Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-03-14
A Caution to our People.


passes that the First Auditor, W. T. Taylor,
does not receive ten dollar counterfeits from
the sherifs of the southwestern counties OF
the State. They are invariably the same plate,
viz !: the Farmers Manufacturers National
bank of Poughkeepsie. New York; w. Da-
gis, cashier W. L. Davis, president They
are brighter green on the back than the gen.
uine note, and are roughly finished. This is
the same note circulated by Hicks and Others
in and around fredericksburg some time ago
Richmond Wing
The above is from the Richmond Wing, and
it has suggested to us an idea which we are
persuaded is worthy Of the serious considera-
ton Of our readers.
There are now many counterfeit notes on the
National Banks, the notes of which constitute
the larger portion of our currency. They are
generally so well executed that none but ex-
perts, like Bank officers and careful merchants
are able to detect them, and thus the masses Of
the people are constantly liable to be imposed
on.
To avoid this, we would advise all who are
receiving large sums Of money, to keep the
notes which they receive from each person, il
a separate package, with the name Of the per-
son from whom they receive them written or
the envelope Then, the first time they come
to town, they had better place them in one Of
the Banks, and let them remain there until
they wish to use them. When they wish to
do SO they can give checks on the Bank instead
of paying out the notes.
By adopting this course, all the responsible
ity of receiving counterfeit notes is thrown on
the Banks, and many causes of difficulty among
neighbors are removed It often happens that
when a person receives spurious note, he is
at loss to decide, positively, from whom be
got it, and thus disputes arise between honest
men. But by the course we suggest, all this
will be obviated. The Bank will determine, at
once, whether the notes are good or not, and
if any are bad, the holder will at once know
from whom he got it, and have his recourse on
him. And by paying, by check, instead of de-
livering notes, all changes of loss and all cause
of possible quarrel are removed.
It has often been matter of surprise to US
that country people do not use the Banks more
extensively as convenient agents IN the manage
ment of their money matters. Most people
are liable to lose receipts and other evidences
of nayment and thus to be involved in cOnfu-
sion and loss But where man pays or re-
ceiyes through Bank, its books constitute a
perpetual record of the transaction, and sup
nlv the evidence of lost vouchers through all
time. We have known many cases, since the
war. in which, in consequence of the loss OF
papers during the invasion, parties would have
found it impossible to settle, but for the lights
afforded by the books of the old Banks.
AS the National Banks are perfectly safe de-
positories. we would advise all our readers to
transact important pecuniary dealings through
them.
We may add that there is always more or
less risk from fire, theft or robbery, in keeping
large sums of money, in private houses =
whilst In the Banks there is no such risk, as
they are all provided with fire and burglar
proof vaults and safes, which will keep the
notes and books perfectly secure, even if the
Banking houses were to burn to the ground.
The Richmond State Journal, after crtici-
sing some of the debates-wearisome and word
spinning-in the Legislature of Virginia,
quotes upon the debators the words of the now
famous poem
(which is why I remark,
And my language is plain,
That for argument dark,
And for speech that is vain,