pieces which shall compose the coins of of very small value are a great accommo-



the United States, two things are to be
consulted — convenience of circulation and



dation and the means of a beneficial econ-
omy to the poor, by enabling them to



cheapness of the coinage. The first ought purchase in small portions and at a more

reasonable rate the necessaries of which
they stand in need. If there are only
cents, the lowest price for any portion
of a vendible commodity, however incon-
siderable in quantity, will be a cent; if
there are half cents, it will be a half-cent;
and in a great number of cases exactly
the same things will be sold for a half-



not to be sacrificed to the last; but, as far
as they can be reconciled to each other,
it is desirable to do it. Numerous and
small (if not too minute) subdivisions
assist circulation; but the multiplication
of the smaller kinds increases expense,
the same process being necessary to a
small as to a large piece.



As it is easy to add, it will be most cent, which, if there were none, would
advisable to begin with a small number cost a cent. But a half-cent is low enough
till experience shall decide whether any for the minimum o' price. Excessive
other kinds are necessary. The following, minuteness would defaftt its object. To
it is conceived, will be sufficient in the enable the poorer classes to procure neces-
commencement: — ■ saries cheap is to enable them with more
One gold piece, equal in weight and comfort to themselves to labor for less.
value to ten units or dollars. the advantages of whieh need no corn-
One gold piece, equal to a tenth part of rrcnt.
the former, and which shall be a unit or The denominations of the silver coins
dollar. contained in the resolution of the 8th
One silver piece, which shall also be a of August, 1786, are conceived to be sig-
unit or dollar. nificant and proper. The dollar is recom-

227



HAMILTON, ALEXANDER

mended by its correspondency with the one, as far as the quantity of matter (the
present coin of that name for which it is alloy being less) permits, agree with the
designed to be a substitute, which will form and size of the present. The diame-
facilitate its ready adoption as such in ter may be the same.

the minds of the citizens. The dime, or The tenths may be in a mean between
tenth, the cent, or hundredth, the mill, or the Spanish 1-8 and 1-16 of a dollar,
thousandth, are proper because they ex- The copper coins may be formed merely
press the proportions which they are in- with a view to good appearance, as any
tended to designate. It is only to be re- difference in the wearing that can result
gretted that the meaning of these terms from difference of form can be of little
will not be familiar to those who are not consequence in reference to that metal,
acquainted with the language from which It is conceived that the weight of the
they are borrowed. It were to be wished cent may be eleven pennyweights, which
that the length and, in some degree, the will about correspond with the value of
clumsiness of some of the corresponding the copper and the expense of coinage,
terms in English did not discourage from This will be to conform to the rule of in-
preferring them. It is useful to have trinsic value, as far as regard to the con-
names which signify the things to which venient size of the coins will permit; and
they belong, and, in respect to objects of the deduction of the expense of coinage in
general use, in a manner intelligible to this case will be the more proper, as the
all. Perhaps it might be an improvement copper coins which have been current
to let the dollar have the appellation hitherto have passed till lately for much
either of dollar or unit (which latter will more than their intrinsic value. Taking
be the more significant), and to substi- the weight, as has been suggested, the
tute " tenth " for dime. In time the unit size of the cent may be nearly that of the
may succeed to the dollar. The word piece herewith transmitted, which weighs
cent being in use in various transactions 10 dwt. 11 grs. 10 m. Two-thirds of the
and instruments will without much diffi- diameter of the cent will suffice for the
culty be understood as the hundredth, and diameter of the half-cent,
the half-cent, of course, as the two-hun- It may, perhaps, be thought expedient,
dredth part. according to general practice, to make the

The eagle is not a very expressive or copper coinage an object of profit; but,
apt appellation for the larger gold piece, where this is done to any considerable ex-
but nothing better occurs. The smaller tent, it is hardly possible to have effectual
of the two gold coins may be called the security against counterfeits. This con-
dollar, or unit, in common with the silver sideration, concurring with the soundness
piece with which it coincides. of the principle of preserving the intrinsic

