The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 26, June 28, 2004, Article 12

MOTTO QUIZ ANSWER

  Last week we asked who was the person who first suggested
  the slogan, "In God We Trust" for U.S. coinage.  The bonus
  question was, "in what publication was this fact first
  documented?"

  So far, there has been no response to the bonus question.
  As for the main question,  Ray Williams writes: "The answer to
  your question is a minister from Pennsylvania, M. R.
  Watkinson on November 13, 1861.  Those were truly troubled
  times in our history!"

  David Ganz writes: "From the records of the Treasury
  Department,  it appears that the first suggestion of the
  recognition of the Deity on the coins of the United States was
  contained in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the
  Treasury, Hon. Salmon P. Chase, by the Rev. M. R.
  Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel, Ridleyville, Pa., under
  date of November 13, 1861.

  "One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously
  overlooked, I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in
  some form in our coins," Rev. Watkinson wrote to Secretary
  Chase.   "You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic
  were now 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 this 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."  This would make a beautiful coin, to
  which no possible citizen could object.  This would relieve us
  from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us
  openly under the Divine protection we have personally
  claimed. "From my heart I have felt our national shame in
  disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.
  To you first I address a subject that must be agitated," he
  concluded.

  A week later, on November 20, 1861, Secretary Chase wrote
  to James Pollock, the Director of the Mint, "No nation can be
  strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His
  defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared
  on our national coins."

  He concluded with a mandate: "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."

  [For more information, see my own web site: ingodwetrust.html
  -Editor]

  Gene Hessler writes: "Regarding the use of "In God We Trust"
  on coins, readers might be interested in an article I wrote for
  PAPER MONEY in 1978:  Precursors of the Motto "In God
  We Trust." "God and our Right," and "In God is our Trust"
  were used on some interest-bearing treasury notes and
  compound interest treasury notes during the Civil War.
  Although not authorized for use on paper money until 1957,
  "In God We Trust" appears on the back of the $5 silver
  certificate, Series 1986.   The reverse of the Morgan silver
  dollar is part of the design with "In God We Trust" clearly
  visible."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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