The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-11-11

al to the scrap that had been tom OFF, an,
also that they had a regulation at Washing
ton by which scale and measure of dis
counts was established for such cases!
admit that have heard of such a tbine
as making money by cutting up large bank
notes and putting the fragments together In
such way as to make from selected clipping
an extra false note; but the ineffable sublimi-
ty OF the idea that any human being would
Cheat the government by making new pieces
out OF rags torn from the corners of these
little fve and ten cent pieces and quarters,
can only be worthy Of the genius of some
| very great man. in some very little sub-office
| at the seat of government. ... ....
This very sublime governmental regulation
probably had its origin in this way: 1t was
foreseen, of course, at the very start of this
currency, five years ago, that it would be sub
ject 10 great wear and mutilation. Common
decency required that the government should
take measures to get It out OF the way, when
reduced to that state, and hence, in addition
to the statute law, which made the scrip ex-
changeable for stamps. Mr.. Spinner, tue Treas
urer of the United States, as soon as the
national banks were fairly under way, is
sued an order, requiring these banks-sueh
OF them, at least as were depositaries OF the
public funds-to take up this worn and mutt
lated fractional currency, on presentation at
their counters, and to pay clean money for it
at par. have seen the printed orders SO is
sued by Mr.. Spinner, though unfortunately
he did not cause them to be made known by
general publication. The banks it may be
well conjectured did not exert themselves to
let the people know they had such orders
They would quite willingly smother an order
which required them to do such dirty bust
ness, and probably exerted themselves to cud-
die that regulation out of use-so that in the
new statues soon after passed, there wera
provisions that this currency should be "re-
deemed' under regulations to be cstablised by
the department. ab
One of the results no doubt is, Though
doubt much if the Secretary knows it, that
we are now required to collect this disa9reea-
BILE stuff into packages of three dollars and
send 1t to Washington in order to get clean
and whole money, that will pass at the post
Office! sIfnt
But If my examination of the law is not
incorrect, the thing as now worked Is mis-
take and an illegality. The law which de-
clares that the fractional currency shall be
received in payment for postage and revenue
stamps has never been repealed. 1t is in force
to-day and has been all the while. That be-
Ing so, the only question government officer
has a right to ak is merely this, is the piece
offered geluine?-the same as in every other
case of notes and written promises issued by
governments, or banks or individuals. Is it a
genuine and true note? No matter how dir
ty it may be, or how ragged it may have be-
come by wear, ii it is true the party that is
sued it must take it up nd pay as promised
hl money, if money was promised, or in
stamps if that was the promise.
The actual regulation as now worked leads
to two results-tirst, the people are neeessari-
ly driven to the brokers. We cannot carry
about in our pockets these dirty rags, till VIC
get three dollars of them together 1t would
be too disgusting, besides the danger of itch
and small pox. The brokers OF course make
profit by taking discount, and most as
suredly it is not creditable to the govern
ment, that the people, who are lending twen-
ty-five millions of dollars to the treasury by
using this currency, should be forced to lose
f7r.~ fAs centaoe Of its value by the
OF using it. 90
The other, result is, that since many people
dislike to. suffer such loss, they Keep tho GO
agoing as long as they can with daily increas-
ing disgust. Every day we are ashamed OF
the money that we offer and receive. We
cannot run to the brokers with single piece
or two.
How easy to avoid all this How credtable
to the government it would be to take meas
ures by which the people could rid themselves
of this stuff without loss, just as soon as it be-
comes offensive! 1t is only necessary to Oh
sef1e the lau, and use the most obvious pow
er Of the government
In every village there is postmaster-in
every district there are several officers who
sell government stamps. Let the order go to
all these officers (and let the people knoao it)
to receive, without question, in payment for
stamps, every piece of fractional currency Of
fered them which they believe to be genuine
mo matter how much defaced or mutilated
il only they believe it to be true,
And let the same officers be ordered never
to reissue any pieces that are so defaced and
worn, but to send them all to head quarters
Let such order be issued, and in very short
time we should have clean money, and the
means of keeping it clean. The duty would
be done by those who are paid tor govern
ment work, and there would be no loss to
anybody. u.t..
am, very respectfully, your r.
r' FELLOW CITIZEN.