THE weights, measures, and the currency of the hard money? Some details relating to the
exchange with Europe?
Our weights and measures are the same which are fixed by acts of parliament in England.–How
it has happened that in this, as well as the other American states the nominal value
of coin was made to differ from what it was in the country we had left, and
[ Tip-in 23, Page 1 ]
In the states where the Dollar is valued at 6/. the coincidence of their currency
with the Greek & Roman monies is so singular as to be worthy notice & to found suspicion
that this object may have had some influence in fixing our monies at this particular
point, at a time when the value of Greek & Roman learning was more justly estimated
than at this day. The Penny lawful is precisely the Roman as, which was their unit,
10. of which, equal to ten Pence lawful made the Attic Drachma according to Pliny,
l.21.c.33. in the latter ages of their history the monies of these two people were
interwoven so as to make parts of the same series, which were in some degree decimal.
The as (L. at first Libralis but latterly ½ an ounce of copper & called Libella) =
1.d lawful.
10. as made the Denarius (X.) or Attic Drachm= 10.d
100. denarii made the Mina or Pondo = 1000d or £4-3-4
the denarius having been divide into fourth of 2½ as each, the fourth was called
a Sestertius or Nummus (LLS. or HS.) = 2½d
100. Sesterces made an Aureus latterly = 250d = £1-0-10
1000. Sesterces made the Sestertium = £10-8-4
the Libra = 96 X. = £4. lawful
the Talent of Silver = 60 Mina = £250.
the Talent of Gold was the decuple of the talent of silver at the proportion of 10
for 1. as among the Romans = £2500.
and was the Miliary of the Libra if valued at 16. for 1. as among moderns = 1000.
Librae = £4000.
It is understood that the Attic drachm of silver was exactly our Dram Troy of 60.
gr. the Denarius of the Romans was the 7.th part of their Ounce, which is supposed to have been exactly our Avoirdupois ounce,
but this is of 437½ gr. Troy, which would make the Roman Denarios 62 ½ gr. & consequently
The leaf is folded and glued to a trapezoidal stub. Four of four pages are written
on. Two pencil annotations appear at the top of this first page. The note is, in fact,
inserted at page 183 in the 1853 edition (not at page 283). Three brackets cluster
the unit equivalencies: the first for the as, the denarius, the drachm, and the Mina or Pondo; the second for the Sestertius or
Nummus and the Aureus; and the third for the Libra, the Talent, the Mina, and the
Libra. The phrases "10. of which, equal to" and "according to Pliny, l.21.c.33" are
both inserted above the baseline. The note continues onto the leaf's verso.
In the states where the Dollar is valued at 6/. the coincidence of their currency
with the Greek & Roman monies is so singular as to be worthy notice & to found suspicion
that this object may have had some influence in fixing our monies at this particular
point, at a time when the value of Greek & Roman learning was more justly estimated
than at this day. The Penny lawful is precisely the Roman as, which was their unit,
10. of which, equal to ten Pence lawful made the Attic Drachma according to Pliny,
l.21.c.33. in the latter ages of their history the monies of these two people were
interwoven so as to make parts of the same series, which were in some degree decimal.
The as (L. at first Libralis but latterly ½ an ounce of copper & called Libella) =
1.d lawful.
10. as made the Denarius (X.) or Attic Drachm= 10.d
100. denarii made the Mina or Pondo = 1000d or £4-3-4
the denarius having been divide into fourth of 2½ as each, the fourth was called
a Sestertius or Nummus (LLS. or HS.) = 2½d
100. Sesterces made an Aureus latterly = 250d = £1-0-10
1000. Sesterces made the Sestertium = £10-8-4
the Libra = 96 X. = £4. lawful
the Talent of Silver = 60 Mina = £250.
the Talent of Gold was the decuple of the talent of silver at the proportion of 10
for 1. as among the Romans = £2500.
and was the Miliary of the Libra if valued at 16. for 1. as among moderns = 1000.
Librae = £4000.
It is understood that the Attic drachm of silver was exactly our Dram Troy of 60.
gr. the Denarius of the Romans was the 7.th part of their Ounce, which is supposed to have been exactly our Avoirdupois ounce,
but this is of 437½ gr. Troy, which would make the Roman Denarios 62 ½ gr. & consequently
The leaf is folded and glued to a trapezoidal stub. Four of four pages are written
on. Two pencil annotations appear at the top of this first page. The note is, in fact,
inserted at page 183 in the 1853 edition (not at page 283). Three brackets cluster
the unit equivalencies: the first for the as, the denarius, the drachm, and the Mina or Pondo; the second for the Sestertius or
Nummus and the Aureus; and the third for the Libra, the Talent, the Mina, and the
Libra. The phrases "10. of which, equal to" and "according to Pliny, l.21.c.33" are
both inserted above the baseline. The note continues onto the leaf's verso.
