillings and sixpence, which “Mr. Rittenhouse directed _should be laid out for punch_ in laying the foundation stone.”[7]

The first building erected in the United States for public use, under the authority of the Federal Government, was a structure for the United States Mint. This was a plain brick edifice, on the east side of Seventh street, near Arch, the corner-stone of which was laid by David Rittenhouse, Director of the Mint, on July 31, 1792. In the following October operations of coining commenced. It was occupied for about forty years. On the 19th of May, 1829, an Act was passed by Congress locating the United States Mint on its present site.

The first coinage of the United States, was silver half-dimes in October, 1792, of which Washington makes mention in his address to Congress, on November 6, 1792, as follows; “There has been a small beginning in the coinage of half-dimes; the want of small coins in circulation, calling the first attention to them.” The first metal purchased for coinage was six pounds of old copper at one shilling and three pence per pound, which was coined and delivered to the Treasurer, in 1793. The first deposit of silver bullion was made on July 18, 1794, by the Bank of Maryland. It consisted of “coins of France,” amounting to $80,715.73½. The first returns of silver coins to the Treasurer, was made on October 15, 1794. The first deposit of gold bullion for coinage, was made by Moses Brown, merchant, of Boston, on February 12, 1795; it was of gold ingots, worth $2,276.72, which was paid for in silver coins.

The first return of gold coinage, was on July 31, 1795, and consisted of 744 half eagles. The first delivery of eagles was in September 22, same year, and consisted of four hundred pieces.

Previous to the coinage of silver dollars, at the Philadelphia Mint, in 1794, the following amusing incidents occurred in Congress, while the emblems and devices proposed for the reverse field of that coin were being discussed.

A member of the House from the South bitterly opposed the choice of the eagle, on the ground of its being the “king of birds,” and hence neither proper nor suitable to represent a nation whose institutions and interests were wholly inimical to monarchical forms of government. Judge Thatcher playfully, in reply, suggested that perhaps a goose might suit the gentleman, as it was a rather humble and republican bird, and would also be serviceable in other respects, as the goslings would answer to place upon the dimes. This answer created considerable merriment, and the irate Southerner, conceiving the humorous rejoinder as an insult, sent a challenge to the Judge, who promptly declined it. The bearer, rather astonished, asked, “Will you be branded as a coward?” “Certainly, if he pleases,” replied Thatcher; “I always was one and he knew it, or he would never have risked a challenge.” The affair occasioned much mirth, and, in due time, former existing cordial relations were restored between the

## parties; the irritable Southerner concluding there was nothing to be

gained in fighting with one who fired nothing but jokes.

EXTRACT FROM THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ADOPTED FOR THE MINT, JANUARY 1, 1825.

The operations of the Mint throughout the year, are to commence at 5 o’clock in the morning, under the superintendence of an officer, and continue until 4 o’clock in the afternoon, except on Saturdays, when the business of the day will close at 2 o’clock, unless on special occasions it may be otherwise directed by an officer. Extra work will be paid for in proportion, on a statement being made of it through the proper officer, at the end of each month. A strict account is to be kept by one of the officers, as they may agree of the absentees from duty, if the absence be voluntary, the full wages for the time will be deducted, if it arise from sickness a deduction will be made at the discretion of the proper officer. A statement of these deductions will be rendered at the end of the month, and the several accounts made out accordingly.

The allowance under the name of _drink money_ is hereafter to be discontinued, and in place of it _three dollars extra wages_ per month will be allowed for the three summer months to those workmen who continue in the Mint through that season. No workman can be permitted to bring spirituous liquors into the Mint. Any workman who shall be found intoxicated within the Mint must be reported to the Director, in order that he may be discharged. No profane or indecent language can be tolerated in the Mint. Smoking within the Mint is inadmissible. The practice is of dangerous tendency; experience proves that this indulgence in public institutions, ends at last in disaster. Visitors may be admitted by permission of an officer, to see the various operations of the Mint on all working days except Saturdays and rainy days; they are to be attended by an officer, or some person designated by him. The new coins must not be given in exchange for others to accommodate visitors, without the consent of the Chief Coiner. Christmas day and the Fourth of July, and no other days, are established holidays at the Mint. The pressmen will carefully lock the several coining presses when the work for the day is finished, and leave the keys in such places as the Chief Coiner shall designate. When light is necessary to be carried from one part of the Mint to the other, the watchman will use a dark lanthorn but not an open candle. He will keep in a proper arm chest securely locked, a musket and bayonet, two pistols and a sword. The arms are to be kept in perfect order and to be inspected by an officer once a month, when the arms are to be discharged and charged anew.

The watchman of the Mint must attend from 6 o’clock in the evening to 5 o’clock in the morning, and until relieved by the permission of an officer, or until the arrival of the door-keeper. He will ring the yard bell precisely every hour by the Mint clock, from 10 o’clock until relieved by the door-keeper, or an officer, or the workmen on working days, and will send the watch dog through the yard immediately after ringing the bell. He will particularly examine the departments of the engine and all the rooms where fire has been on the preceding day, conformably to his secret instructions. For this purpose he will have keys of access to such rooms as he cannot examine without entering them.