6866. PRESENTS, To Foreign Ministers.—
It was proposed that the medal [to be given to recalled foreign ministers] should always
contain 150 dollars' worth of gold; it was
presumed the gentleman would always keep this.
The chain was to contain 365 links always,
but these were to be proportioned in value to
the time the person had been here, making each
link worth 3 dimes for every year of residence.
No expense was to be bestowed on the making
because it was expected they would turn the
chain into money.—
Note by Jefferson.
Ford ed., vi, 263.
(1793)
