The New York herald., 1869-02-13
TIE FoRTIErH CONGRESS-
Third Session.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, Feb. II, 1853.
Mr.. cAMgR0S, trsp.) OF Pa presented q petition
for amendment OF the constitution 80 as TO recog-
nize Almighty God as the source OF all civil an-
thority.
Mr.. CoNKLING. (rep.) OF N. Y, presented like Pc
tition.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
Mr. RAMSEY, (rep.) OF Minn., introduced bill to
encourage telegrapnic communication with Europe.
Referred to the Committee ON Post oilces and Post
Roads.
The bill authorizes the American Atlantic Cable
Telegraph Company of Now York TO take any practi-
cable route for laying their cable 10 Europe and ex-
tends the time named in the act of March ~, 1867,
for the establishment OF telegraphic communication
to three years from the enactment OF this bill.
IN MI l. Anno @ ,sep oi ~ ~ T.; introduces a pacc psl 20
Railroad. Referred TO the COMMITTEES on Pacific
Railroads.
The bill authorizes the consolidation OF the
Atlantic and Pacific Company and the southern
Pacific Railroad Company ol Texas, under the style
struct railroad and Telegraph from Marshall,
Texas, to connect with the Atlantic and Pacific line.
CLAIM or W. W. C0RCORAN
On motion OF Mr.. HARLAN trep) OF Iowa, the
Committee on the District of Columbia was author
zed TO send ior persons and papers 10 connection
coran for compensation for OF his property by
the government during the war.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Mr HARLAN moved to set apart tomorrow, after
the morning hour for the consideration OF business
pertaining to the District OF Columbia.
Nr. SUMNER, trep.l OF Mass, supported the motion,
an said II the business OF the District could not be
better attended to by Congress 1t would be neces-
sary TO amend the constitution so as to take IL out
OF Iae exclusive jurisdiction of Congress.
dir. FERRY, (rep.| OF Conn.,, also supported the
motion, and said that owing to the neglect Of its
affairs by Congress the condition OF the District and
OF The city OF Washington was disgrace to our
civilization.
!. Mr.. MoRRILI, repl Of vt. moved to set apart
Tuesday instead oil saturday for that purpose.
Mr. COLE, (rep) OF Cal, moved to SET apart Mon
day evening, at seven O'Clock Carried.
COURTS IN THE TERRITORIES.
Mr.. CRA3IN, trep.) OF N. H. from the Committee
on territories, reported with amendments, and re-
commended The passage OF bin to provide for the
better administration OF justice in Territories OF the
United states.
IOWA AND MINNESOTA RAILROADS.
Mr. POMER0x from the Committee on Public
Lands repored adversely to the bill TO extend the
limits OF certain railway land grants IN lowe ana
Minnesota Also adversely the bili a!aendatory Of
certain acts o Congress granting lands TO the states
OF Iowa aad Minnesota to aid In the construction OF
railroads
bills REPORTED.
Mr., TIcgERs. tdenl.) OF Md, from the Committee
on the District OF Columbia, reported bill to make
general provision for the incorporation OF churches
and religious societies in the Dstrco OF Columbia.
Mr. RICE, rep.) OF Ark, from the same committee,
reported fayorably the bin TO incorporate the Ma
sonic Mutual Relief Association.
Mr.. HARLAN, rep Of Iowa, from the same COM
mittee reported favorably the bill to amend and
consolidate the several acts relating to the metro
poiitan police force Of Washington.
Mr.. HOWARD, trep.) Of Mich. introduced JOINT
resolution authorizing the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company TO first mortgage bonds TO the extent
or $32 900 per mile its road ana the branch
TO Portland, Oregon.
NEW YORK AND EUROPE STEAMSHIP LINE
Mr.. RAMSEY moved TO take up the ioint resolution
declaratory OF the act 10 establish American line
OF mail steamships between this country and Eu
their ships
Mr.. HENDEIoKs (dern.) OF Mo-, opposed taking up
the bill.
Mr.. WHYrE, (dem.) OF Ind, also opposed it, and
said ne would oppose the bill itself. There were al
ready two lines OF American steamships from Balti
Mr.. NYE, rep., OF New, asked him what nag those
ships sailed under.
