The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-11-17

ices from miners Tor The work OF assaying and ,u,
ing into ngots or ''sugs"-worh $50 each--,h. -,
dust OF the country Those engaged 10 il spraag io,a
possession OF enormous fortunes in a eomparatva
space OF time and when il is stated that thew
TWO and shree'quaters per cent for their labor ,h
acter OF their monopoly may be understood uod.,
law OF September 30 1850. these ingols and "ssv.
stamped with the standard value OF the Uo,ad e..
and by decision under that law (Which, so far
lated TO the receiving OF these "slugs" as coin 4.
csely like the clause objected to by the Rspub.
inserted into the civil and diplomatic bill nv s.a
Gwin,) OF the present Secretary of the Treasury ~
sugs were received by the collector at San 60.
in payment Of duties
Senator Gwin saw. with his usual sagaeitv -
means o. oppression and Of wrong the assay Office had
'o'ne ~ glance any Intelligent man must have pna..
'ooa me wnole scope OF The concern II is irresponsible
and unlli the gold IN ingots is placed before The
hcer OF the government the proprietors of the ASSAY
nave uncontrolled opportunity to take care of ,h.
selves As an evidence Of the vast amount which -
government must have losta fact which will ba orou".
we Tear, when the stamped ngots or slugs are mal.a;
to coin at the United States mn-he ASSAY office ., e.
francisco is now making ingots of certain h;sh,.
standard OF hneness, at less rates. according - j.
act OF August last, than those charged whsn !.
standard was lower How much the proprietors !, i.
assay Office realized by this irresponsible coioaga 1.
lore The act OF 1852 was passed, their present hnva
suddenly made fortunes will testify Senator Gio M
therefore two objects to accomplish, in causing N.
adoption oil the clause in The civil and Diplomatic hin; j
winch objection is made-6rst, TO open The work ~ y
saying TO composition, which was prevented under Il.
law OF 1885, and second to elevate the standard 81 4.
ingets, and to reduce the taxes Of the assayers mon ~
miners. In order TO show what the clause, i, ~. -.
civil and diplomatic bill, so violently objected 10 !. !.
copy il. as follows:
And the Secretary OF the Treasury is hereby aso,,
10 contract for term OF than one year ana 49,
he most reasonable TERMS exceeding one per cen,
with The propIieors OF and if practicable with ,h
u more man one assaying establishment in Caiforni,
upon satisfactory security TO be Judged by him ~
shail discharge the dates prescribed and in The mann
designated by the making appropriations for The AVN
ana diplomatic expenses OF the government for the ye,
ending the SOL OF June 1861 and no gold or silver oh
man COIN OF Standard hneness OF the United States md
loregn CON- In the manner prescribed by exis,jnp
shal be receivable in payment of dues 10 the Un,,s
States" ~ "u
HOW dld Secretary Corwin receive this clause, Hsr,
y had the INK become dry upon the signature Of The
PRESIDENT before he sent special messenger 10 Cafo
MA, to create the impression that Senator Gwn and hi.
colleagues had taken the referred 10 on this sb
Tor the purpose OF striking blow at the merchants and
miners OF that State twill be forgotten by our readers
that the law establishing branch mint in Califopa
passed in June last and yet that law remains 10 this DIV
almost dead letter There was no such haste mani.
iesed IN inns matter. And why! The bill establishing
that mint had been opposed for years. as charged BY
The people OF California, by the poprieors of the asssy
ing Office at San Francisco whose trade would be ruined
BY its passage; and when finally il became law The
Secretary OF the Treasuryout OF regard for his friends
The assayers. doubi-deayed to carry cut the pro-
visions OF the law for four long months But when The
assay Office was attacked a monopoly and when liz
propristors threatened with the stern arm of law
then the Secretary exhibited the most extraordinary
prompttude in his history, and, moments warning
sent out one of his instruments with an order which
created the utmost CONSERVATION in California This
order was. as we have stated neither more nor less than
decree that no more ingois should be received in pay
ment OF duties at the port OF San Francisco, on The
ground that the clause in the civil and diplomatic bill chad
prohibited them from being received as paymen, in any
payment to the United States" The election for Pr.si
dent was coming Great interests were involved in
the matter; and Mr.. Corwin thought he could destroy
oe""'o uWm anu nep Ienerai scott al the time.
Hence his messenger was suddenly and secretly in.
sucied 10 go out with his ORDER and to stir up the ee
ments OF discord Immediately on his arrival Bot
Senator Gwin is not easily caught He ia one Of
those bold, active. and sterling men who, once EN-.
barked IN course do net readily cover before difficulty
or opposition. BY singular coincidence, he TOO heard
OF Secretary Corwins plot, and the sane steamer hst
took the messenger OF the former carried out the yis
liant and intrepid senatori
great deal OF feeling was createl BY The order
OF Secretary Corwin against receiving the ngots for
duties; and meeting OF merchants was called to
consider the cause VI the order Ex-Governor Smith,
lately OF Virginia. went into the meeting and tore IN.
veil from the imsy pretext Of the Secretary vudicag
Senator win and his colleagues in so triumphant man.
ner that the tide was turned in moment He exposed
the miserable that the order was occas toned be-
the law of 1850, authorizing the receipt of the in
gos in payment OF duties, had been revoked and made
Collector King tremble for the paty trick Of his masters
We quote from his speech at San Francisco as follows:
Thus stands the law. Thus, repeat It, stands the
law so~ And with this law in fore, ths ACT Of September
3hh 1862 passed in which the Secretary OF the Treas
authorized TO with an assayer 10 coin the
goid dust Of California ssdsr tbs authority Of the Uaid
Sisfes to turn II Into ingo and stamp them with the
standard value Under that law tbs sccretsry OF the
Treasury Issued an order authorizing the rc,pt Of these
sug Tor duties And now, forsooth, 1t Is aleg d that the
recent act OF Congress- which the denc 4 phrase
that the preceding laws the sane Subject contained,
fobds the receipt Of these ngots at the custom house
have read Won the cIause and subn ,h.t IL does not