The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-28

4 Mr.. Hunter, from the Committee on Finance, 10
whom the subject was referred ,on Monday reported
the following bill which was read and passed 70 q
second reading:
BILL auendatory Of existing laws relative to the
half dollar. quarter dollar, dime, and half dime
! Be ifsnacted by,fhe Sengfs and House If Repre-
se,liaiives 9f he United Sfafes g Asrica ip Con-
gvess assembled, That from this period Hereinafter
designated, the weight Of the half dollar or piecf
| Of fifty cents, shall be one hundred and ninety
! grains and two eighihs Of a grain J; the weight q
the quarter dollar, or piece OF ty7five cents
grain the weight Of The dime. or piece 81 ten cents
shall be thirty eight grains and one fourth of q
grain the weight Of the half dime, piece of five
cents, shall be nineteen grains and one eighth Of a
grain and that the said coins shall be legal tenders
Of payment. according to their nominal value, for
any sum less than FIVE dollars. y. v y ..+ .ag~
SEC. q 14nd be itgfhsr enacted, That ii shall be
lawful for the treasurer Of the mint, under the in
structions Of the director, TO purchase silver bull
lion which shall be deposited by the said treasurer
for coinage into pieces of fifty, twenty five, ten and
five cents and that the said coins when received
may be delivered by him, in exchange for their le
gal equivalent in other gold or silver coins Of the
United States, to any persona who shall apply for
them: Prouided, That the sum asked for shall not
SEC. 3. And be II further enacted, That the said
coins may at the discretion Of the director, be de-
liyered in any of the principal cities and towns Of
the United States at the cost Of the mint for trans
portation. is a ,lffsp e ti3 g. tg9
SEC. 4. Andbeit further enacted, That the money
which shall be received in exchange for the said
coins shall be fund in the hands of the treasurer
Of the mint, which shall be used in the purchase Of
silver bullion to be converted into said coins, and
TO pay the expense Of their transportation and If
there be surplus, the same shalIbe appropriated to
dcfray the contingent ex penses of the mint.t
SEC g. And be it further enacted, That until the
said fund shal have accumulated by the sales here
in authorized, and whenever for other reasons, il
may be convenient, it shall be lawfulto apply such
portion of the contingent fund OF the mint may
be needf in the purchase of the silver bullion
quired for the purposes OF this act the amount OF
which shall afterwards be reimbursed 70 that fund.-
and it shall further be lawful to employ, in the
coinage of said pieces any silver in the bullion
and to sell the coins which shall be derived there
from, conformably TO the terms of this act; Pro-
vided, That from the proceeds Of such sales the le
! gal value Of the silver thus Withdrawn, estimated
in dollars. shall be restored TO the bullion fund
| aforesaid. $500 ts- tgs.tsx rs .t,1t q {.
| SEc. 6. And be- IL further enacted, That no de-
posits for coinage into the half dollar quarter dol
lar, dime, and half dime, shall hereafter bc re-
ceived other than those made by the treasurer Of
the mint as herein authorized, .5 w ee
SEC. T. -dnd be it further eaacfed, That the pro-
visions of this act are hereby extended TO the
branch mint at New Orleans, and 10 the officers
thereof .-,lt.s ~ aftsif -l,s fs its.
SEC, g. -And be az further enacted, That, 10 pro-
vide for any deficiency in the means for procuring
silver to be coined under the terms of this act,
there is hereby appropriated for that purpose. out
of any moneys in the treasury not Otherwise appro-
priated to the mint of the United States at Phila-
delphia, the sum of thirty thousand dollars, and
| like sum to the branch mint at New Orleans.
/ SEc.9. And BE- t. further enacted. That this act
shall bo in force from and after the first day OF
April. one thousand eight hundred and ffty-one.