The volume or size of each piece is a value of the money of a country, seems to
matter of more consequence than its de- outweigh the consideration of profit
nomination. It is evident that, the more The foregoing suggestions respecting the
superficies or surface, the more the piece sizes of the several coins are made on the
will be liable to be injured by friction, or, supposition that the. legislature may think
in other words, the faster it will wear, fit to regulate this matter. Perhaps, how-
For this reason it is desirable to render ever, it may be judged not unadvisable to
the thickness as great, in proportion to leave it to executive discretion,
the breadth, as may consist with neatness With regard to the proposed size of the
and good appearance. Hence the form of cent it is to be confessed that it is rather
the double guinea, or double louis d'or, is greater than might be wished, if it could,
preferable to that of the half Johannes, for with propriety and safety, be made less;
the large gold piece. The small one can- and, should the value of copper continue to
not well be of any other size than the decline as it has done for some time past.
Portuguese piece of eight, of the same it is very questionable whether it will long
metal. remain alone a fit metal for money. This

As it is of consequence to fortify the has led to a consideration of the expe-
idea of the identity of the dollar, it may diency of uniting a small proportion of
be best t© let the form and size of the new silver with copper, in order to be able to

228



HAMILTON, ALEXANDER

lessen the bulk of the inferior coins. For of the discontinuance of their currency
this there are precedents in several parts will materially extend the substitute in
of Europe. In France the composition tlie course of that year, and its extension
which is called billon has consisted of one will be so far increased during the third
part silver and four parts copper, accord- year by the facility of procuring the re-
ing to which proportion a cent might con- maining species to be recoined, which will
tain seventeen grains, defraying out of the arise from the diminution of their cur-
material the expense of coinage. The con- rent values, as probably to enable the
veniency of size is a recommendation of dispensing wholly with the circulation
such a species of coin, but the Secretary is of foreign coins after that period. The
deterred from proposing it by the appre- progress which the currency of bank-bills
hension of counterfeits. The effect of so will be likely to have made during the
small a quantity of silver in comparatively same time will also afford a substitute of
so large a quantity of copper could easily another kind.

be imitated by a mixture of other metals This arrangement, besides avoiding a

of little value, and the temptation to doing sudden stagnation of circulation, will

it would not be inconsiderable. cause a considerable proportion of what-

The devices of the coins are far from ever loss may be incident to the establish-
being matters of indifference, as they may ment in the first instance to fall as it
be made the vehicles of useful impressions, ought to do upon the government, and
They ought, therefore, to be emblematical, will probably tend to distribute the re-
but without losing sight of simplicity, mainder of it more equally among the
The fewer sharp points and angles there community.

are, the less will be the loss by wearing. It may, nevertheless, be advisable in ad-

The Secretary thinks it best on this head dition to the precautions here suggested

to confine himself to these concise and gen- to repose a discretionary authority in the

eral remarks. President of the United States to continue

The last point to be discussed respects the currency of the Spanish dollar, at a

the currency of foreign coins. value corresponding with the quantity of

The abolition of this in proper season is fine silver contained in it, beyond the

a necessary part of the system contem- period above mentioned for the cessation

plated for the national coinage. But this of the circulation of the foreign coins. It

it will be expedient to defer till some con- is possible that an exception in favor of

siderable progress has been made in pre- this particular species of coin may be

paring substitutes for them. A gradation found expedient; and it may tend to ob-

may therefore be found most convenient. viate inconveniences, if there be a power

The foreign coins may be suffered to cir- to make the exception, in a capacity to
culate precisely upon their present footing be exerted when the period shall arrive,
for one year after the mint shall have com- The Secretary for the Department of
menced its operations. The privilege may State, in his report to the House of Rep-
then be continued for another year to the rcsentatives on the subject of establishing
gold coins of Portugal, England, and a uniformity in the weights, measures,
France, and to the silver coins of Spain, and coins of the United States, has pro-
And these may still be permitted to be posed that the weight of the dollar should
current for one year more at the rates correspond with the unit of weight. This
allowed to be given for them at the mint, was done on the supposition that it would
after the expiration of which the circula- require but a very small addition to the
tion of all foreign coins to cease. quantity of metal which the dollar, inde-

The moneys which will be paid into the pendently of the object he had in view,

treasury during the first year, being re- ought to contain, in which he was guided

coined before they are issued anew, will by the resolution of the 8th of August,

afford a partial substitute before any 17S6, fixing the dollar at 375 grains and

interruption is given to the pre-existing 6-1 hundredths of a grain,
supplies of circulation. The revenues of Taking this as the proper standard of

the succeeding year and the coins which the dollar, a small alteration, for the

will be brought to the mint in consequence sake of incorporating so systematic an

