The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-20
Forty Third Congress First Session


Forty Third Congress First Session
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 49,
A memorial of 200 brokers of Chicago against
an initiation of currency ia being presented
MIR. Logan said that some of the sigpers were
first to close their doors last fall and others paid
depostors in all sorts of paper. and he would
BY and by present memorial showing the
real sentiment of that part of the country.
A bill was passed amendatory of the act re-
vising. consolidating and amending the stat
utes relating to patents and copyrights.
A bill was also passed appropriating $4,000
to dredge and protect the mouth of Buffalo
river and to remove the sand bar there
After some debate the centennial bill was
made the special order for Monday.
At the expiration of the morn ng hour the
bill equalizing the distribution of currency was
considered, the question being on the amend
ment OF MIR. Cameron to the instruction to the
committee proposed by Mr.. Merriman.
Mr. Cameron's amendment repeats all acts of
Congress which Unit or may be construed to
limit or restrict the entire amount of national
bank notes for circulation, and provides that
hereafter associations organized or that may be
organized for carrying on the business of bank.
ing shall be free to establish and org niZe ma
tional banks with circulation at any place
within the several States and territories upon
the terms and conditions and subject to all the
restrictions and limitations provided by law
except the limitation upon she amount Of cir
culation which is hereby repealed
Mr. Ferry of Michigan said that while he
was in favor of the government issuing all the
currency, he was willing to accept the national
bank currency if he could not have the entire
circulation in greenbacks. Referring to the
value of greenbacks and the act of Congress to
strengthen the public credit, he said that it was
not so much the services of the gentleman
(Sherman) Chairman of the Finance Commit
tee, which strengthened the public credit as it
was the services of the other Sherman march
ing to the sea and Grant fighting in the Wild
er2ess.
just as Mr.. Ferry referred to the other Sher-
man marching to the sea-" Gen. Sherman
entered the Senate Chamber at the main door,
amusement on the floor and in the galleries.
Mr.. Cameron's amendment was rejected,
yeas-Bogy, Brownlow, Cameron, Carpeter-
Clayton, Dennis, Ferry of Michigan, Harvey,
Hitchcock, Howe, Johnston, Logan, Mitchell,
Pratt, Ramsey, Robertson, Spencer, Upton,
West, Window and Wright-26.
Nays-Allison, Anthony, Boutwell,, Buck
ingham, Chandler, Conkling, Conner, Cooper,
Clagin, Davis. Fenton, Ferry of Connecticut,
Frelinghuysen, Gilbert, Goldthwaite. Hager,
Hamilton of Maryland, Hamlin, Jones, Kelley,
McCreary, Merrimon, Morrill, of Maine, Morrill,
Of Vermont, Sargent, Schurz, Scott, Sherman.
Stewart, Stockton, Sumner and Wadleigh-32.
Mr. Gordon submitted a substitute instruct
ing the committee to report as soon as possible
bill for free banking and providing for thu
convertibility of United States Treasury notes
into low interest bonds or gold. Rejected, 26 to
80.
The question recurring on Mr. erriman's
amendment, instructng the committee to re-
port as soon as possible a bill providing for an
increase of the national currency SO that the
whole volume thereof shall not exceed $780,
100000.
Mr.. Cooper moved to insert the following as
substitute for Merriman's amendment:
THAT the Committee on FidaEce be instructed
to report a bill proqidsng for the convertibilty
of United States Treasury notes into five per
cent. bonds of the United States; and also for
free banking under the provision of the nation
al bank act" 1t was adopted without roll
call.
Mr.. Buckingham to recommit the bill with the
instructions above provided by Mr.. Coopers
amendment, several Senators inquired il the
substitute of Mr.. Cooper bad been adopted.
The Chair announced that it had, no one calling
for the yeas and nays.
Mr.. Morton demanded the yeas and nays.
The Chair, Mr. Carpenter, decided it was too
late the vote having been announced.
Mr. Merrimon moved to reconsider the vote
by which the substitute of iLr. Cooper was
adopted.
