The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-11-15
Minister Suggested In
Scription to Secretary
Chase in 1863.
Eagle Family Would Dis
own St. GaudenS' Bird.
Stars Divided.

When President Roosevelt stated there
was no law or warrant" for using the
motto In God we Trust on the coin
of the realm he evidently overlooked the
report Of the Director OF the Mint IN
1886. This report shows that here was
ample warrant for the use Of the inscriP-
lion: that it was suggested by Secre-
tarv Of Treasury S. p. Chase December
g. 1853, and legalized by Congress ia an
act passed April 2, 1854.
The report shows thai there was con-
siderable correspondence between M.
Chase and the Rev. NJ r. Williamson, OF
Ridleyviue, Pa, IN lo6ls and that ths
minister OF the gospel suggested that
some reference to the Deity be inscribed
upon the wherewithal OF our nation me
reason given by the reverend gentle-
man was that antiquarieS or succeeding
centuries might rightly reason from our
more or less lurid past that We were
q heather nation.
Trihe Too Elaborate.
The Rev. Mr.. WatdnsOn's IDEAS were
a trife too elaborate TO be adopted for
practical purposes, but may come in
handy in the days OF the millennium. He
suggested that the words perpetual
union be inscribed below the thirteen
stars, an all-seeing eye crowned with
a halo IN the center or the com, the
American nag beneath this, with the
words God, Liberty, Law In the IoIuS
Of the starry banner.
The suggestion was placed In the
hands OF Secretary Chase who compro-
missed on the inscription In God we
Trust and instructed the director OF
the mint TO have It printed on !. ana
3 cent pieces. Later Congress author
fzed its appearance on the double eagle,
eagle, half-eagle, dollar, half-dollar, and
quarter.
one wag when asked why the motto
was omitted said that he thought as
It contained the word Trust and as
at present the trusts are not ia good
standing with the Government and are
supposed to have all the gold anyway
what was the use Of advertising the
fact on all the coin.
Irish-Indian Maid.
On the face OF the coin is the profile
taken from life, Of a beautiful Irish
girl, and indeed II is a magnificent face
from the forehead down, but surmountet
as Il Is by the feathers Of an Indian
brave, and not & squaW, the effect II
comparison with our present Goodies:
Of Liberty IS not 70 be questioned in the
same breath. Above the head are thiT-
teen stars. and instead OF the milling
on our other coins are placed stars
supposed to represent the remaining
STATES DuL why Luey are given SGCI
weak recognition Is not known They
viii very soon wear or, thereby oepre.
ciating the value OF the coin.
The chief feature Of the reversed side
is apparently some kind OF bird. but II
would take a nature faker 20 adequate
" name Il, as natural history VIII hard
~ supply a name and the eagle family
would be perfectly justIhe6 IN saying
that nothing like that ever happened
in our family"
OF course, there are some letters on
the side that upon close scrunity car
b. made out to be ''E Pluribus Unum, -
but not the motto, ''In God We Trust
That any objection should be made re-
gsrding the omission Of the motto, ''In
God We Trust" Is rather strange when
IT is taken into consideration that out
OF a hundred or more persons, both min
listers and bankers, when asked how the
motto got on our coin and what differ
ence Il made If It were left OF or not