The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-03-24
IlrNrpAI. NAruRE-NO. oil

GENERAL NATURE-No. 81.
An ACT revising and amending the laws relative to
tue mints, assay -oces, and coinage OF the United
States.
Be it enacted By the Senate and H'ase Of Repre-
sentdtiUes Of the United States Of Amertca IN Con-
ar as assembled That the mint OF the United States
hereby established bureau OF the treasury De-
partment, embracing in its organization anu under
its control all mi ITS for the OF CON- anu
all assay-ofces for the stamping OF bars, which are
now or which may be hereafter, authorized by law
The chief officer of the said bureau shall be denom1n-
ated the Direct Of the Mint anu snai pc 9nder Inc
He shall be pointed by the President, by and with
the asvce and consent of the Senate and shall hold
his Office for the term OF nve years unless sooner re-
m oved by the Presi len upon reasons TO De COMMIT
nicated by him TO the Senate
SEC. a. That the Director of the Mint shall have
the general supervision of all minis and asay-oices
and shai make an annual report to the Secretary of
the Treasury Their operations, at the c Sc of each
fiscal year. and from time to time such additi nal re-
ports setting forth the operation ard condition of
such Institutions, the Secretary of the Treasury
shall require, ana shall lay before him the annual es-
mates for their support. And the Secrsar, of the
according to law necessary to discharge the duties of
SEC g. That the officers of each mint shall he
superintendent assayer, melter and reflner and
coiner and, for the mint at Philadelphia, an an
graver all to e appointed by the President O. the
United states by ana wh the advice ana consent Of
SEC. 4. That the superintendent of each mint
shall have the control thereof the superint-ndence of
the officers and persons employed therein and The
supervision OF the business thereof subject to the
approval of the Director of the Mint, to whom he
shall make reports at such times and according to
such forms as the Director Of the Mint may prescribe
which shall exhibit In detail. and under appropriate
heads. the deposits of bullion, the amount of goll,
silver. and minor coinage and the amount OF I'M
parted standard and refined bars Issued, and such
other statistics and information may be required
The superintendent of each mint shall also receive
and safely keep, until legally withdrawn, all moneys
h,r1tt ht ftr na
of the mint. He shall receive all bullion brought t.
the mint tor assay conage shall lie the keeper of
all bullion OF coin in the mint, except while the same
liver all coins struck at the mint to he persons to
whom they shall be legally payable. From the re-
port of the assayer and the weight of the bullion he
shall compute tbs vaue of each deposit and also the
amount Of the charges deductions. ii any, of all
which he shall give detailed memorandum to the
depostor; and he shall also give at the time I'M
der his hand certificate of the net amount of the de-
posit be paid in coins bars of the species of
built as thar deposited, the correctness of Whit
certificate shall be verified b. the assayer who shall
conntersign the same and in all of transfer of
coin or bullion, he shall give and receive vouchers
stating the amount and character of such coin or
bullion. He shall keep and render quarter-yearly,
to the Director Of the Mint for the purpose of ad
justment according TO as may be prescrib
Ell by the Score ary of the Treasury, regular and
faithful accounts of his transactions with the other
officers Of the mint and the depositors; and shall al
expenses Of the mint assay under his charge.
He shall also appoint all assistants, clerks Zone of
whom shall be SITUATED ''chef clerk y and work.
men employed under his supernt endence; but no
person shall be appointed to employment in rheotiices
Of the assayer, meier and retiner coner or engrav-
err, except on the Recommendation and nomination in
writing Of those officers, respectively; and he shall
forthwith report to the Director of the Mint the
names Of all persons appointed by him. the duties to
BE- performed the rate Of compensation the appro-
pria ion from which compensation Is to be made and
the grounds Of the appointment; and if the Director
OF the Mint = all disapprove the same, the appoint
ment shall be vacated
Matt ao hall
bullion, whenever such assays required in the OPP
erations of the mint; he snail also make assays Of
coin or samples of bullion whenever required by the
super ntendent.
SEC. G. That the melter and refuer shall execute
all the operations which necessary in order to
form ngots OF standard silver or gold and alloys for
minor coinage, suitable for the coiner from the met
ais legally delivered to him for that purpose; and
shall alss execute all the operations which are neces-
sary in order to form bars cOnfOrmabe in all respects
to the law from the gold and silver bullion delivered
to him for that purpose. He shall keep a careful
record OF all transactions with the supel intendent
noting the weight ami character Of the bullion; and
shall be responsible for all bullion delve, ed to him
until the same is returned to the superintendent aud
the proper vouchers obtained.
Sec. 7. That the cOiner shall execute all the oper-
att ms whirh are necessary in order to form coins
conformabe in all respects to the law from the STAN
dard gold aud silver ingots and alloys for minor COIN
age, legally delivered to him for that purpose and
shal be responsible for all bullion delivered to him.
until the same is returned to the superintendent ami
the proper vouchers obt aimed.
