The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-02
House of Representatives.

NfSHSiToN, fcD. J, ISJJ.
PROPOSED WAGON ROAD PACIFIC
Mr.. GIDpScs free soiD of Ohio, from the Committee
Territories, reported b for the purpose of cons-
derng it on Monday next providing for survey and 10
cation of wagon road from Missouri the settlements
of California and Oregon Referred to the Committee of
the Whole on the state of the Union
COINS.
Mr.. IUyAM. N,hig) OF Ind. from the Committee OF
Ways and Means, orted the Senate bill with amend
ments amendatory OF the act fixing the value Of United
States coins. lie explained that the intention was to
rake gold the standard coin OF the country render
silver subervient to it, No individual who has given
attention to the subject think otherwise than that
the change should be made We all know the value of
coin like everything else IL in proportion to the labor
with which IL Is procured or, il gentlemen please in
proportion to the supply and demand 1t is known that
within the last few years II has required less labor to pro
dGce gold than silver. The consequence is gold is
arativey cheaper in our own market than abroad and
when money scxrorted IL in silver thus leaving
country almost devoid Of coins Of that metal for
purposes OF trade. There Is other way of retaining
this silver than by changing the relative intrinsic
values making them correspond The committee did not
propose Tecoin tie silver already in circulation but
Only to eject the coinage Of half dollars quarters
Gmes, and hall dimes to be received by in
payment of small amountstbc first to weigh 1872 grains
and Ike others in proportion He said the bill also pro-
poses sei2noragc the coinage Of gold to tho actual
exIenfe Of the conage-in other words not exceeding
one half Of one per cent
Mr. BROOKS (whig) Of n Y, remarked, he must inter
rup the gentleman in order to ask II intended to
press this eegnorage item its passage under the pre-
the d cusson went on
Mr.. DURHAM said he intended to ask the House TO put
the bill through. lie alluded to former remarks Of Nr
Rrooksnamey, that seignorage Is relic Of feutalism
The gentleman frcm New York talked so earnedy of e
dalty and feudahm that he (Mr. Duuham) thought he
relic Of eudal times This IL the only conclusion
totcarryed al when gentlemen speak earuedy on things
which hey did lot understand.
Mr.. BRCoKs said the Philadephia mint az now shown
by the estimates took from dcpostor about 5000 900 per
This seignoragc Of half OF one per would
take s2oo, ooo more Per annum
the intelligence OF the House. In order TO deter the ado
Mr.. BROOKS sad seignorage last session got but fifty
votes.
Further proceedings this subject interrupted
by the arrival of o'clock at which hour there
special order, viz; the bill concerning bail In
CIVIL CAUSES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
This bill after few remarks from Mr. JONES, (dcm.)
of Tenn, in explanation, passed
ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL
The House went into Committee OF the Whole on the
state Of tho Unon the bill making appropriations for
the support Of the army for the next fiscal year.
Mr.. GoBwAy, (wbg) OF Ia offered an amendment that
from and after July the 1s next much Of the act Of
Congress Of 1872 places the national armores under
the upenendencc Of officers Of the ordnance corps bc
repealed and that said armories be placed under civil
superintendence prior to the passage Of said act
Mr.. EVANS, (whig) Of Nd, said II appeared that the
cost OF the manufacture os had been greatly reduced
since the armorics have been under military snperinten
dence Congress ought not therefore, hastily egsate
without calling for information from the War Department