New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-09
WASHINGTON.

ANUNEXPECTEDD DEBATE ON THE CURRENCY
QUESTION.
Mr.. KF1IEY's INTRO-CoNvERTIBLE BOND BILL BE-
FORE THE uoUsE-PATIENT HEARING OF AN OLD
ARGUMENT-BUTLER AS KELLEYs LIEUTENANT
HIS REFLECTIONS UPON POLITICAL LIZA DkM-
oCRATIC TAUNT-No ACTION ON TILE fENDAN"
IBr TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON Dec. S.-The currency question was
precipitated upon the House to-day WITHOUT Tue
slishtest warning and apparently without any pre-
yious knowledge that it was coming up on the part
of anybody but Mr.. Dawes and Mr.. Kelley. Most ke-
pubicans supposed there would be caucus before
the dangerous question was meddled with, ana that
an attempt would be made to agree upon some iihe
Of nol;cv OF no policy for the good Of the party;
but Mr. Kelley was burning with impotence to pre-
sent anew the beauties and miraculous properties OF
his S65 bond scheme and Mr.. Dawes was willing to
crafty him. When the morning hour business had
been finished Mr. Dawes moved to 60 into Commit
tee of the Whole on the calendar, and the House
agreed TO the motion. A little way down the calen-
dar lay Kelley's bill, weighted with an adverse re-
port from the Committee on Banking and Currency.
The superncumbent business was speedily laid
aside and the bill reached. The rules gave 1t Ill
charge to Mr.. Maynard but Mr.. Kelley protested
that his child should not be put to with per
son who meant to strange it, and Maynard turned
the bill over to its parent.
Once IN possession of the floor, Mr.. Kelley made
the speech he has so often made before within the
last two years in support of the introconvertDhty
scheme SO thoroughly had he discussed the subject
in his previous speeches that there was little new
TO saw but the elections and the message had lent
fresh interest to everything connected with the
currency question and the House accorded patient
hearing to his earnest presentation of his system OF
exchanging one kind of paper for another as the
long-sought panacea for all the Ills that ailct the
business Of the country. and the guarantee of
perpetual prosperity.
Mr. Butler followed as Kelley's lieutenant.
By this time the cream had been pretty well taken
eff the topic. but the members listened eagerly
hoping to hear some pointed witty alluson to the
result of the recent election in Massachusetts, In
tins they were not disappointed. What the Gen.
.ral said about the 365 plan old and stale, ex
eept his careful disclaimer of any intention to iu-
fate the currency as the result of the pas
sage of the measure; but in conclusion. after
some pathetic self-praise for holding unpopular
views and a reference to political life, as not the
only thing worth having, he brought down the
expectant House by witty reference to the con-
gratuatons of those who thought politics bad
thing TO be in. and the Iejoicings of those who
thought him bad fellow to be in politics, and con-
cluded BY consoirg himself that he should stay at
home IN very good company. MT. Garnelu III reply
to both Kelley and Butler mado a brief but remark
ably vigorous protest against the whole line of
thought and doctrine involved in the bill and in
the arguments of its supporters The bill he de-
nou2ced as fraught with measureless evils to both
Government and people, and especially to the work
ing classes.
Next, Mr.. Dawes came in with a short exhortaton
on the hard money side, and Mr. Cox closed the de-
bate for the day by deprecatIng the discussion as
inconsequenia, because the bill, if it passed the
House, could not pass the Senate. IF it did, the
President would veto il, and YOU know it," he said
turning to the Republicans Instantly Kelley and
Dawes were " on points of order NJ Cox had
said all he wanted TO, but lie was unkind enough to
make an additional remark before he sat down
about the dying Grams OF dying party. CuriOusly
enough Mr. Butler marched over and shook hands
with Mr.. Cox after this If the party dies it is evil
dent that lie means to dance at the wake. No
action was taken on the BILL and it will come up
again whenever the House goes into Committee
The feeling is against it more than 1t last
sion, and Mr. Kelley will not be so unwiso as TO call
vote it before the chilling effects of the Presi
dents wet blanket have worn off.