SEC. &. That the eugraver shall prepare from the
original dies already authorized all the working
required for in the coinage of the several minis
and, when new coins or devices authorized shall
If required by the Director of the Mint, prepare the
devices, models, molds; and Matrices or original
dies for the same but the Director of the Mint shall
nevertheless have power, with the approval of the
Secretary of the Treasury to engage temporarily for
this purpose the services of one artists dis
who shall be p aar se Departments of art
gent appropriation for tho mint Jpn
SEQ. g. That whenever any officer of mint or as
say otce shall be temporarily absent on account of
sickness or any other cause it shall be lawful for tba
superintendent, with the consent of said officer to
appoint some person attached to the mint to act in
the place OF such officer during his absence; but ali
such appointments shall be forthwith reported to the
Director OF the Mlnt for bis approval; and in all
cases whatsoever the principal shall be responsible
Tor the ac.s of his representative In case of The
temporary absence of the superintendent the CHEF
clerk shall act in his place; and in ease of the fem
oorary absence of the Director Of the Mint the Sec
etary Of the Treasury may designate some one to
act In his place. 80
he mint sha i before he enters upon the EXECUTION
II his office, take an oath affirmation befol me
udge Of the Unite States, or judge OF the supelior
court, OF ct some court of record OF any State faith
July and diligently to perform the duties thereof in
addition to other official oaths prescribed by law.
xicn oa.Ls, daiy certified, Shall be transmitted to
ne secretary OF the treasury; and the superinten-
lent OF eacn mint may require such 9th or afirma-
ion from any of the employees of the min -
SEo. IL. mat tne superintendent, the assayer the
aeiter and re1ner, and the coner of each mint be-
IRE entering upon The execution of their Respective
nices, shall become bound to the United States win
ne or more suretles. approve / by the SECRETARY Of
ne Treasury, In the sum of not less than nor move
han fifty Thousand dollars, with condition for tbe
athful and digent performance of the duties of his
NICE Similar bonds m he required of the assist
nts and clerks, in such sums as the SUPERINTENDENT
ia determine, with the appreciation of the Direcor
the Mint; but the same shall not be construed to
oheVe the superintendent other officers from La
Il ty to the United States for acts omissions OF neg
gence OF theiI subordinates employees:. Prorii-
d, That the Secretary OF the Treasury nav at his
icretion, increase the bonds of the superintendent
Sec. IL. That there shall be allowed to the Direc-
or OF the Mint an animal salary of four thousand |
I've hundred dollars, and actual necessary travelling
expenses in visiting The different mint and assay,t
Ices, for which vouchers shall be rendered. to the SUI
francisco, each ur thousand i've hun red dollars:
o the asSayers meters and rcfners and coin.rs az
aid mns, each three thousand dollars; to the en-
,raver OF The mint at Philadelphia, three thousand
dollars; to the superinte dent of the mint at Carson
ity, three tn Iusand dollars and to the assayer to
he melter and rener, and to the coner OF tie mint
It Carson city, each two thousand five hundred dol
ars to tho assistants and clerks such annual salary
hall be allowed the Director Of the Mint NAV de-
ermne, with the APPRECIATION of the Secretary Of the
and to the workmen shall BIZ allowed such
wages, TO be determined by the superintendent as
nay be Gus omary and reasonable according to their
sspecnye statio rs and OCCUPATIONS and approvedby
Or in this section. and the wages of the workmen
engaged shall be payable in monthly |
lstaments. 90
SEC. Is That the standard for both gold and sil.
er coins of the United States shall be such tat Of
ne thousand parts by weight nine hundre, shall be
pure metal and one hundred Of alloy; and the al
y Of the silver coins shall be Of "copper" anu the
y of the gold coins shall be of copper or of conner
ID sver but the silver shall in exceed one
nth of the whole alloy.
SEC: a. That the gold coins of the United States
lall be one-,i0lar piece, which at the standard
eight of twenty-five and eighteenth gains shall
The unit OF value; quarter-ea lie, or two-anI-a
III dollar piece; three-dollar piece; half-eagle.
tive-dollar piece; an tge, ten dollar piece and
double eagl., or twenty-doa a: pi,e,. And the
e and eghttenths grains; of the quarter-eagIe or
'o-and-a-hal. dollar piece, sixty-four and a half
ans; OF the tbree-dollar piece, seventy-seyen and
~ enths grains; of the half-eagle or fiye-doIlar
eSe, one hundred and twenty-nine grains: of fine |
g t' or ten-dollar piece two hundred ami fify- |
ece sra o II the double-eag,e or twenty dollar
ali he ,an hured ana sixteen grains; which coins
ni sa az Wien not be,w the standard we;ht d
iece and n provided III this act for th. single
an3ord wwlen, reduced in weivht heIn1u Ell
ain ation in .oierance, Shall be legal tendar at
nv gold coin NJ th to their actual weight and
eight by nafura, e United States, if leiuced in
one per centum below the stnn oe Shan one-half
tooa w aw aiCer circulate IN nS etshe pre-
snu"n " i's uale of coinage and at sesus.
,of1 ha ac;,o ans period less than twenty Noor
laii 4e IeceNei at their nominal SmGGl,ey years,
nited States treasury and its nsoov aluo by the
'guiauons as tie Secretary of tho T,a anuer such
rescr6e Tor the protection Of the governmry may
audulent abrasion or other practices and asalns,
'ins IN tne treasury of the United Statas any eoiq
w'gnt below this limit of abrasion shall ba 1
80. Is. That the silver coins of fl. 1-.,..,
all be trade-doar hafdoliar n't s9e states
ece' quarter-dollae, or TWENTY-FIVE cent cent
me, or ten-cent piece; and the WEIGHT - ~ piece,