Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-08-13

toned here where the Govern .nent resides and
finally, its name is Treasury. Its name is 6s-
cal; and what is fiscal, but belonging to the
Treasury? II is from the Latin adjective ifs
cats, and signifies belonging to the treasury.
Else is Treasury, from the Latin noun .fscus.
The French say Jfsque for Treasury, from the
same noun. Fiscus and fscahs are from the
Greek phaskos, and phaskalos. The primitive
meaning Of the Greek is big basket, and be-
longing to the big basket, commonly called
hanaper, or hamper basket. This is the prim-
tive sense: the fgurative or metaphorical
sense is treasury, and belonging to the ,reasu-
ry; and the reason Of this metaphorical sense
is this, that anciently governments collected
their taxes As the priests did their tythes, aud
as many landlords now collect their rents, that
is to say, in kind. Thus when the wheat, bar
ley, olives, grapes, &c. were ripe, the Govern.
ment tax galherers entered the field with the
owner, and gathered the Government share.
which was always large share, and required
large baskets to receive it. The farmer had a
little basket, and the Government big basket
IA hamper, or, as our good housewives call
it, hamper-which had handles to it, and re-
auired several men to carry 1t. This big basket
received the tax for the treasury: what was
put in it was put in the Treasury and hence,
by an easy metaphor, the Treasury took the
name Of big basket. Thus we trace the word
fiscal in this bill, to the Latin fseus and fscais,
and that to its Greek root phastos and phaskatos,
aud it all comes to the same thing, that is to
say, belonging to the Treasury.
Sir, said Mr.. b., this name fiscal ought to be
changed it will bamboo:le the people, and
lead them off from the true idea Of this Bank
it will conceal its true character, that of
Treasury or Government Bank--,he thing so
much dreaded and decried in General Jackson's
and Mr.. Van Buren's time. 1t is a bamboo
zling name, and ought to be changed. Some
member near repeated the word bamboozle,
doubtingly.1 Yes, said Mr.. b., it is good
word--an old English word-a powerful word
in its place-and appropriately used here. l
have used il before in the Senate, and justified
it BY Johnson and the best photographers, and
this finest Writers in the English languags.-
You will recollect, MIR. President, addressing
himself to Mr.. Southland in the chai.) that you
rather sneered at this word when l first used
it here; whereupon called in the Hercules,
DR.. Samuel Johnson, LII. ID. and F. r. S., and
he quickly settled the matter in my favor
Some Of the illustrations Of its meaning, which
then read, will not be forgotten on this floor,
they suited the times and the subject so well.
Mr.. Archer. What are they? l was not
here.
: SIR. b., 60 one of the little pases) bring me
Johnson. (I'he boy brought it.) Here, said
Mr.. b., listen He read:
ITO bamJoozle, active verb, 10 deceive; to
impose upon, to contound.
:After Nick had dan.5oozled about the money,
John called for counters. "-.7turAno!.
Gall the people upon earth, except these two
or three worthy gentlemen, are imposed upon,
cheated, dubbed, abused, bansbooz!ed !"-.ad-
Olson.
Mr.. B. said here was good authority for the
verb, to bamboozle. There was also good au-
thority for sthe noun substantive, balnbooz!er.
Listen to Johnson again:
s'Bamboozler, ,ricking fellow; cheat.
"'rhere are a sc, of fellows they call BAN
tere,s and bamboozlers, that play such tricks"
-.7burthnot.
This is good authority, said Mr.. B., bu. this
is not all. Richardson, more modern than
Johnson, and a standard photographer, has re-
deemed and established the word in our lam
gnase. He says the meaning is TO delude, to
mislead, TO cheat, to cozen, 10 deceive, TO be-
guile and he gives several illustrations, some
very suitabled 10 our times. Thus:
''After Mic had bamboozled John awhile
about the $4,000 aud the $4,000, John called
for counters; but what with sleight Of hand,
and taking from his own score and adding to
that of Johns, Mic brought the balance always
on his own side. "-SwJts Life Of John Bull.
"This whimsical phenomenon,
Confounding all my pro and con,
Bamboozles the account again,
And draws me nolens volens in"
King, tn Stumbling Block.
"But, says l, sir, perceive this is to you
all ban,doozHng. Why you look as if you were
Don Diego'd TO the tune Ola thousand pounds"
--1atlr, No. 81.
The reading Of these illustrations occasion
ed much amusement in the Senate.
Mr.. b. trusted that he had INDICATED the
use of the term to which exceptions seemed to
be taken, and he trusted that it was equally
easy to vindica,e the application which he had
made of it. The name of this Bank was
cheat and trick it deceived the ignorant and
the thoughtless. The name implied that it was
for the Treasury alone-tbat it was an agent
for the Treasury-when it is bank OF Discount,
deposite, and circulation in which foreigners
and other banks may be stockholders, and
which, instead Of being an agent of the 'lsrea-
sury, will be its master! The name is cheat;
it should be altered fiscal should be struck
cut. and some other substituted. 1t is COM
pound monster, part treasury, part individual,
part subordinate corporations, for other corpo-
rations may subscribe to its stock. Call it the
Treasury Bank of the United States. Then it
is the abhorred thing-the chimera dire-the
qorqon head-the raw head and bloody bones
which, was held up to terrify the people du.
ring the whole administration OF Jackson and
Van Buren,. Even the Independent Treasury.
was stigmatized as Treasury Bank, and ma
ny good people were excited against II on that
account, syet it issued no notes received no de-
noSitns made no discounts. bought and sold no