Pending the discussion on the motion to re-
consider the Senate at 545 adjourned.
HOUSE
A hill was passed that the course of instruc-
lions in the Naval Academy for cadet engi-
neers he four years instead of two including
| the class of 1874.
A bill TO change the expectation law relating
to spirits was objected to by Mr.. Butler of
Massachusetts and rec0mmitred to the Ways
and Means Committee.
Several bills were reported and referred,
among them bill that marshals and Clerks of
United States Courts refund fees in excess of
legal compensation; If not that then they be
sued aud their accounts to be examined by
special agents, the latter to receive not less
than. $4,000 per year, to be collected out Of
monies recovered.
The House took up the bill for the distribu-
| ton of public documents printed by Congress,
the free exchange of newspapers between pub
fishers, and for the free transmission OF weekly
newspapers within the county where published
Mr.. kasson of Iowa gave notice that he
| would offer substitute for the bill providing
| that all extra numbers Of documents printed
| by order of Congress shall be sold and disposed
of as follows: The Agricultural Report aud
the Abridgement of the Presidents desssge
| and accompanying documents at twenty-five
cents per volume and all other documents at
| the actual cost of the paper, stitching and
| binding, and that weekly newspapers shall 60
| free in the mails within the county where pub
hshed, but shall not be delivered by the Post
office carriers unless postage shall have been
paid at the usual rates.
Mr.. Monroe of Ohio gave notice Of an
amendment 20 strike out Of the bill all the
1 plotictouS ftoktuS 70 a CbutfuuAuCt OF the tts
TEN of distributing public documents.
Mr.. Scoield would vote against the whole
1 bill except the third section which provides
for the free transmission of weekly newspapers
within the county where published and of
newspaper exchanges. Re would support that
in accordance with the pledge which the Re
publicaa party gave in the convention Of Phil
4 adelphia in 1872 to abolish the fraukiug prvi-
lege and keep IL abolished, but il the bill were
fs.ss ha "A amt IN,
strike out the words without charge" aud 10
insert the words "withont prepayment" of
postage but the amount thereof shall be stamp
ed on the wrapper and paid by the person re-
During the discussion Mr. Kasson advocated
his substitute and showed the fallacy of the
I idea that the carrying of free matter would not
add to the cost of the mail transportation.
Mr. Garfield of Ohio agreed with Mr.. Ty-
! ner that the time had not come when Congress
could say it bad fairly tried the effect of the
franking privilege A greater abuse than the
franking privilege itself was an extraordinary
amount of public printing. Aside from the
Congressional Globe which had cost about
/ S35 600 year, the cost of printing was 50 OOO,.
600 a year He believed that an abuse which
| nothing but the repeal of the franking priv
lege would stop, it this bill was passed all of
! that abuse would be restored. He would vote
however for the part of the bill allowing the
free transmission to weekly newspapers in the
counties of publication. The whole county
newspaper press has been almost crippled by
the repeal of the franking privilege In his
| judgement the 5000 weekly newspapers of the
country we're the best real exponent of public
opinion.
Mr. Butler of Massachusetts, asked whether
all these country newspapers had not asked the
abolition of the ranking privilege.
Mr.. Garfield did not know.
Mr.. Butler-Well do and l thought they
would be sick of it before the year was out.
(Laughterl
Mr.. Packard of Indiana addressed the
House in advocacy of sub -titute he proposed
| to offer.
An attempt on the part of Messrs. Niblack
and Garfield to have some limit fixed JOr the
debate aud was defeated by the objection Of
| Mr.. Cobb.
The House without action took recess. The
| evening session will be devoted to the bill re-
| wishing the statutes.
The usual progress was made on the bill re-
wishing the statutes MIR. Poland of Vermont
representing the Committee on Revision If
Laws, sent up series of amendments. ali Of
which we're of a formal character and where.
ever necessary gave an explanation of them.
The proceedings were wholly undressing.
TO X 81 / q N.