THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 241903. 1
MONETARY CRIMES
A Review of Del Mar's
"Barbara Villiers.'
14
Those populists who hare never
Cead the works of Alexander Del Mar,
W who began their study of the fi
nancial question by reading the
"Seven Financial Conspiracies," will
no doubt be astonished to know that
the "crime of '73" was by no means
an invention of the astute men of that
day, but was rather an adaptation of
a trick that is older than Christianity
itsel. Mr. Del Mar's investigations
"along this line give added force to the
aphorisms: "History repeats itself"
and "There is nothing new under the
sun." '
"Barbara Villiers; or a History of
Monetary Crimes" is a book of 101 pp.
and index, giving, In Mr. Del Mar's in
imitable style, a succinct history of
the iour greatest monetary crimes or
which any considerable record may
be found the crimes of 1CGG, 1742,
1870, and 1873. "Ihe insidious crime
of secretly or surreptitionsly altering
the monetary laws of a state," says
Mr. Del Mar, "than which no more
dastardly or fatal blow can be dealt
at its liberties is not a new one.
There is a suggestion in the decree of
B C 300, concerning the ancient iron
money of Sparta, that.Oylipus was not
unfamiliar' with this grave offense. In
a later age, Pliny, who Justly calls it
'a crime against mankind,' evidently
refers to that alteration of the Roman
mint code by which what remained
of the nummulary systenr of the re
public was subverted,-about' B. C. zw,
in favor of the authorized private
coinage of the gentes. Such alteration
seems to have been secret, for no ex
plicit allusion to it appears in the.
fragments that have been preserved
concerning the legislation of that per
iod. But the coinages and tho decad
ence of the state tell the story with
sufficient distinctness to justify the
anathema of the Roman encycloped
ist "
THE CRIME OF 1C66.
"From the remotest time," says the
author, "to the seventeenth century
of our era, the right to coin money
and to regulate its value (by giving it
denominations) and by limiting or in
creasing the quantity of it in circula
tion was the exclusive prerogative of
the state. In 1C04, in the celebrated
case of the Mixed Moneys (see "Sci
ence of Money," chap. VII.) this pre
rogative was affirmed under such ex
traordinary 'circumstances and with
euch an overwhelming array of Judi
cial and forensic authority as to oc
casion alarm to the moneyed classes
of England, who at once sought the
means to overthrow it.
"These," he continues, "they found
In the demands of the East India
company, the corruption of parlia
ment, theprofligacy of Charles II., and
the Influence of Barbara Villiers. Ihe
result was the surreptitious mint leg
islation of 1G0G-7; and thus a prerog
ative, which, next to the right of
peace or war, is the most powerful
instrument by which a state can in
fluence the happiness of its subjects,
was surrendered or sold for a song to
a class of usurers, In whose hands it
has remained ever since.
"In framing the American mint laws
of 1790-2," Mr. Del Mar adds, "Mr.
Hamilton, a young man (then 33 years
of age), and wholly unaware of the
character or bearings of this English
legislation, innocently copied it and
caused it to be incorporated in the
laws of the United States, where it
Btlll remnlns, nn obstacle to the equit
ably distribution of wealth and a men
ace to public prosperity."
But this li not all. "Down to the
year 171)0." says Mr. Del Mar, "the
crown of England had the right, with
out consulting parliament, to undo
much of the mischief occasioned by
the act of 1000 nml Its logical se
quence, the act of 1S10: that 1 to say.
the crown had the riglit and the pow-
$100UF.VAIID-$IOO
The readers of this :aper will be
pleated to learn that there is at least
one dreaded dHcase that science has
been aid to cure Jn nil Its stage i and
that' I Catarrh. Hall' Catarrh Cure
Is the only positive cure now known
to the medical fraternity. Catarrh be
ing ft constitutional disease, require
constitutional treatment. Hall'
Catarrh Cure Is taken Internally, act
Injs directly upon the blood and mucous
lurfun- of the s!em. thereby de
ttroytn the foundation of the dig.
ease, ar t KUInr the patient strength
by building MP the tonstltutlon nd
minting nature In tlolnt It work.
The proprietors have so much fslth
In Ui curative rower, that they offer
On Hundred ivdlars for any cm
that It Call to cur Send for list of
testimonial. Address,
K. J. CHUNKY ft Co., Toledo, a
fkld by dniKtlMi. Tfc.
lUiri Family I'M ire the Utt
er to restore the previous monetary
system of full legal tender gold and
silver coins struck by the state for
the convenience of the public and the
benefit of trade; and not as now,
merely upon the behest of the bank
ing fraternity. In that year (1870)
this supernal power was surreptitious
ly filched from the prerogatives of
the crown. The evil work was then
carried to other countries, especially
to Jhe United States of America,
where in 1873 it was copied with a
faithfulness to its model that could
only have been born of design."
When European trade opened with
India In the 10th century, a pound of
gold metal could be exchanged or pur
chased In Asia for 6 to 8 pounds of
silver metal, this being the ratio paid
lor bullion at the Indian mints.
