Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-12
EVENING STAR.
COH'GRESSION.sI
Co.cl..ie. Yesterday. rrseeea,.x,

ENAIE.-Aftcr our report Closed
Mr.. sherman moved an amendment 10 the
barking bill authorizing the Comptroller OF
the Currency 20 issue the S25,ooo 900 20 states
having les than their proportion, without watt
ing Tor the return OF the circulating notes Ot
banks OF states In excess. Adopted.
nj. Merrtmon moved amendment striking
q ssxsntx'sss. ,.,' s.enty-nve and inserting
Nithdrswn from the states in erce.s
hr. Iossn opposed the bill. he desired as
increase OF The currency sufficient 10 suppiV
the needs OF the west, ana was wtlltns 49,
New England should have the amount sue noe
Mr. Morton said II the currency r.. m n.
equslixed ~ all Il should be fully eauansed,
sha this bhi was, therefore, q halfway mess-
Nr. Sargent spoke OF the hard nonev mr.
rency OF me Pscine coast, and said that thew
mt yer had any panics there, and no ina alton a.
.slues. ne tnen AZ eued that nnwholesOme and
improper speculation was engendered by toe
much currency.
Mr.. Ferry (Nieb.) advocated an increase Of
the currency, and conceded In the views OF NJ
Morton. that sooner or later the people would
get the currency, 20 which they were entitled
He did not wish 90 arouse sectional feeling on
before The country, and IL the west ana tbs
wants OF the west were 70 be continually "a
nored, Il had such population As would make
itself fek.
Mr.. Stewart advocated speedy return 10
specie pay ment ss the only way TO relieve the
ooantIy, and spoke At some length Of the evils
OF al inflated currency. the principal ssuH OF
New York spectators.
MT. Morrill, VT regarded the idea OF iaas,-
ING the Currency with Infinite dread, he believed
X 10 he against the interest Of the country, and
10 amount OF pressure would induce him 20 DO
what he thought was wrong
MT. sherman said there Was no doubt that
justice demanded that the states of the uest
ana south should have their proportion OF the
banking Circulation. lie ssld the profits OF che
banks we've not derived from circulntion hut
from deposits, and the banks which had an ex-
cess OF circulation had no objection 20 this halt.
Mr.. Edmunds disputed the idea that the pres
ent spIortionment of the circulation Was an in
justice. He said that in the distress OF the re-
public in ls6i IL invited the people 70 form ns-
tonsl banks, and TO advance their money on its
bonds. In order 10 uphold the government tue
people OF Vermont and the other New England
states responded. although they were perfectlg
satisfied with the state banking system.
Tending discussion, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE-After our report closed
MI Wheeler demanded a separate vote on
the amendment 20 the army appropriAt hifl
to extend the time for hltng claims until No
Nember 1, 1875. instead Of December 4, is7s A.
proposed by the bill. The amendment wa.
agreed to-yeas 49,, nays lO4
The bill was then passed amended.
The House then again resolved Itself into
Committee OF the Whole Mr.. Cox in the char
and proceeded 90 consider the fOrtihcstiOn Ap-
preparation bill.
Mr. Starkweather, who has charge Of the
bill, said the original sum submitted tor forth
cations amounted 20 - 90, 600, which va.
much more than for previous years. Tue reason
In November last AZ a time when drhCulties
with Spain we're imminent. When this ext
genoy had passed the War department cheer
fully cut down the appropriation 90 Al .tOO, Goa
The committee felt that Il must make q still
further reduction, and did so, and the bill a.
reported sppropriates but the sum Of sss4. 900.
be then proceeded to speak OF the great neces-
sity OF keeping mp these Notifications az a mat
ter Of strict economy.
There was considerable discussion upon ths
former amendments under the i've minutes
rule, during which
Mr. Garfield said the committee had cut OF
appropriations for all but two classes OF forts
first, those that were Of commercial importance:
-snd second, those which had q strategic inn
pOrtsnce. II there were any in the bill that did
not come within one OF the other, IL shoud be
struck OF. Individually, he could not see much
value in Fort Washington, on the Potomac AMI
was not sure IL came within either class.
MI. Grunekel opposed appropriations for
Portsmouth, Boston, Fort Washington, anu
some other points, and asked how he could sat-
isfy his constituents that these appropriations
were needed, when General Sherman said they
were not necessary.
Mr.. Butler Mass said he had a high respect
for General Sherman, but he was the pO0res.
witness he ever saw. He could disprove any OF
General Sherman's testimony by General Sher-
man himself, and he read from the testimOnyos
that officer before the Military COMMITTEES 10
support that assertion.
And, the debate turning upOn the power OF
resistance Of the forts, Mr.. Starkwesther cited
the driving OF Of the heaviest iron-clads OF the
navy by Fort Sumter.
NIL So hut IL was
after the old Fort Sumter had been reduced to
an earthwork, which was the strongest kind OF
defense.
Mr.. Hswley (Conn.) defended the old-fssh-
Toned stone and brick forts, and said that Fort
Sumter as il stood before IL was battered down
repulsed Dupont's iron-clad feet. He said OF
course they could be battered down, but IL was
question of time and the power Of resistance
OF the attacking force.
Mr.. Holman offered an amendment reducing
the appropriation for the fort on Willett Point
y, u, from so, goo 70 20 900.
Mr.. Archer said that whatever the general Of
the army or the chief Of engineers might say,
they had higher evidence that New York Was
in defenseless condition. No scientific man
could examine that harbor without being con-
WINGED OF the fact. There were at this time
only two ways Of defense. One, which he
the use OF torpedoes. That was a doubtful and
uncertain defense. The torpedo service was In
its infancy, and the same was true Of torpedo
defense. The English and French governments
were experimenting In the line of torpedo de-
fences. The safety Of New York Was essential
TO the whole country, AMI any injury to that
city was felt everywhere. She was now al the
mercy of any foreign foe, and IL was the duty
OF Congress TO secure proper defense.
The amendment of Mr.. Holman was rejected.
Without concluding the reading OF the bill.
the committee then rose, and, At f.30 p. m, the
House took q recess till 20.
The House met in evening session to consider
further the report Of the Committee on Reys-
members present. After considering number
OF clauses the House, at s:i5 p. m, adjourned.
nTaIf you hang me.r said a Georgia muir