Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-02-07
IE:g NaW gQfaser H::1,

A bin has passed bo;h Houses o9 Coa.
gress, prescribing that hereafter tie sgaa-
ish and Mexican coins--kno8n SIS "qoac-
ters," ''levies" and 'fip9''--slE.l he .eo9iy-
ed at the Treasury ana ether pu6iio Offices
at the values respectively CT t8onsy, ten,
ana Ave cents. When 70 zees.ved taey ars
not to be again pu; IN calculation, ta. to be
reeoined at the Mint. y ae9 cent is slso
to be issued, composed If eishLJ-el3zt Ee.
cent. copper and twelve If nickel.
The New York Herald thuo ec.nm sr.s en-
the new bill
The reform Instituted By re frs. geo.
ton of this bill has long been needed. lis
old Spanish coin has been gradually aepgs-
ciating, and is now received at ths yata OF
three or four per cent, above lie real g4lus.
in addition 10 which the shilling and aiS-
penny currency is nuisance in every uoiat
Of view. Add to this the confusion Of stran-
gers who are bothered 10 every city Of the
Union by such local terms given 10 Spanish
pieces, such as "shilIings," s.sixpeacea, .
fps, bits, levios, picayunes ,ninepenees, four
penccs, Nc, and it seems strange thai the
nuisance has not been done away win long
ago, and our own convenient decimal sys-
tenn vigorously enforced A confusion Of
currencies Is quite as bad as confusion Of
tongues. In this country it was caused by
each batch of the earlier settlers bringing
with them the system Of the country from
which they came. Thus, the Pnritans and
Virginians brought their pounds, ahillings
and pence ; the Dutch their gui!dera and so
on. The colonial governments, in regula-
ting their currency, each fixed a different
fraction Of a dollar, which should represent
shilling. Thus, in Boston. if you buy an
article for 4 shillings, you pay CT and Two
third cents, while in New York four shill-
ings worth Of anything will cost you fly
cents. Every one has experienced the an
noyances growing out Of this want Of una
ninlity, and every one has been anxious fer
the day when all the Spanish ooiu shonld be
melted up, and reappoar fresh and bright
with the impress Of our own mint.
Eas- There is much misunderstanding and
some dissatisfaction in the cities with regard
tothe law-many persons think tits designed
to forbid the circulation Of fractional Mezi.
can and Spanish coin at anything above the
decimal rates. The substantial feature of
the new law authorizes their reception at
20, 10 and 3 cents respectively. at the post
Office, &C., and forbids their reissue. They
never were legal tender and there is ne
law compelling any one to take them, but
holders need not sacrifice largely upon them
unless they are clipped or worn smooth.
MECHANICS WAGES IN THE WEST. In
order to give an idea to some who are desir
ous Of moving Westward, VIC publish the
following from mechanic Of Washington
City, who went to the West in search of
high wages at Chicago. aud thus writes
home to his friend;
''As 70 mechanics wagas cut here, de-
duct from Ave to fifteen per cent. from those
at Washington, and you approximate to W.
ges here. Tho largest margin Of differ
ence is in the wages of briekiayers and plas-
terers~-carponter and joiners from 81 "a
to 81, painters and blaeksmiths, same as at
Washington bricklayers and plasterers at
! so to 81 % per day, and a scarcity #
employment at that Ordinary board S.
per week, and small frame houses from 20
TO $50 per month This is true al al the
Western towns of which / have any kuowl-
edge.
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DrAp.--The Petersburg Express amour
ces the death of John McNeale Latham, Al
Council Bluffs, Nebraska Territory On the
18th Of December last lie vas native Of
Culpeper Co. Va, studied law in staunson,
and practised at Washington. D. G. At the
time of his death he was leading member
&c The HnnSn az Rnnrnan,.t r. -. u \. -