In the states where the Dollar is valued at 6/. the coincidence of their currency
with the Greek Roman monies is so singular as to be worthy notice to found suspicion
that this object may have had some influence in fixing our monies at this particular
point, at a time when the value of Greek Roman learning was more justly estimated
than at this day. The Penny lawful is precisely the Roman as, which was their unit,
10. of which, equal to ten Pence lawful made the Attic Drachma according to Pliny,
l.21.c.33. in the latter ages of their history the monies of these two people were
interwoven so as to make parts of the same series, which were in some degree decimal.
The as (L. at first Libralis but latterly ½ an ounce of copper called Libella) =
1.d lawful.
10. as made the Denarius (X.) or Attic Drachm= 10.d
100. denarii made the Mina or Pondo = 1000d or £4-3-4
the denarius having been divide into fourth of 2½ as each, the fourth was called
a Sestertius or Nummus (LLS. or HS.) = 2½d
100. Sesterces made an Aureus latterly = 250d = £1-0-10
1000. Sesterces made the Sestertium = £10-8-4
the Libra = 96 X. = £4. lawful
the Talent of Silver = 60 Mina = £250.
the Talent of Gold was the decuple of the talent of silver at the proportion of 10
for 1. as among the Romans = £2500.
and was the Miliary of the Libra if valued at 16. for 1. as among moderns = 1000.
Librae = £4000.
It is understood that the Attic drachm of silver was exactly our Dram Troy of 60.
gr. the Denarius of the Romans was the 7.th part of their Ounce, which is supposed to have been exactly our Avoirdupois ounce,
but this is of 437½ gr. Troy, which would make the Roman Denarios 62 ½ gr. consequently
1/24 more than the Attic drachm, contrary to the testimony of antiquity that the Denarius
and the Drachm were equal. we may very probably conjecture that our Troy weight is
taken from the Grecians, from whom our Physicians derive their science &, in copying
their recipes, would of course preserve their weights which fix the quantum & proportion
of ingredients. We may as probably affirm that our Avoirdupois weight is taken from
the Romans, from whom through their colonies & conquests in France, Spain, Germany,
Britain we derive our Agriculture & Commerce. accordingly we observe that while we
weigh our physic by the Troy or Grecian weights, we use the Avoirdupois or Roman
for the productions of agriculture & general articles of Commerce. and since Antiquity
affirms that these two series were united by the equality of the Drachm & Denarius,
we must conclude that in progress of time, they have become a little separated in
use with us, to wit 1/24 part as before noted.
But the point at which their separation has been arrested, and fixed is a very remarkable
one. 1000 ounces avoirdupois make exactly a cubic foot of water. this integral, decimal,
& cubical relation induces a presumption that while deciding among the varieties &
uncertainties which, during the ruder ages of the arts, we know had crept into the
weights & measures of England, they had adopted for their standard those which stood
so conveniently connected through the medium of a natural element, always at hand
to be appealed to.
The ounce avoirdupois being this fixed at the thousandth part of a cubic foot of water,
the Winchester bushel, of 2150.4 cubic inches, filled with water, would weight 77.7
lb avoirdupois,
Jefferson's manuscript addition, written in ink, continues from the recto. In the
third line of the second paragraph, "ounces" is written over an illegible word that
has been crossed out, with a caret underneath; and in the first line of third paragraph
"avoirdupois" is inserted between "ounce" and "being".
1/24 more than the Attic drachm, contrary to the testimony of antiquity that the Denarius
and the Drachm were equal. we may very probably conjecture that our Troy weight is
taken from the Grecians, from whom our Physicians derive their science &, in copying
their recipes, would of course preserve their weights which fix the quantum & proportion
of ingredients. We may as probably affirm that our Avoirdupois weight is taken from
the Romans, from whom through their colonies & conquests in France, Spain, Germany,
Britain we derive our Agriculture & Commerce. accordingly we observe that while we
weigh our physic by the Troy or Grecian weights, we use the Avoirdupois or Roman
for the productions of agriculture & general articles of Commerce. and since Antiquity
affirms that these two series were united by the equality of the Drachm & Denarius,
we must conclude that in progress of time, they have become a little separated in
use with us, to wit 1/24 part as before noted.
But the point at which their separation has been arrested, and fixed is a very remarkable
one. 1000 ounces avoirdupois make exactly a cubic foot of water. this integral, decimal,
& cubical relation induces a presumption that while deciding among the varieties &
uncertainties which, during the ruder ages of the arts, we know had crept into the
weights & measures of England, they had adopted for their standard those which stood
so conveniently connected through the medium of a natural element, always at hand
to be appealed to.
