The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-01

into Committee OF the Whole on the state OF The Union
Mr. DANIEL demanded the yeas and nays on that
mouoni which not being ordered. II was agreed 10
/ THE SAN FRANCISCO AND YORK MisTs
SO, the SPEAKER calling Mr. CARTIER to the chair
he committee took up the special oder,he branch mint
Mr.. KING. OF New York. who was entitled to the
CHANDIER Mr. K gave the committee a history of The
reasons inducing the location OF the mint in Philadelphia
which, he conended, had ceased to operate He fMr
k) differed from Mr. CHANDLER as to the capacity OF
The Philadelphia mint, and read statistics showing that
at most that establishment could not coin more than
S3oooOOoO per annum. He believed the twenty dollar
pieces TO be- OF all gold CON- the useless for business
transactions-wby so, he went 10 show II the Phil
adeipha mint could coin as much as Mr.. CHANDLER had
commended, he Mr. X satisfied that the uansporla
on OF the bullion and coins between the two would cost
sum sufficient 10 build the New York mint in two or
three years Thus from figures which he gave he held
that every hundred dollars sent on from New York
to Philadelphia 70 cents be paid by individuals for
transportation insurance, and interest for lost time
Mr. n next argued 10 prove that instea d of costing
~ .O0O0O as Mr. CHANDLER had contended the New
YORK m'ot. completed and ready for the work, would
| cost but $250,0O0.
Mr. K. next turned to the question Of the competency
OF the Philadelphia mint TO supply the of the
country The quantity OF gold bullion had accumulated
ieariuly on IT, the facilities for assaying
lately accorded TO IT, And further he commended that the
silver conlng now OF pressing Importance had been
entirely neg eced He went show that instead of
leclng double eagles the deposors had been forced
up with Them as to insist on having gold dollars would
force them to be out of the OF their money for sixty
OF twenty days The plea that the establishment
branch mintn New York Mr. X held to be unsound and
adduced facts to prove that with that mint opera
iion gold would come from thence 10 the Atlantic coast
IN $l,ooo bars, the transportation, insurance, &c. on
which would be less far less, than the amount
OF the precious metal in coin
Mr. next discussed the assaying recommendation for
New York, which had been proposed by MIR CHANDLER
Il enacted, 1t would involve the government in difficult
ties, while could not really increase the facilities
Joyed by The commerce of New York. The gentleman
from New York continued his remarks upon this branch
OF his subject Tor some time, holding that to refuse
to order the establishment OF mint in New York would
be to sacrifice the commercial interests of the country
crafty the disposition OF Philadelphia to have coinage
done nowhere the Atlantic coas, out Of her own lin
law in New York exempling United States property
IRON taxation. He not the advocate of New York
Ill this matter, but OF the interests OF the general
mece OF the country threatened TO be seriously wrOnged
by failure to afford coming facilities the point at
which the bullion Is concentrated by the laws OF Trade.
Mr.. DISNEY then continued the debate, arguing
against the enactment Of the bill, the ground the
treasury, IN liz present condition, could bear the
penses to result from it, and because he proceeded
enforce the Philadelphia mint was competent to do all
the coming necessary.
MIR. HOLMES next addressed the committee against
this bill. arguing that there necessity for The
adjustment OF mint at New York.
MIR. PHOENIX said that Mr. HOMES had been anxious
to have Charleston mint in the bill and having failed
IN !ha' ne wa, now az opponent OF the proposition
ton OF mint at Charleston should be authorized by this
bill he should oppose its enactment.
|
the mint proposed TO be built New York apparently
one of the strenge, objections which had been urged
The Philadelphia mint had been said to have mil
hon and half. and had been added that the proposed
mint would cost two lie had ascerlaned al the Treasu
Office to-day that the Philadelphia min, had cost for
ground, buildings machinery. and all, $259,OoO
only. That mint commenced in 1929, and finished
in 1888
Mr.. CHANDLER (said Mr.. P.) had urged that the ex
pendltures annually OF the proposed mint in New York
would be greater than those OF the mint in Philadelphia,
which were not more than 500, 000-not had been
alleged $4,000 Having been resident of the city OF
New York Tor long series OF years, he could safely
sert that II that the annual expenditure of
the government in New York was seven millions Over
million OF THIS estimate was for the construction OF a
dry dock and much well nigh, Tor a custom house,
both OF which transacted the business of the nation
large as he proceeded 10 show rather than that OF New
York city alone. The mint al Philadelphia had coined
but very little of the whole coined there in the
last year many thing but twenty pieces, but
some 81 900 had been coined in pieces Of less de-
nomination than eagles. These small pieces alone
fit Tor circulation. Mr., CHANDLER (said Mr.. P) had
said that ten millions and halt OF pieces had been coined
10 the last year at Philadelphia He Mr. P would sup
ply the deficiency Of that statement by adding that nearly
half Of that had been rolled at the mnrs hopper
the shape of penny and halcent pieces according the
amount Of work done. The Philadelphia mint could
recon in pieces OF smaller and really servceahe de-
nominations Tin those in which the coinage oil lS4g had
been done) the twenty dollar pieces coined in the last
year IN less than three years During the last the
coinage at Philadelphia OF eagles had fallen off some
three millions and half, owing to the employment OF the
machinery in coming twenty dollar pieces Ten millions
tween September let and December 23i last were in
twenty dollar pieces leaving OF all other descriptions
less than single million OF dollars This proved that
the statistics presented by Mr. CHANDLER OF the opera
lions of the mint Philadelphia deceptive failing
TO show how completely that institution had failed to
meet the wants of commerce. Not SINCE eagle had
been coined in The last nine months of the past
year. The average annual amount of coming at the
Philadelphia mint for hfty-slx years bad been bot
one million and hundred and thirteen thousand
FIVE hundred and twenty dollars The coming OF
double eagles well enough if they suited the :
merce OF the country, they did not, They OF ne
large ingots stamped by the government would be
Rowland & Aspinwa the heaviest importers OF bullion,
say that they pay fourth OF per cent for transportation
and insurance between New York and Philadelphia and
that takes twenty days TO get coin Tor
their bullion Ga all the bullion sen, to Philadelphia from
New York, the unnecessary expense 10 the community
was S2I7 O0Oihat admitting that thirty three mil
lions OF bullion there from New York The treasury
had loaned s. 100000 the Philadelphia mint, the nte
rest OF which, at six per cent, $500 900. Thus the
country actually charged nearly 100000 for having
coming done in Philadelphia which should be done IN
Il New York. Now, this was, IN fact, only TO sustain
location where the interest of commerce did not call Ior
il Himself and Mr. JAMES G. Krso, OF New York, would
put in the machinery, &c for s25oO0o, and would do
well by the operation
a Here Mr. r. read statistics proving the enormous
amount OF bullion, foreign coin, &C., coming into The
port of New York About one-lounh oil the duties paid
into the New York custom house was IN foreign com,
required by law TO be reconed The Canada trade was
paid for in British gold principally large amount oil
foreign coin westward 10 pay Tor lands purchased
by emgrans, and considerable quantity CT gold dust