National Republican., 1885-09-01

huutCllulhn Dalh HOtCS ny tlC OultSi SJlte5
district court Of the southern district Of
New York in July last and arrest OF gang
engaged in counterfeiting Brazilian national
currency in st. Louis last week, calls public
attention to subject Of importance which,
MS yet, does not seem to be well undor-
stood
Previous to May 10, 1854, there was no
law whatever to punish, or even prevent,
the manufacture of foreign counterfeit
paper money anywhere within the exterior
boundary of the United States. There was
law to punish the manufacture OF counter
felt foreign coin, hut nothing against MIX
ng paper counterfcits of any denomination
or quantity.
Brazil, Cuba, and Canada, in the order
named, were the chief sufferers from this
nefarlous industry. Dealers and shoversn
of counterfeit money In those countries OBJ
tainCd their supplies wholly from the United
States, and some ten yearsago Senior Borges,
the Brazilian minister, under special In
structions from Rio de Janeiro, made
formal complaint to our government. lie
represented to the State Department chat
the empire was flooded with American-m made
BRAZILIAN counterfeit money, greatly to its
injury, and that Brazilian law, though
punishing its circulation within tile en-
pirc, was powerlcss to reach the makers In
the United States, who were protected by
the absence of any law upon the subject.
Accordingly bill was introduced in
Congress, at the instance of the Secretary
of State, "to punish and prevent the coun-
terfeiting within the United States of notes,
bonds, or other securities OF foreign gov
ernments." 1t met no opposition what
ever. Senators and representatives agreed
that great wrong existed, but disagreed
as to the remedy Senator Conklng, Rep
resentatives Tucker, Holman, and Others
held that the state and territorial legisla-
lures should punish and apply the remedy,
while Senators Bayard, Edmunds, Garland,
IIoar, David Davis, and others held that
Congress had jurisdiction under the con-
stitution, and should, therefore, pass the
bill submitted by the Department Of State.
This unfortunate division of opinion de-
layed action in Congress for eight years.
Meantime the subject attracted the atten-
tion of foreign governments. The German
endecker, to make formal complaint to our
government whenever he became satisfied
that German counterfeit money was being
made here. Cuba and Canada, where large
quantities of American-made counterfeits
were in circulation, were heard from again
and again. Brazil renewed its complaints
in 1894, and through its minister, Senior
Nalente, pressed the subject upon Secre-
tary Frelinghuyscn's attention with such
force as to bring it prominently before
Congress again for consideration. 1t en-
gagged the earnest attention Of both houses.
Senators Bayard, Edmunds, Garland,
Hoar, David Davis, and others gave 1t u
careful examination and their earnest sup
port. In the House Hon. Randolph Tucker,
chairman of the judiciary committee, hay
ing the bill in charge, and at first opposed
to its passage, became its earnest advocate
after patient study of the subject in all its
bearings; business men in all our principal
cities, particularly those engaged in foreign
trade, wrote to their friends in Congress
urging action; and, finally, after eight
years consideration, the bill passed both
houses without solitary dissenting vote,
and was approved by the President May 16,
| 1884.
The law is reasonably severe. Its first
| five sections provide for the punishment, by
| fine and imprisonment Mt hard labor, for
counterfciting foreign obligations in any
| form. The sixth section, an adaptation of
section 5415 United States Revised Statutes
inserted at the suggestion of the chief of the
| ehn thn r,st
step toward preparation for counterfeltino
foreign obligations. 1t provides for the
| punishment, by fine and Imprisonment, Of
persons who have in their possession, with
out lawful authority, any plate or part of q
| plate from which counterfeit foreign obli-
cations may be printed; or VINO engraves OF
assists In engraving such plate, or any part
thereof, or in printing thcrefrom, sc. This
section applies particularly to the St
Louis counterfeIters, whose work was
not finished when they were dis
covered and captured, and who now
pretend that their Brazilian counterfeit
| 800 notes were intended to be used as cigaI
box labels, and not for circulation as money
in Brazil. This subterfuge will not avail
The law prohibits the making Of "any
| plate in the likeness or similitude of any
plate designed for the printing of genuine
issues of any foreign government, bank, oil
corporation" 1t also prohibits the print
ing or photographing such notes, ''or any
part thereof" The Brazilian counterfeit
ers In st. Louis were evidently not fully
acquainted with the new law. They eX'
| pected to evade it..
Besides tho Brazilian and Guatemalar
counterfeiters above mentioned, there has
been but one known attempt to violate the
new law. An effort was made in Chicago
some months since to put a lot of f5(
Bank of England notes into circulation
| but the counterfeiters took fright and fec
| hne No