New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-20


When an appropriation bill is before the
Senate, it should be confined to the leglti-
mate subjects of such bill, to the formal
business Of making appropriations for the
service of the government. Senators are
often absent while such bills are considered,
as we see now empty chairs all around.
They are absent in the expectation that the
business of the Senate will be confined to
the legitimate duty os making appropria-
tions to carry ont existing laws when such
bill is before the body. How are We to
know that Senators who take an interest in
a matter of legislation like this are not al
this time absent! The presumption is that
they are absent. A measure of this kind
ought to be considered in full Senate.
Mr. Frelinghuysen-I desire to make.
suggestion to my friend to see if | am
correct. As understand the amendment.
the Senators from Louisiana want Congress
to pass an act to aid forfeiture of the
property of the United States. | do not
think that this is the business Of Congress.
If they 90 to the courts, the courts will con-
strue every forfeiture with the greatest pos
sble strictness but why We should he
called upon to aid forfeiture OF United
States property, | can not understand.
Mr. COle-The property is either that of
the United States or it Is not. Ii 1t IS the
property of the United States, the United
States need it, and we ought not to surren
der it up on this bill. If it is not there is
legal remedy Tor obtaining 1t. nave moth
ing more to say.
Mr. Morrill,. of Nermont-It must be
obvious to the Senate that a practice is
growing here by which we are TO pass only
one bill at a session. Senators representing
other committees seem disposed, as'is evi-
denced here to-day. to bring forward every
measure that has been reported by their
committees, and put it on a bill OF this kind.
H. ~; c,,l,I fi,,st Il
cussed was somewhat disposed to surren-
der all the rights of the United States
to the mint at New Orleans at once to the
city to be rid OF it: but | thought
it was question of sufficient magni-
tude to be considered by itself in the Senate.
and it was reported here as bill 10
be considered by itself. Now the Senator
from Louisiana attempts to 1oist 1t upon
this bill to eyade apparently. the discus
sion to which it would be subjected as a
separate measure Certain V a til! tnat in
wolves Si.000000 ought to receive soMe-
thing more than i've minutes discussion
in this body. 1t appears by the Senator's
| own bill that it is a problematical case
whether the United States may want this
| mint Tor future use or not. for IN the bill.
! as introduced by himself, he proposes that
the United States may resume and CON
| tinue the operations OF a mint AID assay
gtfice at New Orleans.
We have already passed upon the Gues-
| ton of continuing tue Inlnt III North caro-
! lima and propose TO make an appropriation
TO continue thar. II there IS any reason
for continuing a branch 1rint anywhere.
| there are stronger reasons for continuing
such an establishment at New Orleans than
| in any other portion Of our South western
| country | AM persuaded that we shall
| have to build either an assay or mint
| and resume operations III some quarter OF
the Southwest of this country. We are
constantly increasing the product. of gold
and silver in our Territories. and We have
got to provide place at some point nearer
! than Philadelph for an assay office.
Therefore, under these opinions thus
briefly expressed, am opposed to the
| adoption OF this amendment on this bill.
and | move to lay K on the table.
Mr.. Thurman-I hope the Senator will
withdraw that motion ior moment
Mr. Morrill,. OF NeTmont--i viii withdraw
il 10 accommodate the Senator.
Mr.. Thurman-As took part in LIS dis
cuSsion the other day. feel it but due 20
the Senator from Louisiana and the Senate
to say something upon it now, because l
have looked into the subject since the mat
ter was brought up the ether day. and
am perfectly satisfied III my own mind that
good faith and common honesty On tue
part OF this government require the adon-
ton OF the measure proposed by the Sen
at0r from Louisiana II the shape in when
it now is Ia the shape in which it was
presented the other day il contemplated the
reconstruction Of the luint at New Orleans.
and in that shape Il was Objectionable IL
me. Now it proposes 70 do what 10 give
back to the owner of that property Eer OWE
property for II is her own property the
moment the government definitely deter
mines not to use it a, a mint. By the very
~ l..rl-
| determines to cease to use that propertv as
a mint, it is to revert to tie city OF New Or
leans. That is the grant. We hold II upon
no other title than that.
New sir. the government IS D0una
in common honesty to make Ge
termination. if it can mike i ncv
scnsib!y. | agree shat the govern
ment is not bound to make a determine
ton before it can sens;blT make it. hut If i
is clear to Senators that a determination
can sensiby be made now. simple honest'
requires it to be made; and it is a want @
good faith if the government does 20
make il.
Then what is the state ot the case II,
friend from Vermont says that perchanc
vou may need an assay office there. ihh
will not save your property from reveI
sion. The language OF the grant Is. tina
if the United States shall determine t
discontinue US USE d. d iiIiit itHi iiu WI
: knows better than he Senator th
Office and mint. it shall revert 10 tn
city. An assay Office is not a mint al al.
Nearly all the assay offices III the countr
: are in the hands of private individuals
but all the mints. the establishments Whic
: coin the money-the very word meaning t
coin mouey-are ali necessarily governmeN
institutions; for no man. and not even
United States. This grant is upon cond
ton that the government shall keep tha
up as a place where money shall be coined
and it is upon that condition alone that W
have any right to the property. We sha
not save it. therefore. by having a Eer
assay office there.
Now, what says the director Of the mint
What says Mr.. Knox, the best informe
man on this subject of any man PEI
haps in the United States. in his oft
cia report! That there IS no prob
bility that the government will ever wal
to coin money at New Orleans: and an
body who will reflect on the subject for
moment will see that there is no prObabilit
: of it, 1t is idle to suppose that ore will
brought thousands of miles, perhaps, or sa
onlv hundreds of miles, 10 New Orleans,
e he assayed and minted there, when it ca
t be done for one-third the expense right
the vicinity where the ore is obtained, an
} when we have already a mint at Carso
City another at San Francisco, ard anoth;
e at Philadelphia. To suppose that the go
e ernment will bring ore, or that IndivIdua
will be at the expense of transporting OIL
Y from the mines to New Orleans to be a
It saved and coined there, is simply to shl
+ our eyes to all probabilities. There is n
q the least probability IN the world OF al
l. such thing. and the consequence, therefor