Whereas an act of the Congress of the United States was passed on the
9th day of February, 1793, entitled "An act regulating foreign coins,
and for other purposes," in which it was enacted "that foreign gold and
silver coins shall pass current as money within the United States and be
a legal tender for the payment of all debts and demands" at the several
and respective rates therein stated; and that "at the expiration of
three years next ensuing the time when the coinage of gold and silver
agreeably to the act intituled "An act establishing a mint and regulating
the coins of the United States" shall commence at the Mint of the United
States (which time shall be announced by the proclamation of the
President of the United States), all foreign gold coins and all foreign
silver coins, except Spanish milled dollars and parts of such dollars,
shall cease to be a legal tender as aforesaid:
Now, therefore, I, the said John Adams, President of the United States,
hereby proclaim, announce, and give notice to all whom it may concern
that, agreeably to the act last above mentioned, the coinage of silver
at the Mint of the United States commenced on the 15th day of October,
1794, and the coinage of gold on the 31st day of July, 1795; and that
consequently, in conformity to the act first above mentioned, all
foreign silver coins, except Spanish milled dollars and parts of such
dollars, will cease to pass current as money within the United States
and to be a legal tender for the payment of any debts or demands after
the 15th day of October next, and all foreign gold coins will cease to
pass current as money within the United States and to be a legal tender
as aforesaid for the payment of any debts or demands after the 31st day
of July, which will be A.D. 1798.
In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the United States to be
affixed to these presents, and signed the same with my hand.
[SEAL.]
Done at Philadelphia, the 22d day of July, A.D. 1797, and of the
Independence of the United States the twenty-second.