PREFACE.

OUR system of Banking and Currency has been a subject of much interest for many years past, and on the appointment of the Secret Committee of last Session to inquire into it, that interest was greatly increased. It was naturally expected that the inquiries of the Committee would throw much light upon the question, and the expectations of the Public were proportionably raised. But these have been disappointed by the publication of the Report. This partly proceeds from the disjointed and consequently obscure manner in which the Evidence is presented. The Report, as may be supposed, contains materials of considerable value; but in their present form they may be compared to ore recently extracted