Press enter after choosing selection

The First Paper Money In Europe

The First Paper Money In Europe image
Parent Issue
Day
26
Month
September
Year
1862
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The following account of the lirst issue of paper money in Europa is taken frotn Washington Irving's Cbrooi cles of the Conquost of Granada : " Aitar the city of Afhatnbra was taken f rom the Moarés, thevetranCount de Tendillu was left Governor, and we woi'e inlbrmed that this cavalier at one timo was deslitute of gu]d and si'ver wherewilh to pay tho wages of his troops, and tbo soldiers murmured greatly, soeing that they had not the inoans of purchasing necessaries from the people of the towus. "In this dilema what dnes thia most Ragaeious commnnder ? He takos him i number of iittle morse fa of paper, on which he inbcribes various sums, large and smal!, aocorcting to the nature of the case, and sigtw thera with his own hand and natne. Thsa did he give to soldieryin earnostof their pay, How ! vou will say, are soldiers to be paid with scraps of paper ? Even so, I answer, and well paid, too, as I will presently mako manifwt ; fnr tho good Count issued a proclamaron, ordering the inhabitants of Alhanibra to tako these moraels of paper tor i'ull amoiint thereon inscribea, promising to radeem j the'm at a futnre timo with silver and gold, and tbreateniog syvere puniah ment lo n!l who should refuse. " The people having conlidecno in his words, and trufünji that ho vvould be as willing to perforin one promiso as he was eerttnnly able to perform the other, tok tbose curious niorsela of paper without hesitution or dümur. Th iis by a subtlo nnd most mysterious kind uf atahemy did this cavulior turn a usslees paper "into precious gold, and muko his impoverished garrison abound in money. It is just to udd that the Count de Tendilla rodeomedhis promiiie üko a loyal knight; and this tniracle as it appeared in tli j eyes of Antonio Agrepieda, is the fi:'st instanco on record, in Europe, of paper monoy, which has since iauod-ated the civilized world with unbounded ojiulence."

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus