Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-02-19
Tsb,sts bio1 81, EForithe Spirited JsnersonI
AbFEW FACTS ABOUT GOLD, AND
"a. flQ,f Ogs vsT SILVER, ,t1rbnsfs IsViis

were taown and valued from the earliest PEE.
spoken of in the second chapter of Genesis and
in Abraham s time both gold aud SILVER we're
them, Abraham was rich in silver and sold.
such was the current money alluded to in the
OF ,lIs, tsI
,Abimelechs (Gen. IxX9 he, bought = burial.
grouifd from Ephron. for four hundred sheaels
! that day In. the time Of joseph. gold aud sill
/ yer were common. and the former Wa s.wroughs
Joseph 3 neck; in BsniamiII's sack silver cup
was foued. Even among .sayagss sdmiratioa se
marked. and in Asia and Egypt. in patr1arehsl
days. gold and silver in its natural form was
same W case in Easiand before the in4a.
sion of tho Eornans. There 10 no, doubt, hut
Godl to be used as money. as divine reyelstloz
clearly proves. Gold 10 found to be the heaviest
H @ost sHs sapaS. Se.s sIrn
out into length or expanded on all sides, it may
Mrs S as nne As a. Ins namas hit
t gold viii cover one undred aud ffty times ita
former sura In this form. IL is used IN guild
ing signs ,piGture frames. sc 80. in prefetsnco
TO liquid. HISTORIANS dider as co tho first coin
age OF money The she kel mentioned in divine
golden pot which held the mamma. and on ths
other Aaron 3 rod impressed upon IL. I'm Eng
aud weighed his own gold aud silver. which
pssssd current .T,jeet @ to the ress,ssrs weight:
were Gus into square pieces aud the corne wers
Feeling little credit on the ennesfs Of the mi"s
William the III. when business men found that
they coaId not keep up their credit rith foIeiea
1ish money, it having been clipped, filed aad de-
based both by ma tives and foseiensrs. SO that Il
th9if hing tas to aaes % eSi6ass.
vh'sh does nes Isgpesf telhsye' been Eransed
the following Ianguses embodied IN tbst lfsii.
ton, 'ssome standard Of etnovledged value 10
eieari5 necessary IN trade % al nna eSmmerss ana s
with which We trade as 10 enable us 70 buy, their
products Tt should have the same fred yalpe.
it should be of the sanequahty, it should .ad-
~eiShts and sizes, it should be g. hard that is
use lit should be light and portable and Of small
bulk. !" We find from the above histotieal Ian
Silver Bill now bef6re Congress Tfrst % thar
coinage Is y necessity, and secnndly, thAtfit 10
mot the government impression that nxes Re
,trinsic value. In other words.hf the geyernfnsDt
issues coin OF a, less degree Of fnensssu than
preelated Just much rs the importer bRsito
pay premium on his DILL of exchange. and nm.
Standard. our foreign trade viii have 70 be done
on the basis of foreign coin and every bill Of ex-
eats Il T i. of Ssai iportaaeo to sVers nation.
aud especially one that 10 largely engaRedIin
commerce. to have metallic CURRENCY spp'ozi-
mating near possible in degree Of ueness To
tho coin OF other nations " eth which she has CON-
neTciaI igtercourse AndHs proved By history.
tion's downfall. Her commerce fails. which de-
stroys her home industries and her prosperity il
actual. amount of pure gold or SILVER tho coin
contain'- gives 1t an intrinsic value. The veluo
of United States coin Is o-i0 pure. o gold dollar
of this country contains parts pure gold and
part alloy, composed of copper. and silver in
equal proportions. The degree of hnesess forrns
tho standard value in commerce. rs will bc soes
bY the commercial coin table below
Country. psRpmiRstioR weight Fiasr Falas