Influential friends have advised me to issue the present as the
_third_ edition of “The Royal Mint” on the ground that a Treatise on
Coining which I wrote, at the request of Mr. Graham, for “Tomlinson’s
Cyclopædia,” of which Mr. Tomlinson allowed me to have a hundred copies
printed and bound separately for private circulation, was really the
first edition of the more extended work I have recently published. The
copies of that first edition were soon absorbed: indeed, owing to the
fact that there is little literature in relation to the Royal Mint, I
was flattered by foreign governments and foreign mints seeking from me
copies of that book. Such applications gave me pleasure, and as far as
I was able I complied with the requests preferred, except in the case
of the Spanish mint, for which institution Mr. Graham asked of me a
copy when, unfortunately, I had parted with the last at my disposal.
I was further gratified by the fact that the Imperial Government of
France sought permission to translate this book into French, with a
view to give a copy to each workman in the mints of that nation.
Under considerable pressure I re-wrote the book above spoken of for
public use, but omitted to style it, as I should have done, the
_second_ edition. This, in its turn, was most kindly received by those
whose opinions I value in both Houses of Parliament, as well as by
those who understand in an especial degree the subject of which I
treated; and I have reason to know that it has found its way to all,
even the most distant, parts of the world. It was produced, but not
replied to, by Ministers in both Houses of Parliament, and remains
yet uncontradicted (see page 198); indeed, I may assume that it has
been officially confirmed; for on the motion of the Right Honourable
Lord Kinnaird, returns were made to the House of Lords, which are
verbatim copies of some of the most damaging pages in my book up to and
inclusive of the dates then reached (see pages 91, 97, 102, 133, 135,
197-8). I say thus much in gratitude, for the subject I have chosen is
one which could hardly have induced me to expect for it so generous
a reception. I wrote it hoping only that the public would acquaint
themselves with the manner in which one of the principal Departments
of the Government was and is conducted. Lord Kinnaird, in the letter
which he has done me the honour to write, and permits me to print in
these pages, expresses an opinion—one that is largely entertained—that
Mr. Fremantle and his fellow-travellers to European mints are greatly
indebted to my books for the information on which they found their
opinions, as expressed in the reports on foreign mints. For their own
sakes as well as for the benefit of the nation, I would that those
gentlemen had followed in their entirety my suggestions, because such
a course would have enabled them to avoid those difficulties which
beset them, and pitfalls into which they will stumble in the carrying
out the designs expressed in these reports on European mints; these I
will discuss in the fitting place, but here I desire to thank those
gentlemen for such attention as they have given to my opinions.
The leading newspapers and periodicals have reviewed or noticed the
books in a kindly spirit, with but one exception, in which the writer
without refuting one statement indulged in personalities. To those
gentlemen of the Press who have spoken candidly and generously, I offer
my best thanks. I have endeavoured to correct the faults they pointed
out—unless, indeed, where principle was concerned; and, in deference
to the expressed opinions of some of my reviewers, I, now that a new
edition is called for, publish, by his Lordship’s authority, a letter
which I wrote to Lord Kinnaird at his Lordship’s request, giving a
history of my dissociation from the Mint, in which, I hope, will be
found evidence confirming the statements I make throughout the book.
I do not attempt to disguise the fact that I consider myself to have
been seriously wronged both by Mr. Thomas Graham and by the Treasury,
still I consider, wisely or unwisely, that my personal grievances are
of less interest to the public than is the principle involved. I,
however, deem it right to invite attention now to the subject of my
complaint,—fully set forth in the Appendix,—because it is illustrative
of the treatment a public servant will surely receive if he should
follow the intimation conveyed by the present Government, and,
neglecting the fact of his own relative position, fulfil the duties of
his office as he would do if the matter in hand were one of personal
concern. The Government of the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, from
their bench in the House of Commons, promised that “if each in his
especial sphere would faithfully fulfil the duties required in his
department irrespective of his nominal position,” “such public servant
should be duly rewarded:”—the Ministers might have added, and would
have so added had they been candid, “with immediate discomfort and by
ultimate dismissal, and that justice would be sought at _their_ hands
by such public servant in vain!”
The effect of a rule which obliges Ministers to support the “head of
a Department” “_under any and all circumstances_,” will be apparent
to all evenly balanced minds; and I from my own knowledge, without
fear of contradiction—except, indeed, official denial, which is now
so perfectly understood—state that the man who best succeeds in a
Government office is he who does unreasoningly and undoubtingly just
what he is told to do, and avoids giving offence to his superior
officers by pointing out any irregularity or improvement.
Upon the publication by Mr. Thomas Graham of the malevolent report he
had written to the Treasury, I, when that fact was made known to me,
obtained a high opinion, and in pursuance of advice then given, it was
my intention to proceed by action at law against Mr. Graham for libel,
but his early death made that step impossible.
With regard to the publication of the correspondence, it is right that
I should say that Lord Kinnaird had not intended to draw attention to
my case; but, when his Lordship found that the Marquess of Lansdowne
and His Grace the Duke of Argyll led off against me in the House of
Lords, as the Right Honourable Robert Lowe had done most bitterly in
the House of Commons on the previous Friday, he with great generosity
threw off the natural reluctance he had entertained to hurting the
feelings of Mr. Graham’s friends, and defended me with words and
documents so nobly that I can never sufficiently thank his Lordship, or
fittingly acknowledge the indebtedness I thereby incurred.
To Mr. Lowe, Lord Lansdowne, and the Duke of Argyll must be attributed
any pain which may arise to the friends of Mr. Graham, for Lord
Kinnaird desired to spare them; for myself, however, I would say
that if either of the Ministers named had obligingly pointed out any
presumedly false statement contained in the book which has so far
excited their anger, and proved its untruthfulness, instead of saying
hard words of the Author, I should have been less mindful of the sage
instructions given on a celebrated occasion to an eminent Advocate, “It
is a weak case, bully the counsel.”
Some of my readers will perhaps consider that the following pages
are overlaid with a strong personal feeling, and may therefore feel
disposed to lay the book aside. To such I would remark that it is
impossible to follow a pursuit of any kind earnestly, unless it be
made a matter of undivided interest. Besides, it must not be forgotten
that I was invited to go to the Mint solely on the ground of my known
determination to resist abuses. Having devoted fifteen years to the
subject of the Mint, it is not to be supposed that I can view its
mismanagement with less concern now than I did when selected for
appointment to that Department, that I might repress irregularities
which were then known to exist, and which appear to have been as yet
uneradicated.
With such remarks, I invite a perusal of my new edition by such members
of the legislature as are really desirous of reforming the abuses which
exist in the Royal Mint.