The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-07-12
Cruikshank's Bank Note.

In the year 1911 when Gillray began
to incapacitate himself for work by
drinking, it was already apparent
that there was a young man in the
field capable, if he chose, of taking
his place. George Cruikshank was
proving himself to be q caricaturist of
marvellous fertility, energy, keen wit
and-a thing of more consequence than
ala man who put his heart and faith
into his work. No more striking evil
dence of these qualities as developed in
the earlier part of his life is to be found
than that afforded by his famous Bank
Note not to be Initiated" of which the
book before US contains an admirable fac
simile. His own account of it gives q
key for explaining some of the most
mysterious episodes in his later life.
He says: ''At that time 1917 or
1879 resided in Dorset Street, Sails
bury-Square, Fleet Street and had occa-
sion to go early one morning to house
near the Bank of England; and, in re-
turning home, between eight and nine
O'Clock, down Ludgate Hill, and, seeing
number of persons looking up the Old
Bailey, / looked that way myself, and
saw several human beings hanging on
the gibbet opposite Newgate Prison, and
to my horror, two of these were women;
and upon inquiring what these women
had been hanged for, was informed that it
was for passing forged FL notes.
After witnessing this scene 1 went
home, and in ten minutes designed and
made sketch of this bank note not to
be inflated" The border of the note
is of gives and fetters, the E is made of
twisted rope. The design is twelve
criminals hanging dead on one gallows,
and the legend is: ..Ipromise to perform
I'D Lib. During the issue of Bank Notes
Easily Initiated, and Until the Resump-
ton of Cash Payments or the Abolition of
the Punishment of Death. For the Cover
nor and Company of the Bank of England
j. Ketch." When this was displayed in
Hone window, says Cruikshank, it crea-
ted a great sensation, and the people gath
cred round his house in such numbers that
the Lord Mayor had to send the city police
(of that day) to disperse the crowd. The
Bank directors held u meeting immedi-
ately ON the subject, and after that they
issued no more f1 notes, and so there was
no more hanging for passing forged FL
notes; not only that, but ultimately nc
hanging even for forgery. After this SiI
Robert Peel got bill passed in Parli.
ment for the resumption of Cash Pay.
ments. After this he revised the Penal
Code, and after that there was not any
more hanging punishments of death fol
minor offenses. Later on we find him
saying So the final effect of my note was to
stop hanging for all minor offenses. Here
we have the revelation of the man who
then and afterwards claimed to have writ
ten or suggested the most popular works
of Dickens or Ainsworth that he had illus
trated, and who seldom, as Mr.. Jerold
observes, suggested peg that he did not
afterwards claim everything that was
hung upon it, He was SO thoroughly
heart and soul in whatever he did, that
he, so to speak, fought every battle as il
he were the only combatant on his side.
1t is but one step from that to ignoring
every one else's share in the victory
| London Standard.