The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-11
Fort, Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

grapher, to send for persons and papers, to
take testimony, sc. Agreed to-,
A bill to further provide for the adminstra-
ton of oaths in the Senate, was passed.
Mr.. Morrill, of Maine, from the Committee on
appropriations, reported favorably on the bill
appropriating $4,000 to defray the expenses of
the special committee appointed to enquire il
to the late election in Mississippi. Passed.
Mr.. Wright, from the committee on claims,
reported adversely on the bill for the relief of
sufferers by the raid on Washington in July,
1864, and it was indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Hitchcock, from the committee Oil terri
tories, reported favorably on the bill to estab-
fish territory of Pembina and provide for
temporary government therefor.
Mr.. Logan, from tbs committee on military
affairs reported adversely on the bill to extend
the time fol- filing claims for drilling and o.
ganizing volunteers during the late war, Sc,
and it was indef oitelv postponed
On motion of Mr.. Sherman the House bill to
provide for the deficiency in the printing bu-
reau of the Treasury Department and for the
issue of silver coin Of the United States in
place OF fractional currency was taken up,
Mr.. Sherman explained the provisions OF the
bill and amendments proposed by the Senate
Financial Committee at length.
In his opinion there were but two things
more needed to make this perfect financial
measure, and they were TO authorize any hold
err of gIeenbacks to convert them into per
cent. gold bonds and to exchange our per
cent bonds for per cent ones. Then specie
payment would come without ripple in the
current. Another thing he believed 10 was an
International convention for unit of money
and accounts, both of gold and silver He saw
in The bill COW before the Senate an opportuni-
ty to do some good, and he believed true states
manship was to do all good possible as the OPP
pol tunlty presented.
Mr.. Morton said the passage of this bill
would give the country four kinds of currency.
First, the subsidiary coin worth 81 IS cents on
hn fnl In 1ozI~ h
cents; third, the new silver dollar which would
be worth about 80 cents and mills; fourth, the
gold coin worth 100 cents. He asked what was
the use of the rev coin. Who would convert
greenbacks into it? Instead of having q uni
form currency. greater confusion would prevail
thar we have now.
Mr.. Sherman said that the Senator (Mortonl
talked about subsidiary coin being worth 81 SO
cents. To melt it up as bullion il might not be
worth any more, but as money it was worth
more. To the extent of S. it was worth gold
The Senator (Morton) should keep in view the
difference between bullion value and money
value.
Mr.. Morton argued that greenback was
worth more than subsidiary silver because the
government promised to redeem it in gold.
Silver was only worth the amount of bullion in
it,
Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont agreed with the Sen
.ator from Indiana and said that the bill was a
laundering attempt to introduce nothing but
silver as legal tender in the country and to
avoid the use of gold. If silver should be in.
troduced now at its present value 1t would as a
matter of course drive gold out of the country.
He was willing to accede to the proposition of
the Senator from Ohio (Sherman) to have a
double currency, provided that they could be
made equivalent, but was adverse to two cur
reucies where one would be ten or twelve per
cent below the other.
Mr. Sherman then by unanimous consent
withdrew the third and fourth sections of the
bill, the former comprising the third section of
the bill as it passed the House, which had been
amended by the Senate Committee on Finance.
After further discussion the bill was passed,
as follows:
Be it enacted, eec.-That there be and hereby is
appropriated out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated the of S163,000 to pro-
vide for engraving printing and other expenses Of
further of $4,000 to provide for engraving and
printing national bank notes to be discussed under
the Secretary of the Treasury.
SECTIoN2 That the Secretary of the Treasury is
hereby directed to issue silver coins of the United
states OF the denomination of TO- 90 25 and so cents
OF the standard value in redemption of an equal
amount of fractional currency, whether the same be
now in the treasury awaiting redemption or when
ever it may be presented for redemption, and the
Secretary OF the Treasury may under the regulations
OF the Treasury Department provide for such re-
demption and issue by substitution at the regular
sub-treasures and public repositories of the Omitted
States un the whole amount of fractional currency
outstanding shall be redeemed and the fractional
currency under this act shall be held to be part Of
the sinking fund provided by existing law the inter
est to be computed thereon in the case of bonds
redeemed under the acts relating to sinking fund.
Mr. Sargent called up his motion to recon
slider the vote by which the petition and names
OF the petitioners in regard to the forfeiture of
certain lands granted the Southern Pacific rail-
road was ordered to be printed and the vote
was reconsidered.
On his motion it was ordered that the lanes
OF the petitioners be omitted in the print.
ing,
Mr. Morrill, of Maine, submitted the follow
ing.
Resolved, That the Committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia be directed to communicate
to the Senate the amount of certificates of in
debtedness, commonly called greenbacks, is-
sued by virtue of the acts of the assembly
of the District of Columbia and of Congress
also the amount of assessments made in pur-
suance of said act to secure the payment of
said certificates of Indebtedness the amount of
said assessments collected and the amount out
outstanding unpaid, if any, and the reasons
why the same have not been collected, and
whether any further legislation in the prem
ises is necessary. Agreed to.
The bill relating to interment in the Congress
slOnal cemetery was passed with amendment
providing that monuments hereafter erected
there to deceased members of Congress shall be
of granite.
The bill authorizing the Secretary of War to
adjust and settle the claims of the state of
Georgia against the government on account of
the Western and Atlantic Railroad was dis
cussed briefly and laid over untin tomorrow.
Mr.. Logan from the committee on military
affairs reported adversely on the bill to repeal
section of the act for the relief of General
w. Crawford and to fix the rank and pay of re-
tired officers of the army and it was indefinite
ly postponed.
The Senate on motion of Mr.. Dorsey went
into executive session and " hen the doors were
re-opened at 5 o'clock adjourned.
HOUSE.
Bills were introduced as follows:
By Mr.. Banks in relation to contracts for
lighthouses.
By Mr.. Meade providing for the payment of
of judgments of the Southern Claims Commits
sion.
By Mr.. Garfield to prevent fluctuations in
the value of United States notes, and to make
them redeemable in gold coin at the option of
the holder.
Mr.. Lord of New York. offered resolution
requesting the President to inform the House
what measures have been adopted to enforce
the stipulations of the treaty with Venezuela.
Mr.. Seelye offered a resolution instructng the
Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether
any additional legislation is necessary to secure
to the army the right of petition which belongs
to every citizen. Adopted.
Mr.. Cannon offered resolution instructng
the Committee on Foreign Affairs to inquire
into the cause of the imprisonment of Z. O.
Meagher Condor. Adopted.
Mr.. Hereford, chairman of the Committee on
Commerce, introduced bill making an appro-
prlation for the construction, repair, preserva-
ton and completion of different public works
on rivers and harbors. The total amount ap
propriated is 1877, $50. The bill passed under
suspension of the rules, yeas III, nays So
On motion of Mr. Randall of Pennsylvania,
Resolved, that the House today, Tuesday an
Wednesday take recess at 30 till 7.30, the
evening sessions to be devoted to the considered
ton Of the legislative and judicial appropria.
ton bills.
The House at 80 went into committee Of the
whole, Mr.. Sayler in the chair, on the bill to
carry the Hawaiian treaty into operntien, and
was addressed by Mr.. Banks of Massachusetts,
in advocacy of the measure. Mr.. Banks spoke
over two hours and half.
At the conclusion of his speech the evening
session having been dispensed with the House
adjourned.
MINOR TELEGRAMs.
Oren P. Frost of Providence, died Sunday
from the effect of arsenic, self-administered.
A petition was put in circulation in St. Louis
SATURDAY., asking President Grant to pardon
Col Mapuira IT. ia haino pup,orornI-r:1