The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-23
CONGRESS.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, December go.

Mr.. Scott presented a memorial OF the
Board OF Commissioners appointed by the
Governors OF seven States 10 take steps fol
the improvement Of the Ohio river and its
tributaries, calling the attention Of Con-
gress to the importance Of making appro.
priations for such improvement. Re-
lerred.
Mr.. Lewis presented a memorial from
clergymen In the District OF Columbia
asking that church property be exempt
from taxation. Referred.
Mr.. Sherman moved that the Senate
proceed TO the consideration of the bill To
provide for the redemption Of specie pay.
ments reported from the Finance Com
mittee yesterday.
After some discussion the motion was
agreed to.
Mr. Pratt submitted resolution In.
structing the Committee on Pensions 10
inquire into the propriely Of reporting a
bill placing on the pension roll at the rate
OF s. per month the surviving soldiers Of
the Indian war Of 1911; also the widows
OF such as are dead who were married be.
fore the frat day OF January, 1926.
Agreed to.
sPECIR RESUMPTION.
Mr.. Sherman moved that the pending g
bill for providing better governme nj
for the District OF Columbia be laid aside,
and that the Senate proceed to the con.
sideration OF the bill for the resumption
OF specie payments, which was agreed TO.
Mr.. Sherman said that there was gen.
eral feeling that Congress should do some.
thing. He desired to say that every word
and every line oil this bill tended toward
tue resumption OF specie payment. He
then explained the various provisions OF
the bill.
The first section provided for the re-
demptiOn OF Fractional Currency, the sec.
ond was sacrifice Of $95, 900 per snnum
on the part oi the Government in the
coinage of gold, Tho third provided for
free banking in the great commercial
centres Of the country, and the enlarge.
ment OF the volume of currency in case
the wants ol the country demand it, II
also proposed to redeem the United States
notes to tho extent OF 80 per cent OF the
new notes issued. 1t provided ample
means to mentain the resumption OF specie
payment.
Senator schurz inquired if so per cent
legal tenders redeemed were 10 be re.is-
sued again.
Mr.. sherman said he would leave that
as an open question for the future when
legal tenders should be reduced to three
hundred millions. One or two Congresses
would pass before that time, he approved
the bill because every portion Of Ii tended
TO specie payments.
Dir. Schurz said Congress ought to
make the bill as clear as possible The
Senator (Shermsn) knew from experience
that if loop hole was LETT the Treasurer
might reissue thirty or forty millions as
he had done before. The first and second
sections were Rll right, but the third was
weak. Pass the bill and in four years
the increase in national currency would
not be over ten millions and retirement
OF greenbacks not over eight millions.
The panic was the result OF Overtrading
and extravaganza until at last the bubble
burst, and then came retrenchment and
economy. The history oi the country
shows no revival OF business In less than
four years after panic, but time, honesty,
economy and retrenchment would set
business in motion and make the country
prosperous. II could not be done by
tlnkering or by bills which omitted every.
thing and contained nothing. He offered
an amendment with which attached be
was willing to vote Tor the bill, otherwise
he would vote against it.
MIR. Sherman said he could not consent
TO the insertion Of the word "destroy" az
ter the word "redeem" in the third sec.
ton.
Mr.. Bayard hoped the country would
notice the answer Of the Chairman of the
Finance Committee, who declined to al.
low the bill TO be amended. The Treas.
ury had been governed as 1t were without
law, and money redeemed would be
reissued unless prohibited. II seemed to
him to be juggling with a question that
ought to be matter Of honest business.
MIR. Salisbury moved to strike out 1879
as the time for return to specie pay
ments and insert 1877, which was re-
jeCted.
Mr. Hamilton moved that after the 4th
ol July, 1876, nothing but gold and sil-
yer should be legal tender for the pay.
ment OF debts contracted thereafter,
Mr. Stevenson said he was opposed to
the amendment because he should not
know whether he was voting for con.
traction or expansion, he was unwilling
to leave It In the power OF any Secretary
to expand currency at his pleasure. He
had great faith In the present Secretary
but would not leave such power in the
hands OF any Secretary either Republican
or Democrat,
MIR. Hamilton withdrew his amend.
ment.
Mr. Schur2 said he would vote ior the
bill in spite Of its defects, because 1t con.
tanned pledge to return 10 specie nav.
ments in 1879, and members voting for
tho bill would do all in their power to
make the pledge good.
He thought the bill would leave the
currency oil the county in the same
condition in which 1t found II, but he
would offer no factious opposition TO II,
He then moved It's recommittsl 10 the
Committee on Finance, which was re.
jected.
The bill was then read the third time
and passed-yeas SO, nays ID.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
On motion OF MIR. Wilson, Senate bill
to enable the Supreme Conrt of the Dis.
trict Of Columbia TO proceed with It's iury
business was taken from the Sneakers
table and passed,
MIR. Dawes presented a medical certia.
cate that Richard B. Irwin, witness In the
Pacific Mail investigation, is not In a
physical condition to present himself at
The bar Of the House, or be subjected TO
any mental excitement He remarked
hat the Committee oil Ways and Means
Under no circumstances would instruct
he Sergeant.at.Arms to bring the witness
before tue House at present, unless the
House should otherwise order.
Mr. nOUao Nha,, aHaunl =