229



HAMILTON

idea, would appear desirable. But, if the volunteers and military governor of Texas;

principles which have been reasoned from in 18G5 he became provisional governor;

in this report are just, the execution of and in 18G6 justice in the Supreme Court

that idea becomes more difficult. It would of the State. He died in Austin, Tex.,

certainly not be advisable to make on April 10, 1875.

that account so considerable a change in Hamilton, Charles Smith, military

the money unit as would be produced by officer, a grandson of Alexander Hamilton ;

the addition of five grains of silver to the born in New York, Nov. 16, 1822; grad-

proper weight of the dollar, without a uated at West Point in 1843; served

proportional augmentation of its relative throughout the war with Mexico; resigned

value; and to make such an augmentation from the army in 1853; appointed colonel

would be to abandon the advantage of of the 3d Wisconsin Regiment May 11,

preserving the identity of the dollar, or, 1861 ; participated in the siege of York-

to speak more accurately, of having the town, and subsequently in the battles of

proposed one received and considered as Corinth and Iuka ; was transferred to the

a mere substitute for the present. Army of the Tennessee; and resigned in

The end may, however, be obtained April, 1863. He died in Milwaukee, W T is.,

without either of those inconveniences by April 17, 1891.

increasing the proportion of alloy in the Hamilton, Frank Hastings, surgeon;
silver coins. But this would destroy the uni- born in Wilmington, Vt., Sept. 10, 1813;
formity in that respect between the gold graduated at Union College in 1830,
and silver coins. It remains, therefore, and in medicine at the University of
to elect which of the two systematic Pennsylvania in 1835. In 1839 he be-
ideas shall be pursued or relinquished; came Professor of Surgery in the Western
and it may be remarked that it will be College of Phvsicians and Surgeons, and
more easy to convert the present silver j n the following year in the medical col-
coins into the proposed ones if these last i e g e at Geneva. In 1846 he was ap-
have the same or nearly the same pro- pointed Professor of Surgery in the medi-
portion of alloy than if they have less. oa i co llege in Buffalo, of which he later
Hamilton, Andrew, governor; born in became dean. When the Long Island
Scotland; sent to East Jersey by its pro- Hospital College was established in 185!),
prietaries in 1686; became acting governor no became Professor of the Principles and
in 1687; returned to England in 1689; Practice of Surgery there and also sur-
appointed governor of East Jersey in geon-in-chief. In 1861 he was made Pro-
1692; deposed in 1697, and reappointed fessor of Military Surgery, and at the out-
in 1699. William Penn made him deputy break of the Civil War went to the front
governor of Pennsylvania in 1701. Ham- with the 31st New York Volunteers,
ilton obtained the first patent from the During the first battle of Bull Kun he
crown for a postal service in 1694. He was director of the general field hospital
died in Burlington, N. J., April 20. 1703. j n Centreville. In 1862 he was appointed
Hamilton, Andrew, lawyer; born in a medical director in the army, and in
Scotland, about 1676; acquired much dis- 1863 a medical inspector, with' the rank
tinction by his defence of the liberty of f lieutenant-colonel. He, however, soon
the press on the trial of Zenger in New resigned, and went to the Bellevue Hos-
York. He filled many public stations in pital Medical College as military surgeon.
Pennsylvania, including that of speaker of When President Garfield was shot Dr.
the Assemhly, which he resigned in 1739 Hamilton was one of the first surgeons
in consequence of physical infirmity. He called in attendance, and continued on
died in Philadelphia Aug. 4, 1741. See that duty until the President's death.
Zenger, John Peter. Dr. Hamilton performed many note-
Hamilton, ANDREW Jackson, jurist; worthy operations, and invented or im-
born in Madison county, Ala., Jan. 28, proved a number of instruments used in
1815; removed to Texas in 1846: elected surgical practice. His publications in-
to Congress in 1859 ; opposed the secession elude: Treatise on Strabismus; Trca-
of Texas. On Nov. 14, 1862, he was an- fine on Fractures ay)d Dislocations; Prac-
pointed brigadier-general of United States tical Treatise on Military Surgery; and

230



HAMILTON— HAMLIN



The Principles and Practice of Surgery, a private. He became aide to General
He also edited Amussat's Use of Water Butler at Annapolis, and soon entered the
in Svrgery, and The Surgical Memoirs military family of General Scott at Wash-
oe the War of the Rebellion. He died in ington. He was made brigadier-general
New York City, Aug. 11, 1886.

