Letter concerning potential preventions of counterfeit money in the counties

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To the Right Honble: the Lords Commrs of His Majestys Treary

May it Please Your Lordships

In Obedience to your Lordships Order We have made Enquiry whether the Publick Receivers of Money do pursue the Intent of the Act of parliamt in Cutting all Counterfeit Money offered to them in payments. And do find that tis observed in the Exchequer the Custom Houses, the Excise & in the Stamp Office But upon Enquiry into the practice of the Bank of England we are Informed that the Recievers there have Orders only to refuse Counterfeit money but not to Cutt it, for fear of disobliging those who bring their money to be lodged there & who might otherwise remove it to the Goldsmiths where they are sure to be better treated.

Wee are also credibly Informed that the Receivers Genl. in the Several Countys for the Land Tax, the Dutys on Glass Windows, & on Births, Marriages &c. do not cut the Counterft. Money offered them in payments wch. may be one great Reason why the Trade of Counterfeiting is more practiced in the Country then in Towne. And we are humbly of opinion that the Trade of Counterfeiting {illeg}money would be in a greater measure prevented if all publick Receivers of Money were required to putt a Stop to the Currency of it by Cutting is as they are obliged by Act of parliament

All wch. is humbly Submitted by

I Stanley.

Is. Newton.