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THE
Mmm'&wwmu
Description of some ancient Coins
found in ‘l'ennesety and remarks
upon them. .
Two peices of brass coin were
lately found two miles and a half
from Murfrcesborough, in an east
vardlv direction from thence. —
Each of them had a hole in the
edge. Their size was about that
of a seven-penny silver peice of
the present time. The rim projec
ted further than it ought, as if it
had been intended to be clipped.—
On the obverse was a representation
in relief of a female, full faced,
steady countenance, rather stern
than otherwise, with a cap or hem
let on the head, upon the top of
which was a crescent extending
from the forehead backwards. In
the legend was the word Minerva ;
on the reverse was a slim female
figure with a ribbon in her left
hand which was tied to the neck or
of a slim neatly, made dog that
goes before her, and in the other a
bow. ‘The legend, for want of a
magnifying glass, is not ascertain
ed. Among the rest, it is believed,
there are the letters S. C. After the
ground had been for some years
cleared and ploughed it was enclos
ed in a garden on the summit of a
small hill and in digging there these
coins were found, eighteen inches
under the smface.
Upon these facts, the following
remarks are made in a manuscript
writing now in the press ; in the
preceding parts of which, other
Homan coins found in Tennessee
and Kentucky are described one ,
of which is a coin with three heads j
on it.
There are no Assyrian or Baby- j
lonian coins, nor any Phenician till:
400 before Christ. Svdon and Tyre, j
used weights ; coinage was un- j
known in Egvpt in earlv times.— j
The I,vdian coins tire the oldest.— j
T he Persian coins began 570 before j
Christ. The Darics were issued 1
by Darius Hystaspes 518 or 521 be
fore Christ.
Roman coins have been found.in
the Orkneys and in the remotest
parts of Europe, Asia and Africa.
Some of the small brass coins of
the Romans ha\e three heads upon
one side, as in that of Valerian and
histwo sons Gallienus and Valerian.
On the Roman coins are figures of
deities and personifications which
are commonly attended with their
names ; Minerva, for instance, with
her hcmlet and name inscribed ini
the legend; sometimes a spe&r in
her right hand and a shield with
Medusa’s head in the other, and an
owl standing by her, and sometimes
a cock and sometimes the olive.
Diana is manifest by her cres
cent, by her bow and quiver on one
side and often by her hounds.
The Roman brass coins have
S. C. for Senatus Consultum , till the
time of Gallienus. The small brass
coins ceased to be issued lor a time
in the reign of Pertinax, A. 1). 192,
and from thence to the time of Val
erian, A. 1). 254. Small brass coins
continued from the latter period
till A. D. 670.
Some coins are found with holes
pierced through them, and some
times with small strings fastened.—
Such were worn as ornaments of
the head, neck and wrist, cither hv
the ancients themselves bearing
images of iavorite deities, or in
modern when the Greek girls
thus decorated their persons.
¥ torn these criteria it may be de
termined, that these metals are not
counters but real coins.
Os all the Roman coins which
have been found in Tennessee and
Kentucky, the earliest bears date
in the time of Antonius, the next
in ihe time of Commodus, the next
before the time ot Pertinax, and
the last in the time of Valerian.—
C*ins prior or subsequent to the
space embraced in these periods
are not found ; and from hence the
conclusion stems to be furnished,
that they were bro’t into America
within one or two centuries at fur
thest after the latter period, and by
a people who had not afterwards
any intercourse with the countries
in whiph the Roman coin circula
ted. See Rees’s Encyclopedia verbo
medals. Knoxville Keg.
LAW INTELLIGENCE.
Hank of. the United Staten rn. Sill.
‘1 iiis case caine up by a writ of error
to the Supreme Court of Connecticut,
at the July term, A. 1). 1323, to reverse
a judgment iu the Court below, iu an
action of law, in favor of Sill, against
the hank. The facts were found by a
special verdict, ami were briefly these :
—Tiie plaintiff below, in December,
A. 1). 1819, was the ow mr of a bank
bill of the U. S. Bank, in the hands t
his agent in Ohio. For the purpose of
transmitting it safely bv mail, from
Ohio to the plaintiff, in Connecticut,
it was divided into halves, and one part
forwarded by mail to the plaintiff
which was duly received ; and after
wards the remaining hall was put into
the mail but never reached the plain
tiff. ‘I his was done subsequent to the
publication of the notice by the Direc
tors, that the Bank would not pay
notes voluntarily cut, unless upon the
production of all the parts. The plain
tiff applied to the Bank for payment,
which was refused, upon any other
terms than those specified in the no
tice. Judgment was rendered in the
Court below for the plaintiff, for the
amount of the bill and interest from
the time o r the demand and refusal of
payment. To reverse that judgment
the present writ of error was brought.