Hamilton, Henry, military officer;
born in England ; was lieutenant-govern-
or of Detroit during the Revolutionary



in November, 1801, and accompanied Gen-
eral Halleck to Missouri, where he com-
manded the district of St. Louis. In Feb-
ruary, 1862, he commanded a division of
War. He was one of the most active Pope's army; and by the planning and



promoters of Indian raids upon the fron-
tier settlements of the Americans in the
Northwest. To Detroit he summoned
several Indian nations to a council late



construction of a canal, greatly assisted
in the capture of New Madrid and Island
Number Ten (q. v.). In 1862 he was
made major-general of volunteers; re-



in 1777; and from that point he sent signed in February, 1863; and was hydro-



abroad along the frontiers bands of sav-
ages to murder and plunder the Ameri-
can settlers. Their cruelties he applauded
as evidence of their attachment to the



graphic engineer for the New York de-
partment of docks in 1871-75. He died in
New York, March 18, 1003.

Hamilton, Thomas, author; born in



royal cause. He gave standing rewards England in 1789 ; joined the British army ;

for scalps, but offered none for prisoners, was commissioned captain of the 29th

His war-parties, composed of white men Regiment; served in the War of 1812, and

and Indians, spared neither men, women, later engaged in literary work. His pub-

nor children. He planned a confederation lications include Men and Manners in

of the tribes to desolate Virginia. In America (which met with little favor in

1778 he wrote to Lord George Germain the United States owing to its deprecia-

(q. v.), whose favorite he was, "Next tion of American character), etc. He

year there will be the greatest number died in Pisa, Italy, Dec. 7, 1842.

of savages on the frontier that has ever Hamlin, Augustus Choate, surgeon;

been known, as the Six Nations have sent born in Columbia, Me., Aug. 28, 1829;

belts around to encourage those allies graduated at the Harvard Medical School

who have made a general alliance." But in 1855. At the beginning of the Civil

early in that year he was made a prisoner War he recruited a company at his own

of war at Vincennes, and was sent to Vir- expense; followed his profession in the

ginia. He had formed a conspiracy for war; and became medical inspector of

the Southern and Northern Indians to the army with the rank of lieutenant-



desolate the whole frontier from New
York to Georgia. He died in Antigua,
Sept. 29, 1796.

Hamilton, Paul, statesman; born in
St. Paul's parish, S. C, Oct. 16, 1762;
elected comptroller of South Carolina in
1799; governor in 1804. President Madi-



colonel in 1863. His publications include
Martyria, or Andersonville Prison; The
Battle of Ghancellorsville ; History of Mt.
Mica, Me., etc.

Hamlin, Charles, lawyer; born in
Hampden, Me., Sept. 13, 1837; son of
Hannibal Hamlin; graduated at Bow-



son appointed him Secretary of the Navy doin College in 1857 ; admitted to the bar
in 1809. He died in Beaufort, S. C, June in the following year; enlisted in the Na-



30, 1816.

Hamilton, Schuyler, military officer
born in New York City, July 25, 1822
graduated at West Point in 1841 ; etc.
served in the war with Mexico: and was Hamlin
acting aide to General Scott. He was
severely wounded in a hand-to-hand en-
gagement with Mexicans. He was bro
vetted captain, and remained on Scott's vent as a missionary to Turkey, and there



tional army in 1862; brevetted brigadier-
general of volunteers in March, 1865.
He published the Insolvent Laws of Maine,



Cyrus, educator; born in
Waterford, Me., Jan. 5, 1811; gradu-
ated at Bowdoin College in 1834, and at
Bangor Theological Seminary in 1837;



staff until 1854. He left the army in
1855, but on the fall of Sumter (1861)
he joined the 7th New York Regiment as



served under the American board of
commissioners for foreign missions in
1837-60. He established Robert College



231



HAMLIN— HAMMOND



at Constantinople, and was its president to 1883. He died in Bangor, Me., July 4,
in 1860-77, when he returned to the 1891.

