DATE: May 28, 1842

TOWN: Washington, D.C.

SOURCE: National Intelligencer

Notes on Currency.--A traveller from New England or Central New York starts for the South. At the Philadelphia Railroad Office he is gruffly told that they "don't take New England money, nor any New York but specie;" so he has to stand a shave on the money in his pocket. Ten hours more and he is in Washington; and here (at the railroad) they won't take New York city bills except at two per cent, discount. They won't take Virginia here, nor in Baltimore, save at some eight to twelve per cent, discount. They won't take Pennsylvania country money in Philadelphia, nor Maryland country money in Baltimore or Washington. In short, at every stopping-place you must put your pocket-book in the brokers' hopper, and have the contents ground out minus the toll.

All this, be it observed, is done with a currency every where (except Virginia) redeemed promptly in specie. There is no longer a pretence that suspension causes those inequalities. The simple fact is that we have touched bottom on General Jackson's "better currency" of State bank notes; and you can't select any out of the lot that you can travel twenty-four hours upon.

This will never do. We cannot stop here; we must advance or go back. Before two years the issue must be broadly presented--a "national paper currency, or an exclusive metallic currency." This Ulster and Jacksonville contrivance, with a shave on every corner you turn, cannot be a permanent condition. If there really be not in the land wisdom to devise and virtue to maintain a sound and uniform circulating medium let us go back to the devices of barbarism at once. [N.Y. Tribune]