The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-23
stevens Gold Bill.-.Ignatius Don.
nelly.

during the last Congressional canvass
We opposed the election of IGNAnus Dor
NBLLY mainly because of his lack of sound
business qualifications. We regarded him
as a man of exceedingly moderate mental
calibre, as sufficiently evidenced by his
school-boy rhetorical illusions, and SO
completely under the domination of bis
radical passions and impulses as to make
him unfit to legislate for the material in .
terests Of the country. Our estimate of
his character is proved correct by his vote
on Mr.. STEVENS ridiculous gold bill, just
tabled by decisive majority. Mr.. DON
NELLY voted against laying the bill on the
table, which vote was equivalent to advo-
eating its passage, and was so regarded.
That our readers may see what the bill
was, we insert an outline of it:
The bill declares the lineness of gold and
silver United States coins.
Secondly. That dollar note issued by the
government Is of equal value for all purposes
as gold and silver coins of like denomination.
coin may be payable in legal tender United
States notes, and that no difference in sale or
value shall be allowed between them.
Fourthly. That after the passage of this bill
no person shall receive or paw, or contract to re-
ceive, any profit or advantage for gold or sive.
coin or bullion more than its legal value in
lawful money, or any other article or COM
modify, or by any device. shut, or contrivance
whatever, and any person thus offending shall
be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and upon
conviction shall suffer imprisonment not ex-
ceeding six months, and shall forfeit the full
amount OF the contract or transaction. one half
toll informer, and the other half to the United
States.
Fifth. That no person s. all by any device,
SHIT or contrlvance, receive or pay any treasu-
ry or other note issued by the United States for
circulation as money and declared legal tender
for less than their lawful expressed value. and
any offender upon conviction shall suffer
imprisonment not exceeding six months. and
tine equal to the full amount of the sum
| specified in said note.
sixth. That II any person, in the purchase
or sale of gold or silver or bullion. agree to
receive IN payment notes of corporations or in
| d!Vldnals at less than par value, he shall be
deemed to have offended against the provisions
OF this act, and shall be punished accordingly.
The New York Eceaing Post we'll OBJ
serves that "itwould be useless to comment
on such legislation as this and our sur
prise is that forty, or twenty, or even ten
men could be found in any enlightened
representative assembly, to refuse killing
it on the spot; it should have been cas-,
out with unanimity, leaving to the mover
of it alone the glory of his conception.
The Times says sit is very little to the
credit OF Congress, that they should aftel
the experience of last year, to say nothing
of any other consideration, have been re-
ferred to committee, and that the,
should not have been thrown overheard til
the rise in gold in New York reminded
everybody of their folly"
On a subsequent day the Ece,.inq Pos
announces that Mr.. STEVENS, having los
his gold bill is about to introduce the fol
lowing for the regulation of the tempera
ture:
Resolced, first, That all the thermometer
hereafter to be made be OF uniform length an,
breadth.
Resolced, second, That the degrees Of a.
thermometers be of equal interval. whetbe
the expansive liquid be oil. mercury, spirits
or ether.
Resoloed, third. That all persons in publi
Office, and all housekeepers, are ordered t
regulate their stoves and furnaces according =
the indications of one of the official thermome
ters, and that any person allowing q heat q
more than sixty-five degrees shall be deeme
guilty OF misdemeanor.
Resolved, fourth, That the clerk of the wealth