= LAWS OF THE 610 UNITED STATES RELATING TO THE COINAGE. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1897. Gift Mers. C. Van Zyne 18-6-8 RESOLUTION, MARCH 1, 1897. Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), * * * * * There shall also be printed and bound 5,000 copies of the Coinage Laws of the United States; 2,000 for the Director of the Mint, 2,000 for the House of Representatives, and 1,000 for the Senate. 3 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION OF JULY 9, 1778. ARTICLE 9. * * The United States in Congress assembled shall also have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy and value of coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the respective States-fixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the United States. * CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. Article 1, Section 8, Paragraph 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures; Briscoe v. The Bank of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 11 Pet., 257; Fox v. The State of Ohio, 5 How., 410; United States v. Marigold, 9, How., 560. No state shall * * Article 1, Section 10, Paragraph 1. * coin money, emit bills of credit, make any. thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts. 4 COINAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1792 TO 1893. CHAP. XVI.—An act establishing a Mint and regulating the coins of the United States. Statute I. April 2, 1792. lished at the SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- Mint es tab. resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assem- seat of Govern lled, and it is hereby enacted and declared, That a Mint for ment. the purpose of a national coinage be, and the same is established; to be situate and carried on at the seat of the Government of the United States, for the time being: And that for the well conducting of the business of the said Mint, there shall be the following officers and persons, namely,―a Director, an assayer, a chief coiner, an engraver, a treasurer. Director to em ploy workmen, officers. Assayer. Act of Mar. 3. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Director of the Mint shall employ as many clerks, workmen and servants, as he shall from time to time find necessary, subject to the approbation of the President of the United States. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the respective Duty of the functions and duties of the officers above mentioned shall be as follow: The Director of the Mint shall have the chief management of the business thereof, and shall superintend all other officers and persons who shall be employed therein. The assayer shall receive and give receipts for all metals which may lawfully be brought to the Mint to be coined; 1794, ch. 4, sec. 2 shall assay all such of them as may require it, and shall deliver them to the chief coiner to be coined. The chief Chief coiner. coiner shall cause to be coined all metals which shall be received by him for that purpose, according to such regulations as shall be prescribed by this or any future law. The Engraver. engraver shall sink and prepare the necessary dies for such coinage, with the proper devices and inscriptions, but it shall be lawful for the functions and duties of chief coiner and engraver to be performed by one person. The treasurer shall receive from the chief coiner all the coins which shall have been struck, and shall pay or deliver them to the persons respectively to whom the same ought to be paid or delivered: he shall morever receive and safely keep all monies which shall be for the use, maintenance and support of the Mint, and shall disburse the same upon warrants signed by the Director. Treasure. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That every officer and To take oath. clerk of the said Mint shall, before he enters upon the execution of his office, take an oath or affirmation before some judge of the United States faithfully and diligently to perform the duties thereof. Act of Mar. 3 SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the said assayer, And give bond chief coiner and treasurer, previously to entering upon the 1794, ch. 4, sec. 2. execution of their respective offices, shall each become 5 |