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Untitled Article
particularly those received from a foreigner , to whom it is a matter of indifference by what name the current coin goes , whether in twenty-shilling notes or guineas , as he makes his bargain on the return to be made to him in some commodity of the country for what he sent to it : and if his commodity is valued in bank paper , he must have as much of it as will answer the
demand for the commodity , which be deems an equivalent to it ; and consequently the consumer of the foreign commodity must pay more of this fictitious bank paper , than lie was accustomed to do of the real bank paper , or that paper which faithfully performed its promise .
But the great change in the price of commodities was not the only consequence of Mr . Pitt ' s measure . The circulation of paper money "being greatly extended , it became in common use with the lower classes , who were little qualified to distinguish between a real and a forged note . And hence forgeries of this fictitious paper
became numerous , far beyond any former example , or any thing that MY . Pitt could have expected ; for , if he could have foreseen the number of executions for forgery that have since taken place , the number of transportations , the number of trials , the mode of the processes at law , rash as he was ^ he might have been appalled at a measure so dreadful in its consequences .
A general alarm on this subject pervades the country . The evil is universally felt , and humanity shudders at it . Supposing we were to allow , which w « -are very far from doing , that death is the due punishment for forgery ; still , when it is seen that it produces no abatement in the crime , but on the contrary , occasions a
very extraordinary mode of procedure in the prosecutors themselves , the expediency of this punishment may be justly called in question . How much more sensibly affected , then , mtist those persons he , who deem the punishment of death to be too great for the crime ! A system has been adopted , that the mercy of the crown should not be extended to those who are convicted
of forgery : biit the number of persons who may be broaght into this predicament is so great , that the prosecutor himself interferes , and exhorts his culprits to pleatiguilty to the minor offence , that they may avoid the greater punishment : that they would subject themseJ ves to transportation , instead of terfying their countrymen by an execution ;
In the last sessions at the Old Bailey many availed themselves of this supposed lenity in . the prosecutor : but one woman could not be brought to this plea of minor guilt , und after a trial for the higher crime was acquitted . This instance leads to suspicions ? Umt ¦ fear- for the ! r li ves may i nduce innoeeiit person * to subscribe to this plea of guilty of the minor offence , und exrpi&t in * forejg * cltfn ** tfa * tr imaginary guilti
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Another circumstance presses on the mind with respect to the persons thus charged with guilt . It rests with the prosecutor to select from the number of the tried , those whom he may deem proper for
execution , and leave the others for transportation . But here his discrimination may not tie correct , and on comparing notes with each other , some of the transported persons may really be far guiltier than those left for execution : and as it is
now the custom that the severity of the law is to be exercised upon all ftm $ tf guilty of tlie higher crime , a manifest degree of partiality may be exercised . For , supposing all thaf now consent to plead guilty of the minor oifence were to be tried for the higher offence , and oh being found
guilty their cases were represented to the ' Prince , the guiltiest only would be left for execution , and the rest would suffer the * punishment for the * ininot offence . It should seem that the case of these unhappy people ought rather to be left to the Prince ' than to the Bank solicitor .
The papers mention a case , which requires an examination into the mode of procedure , with respect to the guilt even of the accused . It has been thought sufficient that the inspector of the Bank * should pronounce oni the forgery i . but' it' * maybe asked , is his judgment in this
respect to be so implicitly relied on ? H £# the Bank never pronounced a " note to be ' foVged , which really was not " so ? Tli& papers state that a note has' been stamped ** with forgery , but the possessor of it has * denied the fact , and got a good note from * the Bank in return for it .
The proprietors oi the Batik 'themselves * sympathize with the public on the number * of prosecutions for this offence . At their last meeting- it was brought forward , and ' the desi re of some change in the system " was manifested . A committee" has also been appointed b 'y g-overtonterit to examine into the means of rendering forgery more *
difficult , and a difficult task it has undertaken . Fdr as long as the number of small ; notes continues as great as it is at present / the temptation and the" facility of passing forced ones are so great , that little is to ' ' be expected from any thing in the execu- *
tion of ihetn to prevenft tbe crimeV' One ** way of diminishing the number' of prosecutions is obvious •* and that is , by ' remov- * ing- from circulation : all-Ahot&t r urifler' ten ' pounds : but the objections to this taeastirc' ' seehi , in the present 8 ta 4 e 6 f things , to be almost insuVrrioWntable ' f
The question- will , most probably , come '" early before the legislature . Ha mart it j is interested in the discussions ; it is impossible to go on mutfi longer < m ihe $ rfe * V sent syftteiriF Let"it be fc 661 UM 4 O ! thai * , hinnaW life ife tod va 1 nft > T # fp tye ^ adffficetf ' to'fne in « er # f * 6 f to feoiiforiity" ^ iM MW ® thisMim&k ni vi ^ V ;^ mAy ^ hoWeShi ^ bii
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6 QS State of Public Affairs .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1818, page 598, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2480/page/62/
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