The Portland daily press., 1874-04-06
Forty Third COngress-First Session,
HOUSE.

HOUSE.
WASHINGTON. April 4.
Mr. Butler of Mass, asked leave to report
from the Judiciary Committee bill to prevent
maladministration IN the civil service of the
United States by officers against whom i'm
peachments has been presented.
The bill provides that whoever being civil
officer of the United States, except the Presi-
dent or Vice President, shall be impeached for
high crimes and misdemeanors by the House of
Representatives shall theIeupon be suspended
from all functions and authority vested IN him
by virtue of his Office, until he shall be dis
charged from such impeachment by Judgment
by the Senate or by the withdrawal of such i'm
parchment by the House of Representatives.
Inc second section provides that the duties, ]u-
isaicalon IN. and powers OF every suspended omcer
during the term of such suspension shall be ex-
ercised by any other officer authorized by law,
to exercise the functions of the office On the
resignation, death or inability of such civil Off
Ger, or in case no provision is made by law, it
authorizes the Preside ut to appoint an officer to
perform the duties of such suspended officer,
and to receive the salary and emoluments be-
longing to the office.
Mr.. G.. F. Hoar of Mass, asked whether the
bill included Judges of the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Butler replied that it did, and it was re-
ported in view of certain judges. The Judicia
ry Committee had now before it charges against
three judges, involving their honesty, the in
tegrty Of their judicial administration and
their fitness of character. 1t was great
scandal that an impeached officer should con-
tnue to exercise the functions of the office
Mr.. Il. +. Hoar suggests that the bill should
be set down Tor some time in the future. 1t
presents very grave and constitutional ques-
ton indeed.
Mr.. Butler had no objection to that, and sug-
gested that day fortnight.
Mr. Morey of Louisiana, objected to the bill
being reported
Mr.. Butler to Mr.. Morey-That will not save
Durell.
Mr.. Morey-If you want 10 impeach Durell,
do it directly, not indirectly.
Mr.. Butler-I do not want to do it indirect
Objection being made, the bill was not re-
ported to the House.
On motion of Mr. Wilson in the House to-
day, it was ordered that the Speakers
warrant be issued to the Sergeapt-at-Arms
commanding him to attach the person of G. HI.
Patrick of Montgomery, Ala, and bring him
before the House for contempt, in emitting and
refusing to obey a subpoena to appear before the
Judiciary Committee.
The Committee rose at 8 o'clock and report
ed forty private bills, more than half of which
were pension bills, which were passed.
The House then resumed the consideration of
the currency bill and was addressed by Mr..
Kelly of Pennsylvania in opposition to the bill
and in favor of 3.65 bonds. the bill introduced
by him. He regarded the pending bill as
frought with great danger to the country. Its
title was delusive. 1t was represented in the
title as proposing to establish free banking.
He was in favor of free banking and therefore
lie was opposed to this bill which sought to ex-
tend the monopoly of the banking system,
which already had become SO OdiOus to TIE
country. The bill was delusive in promising
free banking and in promising to increase the
volume of circulation by making 1t free. The
South and West were in no condition to buy
bonds in speculative market, as they would
have to do in order to establish banks. If
this bill passed they were in no better con-
dtion to do so now than they had been for the
last four years. and if new banks were estab-
lished under this bill 10 the South and West it
would be by capitalists and capital now East
of the Hudson, they would represent absentee
ism which would be as fatal to the industry
and prosperity of those sections as the English
bondLolders in ireland had been fatal to the
prosperity of that unhappy island.
Passing on to the question of bank currency
he argued that the power to issue money was
in the attitude of national sovereignty and
could not be delegated without danger to the
government and to the people, especially to the
current trade and commerce of the country.
He maintained that the proposition that the
paper omitted by the government should be
based upon the taxable property and taxable
power of the country and that government
issue promising to pay specie would be frought
with the same delusve snares that the bank
promises to do impossible things were frought
With.
MI. hpIlcy pOSlClOlS were CrltlClSeu ny
Messrs. Burchard, and Merrmon, the latter
urging that the banks stood ready to-day to
take $3.50. 1000 900 of the 365 bonds and that il
a panic came on they would send them to the
Treasury for redemption and thus swamp the
government 10 insolvency.
MI. Butler of Massachusetts replied to Mr..
Merriam's objections and sustained the 3 %
bond proposition. He proposed that the Am
ercan greenback should be as productive as
the averag, gold dollar of the world, its
InIA II ho pnuIh 1uo of
interest for it when he could get no more.
That was how he tested the value of money.
He had heard good deal of talk about re-
deemaOle currency but there was as much
sense in talking about a Eedeemable yard stick
or quart pot.
Mr.. Willard asked, why should the paper
dollar be made legal tender between individu-
ais?
Butler-Because that has always been the
office OF money from the time when among the
Romans sheep were legal tender whence the
word pecunia (money) from the word pecus "a
fock).
Mr.. Maynard suggested that another expla-
nation was that the figure of sheep was
stamped on Roman gold coin.
Mr.. Burleigh of Maine asked Mr. Butler
about the effect of adding $44 100000 to cur
rency.
Mr.. Butler replied that he had not examined
the question but that tine increase was only
one torty-second part of the whole issue and he
thought no man would consider his whiskey
much diluted If he had only one forty second
part OF water added to it. The falacy of all
the talk about an irredeeTable paper currency
was illustrated in the experiences of late pan
les, when all the railroad and telegraphic
stock, of the country deprecated thirty or
forty per cent, while this deprecated paper
currency crept up to within five per cent. of
gold and the people Rugged it and kept it anu
would even have kept bank rags because they
Wee redeemabe in greenhacks.
After further colloquy between Messrs. Bur-
leigh and Butler, the House adjourned.
Cue.
CINCINNATI, April ga despatch from
BlufftOwn, Ind, says that last night Phillip
Jones, an old farmer, tired to MAKE peace be-
tween party of rOughs who were quarrelIng
over game of billiards in the drinking saloon
that has not yielded to the women's movement.
One of the rowdies, Benz. Field, struck Jones
on the head with billiard cue, crushing his
skull, He kicked him in the face when down,
and then fled. Jones died soon alter. The ex-
element over the affair is intense.
Excitement at MT. Veru0n, o,
At Mt Vernon, o., the Mayor attempted to
enforce an ordnance, and ordered the crusaders
removed from the front of grocery. A crowd
of men and women interfered, and prevented
the removal of the box. The affair occasioned
excitement, and fears are entertained of serious
disturbance.
Indian Affairs.
CHEYENNE, April At. H. Smith, one of
the Indian CONG issiopers reached here to-day
from the Red Cloud Agency. The other three
commissioners have returned to the Spotted
Tail agency, Mr.. Smith says the actual num-
Der of whites killed since Jan. LIST by Indians is
six. The troops at both agencies have been un-
moested, and at the Spotted Tail agency espe-
cially friendly re. ations with Indians exist.
The Commissioners held several councils at
both agencies with hopeful results About
5000 Ogalala, Sioux, Arrapahoes and Che
yennes have registered and remain at Red
Cloud agency, and about 1000 Frul-Brul Sioux
are at Spotted Tail agency and expected to reg
lister next week. The Commissioners say the
situation has been critical but the published
statements were exaggerated.
Reports from other sources say the Commits
sioners have seen nothing but old ration eaters.
and that as soon as g ass grows. the Indians
will resume hostilties.
METEOROLOGICAL
PROBABILITIES FOR THE NEXT rwENrY-FoUB
WAR DEPT, OFFICE CHEF SIGNAL
OFFICER, Washington, ID. c.,
April A, 500 (P. Ny
For New England