Okla-homey
5/18/2006, 06:39 AM
May 18, 1908 Congress mandates use of "In God We Trust"
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/3862/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa10.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
98 years ago on this day, in a move that seemingly flew in the face of many of the founders' beliefs in the separation of church and state, Congress passed legislation on this day in 1908 that made the maxim "In God We Trust" an obligatory element of certain coins.
The motto dates back to the early 1860s, when the Civil War stirred religious feelings throughout the nation. America's heightened piety manifested itself in many places, including the Treasury Department, which received countless letters requesting that the nation's coins pay some form of tribute to God.
Concerned citizens and religious leaders found a fast friend in Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase, who readily agreed that the "trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins."
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/206/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa11.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Salmon P. Chase
James Pollock, director of the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia, was charged with devising a suitable motto.
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/9027/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa12.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
James Pollock
After some key revisions from Chase, Pollock decided upon the now-familiar "In God We Trust."
There has never been a serious constitutional challenge to the use of the words on US coinage or currency. Even if one were brought, my guess is the challenge would not be successful since people with a brain understand the First Amendment only proscribes Congress from making laws establishing an official government-sponsored religion. Since Christianity, Judaism and Islam all share monotheism, "In God We Trust" doesn't equal establishment of any particular faith as the "official religion" of the United States.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4909/insane7zo9vn.jpg
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/3862/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa10.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
98 years ago on this day, in a move that seemingly flew in the face of many of the founders' beliefs in the separation of church and state, Congress passed legislation on this day in 1908 that made the maxim "In God We Trust" an obligatory element of certain coins.
The motto dates back to the early 1860s, when the Civil War stirred religious feelings throughout the nation. America's heightened piety manifested itself in many places, including the Treasury Department, which received countless letters requesting that the nation's coins pay some form of tribute to God.
Concerned citizens and religious leaders found a fast friend in Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase, who readily agreed that the "trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins."
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/206/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa11.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Salmon P. Chase
James Pollock, director of the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia, was charged with devising a suitable motto.
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/9027/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa12.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
James Pollock
After some key revisions from Chase, Pollock decided upon the now-familiar "In God We Trust."
There has never been a serious constitutional challenge to the use of the words on US coinage or currency. Even if one were brought, my guess is the challenge would not be successful since people with a brain understand the First Amendment only proscribes Congress from making laws establishing an official government-sponsored religion. Since Christianity, Judaism and Islam all share monotheism, "In God We Trust" doesn't equal establishment of any particular faith as the "official religion" of the United States.
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4909/insane7zo9vn.jpg