The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-19
TAMPERING WITH COUNTKN's
MONEY.


Towards the end OF the seventeenth
century the finances of England got into
o. most dcplorable state OF confusion
through a practice that had grown up
OF clipping the coin. Tie troubles Of the
times evolved simple invention that
has encctually secured mankind against
this eyil. 1t is the milied edges OF coins.
But prior TO that time there was nothing
10 prevent thief from shaving metal
from coin. and q great part Of the
money Of the country had been pllfered,
thus rendering every coin Of an uncer-
tain value.
IN his history OF England, Macaulay
has given a most interesting and instruc-
tive account of the troubles and difficult
ties that this evl brought upon the
country. and we make the following quo
tauon from 10 as an evidence Of the
difficulties that arise from tamperng
with the money Of IL country. lie says.
The miseOvcrnmeut Of Charles and
James. eross as IL has been, had not pre-
vented the common business Of life
from going steadily and prosperOusy on.
While the honor aud independence OF
the state were sold 10 q foreign power,
whIir chartered rights were invaded,
while fundamental laws were violated.
hundreds of thousands OF quiet. honest,
and Industrious families labOred and
traded ate their meals, and lay down 10
rest in comfort and security. Whether
Whigs or Tories. Protestants or Jcsuts,
were uppcrmost the grazier drove his
rafaff~1 t.sN
out his currants. the draper measured
out h. broadcloth. the hum Of buyers
and sslers was as loud as ever in the
towns: the haryost-hOme was celebrated
as i0yOuslv as ever i'm the hamlets, the
cream overlooked the pals Of Cheshire.
thc apple-iuice foamod IN the presses
of Hereforlshre the piles Of crocke.ry
gl0wod in the furnaces of the Trent;
and the har..ny~s OF coal rolled fast along
the timber e, Jays of the Tyne.
1ut when She great instrument Of ex-
change became thoroughly deranged, all
trade. all industry. were smitten as Win
palsy The evil was felt daily ana
hourly. IN almost every place. ana 10y
almost every class, in the DAIRY, ana
ON the thrcshinC-noor. 10y The anvil and
by the loom. ON the pillows Of the ocean
and I'm the depths Of the mine. Nothing
could DE purchased without dispute.
over every counter there was wranellns
from morning TO night. The workman
and his employer had quarrel as regu-
larlv as the Saturday came round. ON
fair-dav or o. markct-day the clamois'
the roproachcs. tho taunts, the curses
were incessant: and it was well II no
booth was overturned and no n'aa
broken. 40 merchant would contract
10 deliver goods without making some
stimulation about the quality OF the coin
i'm which he was 70 be paid. Even men
az nrsinces were often hewildcred by the
confusion into which am pocunialy trans
actions were thrown. The simple and the
careless were piliagod without mercy 10y
extorN0ncrs whose demands grew even
more rqpidlv than the money shrank.
The price of the noccssaries or life. OF
shoes of alc. Of oatmeal. rose fast Inc
rahorer found that the bit Of metal,
which when no received #. was caliel
a shilling. would hardly. when he wanted
IN purchase pot Of beer, or LOAF or
,.y. broad 70 as far as siXpence. Whefe
artisans Of more than usual intelligence
were collected in great numbers rs IN
tho backwards AZ Chatham, they were
.hfo TO make their complaints heaiu
orl 70 obtain some redress. But ti'
IGNORANT ana helpless peasant was cru'lly
..,o,,rd between one class which Wonld
oivo money only by tale ana announcer
which would take - only 10y weish''