1788 Rare Coin

Yes, Attorney General Edmund Randolph opined to the President that the temporary appointment of Voight to the post of Chief Coiner under the Act of 1792 was invalid due to no bond. But, Randolph further stated that since there was no bond, the office of coiner had not been filled by the temporary recess appointment of Voight and the office was thus vacant. Therefore, the operation of the Mint proceeded legally directly under the authority granted the President under the Act of 1791 which did not require bonds and thus the temporary hiring (not office appointment) of Voight as Coiner was legal. Therefore the half disme coinage minted in 1792 was legal.

 

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Would this an example of article II section II where " The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session." ?

 

That is what the President did initially when he made the recess appointment of Voight to the post of Chief Coiner. But since bond had not been made, a requirement of the Act of 1792, the appointment was invalid. But Randolph said the President was well within his legal rights to hire Voight as an employee under the President's direct control of the mint by the terms of the Act of 1791.