The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-03-12
CONGRESS- sIoNAL.
xLIst coSagEss-FlgsT SESSION.
SENATE .........

SEN Al e ---........ w ASHINGTON, March IL.
Various bills were reported back from
com mitteeS, among them the following:
BY Ross, from the Committee on. Indian
Affairs, for the relief OF settlers on Indian
lands IN Kansas.
By Crimes, from the Committee on Ma
val Affairs, for the reorganization OF the
Navy, with amendments. Ordered TO be
8ills on leave were introduced and re-
ferred as follows.
By Wilson, granting public lands for the
benefit OF public schools in the District of
Columbia. Referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee.
Also, for the removal of political di a
bilities from various er>Ons. Referred t.
the Judiciary Committee.
Also, for The sale of the Chattano ooga Iron
By Howard, authorizing the Southern
Michigan RtIiroad 10 connect its line with
the Northern Pacific Railroad. Referred
to ihe Com mittee- on Public la DDS
By Poole, TO dispense with the test oath
in the Post-oflice service. Referred to the
POst-OfIice Committee.
By Fomeroy, for tine improvement of
Kansas River and the relief of ac. ual set
tiers on Indian lands in Kansas.
BY COrbett, TO establish a Department
of Indian Affairs; also to aid in the con-
struction of the Oregon branch of the Pa
c1hc kaliF ad. Referred TO the committee
on Public Lands.
By Cole, TO encourage and facilitate tel
egraphic communication. Referred to the
Post Office Committee.
BY sumner, relating to teIegraphic
communication between the United STATES
Committee on Foreign Relations.
By Ferry, to enforce the Fourteenth Ar
ticle of Amendment to the Constitution.
Referred to the Judiciary Committee.
The President was requested to inform
the Senate whether the Government of
Nenezue. u mad paid the first InstalIment
due 10 Americans by the award OF the
mixed commission.
The Senate then took up the bill to
strengthen the public credit, relating 10
contracts for the payment OF coin.
Sumner moved 10 amend by striking out
fTg.rn ffHtn lgarrsn
tracts to be hereafter made specifically
paid in coin. He said he had been in favor
of the principle I f the section, and he had
voted for II at he last session. but since
tn recent decision OF the Supreme Court
on the question, he had been led seriously
TO doubt the policy of passing it now.
According to that decision, contracts ia
gold were legal. What m ore was required
Another decision? NoU an act of Congress. /
Why? he saw no reason why Congress
should interfere in order to give addi-
tiOnal sanction % contracts in gold. On
the contrary, he saw difficulties in the
way. 1t was an embarrassing quest on,
which had not been open under the decls-
ION of the supreme Court. He had there
fore come to the conclusion That 1t was
better TO rely on tn e decision as all-sufli-
cient.
sherman opposed the amendment. The
second sections were harm Jnious. He
had eXa mined the decIsioa of the Supreme
Court. The point decided was sim ply that
q contract, payable ia coin, made befO @
he passage of the Legal Tender act could
be enforced. He was in favor OF the sec
against usury, in restricting its operations
to contracts where coin or COIN value is
the consideration.
ton on account of its i'll effect on business
in California, which was generally done
on coin basis, and because he thought
the legal inference OF declaring valid such
contracts heretofore made.
Williams W $ il favor of retaining he
section, although he did not attach much
importance to it. He did not agree with
the legal proposition of the senator from
California.
Howard Wars oppo-ed to the section
because he thought il an encroacnment
upon the rights OF Statesi the ques5i on of
private contracts being wlSh4lt the exclu-
siYe control of the state Legislatures L
the contracts were to be retained he wou,d
move an amendment providing that such !
contract should be in writing.
During the discussion one of the Presi- |
dents Secretaries, General Porter, appear
ed aud delivered a message in writing, (
and immedia ely after the senate, on mo- !
tton of Wilson, went into an executive
The senate resumed its legislative ses- !
sion at two O'Clock, and continued on the /
consideration OF the bitl to strengthen the /
public credit, the question being on sum
ner's motion to st ike out the second I
cttOn IT HOwsrd's amendment pro-
vIdiu2 that the contract shalt he written.
That amendment was modified ny max !
ing the second section read, That any
written contract hereafter III s+de spec t1cal- |
ly payable in coin" etc. As so modified II
was agreed To-.
Bfyard argued in favor of striking out
the second section, saying IL was at
tempt To emasculate the decisions of the
Supreme Court, and that il would lead to
endless litigation.
Stewart was in favor of striking out the
section OF amending it so as to read,
"that any written contract made 1ayaoie
in coin shall be- legal and valid ana may
be enforced according To It's terms" 3"
Discussion was further continued by
Sumner, Corbett, Ferry, Williams and
Morton, all of whom argued against the
Morton confessed his surprise at the
n ha a.
United States, legaliziug coin contracts,
ana stated II was in conflict Wi h ali de-
cistonS on that subject made 10y the Su-
preme Court ct various Sites. Congress
had it in ITS power to remedy that disas-
trous decision, and il should do so.
Finally, the question was taken on
ste" arts amendment, and it was re-
jected.
The question recurred on Summers
amendment to Strike out the second s c.
ton, ana Tesulted-Yeas u, nays II; so
the section was struclSout.
Thurman moved to amend the first sec
tion by providing that il shall not apply
to five. twenty bonds. Rejected - eals II,
nays 30.
Morton moved TO amend the first sec
ton by striking cut, after the word % law"
the words authorizing the issue of any
such obligation, 50 II VIII read; And OF
ali the lnLereSt-bearing Obligations OF the
United states. except in eases " mere the
| law has express ~ provided Jnat the same
may be paid in lawful money" &C. lie
explained his amendment by showing
! that IL was not in every case that the law
authorizing tie issuing of bond provided
/ for the manner in which they were to be
| paid; tina provision was sometimes made
/ in the laws; ana therefor this section
/ should be made general in It's effect.
morrill, opposed the amendment, and
/ said the Senator from Indiana was going
| as far in his doctrine as Mr., PendletOn,
who had attained such notorlety on that
question.
| Morton replied that the Senator from
Vermont either did not know his (Mor-
/ tOn's) position or did not know PeudIe-
\ tons. He went IN to argue that il the
country returoed to specie payment before
| any oil these bonds became due, such bonds
| won d have TO be paid in gold and if they
/ fell due before the resumption of specie
payment, they couli not De paid il gold.
! Therefore, he felt al this legislation was
! superhuOus, except "a TO its effect on the
value OF bonds. After further discussion,
/ the amendment was r jected-I4 to j.
Without disposing of the bill, the Senate
] L.l..-