Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-03-03

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commodities; but the only pieces now coined
in China consist of currency of the lowest
denominations, formed of mixed metal like
bronze
The principles employed to value gold and
silver in China are the same as for teas, cot
ton, rice or sugar; all are estimated alike
by relative qualities and duly prQportioned
weights, or, as the mints say, "by weight
and fneness."
From the history of the Hebrews, we
learn they perfectly comprehended these prin-
ciples. In Judea, as in the Colonies of N.
America, foreign coin were necessarily known
and used before mint was established "in
the land"
Skins, arrow.heads, nails, sea shells, pie
ces of soap and eggs, in tale, have severally
served as curreDcies, in small transactions
of trade, among primitive people.
Such practices, however, do not evince a
comprehension of all the artistic principles
called into action, when gold and silver per-
form the Office of representatives. of value
for all commodities in an extended COM
merce.
An exchange with eggs, hides, soap, scraps
of iron, cowrie-shells, or lance heads, ex-
plains the numerical part of such adjust
ment; but to establish the exact value Of
gold and silver in coinage-thc quality-is
an important matter, which cannot be deci-
ded by the ordinary senses--by sight, touch,
taste, smell or sound-but needs exact anal
ysis, with attended and subsequent calcula-
tions of arithmetic.
For such precious material, the weights
require to have delicate precision, and the
scales to be more correct than those used for
cotton, leather or tobacco. The size Of a
piece of soap-a difference in the outline,
of several eggs, or skins, the color of the
sea shells, the length of the nails, or the
number of lance.heads, may prove of slight
importance in trade-but when reference
is made to sums in gold and silver, such dis
tinctions grow enormously, and become wor-
thy Of notice.
There exists historical proof of coinage,
among civilized nations of the East, Jetore
the HeJrews cmigratcd from Egypt, accord
ing to artistic investigation.
Pieces of the precious metals had been
stamped with "images," as voucher for in
trinsic value, or were cast ard "graven" in.
to shapes of animals, to serve the same pur-
poses Of trade, by weight and purity.
There are early notices in the history of
the Hebrew Patriarchs of presents and pay
ments in bracelets and rings, the work Of
goldsmiths and jewelers., who regulated both
the 6neness and the weights for fixed val
uation, and were the first artizans to intro
duce such practices into Europe, before
mints were establishished there!
In the intercourse of the Patriarchs with
caravans, travelling from the Red Sea, orthe
Persian Gulf, into Egypt, with the spicery
and products of the South, ready money was
used, according to the written narrative
This is apparent, in the prompt payment for
Joseph as a slave; and in the purchase of
land by Abraham, as we'll as the proportion
ate prices of land and servant man "seven-
teen years DID,
The ratios do not vary much from those
known in the Southern States, some "twenty
years ago."
I'VE read, also, that "when money failed
in the land of Egypt and the land Canaan,
"Joseph sold bread, for cattle" The gold
pieces concealed by Rachel were named
"images" in the early English translation,
but are also called "strange go7s," when the
same kind Of money was hidden "under the
oak by Shechem."
Immediately after the Exodus, "the daily
wages of an hireling" was ordered by law
to be punctually paid-which certainly in
dicates the presence of some currency of
small denomination, when "a penny" of
brass or silver served such compensation of
daily hire.
There are references to the practice Of
coupterfeiting in Ancient Egypt-the tools
and implements having been discovered -
There are among the regulations for "Di-
vorce and Dowry" in Asia, expressed proof
of distinct standards for coins, which, no
doubt caused transmutations in their devi-
ces, the balance of trade was shown against
one or the other of ancient mercantile ma
tions, upon the same principle which causes
the frequent and useless destruction of our
national coins.
When an indemnity was paid by France,
twenty or more years ago, large quantities of
gold coins-of the French RepuJlic-were
sent over as bullion, to be re-mclted and re-
ceived at or mint When the new gold
pieces, of the standard and devices of the
United States, formed from these old coins
of France, were exported by the operations
of trade, they were in their turn obliged to
undergo the same process of destructive
change in France, England, Germany or
Russia, in consequence of the divers'ties
which needlessly exist in the standards of
those countries. The same gold, with the
impress of imperial devices, passes again and
again through similar wasteful metamor-
phosis.
If there was not single Republican coin
to be now found in France, would that prove
there was no coinage during the period of
the Republic?
The whole subject of mintage has been
made an intricate one, as an artistic contri-
vance, for want Of order and in national stan.