There was but little silver in India
because the natives were ignorant of
how to reduce silver-bearing ores.
There was considerable gold, mostly
lr. the form of jewelry and other
works of art. The currency consisted
chiefly of copper and "billon" (or
plated) coins. "Owing to these cir
cumstances," says Mr. Del Mar, "the
exchange of western silver for eastern
gold became one of the chief sources
of profit to Europeans engaged in the
Oriental trade." , The Spaniards, in
1542, began shipping silver to China
and India from Acapulco, Mexico, by
way of the Philippines. Presently
these shipments ran up to amlllion
dollars a year, when Potosi became
prolific, and the Indian ratio was
changed to 9 for 1. .
Now, the policy of England had al
ways been opposed to the melting or
exporting of any of her coins. Penal
statutes had been enacted, beginning
with Edward III. and down to Henry
V The prohibition wis still in fdrce
clown to the time of Charles II. It
embraced not only English coins, but
also those of foreign fabrication which
were legal tender by statute in Eng
land. The East India company was
refused permission by Queen Eliza
beth to ship out any of the Spanish
coins then circulating in England, but
finally gave permission to bring in
foreign bullion, have It coined, and
then exported. The "portcullis" coins
(Identical in weight, etc., with the
Spanish coins) resulted from this.
As the coinage ratio in England was
15 for 1, the East India company was
loth to be prevented by statute from
exchanging a pound weight of gold
in England for 15 pounds weight of
silver, then shipping the silver to In
dia, -where It could be exchanged for
12-3 pounds of gold; which, when
brought back to England, would com
mandos in silver. Sixty-six per cent
profit was too much to be cheated out
of by foolish monetary legislation!
The law must be. changed. And how?
Charles II., a sensual weakling, had
on the very first day of the restora
tion (according to Bishop Burnett),
May' 21, 1000, begun an intrigue with
Barbara Villiers, a beautiful and vi
vacious, but depraved (and sordid
young woman. It is not the purpose
of this review to enlarge upon tho
character of Barbara Villiers; that has
been sufficiently laid bare in the writ
ings of Bishop Burnett, Harris, Defoe,
Evelyn, Clarendon, and others. Suf
fice it to say she was used as an in
strument in the hand of the gold
smiths and bankers of Lo ibard street
to secure the repeal of the obnoxious
laws which prevented the East India
company from making cent per cent,
but which gavolhe pcoplo of England
a tolerably stable monetary system.
"Jnree months after her relations
began with the king," relates Mr, Del
Mar, "she was granted by letters of
patent 'two pence by tale out of ev
ery pound troy of silver money .which
should thencefor . be coined by virtue
of any warrant or Indenture made
and to be made by his majesty . . .
from the 9th day of August, 1000, for
21 years.' "
"The movement which culminated
in the coinage act of 1000," continues
Mr. IK1 Mar. "though It apparently
originated with tho Jvit India com
pany, had long been suported by the
landlord class, whose Interests had
lauded them to view with alarm the
Influx of tho precious tnetai from
America which began with Potosl, Ac
cording to lirantume, the fears of the
French landlord from thU source m
amounted almost to phrensy, Th
Martini d Tavanne even propoiwd
to dcmonetUe lth the precious me
tal, ami employ In their Mead coins
made of iron; in other word, of (tine
ulunee that capital could control."
In France the creditor cla trhnl to
exact payment In reus and other ra
cial Unds of tola, but Henry II, clr
utmvented this by a utrlneent penal
statute. The Kngllsh creditor cliw.
however, wan more resourceful and
aw that It permitted, to melt down
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"IAMS' FEPIN" (46569)
Two-year-old Block Percheron gtfllllon. weight 2010. A sensational, "wide as a wagon," sort
Paul Neb t8"V lcrtbe st-Louls Exposition. Imported and owned hy Frank lams, St,
Our lll'ufltration is from the largest importer of the West, that of Frank Ian s, St. Paul, Neb.
lams' Pepin , (4W9) Two-year-old Hlaek 1 ereheron, weight 2010, Ihius thinks him the greatest two
year-old living, and a real "wide as a wagon" kind with 15 inch bone. His lines are even and
everything In proportion to the great and sensational drait stallion ol the best sort.
lie bus a wondertul way of going. lie pushes himselt along with the ease and grace oi a coach
horse and the power of. a steam-engine. He is a strong goer and has that flush and finish about
him so much admired by first-class horsemen. He was bred in purple, being one of the "Select
400," of the great Urilliant Family. There are few ljke him in America. He was the hizhett
itri IIUl I UTU I I 1IIT1 W 1 1 irn T T t fit tt 1 ri I Ul'l tmiv a I A - - .. .
