Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-24
Trans-COntlnentaI.

By Mr.. Smith Of Virginia, authorizing
! the Washington, Cincinnati and St. Louis
Railroad Company TO extend and construct
its line into the District of Columbia and
through West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and
Illinois to st. Louis, and branch road
| from some point in India to Chicago,
and giving the guarantee of the United
States of its first mortgage bonds as sections
of the road are completed.
Mr.. Garfield from the Appropriation
| Committee reported back the Senate bill
appropriating $4,000 for the expenses of
the District Investigating Committee.
Passed.
Mr.. Dawes moved to suspend the rules
| and discharge the Committee Of the Whole
| from
The Four Hundred Million Dollars
Currency Bill,
in order to have it considered in the House
now.
Mr.. Maynard opposed the motion, sub
mitting that the question was involved in
the general bill reported from the Commit
tee on Banking and Currency.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts,, asked Mr..
Dawes whether he would admit amend
ments.
Mr.. Dawes replied that he was instructed
| by the Committee on Ways and Means to
| admit amendments that would reduce the
sum below S400, 900, but not to admit
amendments that would increase the sum
above S40O,000,00O.
Mr.. Cox asked Mr.. Dawes what he in
| tended to do with the reserve already out.
Mr.. Dawes replied that an amendment
which he proposed to offer was that hereaf-
ter the total amount of United States circu-
/ latiOn at any one time shall not exceed
| 1856, 100000, and directing the Secretary of
the Treasury to withdraw from circulation
and cancel whatever amount OF such notes
is now in circulation beyond that sum as
it can be done consistently with the exi-
gencies of the Treasury.
Mr.. L. II. Roberts, of New York, de-
sired to indicate an amendment, which he
proposed to offer, fixing the sum at S3S2.-
100000, the sum now out, but Mr.. Butler
objected to further debate.
A vote to suspend the rules was seconded
by majority, and the rules were suspend
ed by a vote of 153 to 81.
Mr.. Roberts then offered his amendment
providing that the total amount of legal
tender notes issued, or to be issued, shall
be, and shall never exceed, S3S2, 100000.
Mr.. Dawes then offered the amendment
already indicated by him, and moved the
previous question.
Mr.. COburn desired to offer an amend
ment, or at least to have il read.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, objected.
Mr.. Randall asked Mr.. Dawes whether,
in case the bill should pass fixing the
amount at S4OO,OOO,OOO, he would admit an
amendment directing the S1S,0O0,OOO not
yet issued to be issued
In Liquidation Of the Public Debt.
Mr.. Dawes was about to reply, but Mr..
Butler objected.
The previous question was then scored
by vote Of 122 to 20, and the House pro-
ceeded to vote by yeas and nays on the
adoption of Mr.. Dawes amendment, as an
amendment to Mr.. Roberts amendment,
the Speaker explainingthat it would require
still another vote to incorporate it in the
bill. The amendment was rejected by
ayes 20 nays Ill. All the Tennessee
members voted nay except Random Butler
and Num-, whose names do not appear at
all.
The question was then taken ON Mr..
Roberts amendment, and it was rejected by
yeas "a nays 172.
Mr.. Cox moved to lay the bill on the
table. Negatived without yeas and nays.
The vote was then taken on ordering the
endosement ofthe bill and it was carried,
yeas 167 nays so. p
Mr.. Dawes then moved the previous
question on the passage of the bill.
b Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts, moved to
reconsider the last vote, and said he desired
to say few words in advocacy of that mo-
tion.
Calls of order.
Mr.. Dawes made the point of order that
the motion be reconsidered was itself I'M
debatable.
The Speaker sustained the point of order
and Mr.. Butler Withdrew the motion, and
the previous question was seconded. The
bill then passed, yeas I6S nays n. The
following is
The Text of the Bill.
| Whereas, the existing uncertainty as to
whether the amount of legal tenders now
authorized by law to be Kept in general
circulation is S356,000000 or S400, 100000,
is calculated to damage the business of the
country and unsettle values; therefore,
Be it enacted, etc, that the provisions Of
law existing prior to the passage of the act
approved April u, 1866, entitled an act to
amend an act to provide ways and means
to support the government, approved March
3, 1865, be and the same are hereby de-
clared to be in force, so as to authorize the
amount of legal tender notes of the United
States to the amount of S40O,O00,000 to be
kept in general circulation and the total
amount of United States notes issued or to
be issued, shall never exceed S400,000,OOO.
On the final vote the Tennessee lGen-
hers all voted aye, except Random Butler
and Num-, not voting.
A bill making appropriations for the re
q uno1-aI of tba Vicl-a1oo ord o.I,a- Indians