The cause was argued by Dagget
anti Law for the plaintiffs, and (iod
dard and Waite for the defendant in
error.
It was urged on the part of the plain
tiffs in error, that the holder of a half
bill could not recover in a court of law
unless he produced both parts, or pro
ved t!ie actual destrueti m of the part
not produced—that if the holder of a
note voluntarily cut it into parts, and
lost one of them, it amounted to a vol
untary destruction of the note, and
discharged the maker; and that at all
events, the Bank could not be render
ed liable for acts done subsequent to
the publication of the notice.
But the Court decided, that as the
plaintiff below proved himself the ow
ner of the whole bill, and the possess
or of one half, he was entitled to reco
ver, on the ground that neither the
finder nor any subsequent holder of
the lost half could sustain an action
against the Bank, because he could
not prove himself the owner of tne
whole bill: that, as the bill in this case
was not cut for the purpose of dischar
ging the Bank or destroying the bill,
but for its security, by lessening the
chances of a loss by mail, the Bank was
not thereby discharged. That the pub
lication of the notice could not change
the law, nor vary the legal obligation
of the contract —Judgment affirmed.
New London Gitz.
LO NDON MEETING.
The most interesting article in
the London papers received by the
last arrival, is the account of the
great public meeting held in Lon
don on the 13th June, “ to consider
of the best means of affording as
sistance to the Spaniards.” It was
attended by great numbers of the
principal noblemen and gentlemen
of the Whig party, chiefly 7 mem
bers of Parliament. Lord Erskine
first took the chair, —the intended
Chairman, Lord William Bentinck,
not having arrived —and delivered
an energetic speech, in which he
observed that “ the Constitutional
government of Spain had spirit
enough to defend it->elf, and too
much courage to yield a single
point to its unprincipled assailants.”
Lord William Bentinck soon ap
peared and relieved Lord Erskine
in the chair. He pronounced a
warm discourse in favor of the Spa
niards, of which the following is an
extract:—
“ He should confine himself to
the military part of the question,
as that was more peculiarly his pro
vince, and as he was exceedingly
anxious to do away certain impres
sions which many of the friends of
Spain felt, and which her enemies
were most desirous to encourage
and to propagate still further—
namely, that the cause of Spain was
entirely hopeless.—(Hear, hear.)
lie was iar, very far,from that opin
ion. (Greers.) If they would
give him leave to mention a cir
cumstance which in some degree
was personal to himself, he would
inform them of the reasons on which
he rested his own opinion. It was
necessary for him first of all to state
that he was at Madrid in the year
1808, when the E.mperor Napoleon
was about to invade Spain in per
son. He had lieen sent there by
the commander of the British for
ces in the Peninsula ol Spain and
Portugal to offer their co-cpcration
to the government of Spain, and to
arrange in what manner that co-op
eration could be given most effec
tually. —“ I wish to God,” exclaim
ed Lord W. Bentinck, I could be
employed again now upon the very
same mission. (Loud and repeat
ed cheers.) It was almost impos
sible for the mind of man to coa
ceive two cases more similar than
the tvo invasions of Spain. In
1808 the same abominable* and un
justifiable aggro;- ion ns now was
made upon the independence of
Spain. (Hear.) On the side of
France there was then, as now, a
great superiority of military force
led on by a great captain —he did
1 not mention the latter circumstance
as a parallel which existed at pre
sent (a laugh)—directed by an effi
cient Government, and backed by
the Continental Powers of Europe,
at least by* the German Confedera
tion, many of whose troops were
then employed in the unholy pur
pose of France.—(Hear) —On the
side of Spain there was then, as he
was afraid there was now, an inef
ficient Government; her atmies
were then, as they are now, without
mfjch discipline, and in a state of
disorganization ; and yet, notwith
standing the difficulties which then
threatened it, he predicted, as he
did now, that the cause of Spain
would come out of the conflict vie-!
torious and triumphant. [Cheers.] j
He had stated that to be his opinion
in 1808 ; and in a letter addressed
to Lord Castlereagh, dated Mad
rid, Nov. 14,1808, and subsequent
ly laid on the table of the House of
Commons, he had explained the
grounds upon which it was tound
ed. At that time lie had written
as follows:— u I must not disguise
from your Lordship, that I think
very unfavourably of the affairs of
Spain. I presume nobody doubts
that Bonaparte will make a great
push ; that he will act with his ac
customed vigor, in the hope of be
ing able, by a series of victories, to
subdue the Spanish spirit. It can
not be doubted that he has come
with a very large army. I should
think it would he a low calculation
to estimate his force at 100,000, of
which at least 12,000 are cavalry.