The ounce avoirdupois being this fixed at the thousandth part of a cubic foot of water,
the Winchester bushel, of 2150.4 cubic inches, filled with water, would weight 77.7
lb avoirdupois,
Jefferson's manuscript addition, written in ink, continues from the recto. In the
third line of the second paragraph, "ounces" is written over an illegible word that
has been crossed out, with a caret underneath; and in the first line of third paragraph
"avoirdupois" is inserted between "ounce" and "being".
1/24 more than the Attic drachm, contrary to the testimony of antiquity that the Denarius
and the Drachm were equal. we may very probably conjecture that our Troy weight is
taken from the Grecians, from whom our Physicians derive their science , in copying
their recipes, would of course preserve their weights which fix the quantum proportion
of ingredients. We may as probably affirm that our Avoirdupois weight is taken from
the Romans, from whom through their colonies conquests in France, Spain, Germany,
Britain we derive our Agriculture Commerce. accordingly we observe that while we
weight our physic by the Troy or Grecian weights, we use the Avoirdupois or Roman
for the productions of agriculture general articles of Commerce. and since Antiquity
affirms that these two series were united by the equality of the Drachm Denarius,
we must conclude that in progress of time, they have become a little separated in
use with us, to wit 1/24 part as before noted.
But the point at which their separation has been arrested, and fixed is a very remarkable
one. 1000 ounces avoirdupois make exactly a cubic foot of water. this integral, decimal,
cubical relation induces a presumption that while deciding among the varieties
uncertainties which, during the ruder ages of the arts, we know had crept into the
weights measures of England, they had adopted for their standard those which stood
so conveniently connected through the medium of a natural element, always at hand
to be appealed to.
The ounce avoirdupois being this fixed at the thousandth part of a cubic foot of water,
the Winchester bushel, of 2150.4 cubic inches, filled with water, would weight 77.7
lb avoirdupois,
[ Tip-in 23, Page 3 ]
and, filled with wheat of statute quality, weighed 64. lb amidst the varieties discovered
between the standard weights Avoirdupois & Troy in their different depositories, it
would be observed that all of them were a little over or under this proportion: &
this would suffice to give this proportion the preference, and to fix the standard
relation between the Avoirdupois & Troy pounds at that which nature has established
between the weights of water and wheat: and the Troy grain, 5760 of which make the
pound Troy, would be so adjusted as that 7000 of them would make the pound Avoirdupois.
for 7000:5760::77.7: 64. Exactly the same proportion is known to exist between the
dry & liquid measures. for the corn gallon contains 272. cubic inches & the antient
liquid gallon of Guildhall 224. cubic inches. so that the system of weights & measures
Avoirdupois & Troy, dry & liquid are found to be in the simple relation of the weights
& measure of the two obvious and natural subjects water & wheat. that is to say, the Pound Avoirdupoise:Pound Troy::the weight of water:weight of
wheat::the bulk of the corn gallon : the bulk of the liquid gallon or 7000:5760::77.7:64::272:224.
These weights & measures seem to have been so combined as to render it immaterial
whether a commodity was dealt out by weight
or measure. for the dry gallon of wheat, & the liquid one of wine were of the same
weight, & the Avoirdupois pound of wheat, & the Troy pound of wine were of the same
measure. a more natural, accurate, & curious reconciliation of the two systems of
Greece & Rome which happened to be found in use could not have been imagined; & the
extension of the connection, from weights & measures, to coins, as is done so integrally
by our Lawful currency, which makes the penny of 6. grains of silver, as was the Roman
as, has completed the system.
Continued from previous and written in ink. Concluded on the verso.
and, filled with wheat of statute quality, weighed 64. lb amidst the varieties discovered
between the standard weights Avoirdupois & Troy in their different depositories, it
would be observed that all of them were a little over or under this proportion: &
this would suffice to give this proportion the preference, and to fix the standard
relation between the Avoirdupois & Troy pounds at that which nature has established
between the weights of water and wheat: and the Troy grain, 5760 of which make the
pound Troy, would be so adjusted as that 7000 of them would make the pound Avoirdupois.
for 7000:5760::77.7: 64. Exactly the same proportion is known to exist between the
dry & liquid measures. for the corn gallon contains 272. cubic inches & the antient
liquid gallon of Guildhall 224. cubic inches. so that the system of weights & measures
Avoirdupois & Troy, dry & liquid are found to be in the simple relation of the weights
& measure of the two obvious and natural subjects water & wheat. that is to say, the Pound Avoirdupoise:Pound Troy::the weight of water:weight of
wheat::the bulk of the corn gallon : the bulk of the liquid gallon or 7000:5760::77.7:64::272:224.
