government to take its own
notes for the taxes levied by it. It has now definitely assumed
to pay these notes in coin, and this necessarily implies the receipt
of these notes as coin. To refuse them is only to invite their
presentation for coin. Any other construction would require the
notes to be presented to the assistant treasurer in New York for
coin, and, if used in the purchase of bonds, to be returned to the
same officer, or, if used for the payment of customs duties, to be
carried to the collector of customs, who must daily deposit in the
treasury all money received by him. It is not to be assumed that
the law requires this indirect and inconvenient process after the
notes are redeemable in coin on demand of the holder. They are
then at a parity with coin, and both should be received indiscriminately.

"If United States notes are received for duties at the port of New
York, they should be received for the same purpose in all other
ports of the United States, or an unconstitutional preference would
be given to that port over other ports. If this privilege is denied
to the citizens of other ports, they could make such use of these
notes only by transporting them to New York and transporting the
coin to their homes for payment; and all this not only without
benefit to the government, but with a loss in returning the coin
again to New York, where it is required for redemption purposes.

"The provision in the law for redemption in New York was believed
to be practical redemption in all parts of the United States.
Actual redemption was confined to a single place from the necessity
of maintaining only one coin reserve and where the coin could be
easily accumulated and kept.

"With this view of the resumption act, the secretary will feel it
to be his duty, unless Congress otherwise provides, to direct that
after the 1st day of January next, and while United States notes
are redeemed at the treasury, they be received the same as coin by
the officers of this department, in all payments in all parts of
the United States.

"If any further provision of law is deemed necessary by Congress
to authorize the receipt of United States notes for customs dues
or for bonds, the secretary respectfully submits that this authority
should continue only while the notes are redeemed in coin. However
desirable continuous resumption may be, and however confident we
may feel in its maintenance, yet the experience of many nations