.... y ... j .uijic iiu,w,iinu me inrKcsi one too as wen as me best made one
He is being fitted ior the great St. Louis Exposition, and will be one. of the black boys that will
compel his competitors to "go 'way back and sit down." - He will be sure "Peuches and cream "
and in any other company that fie may enter. '
He is only a fair, every day model of what you can see at lams' barns, In the way of Mark
Fercherons or Belgians. All ol these noted black beauties of lams' will look alike to yon as thev
were bought on the same plan and with the same model in the buyer's head. You will see there
137 stallions, 90 per cent blacks, BO per cent ol them ton horses, two to six years old. weight J6f0
pounds to SC0O pounds, and the largest stallions in the world. You will see there Urns full of
prize winners, with that big 14 and 16 inch bone so much admired, ad everything else in pro-
lams is making sensational low prices on these black diamonds, in fact selling them at f0
cents on the dollar compared with his competitors that are forming stock Cos., and selling stal
lions aj J2..rO0 to Sft.Ol 0. lams guarantees to sell you a better stallion than is being sold to Stock
Cos., at above prices, at from tl CtO to 11,600 and show you horses you will wish to buv If h
does not do this he agrees to pay you I2fi per day lor your trouble, you to be the judge. You will
find everything Just as represented in. lams' ad by visiting him. He fulfills every agreement
and shows you the number of horses that he advertises. And ii you go there and can pay cash or
give a bankable note you will surely buy ahorse before you leave lams' barns as he sells then
All of his horses must be sold before June 1st. As he cells every one of his horses at his hornets ma
and with much less expense thun where they are peddled, you can save 51,000 to 1 500 on everv
horse by visiting him, and it will well pay you to visit lams' Imported Burns, w hether you buv or
not It will give you an idea of the good kind that you should buy as herd headers -
Write lams lor the greatest horse catalogue on earth, containing over tiitv illustrations of
stallions now in his barns. They will be an eye-opener and money maker to you and it will be
one ol the greatest souvenirs ot the year to you. It is sure "Peaches and Cream with chanmairne
on the side." . r "
HOMESE
EKERS' EXCURSION.
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One Fare Plus Two Dollars For Round Trip.
Dates of Sale Deo. 1 and 15. Jan. 5 and 19, Feb. 2 and 16, March
1 and 15, April 5and 19.
To Minnesota, AYisconsin, the Canadian Northwest, many points in Nebraska, Nor t
and South Dakota, including llonesteel. Return limit 21 days.
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,C ' ' l"'SMI" i'BrSKli
Address-
R. W. McGinnis,
General Agent, Lincoln, Nebraska.
and ship to the antipodes tne coins of
the realm, they could keep coin scarce
and, therefore, of great purchasing
power.
"Let us commence with 1CC3," Mr.
Del Mar says. "The object of the Kast
India company, their backers, the
landlord of Kngland, their colleaRiioa
the goldsmiths of I.ondon, and their
agents la parliament, asaUted by the
(llarbara Villiers) Countess of. Castle
tualne's faction, was flrMt, to remove
the restriction upon the exportation of
tolna and bullion: second, to get rk
of the state selgrlorak upon the
coins; and. third, to usurp the prerog
ative of coinage for themselves. These
chjcvts they accomplished by means
of separate measures. And here It Is
to 1 noticed that the mint laws of
m6 and lHTu In I'nglJind and of tT3
In the I'nlted States of America, were
ItkewUf altered by mans of separate
measure. Uy this dvlc th extent
and ImtMirtsiue vt tha aUeratlou cs
csted tiotlce."
The fir! act repitred a duty
of SO shilling pr head on all cattle
lminrttHl from IreUnd. Wales or Scot,
land Into Undand. b twr n July 1 and
ivccmber Its any year and re
pealed the various yrovllan forbid
ding the export of coin or bullion
from the klngUoml Trior to this the
"portcullis" coins exported amounted
to some 40,000 or 50,000 a year. Af
terward, in a single bound, the re
striction taken off, tho export of sli
ver to the Orient rose to 100,000 to
500,000 a year but Tollexftn says
six hundred thousand pounds, Macau
lay entirely overlooks the cause of the
scurclty of coin In England, the clip
ping or hammered coin, and the great
reeoinago of IGOtJ, which followed as a
natural result of the act of lCt;3.
The next steps were easy. Charles
was shown that the great scarcity of
coin was because of the Spanish and
laitth mints being thrown open to
"free coinage-," while In Kngland the
svlgnlotace and llarbara Villiers tax
lept bullion owners from bringing
their wares to Kngland for coinage.
In Ib'u of the "tuppence" for liar
l ara. th.- great-hearted philanthrop
ies were willing to submit to a ts
on ImjMirled sptrUs. wines, b-r, ci
der and vlnetur out of whUh should
t p,ld her, Ctu a year pension! The
seigniorage was to b abolished si
together. I Ike the statements mad
by Cleveland and his clhpte In si3
anent the repeal of the purthfcln
cUu of the Sherman ad, pros parity
would follow as the day follows night.
S; the act of w4 pasne. Hut
like thv legislation of $n, "the att of