The sun., 1907-03-03
AMERICAN GOLD COINS.
why They De Not Bear the EHiEIes OF the
Presidents.

| President Roosevelt's reported wish to
have new designs made for the gold coins
Of the United States recalls how near he
came TO having his own head and name
stamped on those coins.
On October 81. 17ei. the Senate Of the
United States appointed Messrs Morris.
King, Cabot and Henry a committee TO
report a bill for the creation Of mint.
Seven weeks later Mr.. Morris reported a
bill to establish mint and to regulate the
national coinage.
The Senate debated the bill December
20 and 81 and January ?. ,, Z, 5, and again
January o. On the last named day there
was proposal to place upon the diverse
Of the silver and copper coins a design OF
clnsped hands and linked chains, emblem
attic Of the union OF the States. and upon
the reverse the figure OF Justice bearing
the scales, but It was defeated.
On January IL the bill passed the Senate
with a provision that the coins bear upon
one side the head Of the President of the
United States for the time being. with an
nscripti on to express the initial letter of
| his Christian name. and his surname in
| full, together with the succession Of the
! Presidency numerically expressed" On
other devices.
This bill came to the House January 49,
1892, and was referred to the committee
Of the whole. On March "a the bill came
up in committee OF the whole and an
amendment was proposed striking out all
that looked to the impressing OF the Presi-
dents effigy and name upon the coins and
providing in lieu of it an emblematio head
- r ,fsh ,h
This amendment brought on a debate
in which a good many membe rs took Part
the men who afterward called themselves
Republicans or Democratic Republicans
in favor Of the amendment. the Federalists
mostly in opposition. One mem Der OBJ
jected to the President 8 head on the coinage
as savoring Of the practices OF monarchies.
which had taken this method Of handing
down to the ignorant the names and suc-
cession Of their monarchs. The Scriptural
phrase Render unto Cesar the things
that are Cesar's, unto God the things that
are Coda" was recalled.
It was argued on the other side that
the proposed efigy was a proper tribute
70 Washington, to which a member re-
sponded that while every one might be glad
thus 10 honor the great man then President
IneTc UIBuJ U6 luIhAC TIuSlucutb "uOse
heads the people would not care to see
upon the coins
After the question had been ridiculed
by one Federalist as too trivial for so much
waste OF time, and the anne ndment had been
seriously urged in speeches ornate with
references to Roman history. the question
was divided, and the House voted 70 to -
that the name and effigy Of the President
should not appear upon the coins. II
was then voted AZ to that the emblematic
figure Of Liberty should be substituted
for the design proposed by the Senate.
Two days later the bill as amended passe
by vote OF 80 to 70.
On the very same day the Senate returned
the bill TO the House with eotice Of
dissent from the amendment. The House
was not pleased at this prompt action OF
the Senate. A the sessions of the latter
body we're secret in tn ose days and very
briefly reported in the published offiCial
Annals Of Congress" the nature OF the
debate in the Senate il unknown.
There was more discussion in the House
this time, with further denunciations Of
all signs and symbols Of royalty. Mr..
Mercer thought II would be we'll to have
for the House OF Representatives some
such rule ae that Of the British House OF
Commons forbidding the mention Of the
sovereign's name in debate, and Mr.. Page
said he would rather cut OF his right hand
than sign the Mint bill without the House
amendment.
The House adhered TO its amendment
by a vote Of % to 81 and next day, March %,
1892. the Senate receded from it's disagree
ment.