The dies of the reverse of this medal served for all the Indian Presidential medals struck previous to July, 1846, when new ones had to be made, as will be seen from the following extracts from despatches of R. M. Patterson, director of the Mint, to William Merrill, commissioner of Indian affairs, bearing date, Philadelphia, July 18, 1846:
"As the dies for the Indian medals belong to the War Department, it is proper that I should mention that the reverses are no longer in a condition to be employed. They have been used for all the medals struck since the time of President Jefferson, and it was with difficulty that they could be made to answer for those which we have just completed. A new set will be absolutely necessary, and it seems not unreasonable that they should be paid out of the appropriation made for these medals, in striking which they have finally failed."
And Philadelphia, December 5, 1846:
"In a letter which I addressed to you on the 18th of July last, I stated that the reverses used for the Indian medals were no longer in a condition to be again employed. I mentioned that the cost of a new set would be $300, and I asked your authority to have them made without further delay. This authority you gave me in your letter of the 21st of July. I have now to report that complete sets both of hubs and dies have been made, and that the hubs will put it in our power to replace a die, at any time, if it should be injured. All apprehension from this source is therefore removed for the future."
James Madison was born at King George, on the Rappahannock river, Virginia, March 16, 1751. He was graduated at the College of New Jersey, Princeton, 1771; studied law; was member of the General Assembly of Virginia, 1776; of the Continental Congress, 1780-1783; of the State Legislature of Virginia, 1784; of the Philadelphia Convention, 1787; representative in Congress from Virginia, 1789-1797; secretary of State to President Jefferson, 1801-1809; President of the United States (first term), 1809-1813; (second term), 1813-1817. He died at his estate of Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, June 28, 1836.
August 19, 1812.