MIR. wHYrE admitted that they sailed under for
eign flag.
Mr. THAYER (rep.l Of New, was IN favor Of taking
up the BILL He liked AZ least, the object OF the bill,
to take our mall carrying business from foreign ves
sells.
Mr.. SUMNER said that his course with regard TO
the proposed line OF American steamships would be
determined by the degree In which 1t would cheapen
ocean postage
the motion was still under discussion at the expi-
ration OF the morning hour.
THE PUBLIC DEBT AND CURRENCY.
Mr.. SHERMAN, trcp.l OF ohio, moved to resume tn
consideration OF the Currency bill.
On motion OF Mr. TRUMBULI, lrep) OF Ill, Wednes-
day next alter the morning hour was set apart for
ne consideration OF the bin to reorganize the judicial
Mr.. MORTON, (rep Of Ind. then addressed the
senate on the bill In relation to.the public debt and
the currency.
He thought the bill reported by the committee less
remarkable for what 1t did than what It failed to do.
III was NOT Il Dill IOr the RESUMPTION Oh specie pay
ments nor for the funding OF the national debt rep
resented by the greenback currency, and it made no
provisions whatever for the resumption OF specie
payments by the existing national banks. The COM
mittee seemed to have been at loss for an appro-
PIRATE title for the bill. He Thought they might have
better called it bill TO improve the value OF the
bonds Of the country for .certanly il was not de-
signed TO Improve the currency. IL made no pro-
visions for the payment OF that portion OF the public
debt already due and dishonored, but provided that
the surplus gold in the Treasury should be
devoted to the purchase, through the me.
not be due for foarteen or fifteen wears.
The speech OF the chairman OF the committee Cir.
Sherman upon the bill seemed 10 HIM lsfr. Norton
inconsistent with ITSELF because in it, after declaring
that gold and silver were the standard values OF The
world and setting forth the importance OF an early
return TO specie payments that Senator made an
elaborate argument to show thedisasers that would
result TO the business Of the country from appreci-
atng the currency to par, and had drawn such
about by such appreciation, that " hIs views were
correct II would seem TO be the duty Of Congress
lNr Mortonj believed that the danger and hard.
ships OF resumption had been greatly exaggerated by
the senator from Ohio and by others in ana out OF
Congress, and that resumption brought about grad
ually by proper means would not result in evils of
the hundredth part the magnitude anticipated by
those gentlemen. II should he remembered that
there were great interests IN the country opposed to
the resumption OF specie payment. for the premium
on gold was demoralizing the nation. These parties
effects OF resumption and Indirectly attempting to
control the legislation OF Congress, and 1t was
lule expect luHt tHOse whose lucOHeS were pdSa-
bic in god which they could sell at premium OF at
least thirty i've per cent would release their
advantage until compelled to DO SO. The pre-.
dictions about the hardships ana injury that
would result from the appreciation Of the currency
mad ample rcfuation IN the recent financial history
OF the country. During the first four and haf
months OF 1s65 gold fell nineiy-nine per cent, and
aithought II caused great and sudden decline of
prices and some bankruptcy, yet the evils and hard
ships resulting from that fall were not one hun
dredth part as great as the senator had predicted
now from fall OF thTtyive per cent. But the Sen
ator was mistaken. 1t was but reasonable to sup
pose that decline In gold OF thirty-nve per cent
would cause greater injury to the country and TO
business than the same decline IN 1sd5 would have
caused; but there was no good reason 20 believe
that decline ol thirty.hve per cent now would
produce even 30 much hardship as resulted
from O decline OF nincty.nine per cent IN 1885.
The Senator from ohio had referred 10 the disastrous
results OF the resumption Of specie payment IN Eng
land after tthe revolution of 1855, but the fact
that those evil results had been brought about not
by the appreciation OF the coin 10 the value but BY
sudden and violent contraction OF the currency. The
coin OF England had been clipped, and hammered,
ana worn so as TO be deprecated on an average OF
about TWENTY-FIVE cent below the mint value,