Blake’s army is, for the present,
hers de combat. ” These, continued
Lord W. Bentinck, were very un
favourable circumstances in the
view which the state of Spain pre
sented to me. But even with that
knowledge I never considered, as I
do not now consider, the fate of
Spain hopeless. That opinion 1
placed on record in the concluding
part of my despatch. My words
were these :—“ Notwithstanding I
think ill of the present moment,
and that the Spaniards have not
the means at present to repel the
danger that threatens, still I have
confidence in the unconquerable
spirit of the nation. [Cheering.]
They want time, which, unfortu
nately 7, the activity of Bonaparte’s
movements will not allow them.—
But great as the success of the
French may be, the Spaniards will
be again able to assemble at the
south of Madrid in every province,
[cheers,] and in their mountains,
[hear, hear;] they will be able to
carry on the same destructive war
fare which has once cleared Spain
much more unprovided with the
means of annoyance than she is at
present.” That opinion had been
subsequently completely 7 verified
by events —and he thought it would
be again verified in the present in
stance.” (Cheers.]
After various other speeches,
about 5000/. were subscribed for
the Spaniards, and a committee,
with Mr. Alexander Baring as
Chairman, was appointed to receive
further subscriptions. It is to be
noted that,notwithstandingtbe una
nimous expression of sympathy for
the Spaniards, in the Parliament,
no ministerial names are found in
the list of the politicians who at
tended the meeting. The most re
markable and important occurrence
on the occasion was this.—T he ed
itor of the Sun, after stating “ that
French money had not only been
employed in Spain, but also in En
gland to pervert public opinion
against the Constitutional govern
ment of the former country,” read
the following letter, being the first
of a series which had been address
ed to him.
Parib, May 18.
“My dear sir—l send yon the
first of a series of articles which I
conceive well adapted for The Sun ,
which has always stood firm against
anarchy. What 1 hint as doubtful
only, will be verified. I am be
hind the scene for news. lam of
fered 500 francs per article for wri
ting articles ; and as 1 know the
property of The 3tin does not pay
too well —[‘Here the writer is gross
ly mistaken,said the Editor,jpermit
me to offer you one half of it to buy
.itiufrfor you: seif, i his of cot., -e is
a profound secret between you and
myself, and must go no further. I
have stipulated that you shall have
all the news from the French Em-|
bassy. Insert the enclosed without
delay. I will again write to you |
on Monday.”
After the reading was concluded,
a loud cry was raised for the name
of the author; but the editor of the
Sun trusted he would not be called
on to publish the name of the wri
ter.—'The letter, however he said
would be left in the committee-room
for inspection of any man who wish
ed to see it. It appeared that this
was not the only communication of
the same import, which had been
transmitted to die office of the Sun,
as the Editor went on to state, that
lie had received three letters, each
containing an enclosure of money,
for the purpose of inducing him to
publish in his paper, such state
ments as would be transmitted to
him from Paris respecting Spanish
affairs; an attempt which, he had
no doubt, had succeeded with the ed
itors of some cf the Lnodon papers
where articles of French manufac
ture daily appeared, calculated to
poison the minds of the public.
‘These disclosures illustrate the
profligacy with which the French
cabinet conduct their atrocious de
signs, and the degree of confidence
to which the statements and reas
onings of the Paris and London
ministerial prints are entitled.—
Arg'uelles and Galiano , the two lea
ders of the Cortes at Seville, men
tion in speeches delivered near the
close of May, that the French com
manders in Spain, cause bodies of
Spanish royalists to precede them
in their approaches, who, commit
ting gross excesses may 7 give to the
French, when they arrive, the char
acter of the deliverers, in the eyes
of the suffer ing people.
From the Savannah Georgian.
By an arrival at Charleston, from
Havana, papers of that place to the
25th ult. containing Bordeaux and
Cadiz dates to the 9th of June are
received By these it would ap
pear that very considerable advan
tages had been obtained by Mina—
and that the war had become “ na
tional.” The following extracts
appear in the Courier.
The ship Ann in 37 davs from
Bordeaux, arrived on the 15th inst.
By this vessel news was received
of the defeat of the French General
Donnadieu, in Catalonia, by Mina*
who is stated to have taken a con
voy of 200 Mules, laden with 1,500
000 francs, the escort of which con
sisting of 4000 men, was entirely
beaten and dispersed.
I he Schr. Maria-Antonia, also
arrived on the 16th inst. at Havana,
from Cadiz, bringing accounts
thence to the 9th of June, and the
sth from Seville. It appears that
Morillo is in a strong positoin be
tween Astorgo and Leon—that Lo
pez Banos has taken the command
of the 3d army (Abisbal’s) with
whom Gen Lallemand is to act ini
conjunction, with a body of French
liberals. Gen. Ballasteros has en
tirely cleared the Province of Va
lencia of the factionists.