United States, and became Professor of Hammond, Jabez D., lawyer; born in
Theology at Bangor Theological Seminary. New Bedford, Mass., Aug. 2, 1778; was
In 18S0-85 he was president of Middle- admitted to the bar in 1805; and prac-
bury College. He later became an agent tised, with several interruptions, till 1830.
of the American board of foreign mis- His publications include The Political Mis-
sions. His works include Among the tory of New York to December of lS-'fO;
Turks, and My Life and Times. He died Life and Opinions of Julius Mclbourn ;
in Portland, Me., Aug. 8, 1900. Life of Silas Wright, etc. He died in

Hamlin, Hannibal, Vice-President of Cherry Valley, N. Y., Aug. 18, 1855.
the United States; born in Paris, Me., Hammond, James Henbt, statesman;
Aug. 27, 1809; taught school, and entered born in Newberry, S. C, Nov. 15, 1807;
official life early. For many years he graduated at South Carolina College in
was a Democrat, as member of the Maine 1825; elected to Congress in 1835; gov-
legislature; Congressman from 1843 to ernor of the State in 1842, and United
1847; and United States Senator from States Senator in 1857. He was a sup-
1849 to 1857. Having joined the Republi- porter of Calhoun, and an ardent advo-
can party, he was governor of Maine for cate of nullification. When South Caro-
lina seceded he resigned his seat in the
United States Senate, and retired to his
plantation in Beech Island, where he
died, Nov. 13, 18G4.

Hammond, Marcus Claudius Mvr-
cellus, military officer; born in Newberry
district, S. C, Dee. 12, 1814; graduated
at the United States Military Academy
in 1836; promoted first lieutenant in
November, 1839; served during a part
of the war with Mexico as additional pay-
master; resigned in April, 1847, owing to
failing health. He published A Critical
History of the Mexican War. He died in
Beech Island, S. C, Jan. 23, 1876.

Hammond, Samuel, military officer;
born in Richmond county, Va., Sept. 21,
1757; participated in Dunmorc's expedi-
tion; served throughout the Revolutionary
War; settled in Savannah; was elected to
Congress in 1803; appointed commandant
of upper Louisiana in 1805, and held the
office until 1824, when he resigned. He
died in Augusta, Ga., Sept. 11, 1842.

Hammond, William Alexander, sur-
geon; born in Annapolis, Md., Aug. 28,
1828: graduated at the University of
a short time in 1857, and was again the City of New York in 1848; was in
Senator from 1857 to 1861. In 1860 he the medical service of the regular army
was elected Vice-President on the ticket in 1849-60, when he was appointed Pro-
with Abraham Lincoln, and served from feasor of Anatomy and Physiology at the
1861 to 1865. President Johnson ap- University of Maryland. When the Civil
pointed him collector of the port of Bos- War opened he re-entered the army, and
ton. From 1869 to 1881 he was again in April, 1862, was commissioned surgeon-
ili the United States Senate, and his long general. In August, 1864, he was tried
political career closed with his occupa- before a court-martial on a charge of
tion of the ministry to Spain from 1881 official irregularities, and was dismissed

232







HANNIHAL HAMLIN



HAMOND— HAMPDEN



from the army. This ban rested on him
till 1878, when Congress passed a spe-
cial bill directing the President to re-
view the proceedings of the court-martial.
As a result of this examination, he was
honorably restored to his former rank in
the army, and then placed on the retired
list. Later, he became Professor of the
Nervous System and Diseases of the Mind
in the New York and Baltimore medical
colleges. His professional writings in-
clude Military Hygiene; Physiological Es-
says; Sleep and Its Derangements;
Lectures on Venereal Diseases; Insanity
in Its Medico-Legal Relations; Physics
and Physiology of Spiritualism; Neuro-
logical Contributions, etc. He also pub-
lished the novels Robert Severne; Lai;
Dr. Grattan; Mr. Oldmixon; A Strong-
Minded Woman; On the Susquehanna; A
Son of Perdition, etc. He died in Wash-
ington, D. C., Jan. 5, 1900.

Hamond, Sir Andrew Snape, naval
officer; born in Blackheath, England, Dec.
17, 1738; joined the British navy in 1753.
When the Revolutionary War broke out
he came to America with Howe, and
served on the Roebuck, which was present
at the capture of New York, and which
later destroyed the frigate Delaware and
other ships in the Delaware River. In
November, 1777, Hammond participated in
the successful assault on Mud Island; was
acting captain of the squadron which re-
duced Charleston, S. C, in 1780. He re-
turned to England in 1783, and in Decem-
ber of that year was created a baron. He
died in Norfolk, England, Oct. 12, 1838.

Hampden, Action at. When the