New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-22

| yard.
| For really this was a tableau. II deserves
commemoration. AS historic picture 1t
would have few equals and no superios.
Beside this, what would be "The Signing Of
" the Declaration of Independence" or Tho
EmbarkatIOn of the Pilgrims" or "Ajax De-
flying the Lightning" or "The Landing of
Columbus which the United States Govern
ment has had engraved on the back of the
National Bank currency, with che view Of
dlstracting The attention Of the creditor from
the 'promise to pay" on the other side--Or
indeed any of the great historic scenes diff
| fused in chromos by the religious weekliesf
| The picture which should represent this great
occasion would surpass any and all of these
| in historic interest Consider a moment
the drama and the personages engaged. Here.
distinct and clear, was the beginning of an
epoch-the close not merely Of a period in
national history or Of a succession of periods
in the worlds large story; not the turning Of
cycle or q geologic eon even, but the end
of one long flow of ages whose beginnings
were in the cternties, the infinite lapse Of
time in which the delusion reigned that
promise without performance was lie. And
| here, mostly in easy attitudes, with cigars TN
their mouths and hands in their pockets, con-
! fronting the committee of merchants and sur
rounding the President of their choice, were
those grand and lofty characters who led
the great movement which established
the fact in philosophy and finance that
performance is not necessary TO promise, and
that lie is true so long as you keep it run
ming Philosophers and statesmen these, clear
sighted and deep-eyed! Seers as well an
smokers! Discoveries greater than any Co
lumbus; Investigators to whom Newton was but
child and Adam Smith q gibbering idiot;
alchemists whose wondrous chemistry trans
mutes to gold the papyrus; magcians ana as-
trologers who with quill initiate the public
credit and "move the crops' world-movers
whose pou sto is the promise that redeems
| itself and goes ont again and comes back and
circulates everywhere, with no relations to
ANYBODY or anything, with no responsibility
ACCOMMODATING it nor any obligations follow
ing it!
| These be the men for picture, and this the
occasion. Where, oh where is the canvas or
the panel 7--where the whitewash brush and
the artistl Who paints "The Scoundrels Who
"Pay Rebuked," or The Great Silent Man
"Dismissing the Villains who pretend that the.
promise to pay dollar is not dollar"
OFF q shorter title is necessary" The
"Apotheosis of Lyingf" Here is somebody's
opportunity. Or there might be companion
piece to this the two to hang together ana
| represent tho progress of eighteen centuries
one q representation of Ananias and Sap
phira, entitled 1.-TWO Persons Struck Dead for
Lying the other the scene above referred
! to entitled "A Nation Saved by Lying"
Here was the Great Silent Man, listening To
an address from the chairman of delegation
of New-York merchants, who, with unabashed
| front under the light of the craftsmanship or
the XLIIId Congress, pretended to say that nc
was the duty of the Government to redeem It's
promises, when everybody knew-for Oliver
p. Morton and Benjamin +. Butler and John
A. Logan and Matthew Ii. Carpenter had told
them so-that the promises were good enough
without fulfllment. Mr.. Butler had rescued
him for ten minutes from the hands of these
enemies of free institutions, and having put
him On his guard against the exploded fallacy
that promise to pay meant pay, had left INN
in the midst. Mr.. Butler leaned in graceful
| attitude against the wall; Mr.. Logan, IN
whose tout ensemble were embodied the
characteristics of period in which the Pacific
| Road and three-card monte went hand in hand
across the continent Mr.. Carpenter, leonine
Adonis and Mr.. Ferry, flaming torch to
light the world to wealth under the new
system of political ecOnOmy-all were stand
ing around in the easy attitudes affected by
gentlemen who make living by giving notes
and shedding them on the just and on tho
unjust. They pulled cigars with noncha-
lance and lifted their Roman noses at tho
worn-out notions of the New York barbarians.
In an earlier age the irrevercnt would have
called them foafers; and it would have sur
prised no one if Logan had interrupted tho
proceedings with l move der mersheen DO
painted rehd."
1t was great group for a panel; scene
for painter. The representatives OF COM
munty that cannot rise above the absurd
preudices engendered by the practice OF
meeting their obligations when due, felt that
| they were in the presence of superior beings,
| whose privilege it was to puff smoke in their
faces and distend the credit of the Govern
ment with a quill. And this is the picture
that should be painted. Over the portraits
of these statesmen should be the bow
of promise. The engraving OF Columbus
discovering America should be taken from
the National bank currency and. this picture
put in its place. Columbus only discovered
America. These people have discovered thas
unredeemed and unsecured promises arc
wealth, that currency is money, and that lie
well stuck to is better than the truth. How
|. much richer the world might have been had
this discovery been made earlier! And what
| better picture could there be for the back Ok
|