The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-22
ORIGIN OF arN GOD WE TRUST"
Minister nf the Gospel is Responsible TO
the Origin of II.

Washington. Aug. PA good many
questions are received at the treasury"
said Director Preston. of the mint today,
sin regard to the origin of IN God We
Trust which appears on nearly all our
coins So far as the department records
show, the first suggestion for the recog-
milton OF the Diety on the coins OF the
United States was made by NJ. r. Wat
kinson. OF Ridleyville. Pa. who signed
himself Minister of the Gospel" in a
letter dated November Is, 1851. He wrote
10 Secretary Chase somewhat as follows:
You are probably a Christian What II
our republic were now shattered beyond
reconstruction? Would not the antiqu-
aries Of succeeding centuries rightly rea-
son from our past that We were heath
en- nation? What l propose is that in
stead Of the goddess OF liberty we shall
have next inside the thirteen stars a
ring Inscribed with the words perpetual
union; within the ring the all seeing eye.
crowned with a halo; beneath this eye
the American flag, bearing in its field
stars equal to the numbers OF the states
united: in the folds OF the bars the words,
God, Liberty. Law" This would make
a beautiful coin, 10 which no possible
citizen could object. This would relieve
US from the ignominy Of heathenism.
This would place US openly under the Di-
vine protection we have personally
claimed. From my heart l have felt our
national shame in disowning God as not
the least Of our presentnational disas-
tiers. To you first, 1 address subject
that must be agitated.'
whether moved by this letter or not.
!. is impossible TO say. but il is fact
that on the 20th OF November, just
week later, Mr.. Chase sent 10 the direc-
tor of the mint at Philadelphia. in which
he said: No nation can be strong ex
cept in the strength OF God, or safe en-
cept in his defence. The trust OF our
people in God should be declared on our
national coins. You will cause device
to be prepared without unnecessary de-
Law. with a motto expressing in the few
est and tersest words possible this ma
tional recognition 1t was found how
ever, that IL did not rest within the pro-
vince Of the director of the mint TO at
tach a new motto TO the national coins.
Congress, by a law passed in 1887, had
nigh. be placed upon the coins OF the
United States. The director Of the mint
accordingly got up his design for sub
mission to the secretary, and through
him to congress. The notices pre-
pared were these, Our Country; Our
God, and Our Trust. These did not
wholly suit Secretary Chase, who COM
mented upon them as follows, in letter
to the director OF the mint: I approve
your notices, only suggesting. 800.
that the first should begin with Our
God, SO as to read Our God and Our
Country and that the motto on the
shield should be changed so as to read
instead of God, Our Trust In God We
Trust
IAN act was passed April %. 1854.
changing the composition Of the one-cent
piece and authorizing the coinage Of the
two-cent piece. the devices OF which
were 10 be fixed by the director ot the
mint, with the approval OF the secretary
of the treasury; and it is upon the two
cent piece that the motto In God We
Trust first appeared. BY and act OF
March 8. 1865. it was provided that in
addition TO the legend and device on the
gold and silver coins OF the United Staes
ii Should o. lawful for the director OF the
mint. with the approval OF the secretary
Of the treasury, TO place the motto In
God We Trust on such coins as shall
admit Of the inscription thereon. Under
the oct tho Motto was placed upon the
$50. SO. and s5-gold pieces, and in the
latter part OF 1865 upon the 30 and %
cent pieces. The dime does no: now con-
tain ttc legend. By the coinage act OF
1897. IL was provided that this motto
should be inscribed on such coins as al
nit az II That is the existing law: TIE
English sovereign contains the words !