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

Bsgda there many lines of writing, accompanied with
the impressions of seals probably Of attesing witnesses
On fragment of tile brought from Nimoud, in the most
minute letters parallel columns, apparently Of words
and numbers Ike account" son rectangular tile
small engraved cylinder Of appears have been
rolled passed round the edges probably prevent
lagsment contradiction Of the document Tablets Of ala
baste inscribed both sides. also discovered
the ruins Of Nimroud" "The Inscriptions the Babyo
MAN bricks are generally enclosed in small square, and
formed with considerable and nicely They appear to
have been impressed with stamp, upon which the entire
inscription and isolated letters cut en- relief
This art nearly approaching to the modern invention Of
printing, is proved to have been known at very remote
epoch to the Egyptians and the Chinese" es,9
Wilkinson's Account of the Ancient Egyptians in
forms US that ga soldiers leave Of absence had been disco
yered among the ruins of Egypt, written upon piece Of
broken earhenwa" 1t has also been discovered that the
Egyptian monarchs stamped their bricks or tiles,
which then burnt in the furnace This practice must
have served evidence Of important matter for we
suppose it Of simple dsness or uselesness The
stamps employed formed Of blocks Of hard wood ssve
Of which are preserved in European collections The
characters generally incised, that the impressions
are relief" prominent or raised above the surface
Similar stamps block of letters, have been used by the
Chinese, upon paper, from very distant period
These descriptions Of ancient customs all indicate the same
precautions and which no,o employed printed,
engraved and vren bills, for monetary exchanges among
Us, and would be curious discovery If Of these
namened cylinders tiles. bricks should prove to be re-
cepts for funds drawn from the ancient Assyrian Egyp-
tan treasures bonds which have been presented redeem
ed, and paid
Let suppose that for "the dispatch Of business, tiles
thin BRICKS cylinders of clay and earhenwae, stamped
with the sovereigns SEAL bearing his and titles,
Figured images within scrO) employed eudnees
Of dsposes in the public treasury issued by the
proper officers durable receipts bullion, valuabh
ments and money lent to the Government lin fact, to
hare ansoered all the purposes Of modern sock and to have
been tokens Of loans and receipts for subscriptions to ancient
Egyptian and Assyrian investments.
The appropriations for civil and military lists for agges-
sve defensive wars for ecclesiastical and other public
adjustments, have been paid anceny in way.
Bricks impressed with the soveregns sgnmanual form
precious certificates printed paper The value
Of each would be in exact proportion to the confidence the
want Of il, in the people who lend or borrow. ss4
In times Of adversely pressure such tokens would be
handed in for payment With the declenson Of the parent
countries the precious metals would take the Of egra
ton to distant colonies and gradually change their forms and
devices, they do at the present day. the receipts
found, The "coias and bullion have passed elsevhere.
The results would again under similar crcum
stances now.
From the freshness Of the metallic colors used by the
artists upon the unfinished sketches and paintings Of
the walls of Egyptian temples overwhelmed by sand for many
centuries, have evidences of very sudden interruption
to industry.
We may consider the Hebrew laws have been designed
reformation Of preceding customs and institutions; such
explanations frequently offered by their writer's to the
people, The moral laws often forbade practices previously
~, AZ ~.
proofs Of this have been sometimes careesy accounted
when really dependant upon refer
ence to time, distinct periods in their history.
We may suppose that prompt cash transactions did not
prevail generally among the Egyptians, the Hebrew laws
designed conflict with the Objectionable practices Of
neghbong nations Punctualy in the payment of debts
very strictly insisted upon by the Hebrew laws from the
highest the lowest in society, all other practices being
termed deceptive or Oppressive"
The Hebrew writer's demonstrate the Importance of exact
weights balances and !; and the whole sys
tenn Of borrowing upon pledges exhibits intention to
honesty, and just protection for the rights and inter-
ests Of all thepeops.
Although our translation Of the Bible asserts that usuy
understood the Of interest abore awful stan
dad," the subject Of prohibition by the Mosaic laws,
Hebrew scholars interpret the command interdc-
ton of all payments Of interest whaterer!
By absolute law the destitute Hebrew prevented
paying any interest to his richer brother, who not
permitted to refuse to lend " for his necessities"
GA pledge, "security' for the repayment Of loans,
allowed with wede6ned exceptions in Of ertree
dstuon when this practice of security forbidden
Even the feelings Of poor debtor were kindly protected
from the intrusion Of creditor within his door:
"When thou dos lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt
not go into his house to fetch his pledge. Thou shalt stand
abroad and the whom thou dost lend shall bring out
the pledge abroad thee. And the be poor thou
shalt not sleep uth his pledge "-Deut. xiv. l0l2
The refusal TO lend, the neglect to pay just debt, are
equally abhorrent the Hebrew CODE "The wicked bor
row. and pay again. and " the wicked Cypress the poor
Other enacmens with regard to the accounts Of debtor and
creditor show the extent which system of credits gen.
era Indebtedness had been already carried and the distinct
references the revolutions and dsteses of ancient nations
recognised in history have prevailed before the Hebrew
g Exodus" M
Debt is called ga curse" and not blessing among in
dvidua men, among nations, in the Hebrew writings.
Such monetary restrictions appear to have been for the
special benefit Of the poorest and most industrious classes
upon whose industry the burden Of repayment ultimately falls
The exceptions to the general laws, applied for the benefit
Of the poorest Debtors show that the first Of these laws
for such Of the people least able to sustain them
selves and this purpose is compared to the practice Of good
shepherds, who "regurd the feeble Of their Aocks.
The Hebrews "promised" that they " should have
few poor they obeyed these laws Of moral obligation, and
should have to lend and not 10 borrow of other naons