Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-11-15
NaTIONAL INTELLIGENcER.

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We are indebted to the author for having ou
attention attracted to the following learned and In
srucive article upon ancient usages and transac-
tions in regard to Money! matter which SO
greatly occupies the thoughts and influences the
actions fthe men Of the present generation.
FROM THE cHRIsrIAS ExAMHEHr ron sSrTHnBEH, 1881
a8e. ANCIENT MONEY TRANSACTIONS.
We NAV endesvor to divest ourselves Of The opinion thai
men, in the most remote ages, very different in dspo
sion from those Of our times As the explanation Of
the causes intentions and principles Of ancient laws dis
closed 70 us perceive very striking resembances between
ancient and modern people. es- 49, lAH es
The manners customs and information Of distant nations
vary from own but the impulses which originated them
were the same with own Reference to the intentions
Of both essential to the just explanation Of the practices
of either. fae s38a .8 E4
The world must have been advanced in knowledge in the
days Of Abraham who, born in Chsdea in the midst Of
ancient civilization luxury aud superion is the first
OF his race mentioned by Hebrew WRITER'S possessed and
paid out gold silver; in both Of which, well IN cat
tie. he Is described to have been rich" 81 8e2
Abraham left his fathers home and kindred according
the narrative, because g they served other GODS When
the strange gods Of the Assyrisns" obtain
idea Of the for various commands in the Hebrew laws
that appear necessary at the present day, with
toms Of which may be obnoxious to similar reproof
Abraham is represented in the Hebrew writings have
purchased ga field for possession" "wih cave, and all
the trees buryingpsce for Sarah his wife, paying
them "four hundred sheke Cor Weighed pieces Of silver,
current with the merchant" This is very ineligible
Of large circulation, and also of
regulation in the quality standad" Of the spices" Of
metal designated by the very notice of their weight The
formal witnesses and the systematic transfer Of values exhibit
the prevailing civilization Of the age in which Abraham
lived
The anes Of weights among ancient nations thought
toprove that the Roman weights from Greece the Gre
clan from Phrnca, and the PhGnician from Babylon, near
A6rahams brthplace Thus own weights claim very
respectable antiquity.
The fact Of Abahams paying pieces Of silver by weight
related 10 the Hebrew "a usage" Some
readers may not beaware that every piece money ssu
ed BY modern minis is 'weghed !" the mint performing
the goldsmith; which practice still prevails among the
atics Any suspicion Of loss in weight gold coins
be reweghed among VS. privately, now.
In the book Of job considered ancient than the other
Hebrew writings read that after his recovery from sick
ness every of Jobs friends and relations gave him
piece Of money, and every earring of gold" Allow
ing for popularity in the idom and the poetic character Of
the language understand that Job received either an or
nament Of value piece Of money from each of bis friends
and relatives The interchange Of such presents was we'll
known compliment in the East. The words earring and
money have been used anonymously, for Of
gold were often delivered by weight" money!" their
title Of 6neness being appreciated by the parties.
ssThs images which Rachel Z" hid in her cnels furni
ture were called gods," probably from their devices
forms, being in the shape Of animals which were worship
Jshoy
ed money! which his daughter Rachel "stOe in the
language of the Scriptures feminine assertion Of her
right to Inheritance from her fathers house. where she
says " she treated stranger" The merchantmen
from indian, with cames bearing spicey into Egypt who
bought Joseph from his bethren appear have had their
slver" pieces" ready for that trade and counted them
without delay. Jacobs carried money" into Egypt
seto buy cop, which money afterwards found tied up
in their sacks, and tested "by weight" when
was returned the second time.
The arts Of casting small images ornaments of god
stamping craving Impressions "peces Of metal, like
coins well the difficult process Of craving on
gems known and mentioned at very early period Of
history Indeed the existence of good gold that is we
presume e Of good quality" is noticed in Genesis before
the creation of The Of the land Of Havah,
in which it found, being obtained from of the
scendants of Shem shows that the written record Of this
curious tradition made long after the precious metal
discovered.
The Hebrew laws designate prompt cash payments, and
indicate currency of different denominations the smallest
well the larger "pieces for " the wages Of hireng
ordered to be daily paid and such sswages" could
not have been of large amount, unless the circulation
greater than estimate it. Payments in metallic money.
weghed pieces" images ornaments, coins, fire.
quenty mentioned in the Hebrew writings They are also
exhibited in the descriptions Of ancient Egyptian paintings
How is it that, with such evidences Of their
ence, coins found in the ruins Of Assyia Of
Egypt! Al has, ea3a asg Eel
Wepeceive in the details of the Hebrew writ
ings that Jonah paid his fare, like passenger, from Jop
pa port the Mediterranean, to Tarahsh, probably Issus
his route to Nneveh where Mr. Layard is said to have
discovered erected his memory; at any rate,
inscribed with bis name. But Mr.. Layard mentions that
so coins have been discovered among the Asyian ruins
nor there any thing in the sculptures to show that the As
syrians acquainted with money, in Egypt" is
also remarkable that coins of great antiquity have yet been
found in Egyptian ruins although the Egyptians known
to have had metallic currency.
Herodotus visited Babylon, which gave laws to all
the nations Of the Eaa about 400 years ago. and then
described the signs Of decay. He relates that " coins
which remained from the surplus of ASIA de-
fayng The current expenses of the year. melted into
c0yhen jars. When the metal cooled the jars broken,
and the bullion placed 10 the treasury. 'a 6 oisye