The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
So far, then, I accede to the opinions of the Financier. On the other
hand, he seems to concur with me, in thinking his smallest fractional
division too minute for a Unit, and, therefore, proposes to transfer
that denomination to his largest silver coin, containing 1000 of the
units first proposed, and worth about 4s. 2d. lawful, or 25-36 of a
Dollar. The only question then remaining between us is, whether the
Dollar, or this coin, be best for the Unit. We both agree that _the
ease of adoption with the people_, is the thing to be aimed at.
1. As to the Dollar, events have overtaken and superseded the question.
It is no longer a doubt whether the people can adopt it with ease;
they have adopted it, and will have to be turned out of that, into
another tract of calculation, if another Unit be assumed. They have
now two Units, which they use with equal facility, viz., the Pound of
their respective State, and the Dollar. The first of these is peculiar
to each State: the second, happily, common to all. In each State, the
people have an easy rule of converting the pound of their State into
dollars, or dollars into pounds; and this is enough for them, without
knowing how this may be done in every State of the Union. Such of them
as live near enough the borders of their State to have dealings with
their neighbors, learn also the rule of their neighbors: thus, in
Virginia and the Eastern States, where the dollar is 6s. or 3-10 of
a pound, to turn pounds into dollars, they multiply by 10 and divide
by 3. To turn dollars into pounds, they multiply by 3, and divide by
10. Those in Virginia who live near to Carolina, where the dollar is
8s. or 4-10 of a pound, learn the operation of that State, which is a
multiplication by 4, and division by 10, _et e converso_. Those who
live near Maryland, where the dollar is 7s. 6d. or 3-8 of a pound,
multiply by 3, and divide by 8, _et e converso_. All these operations
are easy, and have been found, by experience, not too much for the
arithmetic of the people, when they have occasion to convert their old
Unit into dollars, or the reverse.
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