![]() The Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864. And on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST. I approve your mottoes, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY. In a letter to the Mint Director on December 9, 1863, Secretary Chase stated: He proposed that upon the designs either OUR COUNTRY OUR GOD or GOD, OUR TRUST should appear as a motto on the coins. In December 1863, the Director of the Mint submitted designs for new one-cent coin, two-cent coin, and three-cent coin to Secretary Chase for approval. This meant that the mint could make no changes without the enactment of additional legislation by the Congress. It was found that the Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837, prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the United States. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. To you first I address a subject that must be agitated.Īs a result, Secretary Chase instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, to prepare a motto, in a letter dated November 20, 1861:ĭear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. From my hearth I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed. This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would make a beautiful coin, to which no possible citizen could object. What if our Republic were not shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation? What I propose is that instead of the goddess of liberty we shall have next inside the 13 stars a ring inscribed with the words PERPETUAL UNION within the ring the allseeing eye, crowned with a halo beneath this eye the American flag, bearing in its field stars equal to the number of the States united in the folds of the bars the words GOD, LIBERTY, LAW. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins. One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, and read:ĭear Sir: You are about to submit your annual report to the Congress respecting the affairs of the national finances. It was written to Secretary Chase by Rev. From Treasury Department records, it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the United States recognize the Deity on United States coins. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. The challenge was rejected by the lower federal courts, and the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review the case. Several years ago, the appearance of “In God We Trust” on our money was challenged in the federal courts. It is our country’s foundation and an important part of our identity as Americans. On July 30, 1956, President Eisenhower signed into law the establishment of “In God We Trust” as our national motto.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |