Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-03-07
F0RTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
SATURDAY. March /.


SESATB.-The Chair presented memorial of
Legislative Assembly of New Mexico relative
TO the reorganl zation OF Colorado. Referred To
Committee on Territories.
Also, resolutions of same body, skiing per-
mission 70 raise three regiments of troops for
local defence Referred to Committee on Mil
itary Affairs.
Mr.. Sumner presented a memorial from eiti.
zens OF North Carolina asking the removal of
political disabilities from John Pool Senator
elect. Referred TO Judiciary Committee.
Also, petition relative 10 the value of pulyer-
lied fuel, and asking that the Secretary of the
Navy be authorized TO detail a commission TO
examine into the merits of pulverized fuel. Re-
ferred TO Committee on Naval Affairs.
MI Williams asked for the reading of CON-
munications relative TO the suspension Of Gov
ernor Ballard, of Idaho Territory, by which IL
appeared that the President had recon sidered
his determination to suspend Governor Bal
lard, but although Mr.. Ballard received Motif.
cation OF his suspen sion, through some inatten-
uon ne iailed TO receive notice that the order
Tor his suspension was revoked.
Mr. Williams sad last March one Murphy
was nominated to succeed Mr.. Ballard. and
the Senate rejected the nomination. Ballard
was Republican and Murphy Democrat.
and that was all the reason that he (Mr. W.
knew why the nomination had been made
The Secretary OF State says in his communIca-
uon that as the suspension had been revoked
there was ne necessity for sending in the rea-
sons on which the suspension had first been
ordered. 1hls was plain violation of the
provisions OF tenure of-office law. The Treas.
ury department had refused 10 pay Govern
OF Eallard his salary since the 18th day
OF August last. He Mr.. W } had gone 10 that
Department TO see about it, and had been in
formed by one of the officials that the salary
was not paid because Mr. Ballard had been sus
pended. This was but part of the plan that
mad been adopted TO drive Mr.. Ballard out Of
Office, solely for the reason that he was Re
publican. What he wanted TO know was.
whether this Administration had the right 20
pursue such course of persecution to get
Rom N iHan mi nf off nd
inl The Treasury Department now says that
they see no reason for the further Withholding
OF Mr.. Ballard's salary. if il can be proved that
he was in the Territory all the time This was
a mere shallow prrtence, as he (Mr W had
himself filed al the Treasury Department the
papers TO prove that Mr. Ballard was in the
Territory and performing his duty all the time
Mr.. Nye said a doubt existed among the CON-
mittee on Territories TO whether a vacancy
existed in the Governorship of idaho and sug-
gested that the paper be referred 70 the Com
mittee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Ferry. as one of the Committee on Terri
tories, had no doubt on the subject. He be-
heNed that there was no vacancy. hut that the
whole thing was nothing more than an effort
to persecute Mr.. Ballard on account Of his
RepuhlIcanism.
The papers bearing on the subject Were then,
after further discussion, laid upon the table
The Pension Appropriation bill was then
taken up.
The Committee on Appropriations recon-
mended to strike out the provision to provide
for the covering of the Navy pension fund into
the Treasury, " hich gave rise 10 a very lengthy
discussion.
HOUSE OF RKPREsENTATIvRs-In pursu-
ance Of the order OF the House yesterday, the
session Of to-day was 70 be devoted TO debate
only.
MIR Clarke, (Kansas.) addressed the House
upon the financial condition or the country.
Mr. Blame, (Me.l next addressed the House,
upon the same subject. He proceeded TO explain
a speech hitherto made by him upon this SUBJ
lect. the purport OF which he said, had either
been wilfully misrepresented or had been great.
ly misunderstood by members who had subse
quently addressed the House upon the subject.
and had 10 some extent taken his remarks as a
text. He now proposed TO add q few remarks
upon the questions involved ia the paying OF
the $40 bonds in explanation of some errors
which are industrIously disseminated through
the country.
First He said many persons seem to imagine
that proposition has been made in Congress 10
pay off the fiye-twenty bonds in coin at the
time, while gold commands a heavy premium
over greenbacks; but all persons afflicted with
this error he would say that no man in Congress
has been focl enough to propose that the fye-
twenties shall be paid IN gold a single day
before the greenbacks shall be paid in gold
likewise. The man who holds a greenback
holds the Government obligation TO pay
in gold just as much as a man who
holds five twenty bond, and il
would be Just cause Of complaint If the Gov
ernment should anticipate the payment Of the
Saws in gold before it is ready TO paw for the
greenbacks in gold also. The first series of
5-20's will not fall due until l-s2, and before
that date is reached We shall be upon q specie
paying basis. and every holder OF a greenback
i'll be- able to secure gold for ii at his option
Second. He showed the fallacy OF the reason
ing OF those who clamored for The paying Of the
5-2U's in greenbacks at this time on the ground
that money that is good enough for the soldier
and day laborer is good enough for the bond
holde. The 5-2U's cannot BE- paid OF in green
backs without a great initiation of the currency,
and the result of such imitation must be ruin
Gus. When the Government shall be paving
Its greenback creditor in gold, there will GER
tainly be no objection 10 paying the bondh dhelder
in gold also; and no one proposes 10 do it q oay
earlier.
Third. Mr.. Blaine argued to show that the
imitation OF the currency would speedily re-
suit in ITS depreciation, and excess Of ire
etmable money would al once raise the price
of all commodities. He contended in this con-
necton that II was an immense delusion TO at
tribute any OF the dullness now prevalent in
business circles to a scarcity of money
Fourth. He argued that proposition for an
imitation of the currency was IN the face of a
direct and solemn pledge to the contrary BY
Congress. for Congress by deliberate enactment
OF June 3o Is64, pledged to all the public creii-
that '.the total amount of Treas ury notes ss ued
or 10 be lasued should never exceed iUO,e0.0UO,
and We are now within si0.OoU.OvO of that
amount. If We disregard that pledge we might
just as well trample on others and take a short
cut al once to reprodu uction and National Bank.
ruptcy. A Government that will disregard
one Solemn ple0ge coLnot De trusted upon 9TH
ers.
Fifth. Being then estopped from procuring
greenbacks by an additional issue. Mr.. Blaine
proceeded 10 show that TO secure the payment
Of the bonds was by taxation, and this, he con-
tended, the people would not submit to, as the
universal desire of the people was for a reduc-
tion of taxation as speedily possible. He
was therefore opposed to taking up the bonds
in greenbacks, for that reason. Ii was enough
TO pay the interest, and it was a little short Of
madness TO propose levying taxes to take from
the pockets of the people enough greenbacks TO
anticipate the payment OF a large share of the
principal.
In conclusion, Mr.. Blaine argued that n we
do not destroy our currency by imitation. the
time will soon come when paper will be the
equiv alent of gold. The whole policy he pro-
posed might be summed up to be TO bring our
entire currency, in due season, without haste
and without contraction or financial conyul-
sion, up to the specie standard; calling into
reQuisition the vast amount of gold and sill yer
now buried in our soil; having all our business
conducted on a safe and secure basis when
labor shall meet with its full reward, when
every man will know what he is dealing in
and how much he is W orth; and when the en-
tire country will rejoice in an abundant circu.
lation of both gold and paper, in which paper
will be as good as goid and gold no better than
paper.
Mr.. Holman lInJ.) then took the floor upon
the same subject, and was speaking when our
report closed.