The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-16

face that. whom he began his work. he had no
conception Of tho difficulties which he would
have to overcome to mako his work complete
Yet nearly hundred years ago Benjamin
franklin wrote to John Jay, then Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, an admirable expose Of his
views on the subject " national medals. The
letter is dated Passy lFranccl May TO- 1885, and
reads as follows:
The forming Of dies in steel to strike medals money
isgcncraly with the intention Vi making great number
OF the form.
The engraving Of those dies in steel Is from the hart
Of the substance. very difficult and expensive hut
engraved. the great number to be easily produced
aterward by stamping iustihe- the expense 1t benz hut
small when divided among number
Where only medal Vi Kind Is wanted. IL seems
untny way to form dies for 1t IN steel to strike the two
sides H. the whole expense VI the dies resting vn that
medal
1t was by this that tho medal voted by Congress
for de Flcury cost hundred guincas. when
craving u the same figures AMI inscriptions might have
been beautifully done plate OF silver Of the size
for two guiueas
The ancicnts when they ordained medal to record the
memory Of any auiabc action and do honor the per.
former of that action, struck number and used
them money BY this means the honor was attended
through their own and neiIboring nations; every man
who received paid piece Of such money remind
cd of the vr,uous action the person who performed It,
and the reward attending IT, and the number such
security to tins kind oi monuments against pcrishing
ani being forgotten that OF each OF them exist To
this day though than two thousand years old, anil
being copied books by the arts Of engraving amt
printing are not only exceedingly multiplied but likely
10 rcnain some thousands Of years longer
The man who Is honOrcd only by single medal +
Obliged TO show to enjoy the honor which Zoe done
only to a few. aud often awkwardly therefore wish
the medals Of Congress ordered TO be money AMI
continued As to be convenient money, by being in value
altquot parts Of a dollar
Copper coins are wanting In America for small change.
We have none but those OF the King England. After
silver gold medal is struck from the dies for the
person to be- honored. they may be useny employed IA
striking Upper money. or In some cases small silver
The nominal value Of the pieces might he little more
than the rest to prevent their being melted down but
not much Is to be cncouras mcnt VI counter
ieiting
There is no need to say that none o. these
suggestions have been complied with that an
ugly, meaningless appearance has been given
10 our coins and that We have in many cases no
means Of reproducing n lost medal upon the
original striking Of which a large amount Of
public money has been spent.
Congress. having always been Of the opinion
that only the very highest achievements were
entitled to n national Acknowledgement. AMI
that the value ~ the reward is enhanced by its
rarity. has always shown great discretion in
! voting medals. During the civil war for in
stance. only two OF them were voted-One TO
/ Gen. Grant. the other to the late Cornelius Van
derbilt. in acknowledgment Of his free gilt 81 n
steamship which bore his name. In some
cascs-like in that Of the Arctic explorer. DR.. J..
/ X. Kane-thc medal was voted. but no money
| appropriation made, 50 that the vote Of 1851 re-
mains yet dead letter. In others again-like
that Of George Peabody-a pioce OF gold plate
WINS substituted for medal Whether 1t was
al,e, tIa.,a
sequence Of the greater ability Of Mcssrs. Starr
X Marcus To- make nice piece Of plate than a
fine mclal-would be difficult 70 tell. But the
fact remains. nevertheless that the gold medal
voted by Congress TO George Peabody in March.
1867. was never struck. Yet the late Mr. Seward
was caused TO write the following letter Of
thanksto Moesrs. Starr 4 Marcus:
Thy Peabody medal. which was executed hy you rnier
tn direction 81 Nj department. am gai 10 assure yur
hgih novel ani caguiu rejects great credit on yguI
could be desired AIM sen'emen Your .4rlgnt scT-
roMc..r, sr,RR M,Rcrs New York
According to Mr.. Loubat our medals number
oishty--ix in all. scvcnty-nlnc Of which were
struck by order of Congress. Seventeen Of
them belong 10 the period Of the Revolution.
twenty-seven to the war Of 1912 -. four to tho
/ Mexican war. and two to the civil war Only
five medals wcre voted to foreigners-one in
l779. 10 Licut.Col. d. Flcury. for gallant condu
at Stony Point. another. in lsjs. 10 Dr.. Frcd-
/ orick Rose nm assistant surgeon of the British
navy. for kindness and humanity toward tho
sick crew OF the Su-Iuchanna; and the others
In 1866, to three foreign merchant captains
Creighton. Low and Stoufer. who saved some
five hundred Americans from the wreck OF the
steamer san Francisco.
The work Of Mr. Loubat, consisting Of two
~ N.tiu all