The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-05-12
Tbe Gnqulrer.
RICHMOND ::
SATURDAY, MAY ~, 1904,
SHCCCCC(

lalt Enquirer, that an abftra6t of the pro-
Greetings or the Giebe lands ihould be pub
liihed in the next paper, it was the opinion
ofthe Editor that the decidon would have
been given by the court ofAppeals before
that period. This deciiion has not yet been
made. In England, any notice which is
taken of the proceedings of court on
pending iuit, is a contemptuous infillt up
Oh, its nights. The Editor of the Enquirer,
although he ihould not expect to incur any
fuch imputatiou from the Court Of Appeais,
till conceivss it to be proper 20 fulpend
this report until their deciiion is pubiickly
announced.
Plans TO PREVENT CONTRIBUTING
BANK NOTES.-The great art of becom-
ing richer, without a proportional increafe
Of exertion, has IN many periods Of fociety,
led artfni men TO attempt the diicovery of
tome fecret and ingenious method for the
nultiplicationof money. The fpirit which
formerly perfuaded the ingenious Chemist
to fearch in his fire and crucibie for fome
happy experiment of changing the baier
metals into gold has now varied its form,
tho it has lot none of its activity. Find
ing qat1ye ia,penetrible in her iecret re-
cefies, and difappointed in their whinllical
expectations or imparting to piece of lead
the attributes of gold, they have like many
other men of equal ingenuity and intrigue,
refolved TO vary their method of attack
and the art or OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES now dwin-
died into the initiative art Of giving fuch a
form and appearance to their money, as
may ailinilate it to the common circulat-
ing medium. Theic modern st. Icons,
who have always yielded to this perfecuted
hero nf romance in the fIccofS, but not al
ways in the fiibtilty of their plans, have
fnbdividsd this favorite art into many dif-
tintt branches. An humber iett, have
limited al their Ingenuity to clipping
and hing the gold coin, without much
regard for the &c Royal Majesty of En-
gland" a more adventurous clafs,
by putting gold or FLYER coat on fome laser
metal, have attempted to raiie their ozvH
rank m iociety, by giving this difhonorable
metal a more diitinguiihed place in the or
der of minerals. j would refer the curious
feadel to Chap: 7, of Colquohoun's Po-
ice OF the Metropolis, who has drawn at
tuli length AL Ele clales of this money-rna-
KING tribe, that relide in London, from the
daring counterfeiter OF an Englifh Guinea
or Indian Pagoda, TO the modeft manufac-
'turer OF vile Farthing. The different
forms ofpaPer too, which the courtefy of
the iat~ has .uffrrei TO reprefent money or
property, have not efcaped the lucrative in
8euuity of other hands. Some of them
advance their fortune by forging receipts &
IorderS.Others employ rdextefityin little
tricks, which would not difgrace the flight
of-hand amusements of iuggler; with the
mott perfect eaie they will alter the numbers
(which appear on the face of Bank Note,
N fh1I, III
Vuddenly expanded into 500 or 5000. En-
VAre notes have been if1ued from the paper
mlnts OF thele diihorourable Importers,
who nave ftudled the ingenious art of en-
craving to extend their own fortunes, bv
'mPohng upon the credulity of others.
Can any effectual method be adopted
aor preventing the circulation of thefe
hctlttouS notes, is the important enquiry,
winch has been fugeefted by the many fuc-
ceisfnl attem, is made IN different parts of
tais country, and the daring project lately
d1covered IN our own fate, of counterfeit
Ing bank notes This enquiry, at all
times curious, and in commercial coun
tries particularly important, is now
brought home to the buGnefs and
bofom" of alnoft every man in the
itate by the proceeded Establishment OF the
bank of Virginia. Should we be content
ed witt. the experience, which England has
afforded us, we might readily flppofe that
this enquiry had already received fatisfac-
cory antwer. Il might be improperly con-
Guided that had any fyftern for preventing
counterfeit notes been practicable, the
Bank OF England and the other banks in
t at country would have anxiouslv fought
Tor q appropriated it 70 their own benefit.
Ard yet their efforts have been fruitlefs.
Almoft every file of Eneli h PAPERS, and
every volume of reported cafes. which we
receive, contain the trial Of fome of thofe
Ihlierdble wretches, whom the hopes of ac-
.camulating fortune By counterfeitine
notes have involved in the penalties of the
law. - '-'N
lhis diicovery, which the Englifh artists
nave not been fortunate enough to make.
mas been lately affumed by two enpravers
IN TINS country. Two plans have been late
~ propoled in our public prints, for pre-
venting the circulation of counterfeit notes.
one has been fuggefted by a MIR. Jacob Per-
kihs OF Boston, who recommends the ufe of
the stereotype plate. The other is from
Mr.. J. Brooks Of Richmond, who thinks
.tnat the ute ofplates, called by the manu-
fdcturers " back stuff would eHeaualI,,
prevent impoftion.
STEREOTYPE PLATES.