Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-06-04
LYNCHBURG, SATURDAY MORNING. JUNE 4. 1856
aailp Tir9iuiau.
Depreciation of Gold,

II is n strange fnct in human nature--should
we not say inhuman avarice Y-that the richer a
man gets the more docs his covetousness increases
There few honorable exceptions to he sure,
but these have not boen much exhibited in the
late California excitement while tho gold.seokers
at Frazcr's river and Pixies Peak have found
little else that disappointment. misery. privation
starvation, disease, and often death Most Of
those who have returned. soon discovered that
"Geld. Gold Gold! Gold!
Is bright and yellow hard and cold"
Many reaching ,hcr old homes again have
learned lesson Of philosophy from painful cxpc-
rience nnd incredible hardshirs that teaches them
that the comforts of life and frequently indcrcn-
dcncc nrc better and more worthily obtained bv
honc~ lab and righteous dealings. Meanwhile
within the last ten years. the inflow of tho prce-
Gus menl has been enormous. 1t still so contin.
ncs. and thcreis every prospect thnt 1t will IN
crease. nS miners become more familiar with their
trade aud as inventive skill improves the machi-
ncr, for sitting thraulilerous earth and for crush
ing the wealth yielding masses ofgrnnite with
their shluing PARTICLES and veins. Still, there is
II. certainty thut gold viii deprcciatc in value. 1t
is said ounce Of gold will gradually purchase
less ilour and cloth. than it did Icw years ago.
This effect is claimed for the advance OF rrlecs
even in family marketing. As we lately stated
in Noticing II, recent work ON the subject, written
hy Michael Chcyaliet, n statesman and slatistican
of France. aud translated by Richard Golden. OF
England The conclusion arrived ut is That in
the United States gold has lalen--fallen very nm
erially; MT by law. hu. by the rise Of prices, by
which gold is deprecated. Tn dollars in gold it
IN sud. will not luy wha' eight would ten ,cnrs
ngu. M Il thus gold depreciates relatively in COM
nercr long lcfuic the law notices remedies the
change. 1t is also argued, that while gold hns
augmented rapidly in quantity the product Of sill
YER has re NAMED ab nut the s,mr: therefore gold
L. IN, hal al, Il.
comparison with silver. Those who contend TINT
gold will not fall considerably, in consequence of
the increase las they supposc) Of money required
for business. seem to forget TINT the amount extra
called for ly this cause, is but small. because of
the counteryang forces oi mnchln"ry.h bills OF ex'
change md the mutual commerce Of nations,
much of which infcrs ~ mere barter of products
and rather tend tn diminish hnn extend tho do
mnnd fr uc,unl gold. Unless. then. we possess II
very robust faith in the immobliiy Of human nf
fairs we nre told regard the fall in tho value Of
gold ms nn event for which We should prepare
without loss oftime. No one can be Ignorant that
tho value Of gold in relation to productions gene
rallv and in relation to silver in particular, III
stead OF being fixed has experienced very hume
rous yaratons-thnt il has been undergoing mod
ifratons, sometimes in one sense. sometimes III
another from the beginning of the world, under
the influence Of forces far less energetic than those
which are in action in our day? Chcvnlrr in
summing the matter up.snys II refer those who
desire iniormatian on this subject to II work where
an illusrious authority. Baron Humboldt, has
treated it with the superiority which distinguishes
him, shedding upon the question some vivid lights
which he carries everywhere with him. There
will be sren FOR example, that in throwing into the
circulation of the Roman world u mass of gold
very important, it is true. Julius Caesar OCCASION
cd for that metal n fall so great, that sometime
after it had been worth seventeen times is weight