Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-02-07
XLIIId CONGRESS.
EENATE.

except the General or Lieutenant General Of
the army whose name shall have been borne
upon the register As years or who shall be 81
years Of age.
In the financial discussion, Mr.. Sherman, Of
Ohio said that on June go 1863, the legal tenders
outstanding amounted to 1856, 0OO, 600. On the
1st of January last they amounted to s37s, 49,,
339, or an increase in the form Of security of
S22. 4S1, 339. The fractional currency, which
in 1869 amounted to S27, COS, 92S now amounte
to S4S, 554, 1872 being an increase Of over SAL
DOC, 600; and again, the national bank circula-
ton had been Increased from S299, 7S9, 900 to
$3.50 SS1, 900, making the total increase ON the
currency over $50, 00O, 900. He argued that it
had been practicable during the last four years
to advance our notes to specie value. II not
when would it be 2
Mr.. Mitchell, Of Oregon, introduced bill to
provide for the incorporation of the Portland,
Oregon and Salt Lake Railroad and Telegraph
Company, the United States Government to
guarantee the payment of interest on the com
pany's bonds to the extent of ten thousand dol
lars per mile.
Mr.. Logan, of ILL.,, in discussing the finance
question said he did not oppose an ultimate re-
turn to specie payments, but considered such
return at present impracticable and unneces-
sary. Gold and silver are not sufficient in
amount to return to coin payment. They do
not and cannot represent the value Of labor,
anu kOlu
silver cannot now serve as the standard of
value or medium of exchange in this country.
The confidence of the people in our paper
currency has never wavered. In the days of
the panic gold fell to one hundred and six. The
Senator from Missouri showed that the amount
of our currency per capita in 1860 WAS fourteen
dollars and fifty cents, and that it is now
nineteen dollars. The logical result goes even
further. In 1860 the amount of property per
napita yVaa fva dolIara and ant -oix
which increased to seven dollars and ninety
one cents in 1870. The same ratio of increase
of currency would now require twenty-five
dollars per capita, total circulation of eight
hundred and fifty million dollars. This amount
is now needed for active circulation. 1t would
not be in excess of the amount per capita in
Great Britain and France. The most reliable
recent statistics represent the circulation in
France at fifty dollars per capita and in Great
Britain at twenty-five dollars per capita. which
latter is ten per centum more than is here
demanded.
Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, presented petition
of the National Board of Trade against any
increase of the volume of currency, asking that
the national Banking act be amended, and that
the volume of fractional currency be reduced
The Committee on transportation Routes
was requested to report on the subject within
reasonable time, giving full details of the
cheap transportation question 30 far as they
were able.
Petitions were presented by Senators Bout
well, Sherman, Fenton, Ramsey, Wright,
Chandler, Anthony and others from women
legislation comforting upon them the right to
vote.
Mr. Merriman, of N. c., said our country
enjoyed the confidence of its people more than
any country on the face of the earth, yet our
currency had been less valued than gold by 20
per cent. He argued that it was impossible to
make paper currency equal to gold. 1t was
idle and criminal for Congress to undertake to
bring greenbacks up to the standard of gold.
We must put ourselves on level with the COM
mercial nations of the earth, and to do this we
must have gold and silver currency. Until
we establish medium of exchange based upon
gold and silver, we can never have the advan.
tage of commerce. He advocated an immediate
resumption of specie payment.
The Senate unanimously confirmed the
nomination of Mr.. Waite to be Chief-Justice.
A substitute was reported by the Finance
Committee for Mr.. Howes Liquor Traffic bill
Mr.. Sargent, of California, presented a long
petition Of Susan B. Athony, relating the cir
cumstances of her registering and voting in
Rochester, N. Y, and subsequent indictment
and trial for illegal voting before Judge Hunt
of the United States Supreme Court, stating
that her trial was not far one, and her con.
viction in violation of the statute, and asking
that the fine imposed upon her be RENTED.
Mr.. Morton, of Ind, submitted the following
resolution, which was laid on the table and
ordered to be printed
Res0tUed, That the Committee on Transpor.
tatisn Routes to the Seaboard be instructed tC
consider and report bill creating commission
of five eminent and skilled persons to be
appointed by the President by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate, who shall
examine and report to Congress what legisla-
ton is necessary and practicable in regard to
| Interstate railroads to promote the following
objects, viz: The speedy transportation al
reasonable rates of freight and passengers
the safety and comfort of passengers by pro-
viding for the inspection of bridges, tracks
locomotives, and cars and the reform of any
abuses that may exist in consequence of ex
tortion, or unjust determinations in the trans
portation of freight and passengers, and, il
general, what regulations are necessary tt
promote the efficiency of railroads, the interests
of commerce, and the convenience and safety
of the travelling public.
HOUSE.
Mr. Small, of N. H., asked leave to offer
resolution, instructing the Committee OF
| Appropriations to inquire and report how many
horses are owned and maintained by tho Gov
eminent of the District of Columbia, the
| expense and uses of the same, and who use
them and whether they are required for the
public service and also, as to carriages ant
other vehicles owned by the Government ant
used with such horses.
Mr.. Dawes, of Mass, from the COMMITTEES
on Ways and Means, reported bill to REIN
burse distillers for amounts paid by them il
procuring Tice meters, by order of the Interna
Revenue Bureau, but which meters were subse
quently abolished by law.
Bills introduced To provide currency il
| coin and paper of equal and uniform valu
throughout the United States to abolish tn,
| system of mileage to establish department
of manufactures. Also, to allow nationa
banks circulation equal to the face of thei
| deposited bonds for the purchase of Mon
ticello, Va, formerly the homestead of Thoma
Jefferson, and containing his grave; to amen
| the national banking law so as to provide TO
free banking, give better security to depositors
prevent usury, give elasticity to the currency
and place the finances on more secure an
substantial basis
Mr.. Ward, of n j., introduced bill pre-
viding that the heirs of any soldier who wa
killed or died while in military service durin
the late war, whose period Of enlistment wa
for less than one year, or who shall have die
by reason of wounds received or disease COZ
tracted. shall be entitled to receive the sam
bounties as if said soldier had enlisted fc
three years. This bill includes all who enliste
for three or more months at the commence
ment of the war, and who have never receive
bounty. Referred to Committee on Militar
Affairs.
The House refused to suspend the rules
admit resolution by Wilson, of Ind, to il
crease the circulating medium, the vote bein
1874 to 98.
Mr.. Young, of Ga, moved to suspend tn
rules and pass the bill providing that a
printed matter printed by order of the Cover
ment, and bearing the official signature of
member of either House of Congress, sha
pass through the mails free of charge until til
LIST of July, 1874. Rejected. Yeas, II; Nay
1853.
A bill presented provides for a regulation {
the passenger and freight charges on railroad