Evening star., 1869-01-12
FORTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoon's Proceedings.
TUESDAY, January ~.

E.
ditlonal members of the Commit on the Pa.
cific Railroad to be Mr.. Rice Of Arkansas, and
Mr.. Abbott Of North Carolina.
MIR. Sumner presented resolutions OF mass
meeting at Macon, Ga, setting forth the de.
ploraoe condition OF affairs in that State, and
asking the passage Of Mr. Summers bill as q
measure Of relief. Referred to Committee on
Mr.. FIelinghuysen presented memorial OF
certain parties stating that the proposes SUD-
sdies to the Northern Pacific and the eastern
branch OF the Union Pacific railroads will
amount to one hundred aud twenty. five mil
lions in addition to the enormous land grants,
and proposing on the part of themselves - do
the work al a saving of seyenty.five millions
Referred to Committee on Pacific Railroad
Mr. Pomeroy presented divers memorials
from citizens of Kansas, asking the establish
ment OF female suffrage.
MIR. Sumner, from Committee on Foreign
Relations, reported House bill 10 provide for
the removal of the remains of Mr.. Cogs we'll,
late u. >. Minister to San Salvador
Mr. Sumner introduced a bill to prevent the
allie nation TO foreigners Of grants or privileges
by the United States. Referred to Committee
on Foreign Relations. r~-
Mr.. Frelinghuysen introduced a bill to
continue the office of Solicitor and Naval
Judge Advocate General.
Mr. Rice introduced a bill granting aid to
the Arkansas and Camden Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Trumbull called up bill extending the
time for finding indictments in the United
States courts in the Southern States TO two
yeSrs from the time of their reaCmission to
representation in Congress. providing that they
shan not extend TO indictments for treason.
The bill was read through and passed
The bill for the relief OF Sue Murphy was
then taken up. =
Mr. Davis took the floor. and again addressed
the Senate in faN or of the bill. -7 ts
HoUsK-Mr. Butler (Massl introduced a
bill authorizing the issue of a national curreu-
cy and TO insure its reliability and elasticity
Referred to the Committee On Ways and
Means.
Mr.. Butler moved to reconsi the motion
~ th.a lxuya- craA o..It La,
motion on the table, and proceeded to address
the House in favor OF a national currency. The
currency, he said, was sound enough, but 1t
lacked elasticity and stability. He referred to
the high ratio Of interest," and said the safety OF
the country demanded some legislation to reg
ulate this, whereby it would be more uniform.
The only comprehensive remedy for the infe-
liclty Of the currency and financial condition
that has been proposed, so far as he knew, is
that we should resume specie payments at
| in other wards that we should return to the
Currency existing before the war with the sub
| stitution only of the material for the State
banks; that is that the Government should con-
| duct its affairs by the receipt and payment of
| specie, and that the State BAN KS should have
| in their vaults one.fourth of the amount OF
their circulation in gold, thus to be In condition
| TO propose to pay specie for their bills when
| demanded, which should therefore be equal
to gold. This, if 1t can be done, will of course
! bring every United States bond at once TO par
in gold as well as all legal tenders, if the re-
turn to specie payment by the Government did
| not presuppose the substitution Of gold for
| them.
Abiding to the various plans of resumptio n
which have been proposed, Gen. Butler said:
| One says 'the way to resume is to resume. %
4 Suppose the physician should say TO the sick
| man "the way not TO be sick is TO be well;''
| might not the patient ask his doctor, How am
| TO get well ~ So. a few years ego, one may
rememb r, that the way proposed for the Union
| armies TO get 10 Richmond was s.On to Rich
| mond; and L trust may not be considered as
malicious in calling TO mind that our armies
| found some difficulties IN carrying ont that
| suggestion, which resulted in such disaster
| that 1t was TO be hoped those who blunLly ad.
| vented it would never again dogmatize upon
! any subject the difficulties Of which they
| nenher appreciated nor understood. II was
| jocosely said some years ago that while an act
| of Parliament was omnipotent, IL could not
| make ones uncle his aunt. ...
Abiding to Senator Mortons speech and b :
plan Of resumption, Mr.. Butler said it would
be perfect ii il Were not impossible. Stripped
| OF the halo thrown around il by his logic and
| learning, II proposes that the Government aud
banks shall return to specie payments by
| boarding gold enough with which TO do 1t.
| But how Is the gold TO be gotl BY borrowing
only remedy for our financial evils. then there
| is but one plan. in his Mr.. b 's) Judgment, by
which 1t can be Accomplished: We must wal,
| and grow to IL. BY the industry and economy
of our people; by the development Of our re.
sorces; by the enterprise of our business; by the
| extension OF our commerce; by the productio
9th Of the precious metals; 1.a by reducing lmporta,
specie at home; by retrenehment Of the expen-
| ses OF the Govern ment, both State and national:
| by the REIMBURSEMENT Of ell hazardous and
| doubtful enterprises; we must accumulate
| sufficient surplus wealth to bring back the
| S6C0,ct6,W0 OF our bonds held abroad, to which
| may be added an equal like amount of State
and railroad bonds also toid there, and thus
stop the annual draw Of more than seventy
millions of bullion now sent abroad, year by
| year, TO meet Interests alone.
In concluding Mr.. Butler said stand here
therefore, for iRConyertible paper money, the
greenback, which has fought our battles and
\ saved our country, which has been held by us
as Iust equivalent for the blood Of our sol
dieIs, the lives OF our sons the widowhood Of
our daughters. and the orphanage of their chi |.
dren 1 stand here tor a currency by which the
business transactions Of i0,O00,O0O people
are safely ard successfully done; which
| founded On the faith, the wealth and pros.
peTity of the nation, is at once the ex
emplar and engine of lis industry and
power-that money which saved the country In
war, and has given prosperity ard happi.
| Ness IN peace. To II four million men ows
their emancipation from slavery to il labor ID
| indebted for elevation from that thrall Of
degradation in which II has been en-.
yeloped for ages. / stand tor that money
therefore, which is by far the better agent and
instrument Of exchange of an enligh tened and
Tree people; than gold and silver, the money
alike Of the barbarian aud the despot, ..-,s'