US Presidency
1867

This can only be accomplished by the restoration of the currency to the standard established by the Constitution; and by this means we would remove a discrimination which may, if it has not already done so, create a prejudice that may become deep rooted and widespread and imperil the national credit. The feasibility of making our currency correspond with the constitutional standard may be seen by reference to a few facts derived from our commercial statistics. The production of precious metals in the United States from 1849 to 1857, inclusive, amounted to $ 579,000,000; from 1858 to 1860, inclusive, to $ 137,500,000, and from 1861 to 1867, inclusive, to $ 457,500,000 making the grand aggregate of products since 1849 $ 1,174,000,000. The amount of specie coined from 1849 to 1857 inclusive, was $ 439,000,000; from 1858 to 1860, inclusive, $ 125,000,000, and from 1861 to 1867, inclusive, $ 310,000,000 making the total coinage since 1849 $ 874,000,000.