Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1874-02-12
xLIIId CONGRESS.
aRNATE.

SENATE.
Mr.. Cameron, of Pennsylvania, In discussing
the Salary bill, thought the whole system Of
mileage wrong. 1t cost him but s5 to come
| from Harrisburg here, yet he received S4S
mileage. Members might 60 around every
which way to get to the capital, and think
| themselves justified in drawing mileage for
the whole distance travelled. The Government
Of the United States thinks 1t is right In send
| ing the mail for Elmira from here to Baltimore,
then to Philadelphia and New York, and then
to Elmira, though Elnira Is nearer to WASH
| ington than 1t is to New York.
Mr.. Sargent. of Cal, presented petition of
Susan B. Anthony and others asking that
women be allowed to vote, or that the same
right be extended to them as to colored men.
Mr.. Cameron. of Pa, presented the memorial
| of the Russian Mennonites, setting forth that
they desired to become citizens Of the United
States, and asking that they be allowed to
occupy public lands. Objected to.
House Salary bill and all the amendments, re-
pealing the act of March 8. except that portion
relating to the salaries Of the President and
Supreme Judges, and providing that all back
paw returned be declared the money OF the
| United States; the bill was passed after dis
cussion in which the leading members took
part by vote Of 80 Yeas to Nays.
The House resolution to fill the vacancies In
the Board Of Regents Of the Smithsonian In
stitution was taken up and passed. The Chair
appointed Mr. Sargent, of California, member
Of the Board of Regents Of the Smithsonian
Institution on the part Of the Senate.
Eulogies were pronounced on the late James
Brooks and W. D. Foster, and resolutions OF
respect adopted.
Mr.. Ferry, Of Michigan, said as he shared in
the public anxiety that the Senate should act
on the question Of finance Immediately, he
proposed to modify his substitute for the reso-
luton Of the committee, 30 as to narrow the
subject down to q moderate increase Of the
currency. he, therefore, Withdrew the sub
stitute formerly presented by him, and sub
mitted the following:
"That the Committee on Finance DO directed
| to report to tho Senate, at as early day as
practicable, such measures as will restore com.
mercial confidence, and give stability and
elasticity to the circulating medium through q
moderate increase Of the currency"
Mr. Frelinghuysen presented bill TO secure
resumption Of specie payments without con-
tracing the currency, and 1t was referred To
the Committee on Finance. It authorizes the
Secretary Of the Treasury to issue $225, ,0OO, ,OOC
of six per cent ten-forty bonds. to be disposed
of from time to time, for the purpose Of pur-
chasing 5000 900, 900 Of gold coin, with which to
redeem legal-tender notes Of the United States;
and it shall be in the discretion Of the Secretary
of the Treasury, 30 soon as he shall deem 1t ex-
pedient, with such amount Of gold as for the
time being he may have procured, to commence
and continue the redemption of legal tenders.
When redeemed they are not to be reissued.
except in exchange for gold coin at par, and
when 80 reissued they shall be redeemable In
gold coin but the total amount Of legal tenders
outstanding and redeemed shall at no time ex
ceed $356000,000. The bill further provides
that If, after commencing said redemption, the
Government shall be unable to redeem part
of said legal tenders in gold, the Secretary may
redeem them by exchanging the aforesaid bonds
at par fer them.
Senator Conkling, of N. Y, presented q
memorial Of the New York Chamber OF Com
merce calling the attention Of Congress TO the
inefficiency of the merchant marine service OF
the United States.
The resolution from the Finance Committee
looking to resumption Of specie payments
was discussed. Mr.. Schurz delivered q lengthy
speech in which he urged an immediate re-
sumption Of specie payments, and opposed an
initiation of the currency.
Caleb Cushing's nomination to be Chief
Justice was withdrawn by the President.
In his reply to the Finance report Of Senator
Schurz, Mr.. Morton, of Indiana, said The
United States could not be guided by the e1-
perience Of England in the matter Of con-
tTacLlOn. lneTe WAS nhTuly u mhu living uNc
miles from bank, and most Of them lived in
towns and villages in sight Of banks. The
facilities for bank credits there were much
greater than in this country. and there was not
the necessity for 30 great O volume Of cur
rency. England, with her 81 ,000, 900 people,
has 5000, 600, 900 currency. And the United
States, with her forty million people, had only
eight million currency. He did not think oiIl
| currency redundant. 1t had been argued that
| we had built railroads too fast. He did not be-
| leve q Senator on this floor would say his
State had one railroad too many. Probably
sometimes they had been built in advance OF
settlement. but they were always the pioneers
Of civilization. He desired to again state that
the recent panic in our country did not spring
out of any defect in our currency. The cur.
rency did not run down during the panic, but
~on the contrary increased in value. He saw
behind all this contraction argument the old
State banking system looming up.
Mr.. Howe, of Wis, introduced bill for the
| withdrawal Of irredeemable national notes and
the substitution OF redeemable national bank
notes.
| The bill for the relief Of aged or infirm pre-.
emption settlers on public lands was passed.
The motion made by Mr. Kelley, Of Penn
before the holidays to suspend the rules end
adopt resolution declaring 1t to be the sense
| Of the House that the taxes shall not be III
creased, but that the extraordinary means, Il
any be required for the support Of the Govern
ment, shall be obtained by temporary loan o.
loans, bearing low rate Of interest in currency
and redeemable in United States notes, came
up for action. After discussion the vote wa
taken and the House refused to suspend the
rules. Yeas, 1856; Nays, 82-less than two
thirds in the affirmative, 30 the resolution was
not received.
Mr.. Hurlbut, OF H., introduced bill char
tering double track railway from tide-watei
on the Atlantic to the Missouri River, and tc
limit the freight thereon. Referred to thu
Committee on Railways and Canals.
Mr.. Holman, Ind, moved to suspend TIT
rules and adopt q resolution declaring that il
the Judgment Of the House, there is no neces
sity to increase taxation or to increase the
public debt by further loan, il there shall b.
economy in the public expenditures. and tina
IN view OF the condition Of the nationa
| finances, the House will reduce the appropria
tions and public expenditures to the loves
point consistent with the proper administration
Of public affairs. The rules were suspended
and the resolution adopted.-Yeas, 221; Nays 8
J. Mr.. Hawley, Conn.,, moved to suspend th'
rules and adopt resolution declaring it to b,
the sense Of the House that tire expenditure
Of the nation can be and should be 30 reduced
and regulated that they can be met by existing
taxes, and that in no event should there be al
increase of either Understanding or non
interest bearing obligations Of the Government
The motion was agreed TO without the yeas ant
nays, and amid some laughter and applause.
The Education bill was discussed and post
poned till March.
The Senate substitute for the House Salar,
bill was passed by 226 Yeas to 25 Nays.
A new rule, requiring that all bills making
appropriation shall be first considered in Com
mittee of the Whole, was adopted.