The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-30

I
scribing for Stryker's Annual Register.
! LKurzE's PAINTISo.
| Mr.. HALE's resolution, directing inquiry a
to the propriety Of purchasing the painting o
Washington Crossing the Delaware, and placing
1t In the Presidents mansion, was taken up ant
agreed to.
NAVY YARD AND DEPOT IN CALIFORNIA.
The Senate then proceeded to the consideration
of the bill TO establish navy yard and depot il
the bay Of San Francisco.
Mr.. HUNTER opposed that part Of the bill pro
Yiding for the construction of n railway and basin
and also the erection Of a marine barracks.
Mr.. GWiN replied.
Mr.. HALE advocated the passa &c of the bill; and
after some remarks by Mr.. HUNTER in rejoinder
the bill, on motion by Mr.. CLARKE, was post
poned till to- morrow.
UNITED STATES SILVER COINAGE.
On motion by Mr.. HUNTER, the Senate pro-
cecded to the consideration OF the bill amendatory
OF existing laws relative TO the half dollar, quarter
dollar, dime, and half dime. And the same was
considered, and ordered to be engrosscd for third
reading.
The following is the bill as it was ordered to be
engrossed:
BE 1t enacted, &C., That from and after the first
day OF June, 1852, the weight Of the half dollar,
piece OF nifty cents, shall be one hundred and ninety
two grains, and the quarter-doIlar, dime, and half
dilne' shall oe respectively, one hail. one hfth and
one tenth OF the weight of said hall. dollar.
SEC. 2. Ind be ii further enacted. That the silver
coins issued in conformity with the above section
shall be legal tenders in payment of debts for all
sums not exceeding five dollars.
Sec. 3. And be ii further enacted, That in order
to procure bullion for the requisite coinage of the
subdivisions of the dollar authorized by this act the
treasurer Ut The mint shall, with the approval OF
the director, purchase such bullion with the bull
lion fund of the mint. He shall charge himself
with the gain arising from the coinage of such bull
hon into coins of nominal value exceeding the
intrinsic value thereof, and shall be credited with
the difference between such intrinsic value and the
hull, xs.tet
Of distributing said coins hereinafter provided.
The balances to his credit, the profit Of said
coinage, shall be, from time to time, warrant
OF the director of the mint, transferred TO the ac-
count Of the treasury of the United States.
SEC. 4 dnd be it, further enacted, That such coins
shall be paid out at the mint in exchange for gold
COINS at par, In sums not less than one hundred
dollars; and it shall be lawful, also, to trans.
init parcels of the ssmc from time to time to the
slstant treasurers deposltares, and other officers
OF the United States, under general regulations,
proposed by the director Of the mint, and approved
by the Secretary Of the Treasury: Pr0pided, h0,c-
erer, That the amount coined into quarter dollars,
dimes, and half dimes, shall be regulated by the
Secretary Of the Treasury.
SEC s. And be ii further enacted, That no depo-
sits for conag e into the half dollar quar- dollar
dime, and half dime, shall hereafter be received,
other than those made by the treasurer of the mint,
as herein authorized, and upon account of the Uni
ted States
SEC 6 Ind be il further enacted. That, at the
option Of the depositor gold or silver may be cast
into bars ingots OF either pure metal OF stand
ard fneness, as the owner may prefer, with stamp
upon the same designating its weight and fine
ness but piece OF either gold silver, shall be
cast into bare ingots of less weight than ten
ounces, except pieces of ounce, of two ounces,
OF three ounces, and OF all of which pieces
OF less weight than ten ounces shall be Of the stand
ard neness, with their weight and hneness stamped
upon them; but in cases where the gold and silver
Deposited be coined cast into bars ngots, there
shall be charge to the deposition, in addition to
the charge now made for refining or parting the
metals, OF one half OF one per cent; the money
arising from this charge of half per cent shall
be charged to the treasurer Of the mint, and from
time TO time, on warrant Of the director Of the
mint, shall be transferred into the treasury Of the
United States: Rorided, hotneper, That nothing
contained in this section shall be considered APP
plying to the half-dollar, the quarter dollar, the
dime, and half-dime
SEC T. Ind be IL further enacted That from time
to time there shall be struck and coined at the
mint Of the United States and the branches there
OF, coniormably in all respects to law, and con-
formally in all respects to the standard of gold
coins now established by law. coin Of gold Of the
value of three dollars, units and all the psovi-
sons Of an act entitled "An act to authorize the
coinage of gold dolars and double eagles" up.
proved March 3, ls49, shall be applied to the coin
herein authorized, so far the same may be ap-
plicabe; bot the devices and shape of the three
dollar piece shall be fixed by the Secretary OF the
Treasury.
SEC. 5. Ind be it further enacted, That this act
shall be in force from and after the frat Of May
1852.
EXTENSION THE CAPITOL.
message received from the President oil
the United States, enclosing, in compliance with a
resolution Of the Senate, a report from the SNcre.
tary OF the Interior, concerning what has been
done with respect to the extension of the wings OF
| the Capitol; which read and ordered TO be
printed, and referred to the Committee on
Public Buildings.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE OF sew HAMr-
On motion of Mr.. HALE, the Senate proceed ed
TO the consideration Of the bill To increase the sala
~ Of the United States district Judge for the dis
trict OF New Hampshire. And after considerable
debate, without taking any question on the bill
The Senate adjourned.