The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-01-28

interference as an act of hostility to the United
States. In this dignied position it awaits the pro
g sss Of events. neither seeking the Quixotic and
lmpracticable tack Of regulating and controlling
the political destnies OF the world, nor shrinking
from the responsibility thrown upon it the great
excmplar Of free governments. J. b.
Memorial to Congress
For the Establishment Of a Branch of the Mint a!
San francisco, California.
10 the Senate and House of
Representatives. Of the United States:
The undersigned, citizens of California, respect
fully, but earnestly. urge upon Congress the ne
cessity Of establishing u Branch Mint at San Fran
cisco.
The commerce of San Francisco, which is rapid
ly increasing, 10 greater now than the commerce OF
most OF the commercial cities OF the Atlantic Sates
and there are but four ports-those OF New York,
Boston, Philadelphia, and New Orleans--whence
the Government derives a larger revenue from
duties on foreign importalions. And whilst New
York ID, and must continue to be, the great com.
mercial emporium Of the Atlantic coast, San Fran
cisco, already the commercial emporium OF the
Pacific, is destined to become, next to New York,
the storehOuse for the products OF the world The
energies and enterprise Of her merchants bankers,
and other business men, and the rapidity with
which she has recovered from the disastrous fires
which have five times laid city in ashes, arc an
earnest that the growth Of San Francisco cannot be
emergency disaster. Still. it cannot be denied
that the establishment of a branch mint, for the
coinage and recoinage of gold and silver, would
add greatly to her prosperity, by providing in,
hence the people OF California, relying upon the
justice Of the Government, invite the earliest con-
sideration of the subject by Congress.
The product OF gold from the mines Of California
exceeds the aggregate product Of the mines OF all
the world besides, and is more than seventy fold
greater than the entire product of the mines Of
Virginia. the Carolinas, and Georgia; and yet, to
facilitate and insure the coinage of the gold found
In hnSA hrur, ~I,n,.. sHn h
lished at Charlotte, North Carolina and Dahlonega,
Georgia Until the discovery of gold in California.
it ia well known that the principal business of the
mint at Philadelphia, and the branch at New Or
leans, was the recoinage Of foreign coin and near
ly the one-half of the coinage at those points
on account Of the Government The mint was es-
tabished for the benefit both Of the people and the
Government; and to this end its operations have
been, and must be, extended through branches
conveniently located for the coinage Of the pro-
ducts OF our own mines, without risk, expense or
delay.
But. immense as the gold product of California
ls. II 10 not to coin it alone that branch mint ia
required at San Francisco.
1t Is believed that, in few years, the gold pro-
duct Of silver will nearly, if not fully, equal that OF
gold The bullion and specie which the commerce OF
San Francisco brings from the whole west coast OF
Central and South America, would, even il the
mining OF silver in California should not. is gen
orally supposed, become productive, also be con-
verted al this branch mint into the coin OF the Uni
west coast of America, and the adjacent territory
embracing the most rich and extensive mines Of
Mcxico-from New Grenada, Central America.
Chill, and Peru. and especially from the mines OF
western Mexico, arc now annually diverted by
British capitalists, and the royal mint to be
recoined, and to increase the power Of Great Brit
ain over the commerce Of the world. which she II W
controls large amount OF gold from the mines
OF California takes the same direction, and ID con-
verified to the same u.s.; and uncomfortable
amount Ia annually carried to France and to Ger
many. II, then, branch mint be- established al
San francIsco, avast amount of bullion and specie
from adjacent and distant territories will flow
hither for rccoinage; and the gold, which the
mines OF California now furnish TO the minis OF
European countries. be retained at home, in the
form OF American coin. Thus, in a few years, the
United States will be able, through the vast yield
of the mines Of California, and the operations Of
branch OF the mint al the great commercial point
OF the Pacific coast, to control internationalcx I.
changes, and become the greatest commercial ma
ton OF the earth
The undersigned, speaking, as they believe, the
public sentiment Of the State must, justice to the
great interests Of California, protest against the
establishment OF n branch mint at San Francisco
bring connected with and made dependent upon
tho establishment of similar branch at the city OF
New York, was done at both sessions of the last
Congress The people of California are entirely
willing that New York should reap all the benefit e
which can be secured from a branch OF the mint;
but they nevertheless insist that the claims Of San
Francisco are stronger than those OF New York,
and should at all events be separately and dis.
tncty considered and decided
The undersigned also submit TO the utclli eence
and justice of your honorable bodies that in estab-
fishing branch mint at San Francisco, special
provision should be made for the coinage and re-
coinage Of gold and silver at the sarne ra,e OF
charges which prevails at the mint at Philadelphia
and the branch at New Orleans. The benefits OF
the mint nre as great TO the Government as to the
citizen and If no charge were made for coinage,
and the whole burden OF sustaining IL fell upon the
ont hell h. he
1t would be maniiestly unjust. therefore, because
the labor and materials requisite in coming cost
more at this point, that depositors should pay more.
BY several per cent at San Francsco. for convert.
ing their dust and bullion into coin, than lie paid
by the citizen of New York or Philadelphia OF
Baltimore or New Orleans. To establish the branch
mint, and subject IL TO such regulation of its
charges by the superintendent of the mint at Phila-
1elphihI TO whom with the approval Of the Score.
tary Of the Tressury-thc whole matter IL con-
fded, would De to fail short of the first great OBJ
ject OF the Covernment-to afford uniform laws
and equal and exact justice 70 every citizen.
In this conneSion tho undersigned would re-
spectfully represent to your honorable bodice that
in establishing the United States assay Office and
providing for the appointment Of a United States
assayer Tor California, Congress established an in
stitutton Tor which the Government is equally re-
sponsbls 40 for the mint and its branches. Under
the authority Of law THE institution issues ngots,
stamped with their fneness and value which
from necessity, constitute the greater proportion Of
tonal stamp which these issues bear, their receipt
for customs and Enforcement on Government no
count by its dsbursng officers, have given 10 them
great character and currency. This character and
currency 10 not, II is true, higher than they dc
serve, yet IL is much greater than the Issues or
coinage OF private mint could, under the most
favorable circumstances, attain. This institution
was established, IL is generally understood, TO
serve temporary purpose, until a branch mint
could be put in operation. Ii IL but Just TO say
that II has been fairly conducted, and that all its
obligations TO the public have been faithfully per-
formed. The people Of California, however, pre-
fer branch OF the mint, and earnestly desire ia
speedy csta bshmcnt. But, nasmuch as the law
establishing the United States asssy office does not
contemplate the suspension or stoppsgo Of tl.at in
stituton until branch mint shall commence it's
operations, which will not be for twelve months
after the passage of the law establishing IT, the
dersigneo beg leave TO make some suggestions 10
Congress in regard TO il slso.
Although they have doubt that the Govern
ment s bound TO receive the issues Of the atsay Of
fee for all public dues. they still consider it dc.
s.ra5le, 50 that nothing may be left to the discre.
ton OF public officers, that they should be made 80