The New York herald., 1849-05-30


coin was universally received, its frst appear
snce, has been followed by deep regrets. ooea-
stoned by rumor that it is to be Withdrawn.
Nothing of the kind The secret reasons why
this first issue has nearly disappeared and that the
supply is so inadequate to the public wishes. are
leaking out II seems that the officers of the mint
at Phadelpha, have set themselves against the
Issue of such currency, and that these mere
agents of a popular government, are more under
the influence of the bank directors of that city,
than that of their own masters, the people Of the
federal government The banks there, and
elsewhere, are very hostile, in secret way,
to the coinage of gold dollars, because if the cir
culatlon of such a currency should become general
among the people, it would put an end to the rags
issued by them for one, two, or three dollars. 1t
is feeling of personal interest," entirely which ac-
tuates the banks and their agents in Philadelphia,
to the same extent probably which it did during
the struggles of the old national bark, when ma
naged by the unfortunate and unhappy Mr.. Bidde.
If Mr.. Meredith, the Secretary of the Treasury,
and the other members of the cabinet at Washing
ton, do not mind their p's and as in relation to
this matter, they may get into the same difficult
dilemma, as regards public opinion, in which the
late MIR. Bidde found himself, and which led to
his early and lamentable death Mr. Biddle was
most amiable, accomplished, intelligent man, and
naturally free from external influences, was man
of popular tastes and impulses.
The people of this country, particularly since
the discovery Of the gold mines of California, and
in the expectation of the great flood that will soon
come from that region, have got taste for gold
dollar currency; and the banks may as we'll now,
Ill IL Ia r. a.:
awakening among the people. In less than five
years, all the shin-paster currency under five dol
lars, throughout the country, will be repudiated,
and returned upon the banks.
With regard to the mint at Philadelphia, the
conduct of its officers, if correctly represented, is
outrageous, and demands the immediate attention
of General Taylor himself. They ought to be re-
moved, from top to bottom, instanter. Not rag,
not SOUL not splinter of soul, ought to be left
of men who, under the corrupt influence of bank
ing corporations, would dare to throw obstacles in
the way OF coming gold currency for the use OF
free and independent people. The law authorizing
this issue remains in force only two years, and
the effort is to make it imperative possible.
Within the three or four months in which 1t has
been in operation, only about one hundred thousand
of these gold dollars have been coined Now, we
want at least ten millions of this popular con Let
lis have mint in this city, by the next Congress,
and we will soon pour over all the country this
golden tide, and let the Philadelphia mint, if it
chooses, run the course of the old United States
Bank-agony, death and burial, without means to
pay the funeral expenses.
AN AMERICAN FLEET IN THE MEDTERRANEAN.-
On pleasant morning, little more than two years
ago, while sojournlng at Meurice shatel, In the Rue
dc Rivol, we were amusing ourselves by listening
to the commentaries of the reading room on the
announcement of the arrival of General Scott and
the American army at Vera Cruz, which had just
been made in GaAgnani's Messenger, together with
extracts from the London journals relative to that
event. English and French, the latter in particu-
lar, were very loud and very confident in the ex-
preston of the opinion that Brother Jonathan had
made terrible taur pas, and would be sure to get
dreadful drubbing at Vera Cruz. The French
men regarded it as a most astounding piece Of
impudence In the Yankees attempting to emulate
the great achievement of their wonderful admiral,
Beaudin, including Prince de Joinville, who had
taken the Castle of San Juan d'Ulloa; and were
quite earnest in their predictions of horrible fail
ure. We heard them all very quietly, and laughed
in our sleeve.
AT the table d'hote on the very next day-which
had brought later intelligence from Mexico-we
found ourselves seated beside a short, stout, mid
dle-aged Engshman gentleman, who had some
thing of the air which distinguishes the naval Off
Ger all over the world. From some remark which
had been made by us, he had ascertained that we
came from America, and with an evident interest,
he inquired" Have you heard the news from
houa tLo
city of Vera Cruz and ala" "Oh yes!" we replied,
sand feel better to-day" "And YETI continued
our neighbor, "these egotistica Frenchmen fan
cied that Scott and his troop would be beaten! Bah!
know you Yankees better than thatr' "Indeedw
we replied, shave you ever visited the United
States?" "That | have" he returned. " You
have Captain Stewart in your navy?' "Oh! yes
Commodore Stewart-a most accomplished gen
tleman, and brave and excellent officer" "Thc
same,' said our neghbor, SO was his prisoner
once. He captured vessel, of which was one
of the lieutenants, and let me tell you, had de-
vilish good time of it while was his prisoner! |
still in the service and have got at last my rank
as captain in her Majesty's navy. So you see
do know the Yankees, and d--n me, they're of our
own flesh and blood, and will always accomplish
whatever they set about in right earnest These
Mexicans are miserable devils, and you'll conquer
the whole of their country. Let us drink to the
health of your Commodore Stewart!'' The toast
was duly honored, and the English captain kept up
the theme almost till the moment that we Quilted
the table.
This little incident has been vividly recalled to
our mind byrecent reports with regard to the send
ing of an American fleet to the Mediterranean.
Unquestionably the United States should be at this
time represented on those waters by an appropriate
force of men and guns; and we do not know any
more appropriate selection of the officer to take
the command that could be made, than that of
Commodore Stewart. He is, indeed, just the indi-
vidual who should be chosen for this responsible
and important position. One of the finest vessels
in our navy-the Pennsylvania, for instance