New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-02-01
Precious Metals for the Currency, No. I.

assume, as incontrovertible, that it consists
Of the precious metals, In whatever form found
out of the EARTH and of nothing else. These
metals are THE CURRENCY OF THE WORLD, by the
nature and force Of things by the laws OF trade,
and by the universal consent Of ali natlons-they
are, and must be so, independent of legislation,
or with its sanction. They are in no sense the
creature of legislation, but may be and are con-
frmed by legislative enactments. They are THE
CURRENCY, because of their intrinsic value in
themselves, and because Of the great amount OF
useful purposes to which they can be applied.
Some OF the peculiaritcs of gold are, that it can
not be dissolved by water corroded by the atmo-
sphere, or burnt by FIRE; it is consequently i'm
perishable in its nature-it is susceptible of the
least possible division and capable of reinion.
Silver does not possess all these qualities, butmost
nearly in these pecularities resembles gold. Sill
vermay be drawn into wire so fine that one grain
will extend more than 400 feet, an ounce of gold
encircling silver, may be drawn into wire so fine
as to extend more than 1900 miles. The great
value and beauty of these metals circumscrbe
more abundant, they would be applied to innu-
merable uses, for which they are now too expcn-
size. If more abundant they would be used for
cooking untensils, and for table furniture, for ma
nv mechanical and agricultural instruments, and
as a material in building; nothing, for instance,
could be more durable than gold for covering the
roofs of buildings and no material is more easily
wrought; gold or silver would form chain Of
great strength for agricultural or other purposes
hence it does not follow that if these metals were
as plenty as iron they would be less valuable than
iron, an assertion frequently made. They are
not, however, as plenty as iron, and there is not
the least probably that they ever will be. The
Former of all things, has given the metals, as all
things else in such proportions, as he saw fit,
wishout consulting any of his creatures, and their
wisdom consists in properly applying, and using
thenl-hence the fallacy of all such unnatural
assumptions They are like assuming that if
gravitaton tended upward, every thvg would
fly from the earth-but it does not tend upward,
and we are not in danger Of such catastrophe,
and are in as little danger of the precious metals
becoming as plenty as iron.
In England silver is not a legal tender for sums
above twenty shillings still it is much curren-
CIV there as in the United States, and in ingots,
and bars, constitutes large portion of the funds
in the Bank of England. F.
To The Editors of the Commercial .4due, user
Upon looking over my letter OF to-day, Just now,
in your evening paper, | notice two errors which
must have occurred in transcription. Ihe words
affirmative" and negative have been made to
change places.
In the second paragraph the sentence should read
thus-ShOuld you answer IN the affirmative you must
abandon the principles of your Church.
Should you answer in the negative you must aban'
don your own principles.
In the seventh paragraph it should read
If YOU can answer in the affirmative and sustain
your affirmation, &c.
Your obsdient servant,
IONA. NJ. WAINWRIGHT.
Thursday afternoon Jan. sotf
j. b. Perrault, the former Cashier OF the
Newt Orleans Citizens Bank, indicted for embeZ-
zling the funds of that institution, has been tired
and acquitted.
- We are requested to call the attention OK
Hardware dealers to the great sale OF Hardware,
Cutlery, &C. by j. S. Platt, at 10 o'clock this day.
PHRENoLoGY-We invite the attention of our
readers to the exertons of the Messrs. Fowlers and
Strachan, who are now giving Lectures IN the city,
in Williamsburgh, and Jersey City, and soon ex-
pect to give full course in Brooklyn, and at Gin
ton Hall in this city 1t appears they are deter
mined to spare no pains to bring this subject before
the public in such manner as to make 1t highly IN
terestng, practical and useful. The main object OF
their Lectures is to reform and improve mankind, by
presenting the true function of each faculty OF the
mind the cause and consequence OF their peryer-
sion, and the evil effects Of such perversion on the
minds of others hence, in the course OF their Lee
lures, they have occasion to speak of the cause OF
most of the evils existing in society and their rene
edy. This they do in measured terms. They have
published many books upon subjects Of vital i'm
porance, handled III such practical and common
sense manner as TO make them OF value to ALL
They have travelled over every State III the Union
and the Provinces, and their experience and pract-
cal talents qualify them to be instructive in their
Lectures and beneficial to those who consult them
for delineations of character.
They have accumulated large and very expen-
sve Cabinet, containing notorious skulls, drawings
of particular persons, and busts or casts OF dlsn-
guished and remarkable individuals of thus and other
countries. The other day, we noticed most adj
mirable cast OF H. Clay; also of Thomas n; Ben
Claiming, William Leggett, &c. The collection is
open to the inspection Of every personfre of barge
and is well worth examining Phrenology, in the
hands OF those gentlemen has assumed definite
and tangible shape; and we advise the young, both
male and female-the parent the teacher, and the
man of business-to consult them professionally,
if they wish to form suitable associations for life,
put their children to proper employments, or obtain
the services of those who will serve them faithfully
- Prof. Bronson will lecture this evening on
the Laws of Body and Mind at he Consstory Room.
H1Miamsburgh, giving copy OF his Elements of
Physiology to every auditor.
C We are requested to say that the John W.
rt,I=. ..,o .:arod II, tho naSo of Iohr, w Thorne