The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-03
WASHINGTON.
Tho Substitution of Silver for Paper
Money.

Tho Substitution of Silver for Paper
Money.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-Sin ce the passage of
the act providing for the redemption of frac-
tional currency in subsidiary silver coin, there
has been paid out by the Treasury in these
coins $21, 874,211 Of this amount So, $50, 80 8
have been paid out on checks and in exchange
paid out for fractional currency, and that
amount of fractional currency has been de-
stroyed. The amount of subsidiary silver coins
on hand at the close of business yesterday was
81 518, 085. At Boston there has been paid out
SO, 227, 813, on hand $108, 902 The debt state
ment for October shows that the. amount of
fractional currency now outstanding is $685.
555, Alb. Of this amount it Is estimated that
abont $14, 100000 has been lost and DESTROYED
while in circulation, so that there is now out
standing for redemption not more than Sl5-
100000. The amount that has been lost in cir
culation is SO much profit to the government t.,
and really reduces the national debt to that
amount, although this reduction is not shown
on the books of the Treasury Department.
Official Correspondence Concerning the
Late Scandal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-The following is the
correspondence which has passed between Min.
lister Washburne and the Minister of FOREIGN
Affairs of France relative to the recent publi-
cation of letter in certain French Journals
concerning the Centennial Exposition:
LEGATION OF UNITED STATES,
Paris, Oct %, 1876. !
lfy Dear Duke lie CAFES:
have read with amazement the extraordi-
nary letter published in the Figaro of yester-
day. over the signature OF Du Sommerard, who
is the General Commissioner of France-sPres
les Exposition Unverselle" Were this let
ter of private individual L should deem it ut.
terly unworthy of notice; but being from a
high functionary of the French government.
HAVING off pial cnn wi tt,o
Centennial Exposition, should be forgetful of
my duty and all the obligations L owe to nv
government and to the people of the United
States, did L not hasten to denounce to you the
charges contained 10 the letter touching the
Exposition and against my country its maeis-
tracy and even its women, as the most mon
strous calumnies. The substance of the letter
has not only been already telegraphed to the
United States, where it will excite the most
profound Indignation among all classes, but |
shall deem it my further duty to call the at
tention of Mr.. Fish to the outrageous and
slanderous inputation on the merican people
by the French Commissioner.
[ am, ETC.,
E. b. WAsHBURNE.
Jfy Dear Minister On the the 2Sth inst.
you did me the honor to signalize to my atten
ton the publication of letter, attributed by a
journal to the French Commissioner General
near the exhibition of Philadelphia. | basten-
ed myself to bring this regretable incident to
the knowledge of my colleague the Minister of
Agriculture and Commerce, and as early as on
the 18th the note inserted 10 the Journal OIL
clel has proven 10 you how much the French
government pre-occuped itself to Immediately
inquire into the facts and to give you, in case
their exactness should be established, a Iegiti-
mate and prompt satisfa action. As had hoped,
the letter published under the signature of M.
du Sommerard is apocryphal. That function
ary dlsavows it in formal terms, as you will see
by the protestation here annexed, which he mas
to the Minister with whom he is con-
nected, and which seems to me an answer such
as we could desire to the calumny. | am
pleased to think, therefore, my dear Minister,
that this categorical declaration closes this re-
,retful incident. No doubt it will seem to you,
IS to me, ended, and it will have had for its
principal result to furnish to the French gov
an occasion to give, by the prompt
ness with which it received your remonstrance,
A new testimony of sentiments of cordial SYM
pathy by which it is animated for the govern
ment and people of the United States"
am, ETC., DE CAFES