The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-03
House OF Representatives.

House Of Representative
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 1853.
COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE PRESIDENTIAL VOTES.
The SPEAKER appointed Messrs. Jones, of Tenn Ste
phens OF Ga, Chandler of Penn Davis of Ia and Dean
of New York, the committee to count, Wednesday
next in conjunction with the Senate committee, the
electoral votes for President and Vice President and in
form the successful candidates of their election.
rHE TERRITORY OF NEBRASKA.
Mr.. RIcHARDsoN (dcm) of Ill., from the Committee on
Territories reported bill to organize the territory Of
Nebraska, which referred to the Committee the
Whole on the state of the Union.
COINAGE
The House resumed tho consideration Of the Senate
bill amendatory of the existing laws relative to the half
dollar the quarter dollar the dime and the half dime
Mr.. DrNIAM, (dem) Of Ia, resumed his remarks from
Ing the past year half million of three cent pieces
had been coined and he would call the attention OF gen
temen who object to depreciation OF the coins by alloy
that those three cent pieces deprecated twenty per
cent in ynlue therefore, the mint receiving the silver at
the market value and coming It into three cent pieces,
made last year SO $50 GOO by this single
ton There is also profit arising from copper coin and
other sources five do not make change in the three
cent coin shall find the whole currency of the
country in deprecated condition Ii. however, the
House pass this BILL which proposes to change the other
denominations OF silver coin there will be less necessity
for the coinage oil three cent pieces and therefore, less
profit from coinage 1t proposed by the bill to i'm
pose eignoage not only at the mint buat the branches
The coinage at Philadelphia costs less than half of
per cent while at the branches at New Orleans and North
Carolina, the cost is four cent large expense is
thus incurred, when neither of those mnts as
much in year the Philadelphia mint can in two
days. Gentlemen had suggested that the Committee Of
Ways and Mems propose to reduce the value of silver
coin Now the depreciation three pieces is TWEEN
ty per cent and that Of the and clipped Spanish
coins twelve per cent while the committee pro-
pose that the American coin shall be deprecated but six
per cent The demand for silver change in the
country great that notwithstanding the rast depre-
citation in the old Spanish coins they maintain
in circulation without any legislation whatever This
being the case he submitted to gentlemen which is best
to leave things as they are, tolerate this deprecated
out foreign coin and food the country with depre
cated threecen pieces have silver coin of the
relative value gods In conclusion hc answered obec
tons against scignorage.
Mr.. JOHNSON, (dem) Of Tenn regarded the character
of the bill tine ,eest charatanism The idea of Con-
gress fixing the value of this that piece OF silver or
gold is absurd The constitution gives the power to coin
money, regulate the value thereof and OF foreign coin
and fix the standard OF weights and measures. When the
constitution was formed every colony had the power
coin its money: hence the power was conferred
the general government TO coin money for the express
purpose of making the coinage uniform. But it ia
proposed TO violate the object intended by the trainers
the constitution by having two descriptions Of gold con
the regulation Of the value of the metal and the
upon it, the number OF grains to represent acertan
amount Of gold or silver. This he repeated is all that
can be done to make coin uniform among the several
States If they make Sl07 out of $780, cannot they
ix fictitious values to any extenty If they can by
philosophers stone will have been found at least for
practical purposes He then proceeded to show the
conyenences and evils which must result from having
two descriptions OF specie curlency-the worth less
than the other It was worse than shin plaster egsa-
ton Instead of this, he conended that the currency
should be uniform. Without concluding he gave way TO
a motion that the House 90 into Committee OF the Who'll
on the state OF the Union, The Army BILL This was
negatyed.
MssorIu AND wJscoSsIv RAuRoAp Bills
The House proceeded to the business the Speakers
table; and having concurrcd in the Senate amendment
to the bill granting the right of way the Missouri and
Iron Mountain Railroad took mp the Senatcs bill granting
the right of way and donation of public land to Wiscon
sin for the purpose Of locating and constructing certain
railroads in that State.
Mr. Dor, (dem) Of Wis, wished to put the bill on Its
passage The subject he said had been before the Com.
one similar.
Mr. IlncmR, (dem) of Va, moved 10 lay the bill on
the table. Negativcd, by yeas, 70; nays, SO.
Mr. DoIY offered substitute for the fifth section pro.
posing that OF the roads shall extend from Chicago to
Lake Superior and the other crossing through Washing
ton county 10 Milwaukee At the instance of Mr. Bennett
he offered, "a further amendment, that gentemans
land bill, proposing to distribute lands among all the
States Tor internal Improvements and educational pur
poses.
Mr. AvEET, (dem) of Va, moved that the whole sub.
ect be laid on the table Negaved by yeas 49, nays 81
Mt IT, J1S,s S ldem Of Tenn in order to have full vote
on the DILL moved call Of the House. pending which on
the motion of Mr. CARTIER Iem) Of Ohio and by thc