Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-15
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

The House having resumed the consideration OF the bill
prevent frauds upon the Treasury of the United States
reported by the select committee to investigate the
neIion Of the Hon. Thomas Corvn, Secretary Of the
Treasury, with the Gardiner claim.
Mr.. JOHNSON Of Tennessee, chairman Of the select
committee addressed the House in favor Of the bill and
that the Gardiner claim was naked fraud upon the
Treasury, sustained by perjury and forgery.
Mr.. STEPHENS Of Georgia, then obtained the floor.
SMALL NOTES IN THE DISTRICT.
On motion Of Mr.. ORR, the House went into Commit
Of the Whole the state of the Union, Mr. BRows
Of Mississippi in the chair and resumed the considers
ton Of the special ORDER being bill to suppress the cir
culaton Of small notes currency in the District OF
Columbia
Mr.. FREEMAN said that it had been suggested TO him
that the amendment he offered yesterday would operate
upon bank not issued in the District Perhaps
rigid construction Of it would authorize the suggestion
and be therefore proposed to modify his amendment by
adding thereto the following:
Provided That this shall not be construed as 70 pro-
hbit the ordinary circulation within this District Of bank
above the denomination Of ten dollars Issued BY the
legally authorized banking institutions within the several
States Of this Union and brought here IN the ordinary course
Of trade.
Sec II shall be the duty all public officers in the Dis
ct OF Columbia give information to the Justices OF the
peace udges District OF Columbia Of every breach
Of this that mny their knovedge and said judges
Justices shall power common law 70 arrest aud
bind all such offenders rs in other cases o. CRIME or ms
demeanor IL shall also be the duty or the Judges Of said
District give this in charge 70 the grand nres Of the
District
Mr. F. contended that Congress had no power TO char
ter banks or authorize the issuing Of any paper what
ever and that paper circulation should not be counte
nanced in the District Of Columbia He said that there
were upwards OF two millions Of dollars annually paid
out by the Government in this city, and argued that the
gold and silver currency sufficient for business pur
poses He thought that the bill under consideration was
too long and attempted to be too specific.
Mr. VENABLE said that he felt very deeply the evils
Of the circulation Of bank paper here and thought that
Congress should apply remedy. Whilst he should vote
for the bill introduced by the COMMITTEES with the amend
ment Of the gentleman from Ohio, mr.. CaRrrER,) he
would call the attention Of the gentleman from Mssssp
ri TO bis substitute In his opinion II it should be adopt
ed il would defeat the whole object they had in view II
would never be executed for it in advance Of public
sentiment creating and giving character to offence
which public sentiment did not believe belonged TO IT,
II proposed 70 niot upon those who committed in
fraction Of il punishment than inflicted
upon persons guilty Of burglary msnslsughter. II
Congress should adopt such alav it would be far be
yond public sentiment that IT would be executed
No penal Law unsustaincd BY public sentiment could be
executed Now these shinpssters only issued for
the purpose OF speculation and OF making money and
the only way strike at the evil make these issues
Of paper vaueless They could do this by passing law