Let it, then, be established that an ounce is of the weight of
a cube of rain water, of one-tenth of a foot; or, rather, that it is
the thousandth part of the weight of a cubic foot of rain water,
weighed in the standard temperature; that the series of weights of
the United States shall consist of pounds, ounces, pennyweights, and
grains; whereof
24 grains shall be one pennyweight;
18 pennyweights one ounce;
16 ounces one pound.
COINS.
Congress, in 1786, established the money unit at 375.64 troy
grains of pure silver. It is proposed to enlarge this by about the
third of a grain in weight, or a mill in value; that is to say, to
establish it at 376 (or, more exactly, 375.989343) instead of 375.64
grains; because it will be shown that this, as the unit of coin, will
link in system with the units of length, surface, capacity, and
weight, whenever it shall be thought proper to extend the decimal
ratio through all these branches. It is to preserve the possibility
of doing this, that this very minute alteration is proposed.
We have this proportion, then, 875 to 864, as 375.989343 grains
troy to 371.2626277; the expression of the unit in the new grains.
Let it be declared, therefore, that the money unit, or dollar
of the United States, shall contain 371.
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