The following is under the Ca
diz head of the 9th June, “ An ex
press has arrived from Catalonia.
We learn that Mina has given bat
tle to the French and factionists, in
which the latter lost 444 men, and
300 prisoners, besides several box
es of ammunition, three cannon and
many stores. Our loss has also
been very great. —The battle con
tinued a whole day without ceasing
to keep up the fire on either side,
and towards night General Mina
was nearly surrounded by the supe
rior forces of the enemy. But the
division of Col. Manco, and Zorra
quin, coming up at that time to his
assistance, and in conjunction with
the regiments of the line, the Cana
ries, Asturias and Numancia, at
tacked the French in the rear guard
and completely routed them.—'l lie
cavalry blunted the edges of their
sabres against the perfidious ene
mies of their country.
An agreement has been formed
between Sir Robert Wilson and
the Spanish government, authori
sed by the Cortes, the object of
which is to raise a body of foreign
troops for the service of Spain. —
This agreement or convention is
divided into twenty articles, and
dated at Seville the 31st ol May.—
‘Hie number of this force is fixed
at 10,000 men,and Sir Robert Wil
son Js to be considered as holding
the rank of a Spanish Lieutenant
General.—The service of this eon
continues through the duration c f
the war, at the termination of whit
the nation is to remunerate their
valor, by grants of good Ends in
the provinces of Valencia, Cata
lonia, Estremadura, and Castile.
On the 2‘id May, a sally vvas
made from Pampeluna, which is
stated to have been very 7 success
ful.
The war against the invaders
has become national, and the ex
cesses and atrocities committed
upon all parties by the defenders of
the faith and of legitimacy , have ex,
cited the indignation and venge
ance of men of the greatest apathy
The advantages obtained by tli o
unconquerable Mina in Catalonia
are considerable.—This chief, b e .
sides the forces which are under
his ow'ii command, has organised
numerous guerilla parties, which
operate in unison with the several
divisions of his own foices, and
contribute to sustain his opera
tions.
By the arrival at New York cf
the Mentor, London papt rs of the
12th, and Liverpool of the 14th
June, are received.
Were w 7 e to place entire confi
dence in the accounts which the
French censors of the press permit
to see the light, we should consider
the cause of Spain as gloomy in
deed. Yet it is surprising that al
though they represent the people,
generally, as anxious to throw off
the constitution and to welcome the
“ deliverers,” it is considered ne
cessary to raise a second army of
reserve, and to march more men to
Spain from different parts of France
—measures which point to the ex
pectation of a protracted resist
ance. The depression of the fundi
in Paris on the 7th and 9th of June,
and in London on the 11th, in con
sequence of the receipt of news cf
an unfavorable nature from Spain,
which was not permitted bv the
ministry to appear, is another cir
cumstance by which to test the
French official accounts. As to
the reported vivas of the population
which a few hanclsfull of gold, scat
tered among the needy and debased
will always produce, we consider
them of about as much consequence
as the defection of Abisbal, from
which such immense consequences
were to flow. On this subject the
London Courier savs, “ it would
seem as if great expectations had
been entertained concerning the ef
fect of AbisbaPs defection, and
that they were all disappointed. It
is said that his famous correspond
ence with Montijo was sent to the
commandants of St. Sebastians and
Pampeluna, toexcite them to revolt,
but without effect, although Colo
nel O’Donnel, a brother to Abis
bal, is in command at the former
place. Indeed the example seems
to have been almost entirely without
effect; and Abisbal has received
the reward of a solitary and useless
deserter—a measure of indifference
not easily to be distinguished from
contempt.”
The Courier was one of those pa
pers which considered the defec
tion of Abisbal as decisive of the
Spanish cause.
Mina continued to harass the
French troops. The French oi
course claim the victory in the en
gagement with Mina. The Span
ish account of the battle will he
found above. A few more such
victories on the part of the French
army will destroy it. The Paris
papers on the Liberal side com
plain very much of the few and la
conic official letters received frojn
their troops in Spain. The infor
mation they obtain from them is so
unsatisfactory that it is often diffi
cult, and sometimes impossible to
form any idea of the actual state of
things among them.
The contradictions in which the
l’rench official accounts are involv
ed are sometimes amusing.
Mina (says Donnadieu) “pursu
ed night and day sword in hand ef
fected his escape, particularly ;lt
Baja, only by a miracle. He threw
himself into a frightful precipice
the access to which was impost
Lie.”
If acress to the said precipice wa*
impossible how did Mina get there
—ls not, why did not Donnadieu
follow him.
Mina is defeated and a fugitive *
and Moncey requires eight thousand
men to prosecute his designs agaiftS 1