Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-06
HOW FAMOUS MOTTO
FIRST APPEARED
Story Of Placing Legend in God
We Trust" on United
States Coinage.
WAS SUGGESTED BY MINISTER
Idea Was to Recognize In some Means
The Hand OF AhuifyhN-- Ap-
proved by secretary.

How did the motto ON God We
Trust como Co be placed on coins Of
the United States?
This question has been asked many
times since President Roosevelt or
dercd il stricken from our coins and
the church people have made a vigor-
Gus protest against It's removal
The question is fully answered by
a report Of The director of the United
States mint reprinted in 1897 I'm the
Bankers Magazine. as follows.
STORY OF MOTTO.
From ne records of the depart
ment it appears that the first ugges-
ton of the recognition of the Deity
on the coins OF the United states was
contained in a letter addressed Go the
secretary of the treasury. the Hon. $
=. Chase, by the Rev. NJ. r.. Watkin-
SON, minister Of the gospel, Ridleyvlue
Pennsylvania, under date Of Nov. 49,
1861. which was as follows
'Bidleyville. Pennsylvania, oct 49,
lS6l-Dear Sir. You are about To- sub
HllN your annual report 10 congress re-
spccting the affairs of the national I'm
ances. one fact touching our curren-
cy has hitherto been seriously over
looked ! mean the recognition Of the
Almighty God in some form on our
coins.
You probably are "a Christian.
What If our republic we're now shat
tered beyond reconstruction? Would
not the autiQuarians Of succeeding
centuries f.fnrflT
that we were heather natiou' What
I propose is that. instead of the God
dcss of Liberty. we shall have next
inside the thirteen stars a ring in
scribod with the words, Perpetual
Union" within this ring the all-seeing
eye. crowned with a halo; beneath
this eve the American flag. bearing I'm
fits field stars equal 90 the number 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 OBJ
jeCt This would relieve as from the
ignominy Of heathenism. This would
place us openly under the divine pro-
lection we have personally claimed.
From my heart ] have felt our national
shame in disaVowing God as not the
least Of our present national disasters.
To YOU, first ! address a subject that
must be aeitated.
NJ. X. " Al flNEbNs
Minister OF the Gospel.
"'To Hon. S. p Chase. Secretary OF
the Treasury
LETTER OF $. p. CHASE.
"tnder date OF Nov. 20, 1861, the sec
Rotary OF the treasury addressed tho
following letter TO the director Of the
mint.
" Treasury Department Nov 20. 1861.
q. % hn n
except I'm the strength Of God. except
I'm His defense. The trust of our peO-
pie In God should be declared on our
national coins You win cause a
device 10 b. prepared without UNI
necessary delay with a motto express
ing i'm the fewest and tersest words pcs
sible, this national recognition.
'Yoprs truly
" James Pollock Esq, Director Of the
Mint, Philadelphia.
1T was found that the act Of Jan. rs.
1885, prescribed tho notices and de-
Vices that should be placed on The
coins OF the United States. so that moth
ing could be done without legislation.
I'm December. 1868, the director Of
the mint submitted TO the secretary of
the treasury for approval designs for
], 2 and Scent pieces. on which 90 was
proposed that one of the following
notices should appear
" our Country our God; God, Our
Trust
TN GOD WE TRUST"
The secretary of the treasury. in
letter adore sod 90 the director Of the
mint under date of December 1868,
uses the following language: L APP
prove your notices. only suggest that
on that with the Washington diverse
the motto should begin with the word.
our so as Co read 'Our GOD ana onr
Country and ON that with the shield
il should be changed so as 90 read. "Iu
God We Trust
An act was passed April %. 1865
changing the composition OF the 1-cent
piece and authorizing the coinage of
the 2-cent piece with devices, which
were to be fixed by the director OF the
mint, with the approval Of the secre-
tary OF the treasury, and ID was upon
the 2-cent bronze piece that tho motto
In God We Trust hrst appeared.
THE act Of March 3. 1865 provided
that I'm addition 20 the legend that de-
vice on the gold and silver coins of
the United states II should De lawful
for the director OF the mint. with the
approval of the secretary OF the treas
ury 10 place the motto In God We
Trust ON such coins as win admit of
the inscription thereon Under this
act the motto was placed upon the
double eagle, and half eagle, and also
upon the dollar hall and quarter doi-
lars. in the latter part OF 1865
THE coin act Of Of Feb ~. 1873 pro-
vidod that the secretary Of the treasury
must cause the motto in God We Trust
TO be- inscribed ON such coins as shall
udmif of such MOTTO