Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-18
FoRTYTHIRD CONGRESS,
THURSDAY, December is.

| and 100 acres of land. Referred to Committee
| on Military Affairs.
| Mr.. Chandler, from the Committee on Com.
| merce, reported House joint resolution author
| lzing the removal of the Office Of the United
States consul general at Alexandria TO Cairo.
Mr.. Anthony, from the Committee on Print
/ ing, reported bill 10 provide for printing the
| Biennial Register or Blue Book.
Mr.. Morrill, (Msne) thought the expenditure
Tor printing by the several departments OF the
government was very heavy, and should be cut
| MIR. Anthony stated that there had been a
| great increase in the business of the Depart
ments. The Government Printing Once now
| had TO furnish blank books for custom houses
and internal revenue offices throughout the
| country.
Mr.. Sargent thought there could be great
saving in the matter OF public printing. He re-
| TERED to the expenditures in the DEPARTING
| having been increased, and said he had learned
that since the abolition OF the frsnking privilege
| 100000 had been expended for scales TO weigh
| mailable matter, and besides, the various de-
| partments had expended large amounts of
money in sending packages by express. 1t cost
| the Government now more TO send its docu-
| ments over the country than it did before the
ranking privilege was abolished. No saving
whatever had been effected by its abolition. He
| said he would not vote for the printing OF any
documents until some provision was made for
their distribution.
| ton.
Mr.. Bayard was very glad to hear that econ
| omy was now to be the watchword.
L ne OIL was tQeD passed.
Mr.. Howe offered q resolution directing the
committee on Pensions TO inquire as TO the pro-
priety Of placing upon the pension rolls all hon.
SEapiy usscnsfseu soIulefs OF the war OF 1872,
irrespective OF the duration Of their term Of ser
vice. Adopted.
Mr.. Gordon called up his resolution calling
on the Secretary of the Treasury for full state
ment Of the amount and disposition OF cotton
seized after the war. and IL was passed.
| The House salary bill was read the first and
second times, and referred, on motion of MIR
/ Nr1nlt. Inm ta0 IN vii a
Retrenchment.
Mr.. Lewis introduced a bill to incorporate the
| Washington City nebriate Society. Referred
| to Committee on District of Columbia.
Mr.. Hitchcock submitted an order that the
Senate, on and after Monday next, meet at ten
O'Clock, and hold evening sessions, which Mr.
Ramsey objected to- and il went over.
The resolution on the finances, reported from
the Finance Committee, came up in regular
order.
Mr.. Sherman stated that the Finance Com
mittee wished to ascertain the views of the SEN
| ate in this matter, a. 10 whether Senators de-
| sired expansion of the currency, or a return TO
specie payments, He hoped that Senators
would exhaust the whole subject, and give the
committee the benefit of their views
Mr.. Boutwell, remarked that he did notpro-
pose 10 go into any extended remarks at this
time. He would state, however, that he favored
neither contraction nor expansion. The former
would bring the business interests of the cOun-
try to a stard; would diminish the revenues
and render taxation inevitable; the latter would
| postpone The day of specie payment, and be did
rency OF the character We now possessed. He
viewed with apprehension any attempt to secure
immediate specie payments.
Mr. Howe characterized the paper issued OF
the government as living promises, and he
thought it would he scarcely less than criminal
TO issue any more such currency. He regarded
the action Of the Secretary of the Treasury in
drawing on the reserves as q great mistake and
do so.
Mr.. Carpenter introduced a bill to provide
fer the printing of the Supreme Court. Refer
red to Committee on Appropriations
MI. Conkling presented memorial of f. S.
other leading firms of New York, against the
repeal of The bankrupt law, but in favor of its
modification. Referred to Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mr.. Perry Mich again gave his reasons for
advocating inhation OF the currency.
Mr.. Morton said the question OF the resump
ron Of specie payment should not be lost sigh
OF; but he differed with the Finance Com
mittee, and did not believe that this was the
time to take measures for that end. He desired
now to enter his protest against the charge
made, that the government had dishonored It's
promises. The understanding of the country
was, and no man can deny, that when the
greenbacks were issued the government intend
ed to redee med them in coin whenever it was
practicable TO do. 1t has not been practicable
to do So II has not been practicable at any
time since the war to do this In answer to
question OF Mr.. Sumner, he said that
1t was true that more gold had
been used to paw OF the public debt
issue, but this did not signify, because we never
at any one time had more than sixty million Of
gold on hand. He now made the general propo-
sition that these notes were received by the peo-
pie on the broad ground that they would be re-
deemed whenever the government could find IL
practicable. There was great deal of fanati-
cism about this specie payment question. He
had it very bad himself once, but time and ex-
perience had modified the symptoms In his case
very much. The Bank Of England had sus-
pended specie payment in 1871, expecting to re-
sumo in few weeks, but did not for twenty
years, because the condition of the country
would not justify it. He recognized the fact
that we must come TO specie payments at last
but now 1t was not practicable.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Hale (N.Y.) rose to personal explanat ion, aud
called attention to the fact that in the debate
on the salary bill, yesterday, Mr. Wilson Qnd)
had offered an amendment which was intended
directly for himself. That amen dment was to
compel him (Hale) to refund certain moneys he
mad received as salary as agent of the United
states before the American and British mixed
claims commission. He said that he had taken
the pay as such agent because il was voted to
him, Congress having passed an act allowing
MN TO continue as such agent after he had been
elected a member OF the 43d Congress. This
motion OF Mr.. Wilson he (Hale) thought was in
tended as stigma upon his character. Ii
was deliberate and planned insult, and
as such be (Hale) accepted it. He was
appointed the agent of the United States before
the Mixed Commission in 1871, and was con-
gress at the special request of Secretary Fish
because of his familiarity with the questions at
issue. 1t was at his own Suggestion that the
law was passed authorizing him to act as such
agent after his election to Congress. He had
served as such agent at least to the best of his
ability, and If that was reason for casting a
stigma upon him, and for requiring him to
learn IL.
Mr.. Eldridge said Mr.. Hale had on Yesterday
complained that the Congressional salary was
too large, and he would now like to know how
much he had received a. the agent Of the United
States.
Mr.. Hale said the question was an imper tinent
one, and as such he declined to answer it.
Mr.. EldIidge retorted that MI. Hale had said
some very impairment thisgs yesterday.
Mr.. Hale, In continuation, charged thst Mr.
Wilson Was instigsted to offer his resolution oy
Mr.. Eldridge, and that Mr.. Eidridge had urged
him to it at Gen. Buffers suggestion.
MI Wilson said there was nothing Of the
kind.
Mr.. Eldgridge said % far as the allusion to
himself was concerned, IL was al untrue.
Mr.. Butler also arose to mako denial, but
MI. Hale declined 70 give way further, and sid
If desired he would give his authority for his
assertion. Butler and Eldridge did not them