These weights & measures seem to have been so combined as to render it immaterial
whether a commodity was dealt out by weight
or measure. for the dry gallon of wheat, & the liquid one of wine were of the same
weight, & the Avoirdupois pound of wheat, & the Troy pound of wine were of the same
measure. a more natural, accurate, & curious reconciliation of the two systems of
Greece & Rome which happened to be found in use could not have been imagined; & the
extension of the connection, from weights & measures, to coins, as is done so integrally
by our Lawful currency, which makes the penny of 6. grains of silver, as was the Roman
as, has completed the system.
Continued from previous and written in ink. Concluded on the verso.
and, filled with wheat of statute quality, weighed 64. lb amidst the varieties discovered
between the standard weights Avoirdupois Troy in their different depositories, it
would be observed that all of them were a little over or under this proportion:
this would suffice to give this proportion the preference, and to fix the standard
relation between the Avoirdupois Troy pounds at that which nature has established
between the weights of water and wheat: and the Troy grain, 5760 of which make the
pound Troy, would be so adjusted as that 7000 of them would make the pound Avoirdupois.
for 7000:5760::77.7: 64. Exactly the same proportion is known to exist between the
dry liquid measures. for the corn gallon contains 272. cubic inches the antient
liquid gallon of Guildhall 224. cubic inches. so that the system of weights measures
Avoirdupois Troy, dry liquid are found to be in the simple relation of the weights
measure of the two obvious and natural subjects waterwheat. that is to say, the Pound Avoirdupoise:Pound Troy::the weight of water:weight of
wheat::the bulk of the corn gallon : the bulk of the liquid gallon or 7000:5760::77.7:64::272:224.
These weights measures seem to have been so combined as to render it immaterial
whether a commodity was dealt out by weight
or measure. for the dry gallon of wheat, the liquid one of wine were of the same
weight, the Avoirdupois pound of wheat, the Troy pound of wine were of the same
measure. a more natural, accurate, curious reconciliation of the two systems of
Greece Rome which happened to be found in use could not have been imagined; the
extension of the connection, from weights measures, to coins, as is done so integrally
by our Lawful currency, which makes the penny of 6. grains of silver, as was the Roman
as, has completed the system.
It is true, we find no trace either in English or American history, that these were
the views which determined the relations existing between our weights, measures and
monies. but it is more difficult to conceive that such a series of combinations should
have been merely accidental, than that History should have been silent
about them.
I am aware that there are differences of opinion as to the antient weights & coins.
those here stated are taken from Brerewood,
Kennet, Ainsworth & the Encylopedie; & are as likely to have prevailed with our ancestors
as the opinions opposed to them."
It is true, we find no trace either in English or American history, that these were
the views which determined the relations existing between our weights, measures and
monies. but it is more difficult to conceive that such a series of combinations should
have been merely accidental, than that History should have been silent
about them.
I am aware that there are differences of opinion as to the antient weights & coins.
those here stated are taken from Brerewood,
Kennet, Ainsworth & the Encylopedie; & are as likely to have prevailed with our ancestors
as the opinions opposed to them."
It is true, we find no trace either in English or American history, that these were
the views which determined the relations existing between our weights, measures and
monies. but it is more difficult to conceive that such a series of combinations should
have been merely accidental, than that History should have been silent
about them.
I am aware that there are differences of opinion as to the antient weights coins.
those here stated are taken from Brerewood,
Kennet, Ainsworth the Encylopedie; are as likely to have prevailed with our ancestors
as the opinions opposed to them.
to differ among ourselves too, I am not able to say with certainty. I find that in
1631 our house of burgesses desired of the privy council in England, a coin debased
to twenty-five per cent: that in 1645 they forbid dealing by barter for tobacco, and
established the Spanish piece of eight at six shillings, as the standard of their
currency: that in 1655 they changed it to five shillings sterling. In 1680 they sent
an address to the king, in consequence of which, by proclamation in 1683, he fixed
the value of French Crowns, rixdollars and pieces of eight at six shillings, and the
coin of New-England at one shilling. That in 1710, 1714, 1727, and 1762, other regulations
were made, which will be better presented to the eye stated in the form of a table
as follows:
The first symptom of the depreciation of our present paper-money, was that of silver
dollars selling at six shillings, which had before been worth but five shillings and
ninepence. The assembly thereupon raised them by law to six shillings. As the dollar
is now likely to become the money-unit of America, as it passes at this rate in some
of our sister-states, and as it facilitates their computation in pounds and shillings,
e converso, this seems to be more convenient than it's former denomination. But
as this particular coin now stands higher than any other in the proportion of 133⅓
to 125, or 16 to 15, it will be necessary to raise the others in the same proportion.
