8620. TRUXTUN (Thomas), Medal for.—
I have considered the letter of the director
of the mint stating the ease with which the errors
of Commodore Truxtun's medal may be
corrected on the medal itself and the unpracticability
of doing it on the die. * * * A second
law would be required to make a second die
or medal. * * * It certainly may be as well or
better done by the graver, and with more delicate
traits. I remember it was the opinion of
Doctor Franklin that where only one or a few
medals were to be made it was better to have
them engraved. The medal being corrected, the
die becomes immaterial, that has never been
delivered to the party, the medal itself being the
only thing voted to him. I say this on certain
grounds, because I think this and Preble's are
the only medals given by the United States
which have not been made under my immediate
direction. The dies of all those given by the
old Congress, and made at Paris, remain to this
day deposited with our bankers at Paris. That
of General Lee, made in Philadelphia, was retained
in the mint.—
To Jacob Crowninshield. Washington ed. v, 300.
(1808)
