The Wilmingtonian., 1885-06-20
GOOD WORK,

passage through Congress Of "An act to
prevent and punish the counterfeiting with
in the United States Of notes, bonds, or 9TH
er securities of foreign Governments" is
already bearing good fruit and demonstra-
ting the righteousness as well as the indus
try of Wilmington's representative in Con-
gress.
The passing of the Act was most diff
cult and tedious undertaking, and its his
tory may reveal to the citizens what unlock
ed for conditions rise up momentarily to OBJ
struct the most needed legislation. What
to the ordinary citizen would at first sight
appear most palpably needed legislation
may when it has reached the judiciary COM
mittee of the House meet the strongest op-
position, and opposition too, founded appar,
emily upon the strongest constitutional ar
guments.
This was the fate of Mr.. Lores bill, and
our representative found himself sess en-
after session graphing in constitutional ar
gument with no less an opponent than the
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the
Hon. j. Randolph Tucker. Mr.. Tucker
could not get over that phrase in our Con-
stitution, Art !, Sec. VIII, saying "to pro-
vide for the punishment of counterfeiting
the securities and current coin of the United
States" He was under the impression that
by implication the right to punish for coun-
terfeiting the securities of foreign Govern
ments was not among the powers relegated
to Congress by the people, and that it re-
mained therefore one of the States' lights
This theory was assumedly borne out by the
fact that among some of the states there ex-
listed such laws.
But as among others, such laws did not
exist, the apprehension and conviction of
counterfeitei may readily perceived to be
next to impossible, as all that was necessary
in order to evade justice was for the forger
to cross the border line and find himself
safely harbored in a neighboring state,
where no prohibitory laws in regard to the
counterfeiting of foreign securities existed.
And so malefactor could maintain his i'm
munity ad intinitum. This, of course, was a
scandalous state of affairs.
1t actually resulted in the fooding of Bra
zil and other South American states with
forged government securities, exchequer
bills, bank notes and currency (made by
American contradictory. This was moth
ing less than robbery, and it appeared that
there was no help for it, either in the Uni
ted States or in South America. The paper
currency of the countries referred to was
debased and there internal commetce Sc
riously hampered.
At length another passage in the same
article Of the Const'tut 'to define and
punish piracies and felonies committed on
the high seas and offences against tie lao Of
nations" was argued SO effectually before the
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee that
Mr.. Tucker became convert to Mr.. Lore's
theories, and subsequently his ablest sup
porter in pushing the bill through Con.
gress.
This was effected at length during the
XLVlII session at time when legislation of
its general scope gained but scant hearing
in the House.
Its operation is Of a far-reaching nature,
much more SO than would be apprehended
at a cursory glance, as the individuals
against whom ii operated prosecuted their
calling in the utmost security and immunity
from disturbance, such as is the lot of forg-
ers of United States paper The counter
feiters of foreign securities accomplish their
work uuhindered and when ready with the
goods found abundant opportunity to SNUG
gle it quietly to Havana, Rio de Janeiro
and other South American potts from
whence it was distributed throughout South
America.
The passage of the Act was of the great
est benefit to those countries, and the Uni
ted States legislator to whom those govern
ments were more directly indebted for the
benefit conferred on them made known their
acknowledgement to him in Washington.
Counterreiters of Brazilian and Gautemal-
can Government securities have already
been convicted in New York and punished
by the heavy penalties Mr.. Lore's enact
ment provides