New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-17
"THE CRIuE or 1862"

When Mr.. Bryan was in this state he missed
the opportunity of his life. Though he was copl-
ously eloquent about the Crime OF 10, ne nau
absolutely nothing to say about the Urine vi
1862" which was perpetratcd by no less per-
sonage than Peter Stuyvesant. Governor OF 'nc
Dutch Province Of New-Netherlands, now KNOWN
rs New-Yorl The story Is told In detall ID!
Washington Irving, in his History or New
York and il is so germane TO the financial issue
of the present campaign that, owing to the Iaii-
ure of Mr. BRYAN to refer TO II, we give priel
synopsis Of IT. ,,..,,
When Wilhclmns Kicft, better known as Ill
lam the Tcsty was Governor OF New-Nether-
lands. he determined TO increase the primary
money Of the Province by issuing strings OF
beads clamshells and wampum- articles recog
niZed as money by the ADMINISTRATIONS the an
or consent of any other nation. For william 10
determine was TO do; and so the new money at
once began 10 circulate. At first everybody was
happy Money became plentiful. Yankee trad-
ers uoured into the Province buying everything
the worthy Dutchmen had 10 sell. ana paying
them in return the highest prices in the GOV
errors bead money. 1t was noticed, however,
that when Dutchman tried to pay Yankee
in the same coin for his tinware or wooden
bowls the ease was altered; nothing would DO
but Dutch gnders. or other generally recognized
coins Indeed the Dutchmen found that nobody
outSide the Province would take their money.
But that didn't trouble them. What dld they
care for abroad? Were they not great enough
10 maintain their own financial system:
But soon the Yankees. with that preternatural
"cuteness' for which they have always peeh
celebrated began to play 'ow-down trick OH
the worthy burghers They deluged the PROV
lnce with Il species of inferior wampuIn money
made ont of the cOmmOnest Oyster-shellS by
this means they soon succeeded in getting pose
session of nearly all the gold. silver and prod
ucfs of the Province. Evidently something was
wrong though Ii was not just clear wnat IL was.
II did not seem possible that Williams financial
system could be at fault for Ii had resulted Ill
an enormous increase in the circulating med
nm OF the Province Everybody had heaps of
money. aud therefore everybody ought TO have
been c0ntented. But a matter OF fact, the
ownership of long string Of beads or heap OF
oyster-Shes. even though made valuable by the
stamp of the Government; failed 10 make the
citizens happy when they thought Of the Yam
KEGS Teasing on their hams ard cheeses
Peter Stuyvesant succeeded William the Testy
as Governor and. rs he had an old-fashoned
prejudice in favor Of specie as money, he
demonetized wampum in 1862 or thereabouts,
thus striking down the peoples money. ana con-
tracing the volume of currency just as Mr.
Bryan says the gold bugs are doing now so
when III, Yankee traders came back to get more
hams and cheeSes I'm exchange for Connecticut
clamSholls they found. to their disgust that the
clamshells wouldn't 20 any longer. They were
Obliged to pay honest money Tor everything they
purchased
Mr.. BRYAN is coming here again TO make an
other effort of his life. 1t would be interesting
10 all New Workers il he would tell them just
why the free and unlimited coinage of beads and
shells is not as rational a scheme OF finance as
the free and unlimited coinage OF silver, which
he is advocating There is a noble theme for
his eloqucnce in the Crime of 1862.