New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-02
HON, Mr.. GIBSON LOSES THE MINT,
But GAINS---AN INVESTIGATION Of'
THE CUSFOMHOUeE.

HON. Nh. 010CVN AVo0S
RIFT GAINs---AN INVESTIGATION OF
THE CUsf0MH0UeE.
We may edd to the Democratic rejection
of our just claims as heretofore stated per-
haps the smallest exhibition of party
treachery with the greatest display of Sec
tional selfshness which has ever been
presented to the American people.
The Democratic economists have de-
clared their intention to close the United
States Mint at New Orleans. On the twen-
ty-sixth ultimo the House Committee on
Appropriations, of which Hon. MIR. Ran
dali, Democrat, is chairman, and Hon.
Mr.. Holman, Democrat, second in say,
reported this item in the general appro-
priation bill:
Mint at New Orleans, Louisiana, for su-
perintendent in charge, for care and pro-
lection Of the buildings and machinery and
other government property therein, one
| thousand dollars.
Such was the shameful pittance offered
by Democracy to this important interest
Of Southern city. We may suppose that
| the tutelary Representative Of the Mint
district had made every effort before the
committee to obtain proper appropria-
ton.
Mr.. O'Brien, of Maryland, instigated
by sympathy, moved to amend the item
| by this substitute:
Assay Office to be conducted in the Mint
| at New Orleans, Louisiana-For salaries
Assayer in charge, $500; meter, $4,000;
clerk, $l50o; wages Of workmen, $4,000;
fuel, faxes, acids and other incidental ex-
penses, $5000-in ali, $4,000.
Against this substitute Mr.. Holman
made the point of order that there was no
assay Office established by law at New Or
leans. This point was sustained by Mr..
Cox, of New York, Democrat, chairman
of the House in committee Of the whole.
1t was subsequently argued by Mr.. Glib.
son that there was an assay department
in our Mint; that it had been recognized
by appropriations before and since the
war. In the course of the debate Mr.. Hol-
man was driven 10 declare that it was not
proposed 'to perpetaate the Mint at Neao
Orleans, for that has been entirely aban-
doned. II is not erer recommended Will
not such declaration shock our mer-
chants, mechanics and shopkeepers? Has
it been for moment suspected that there
was plot on the part Of these Demo-
cratic economists to suppress the United
States Mint at New Orleans? Yet such is
the fact, as shown in the debate from
which we quote.
In vain did Mr.. O'Brien urge that New
Orleans had received eight million dollars
of bullion last year, that New York had
issued but nine millions, that the Phila-
delphia mint, represented by the Demo-
cratic chairman, Mr.. Randall, coined last
year nine millions, and that while New
York received sixty thousand dollars for
an assay Office and Philadelphia two hum
dred and fifty thousand dollars for her
mint, New Orleans was cut down to one
Thousand dollars.
Mr. Gibson filed the petition of the
merchants and other citizens of New Or
leans for the restoration of the Mint. but
neither his nor their prayer was avail
ing. What does the reader think of this
eloquent appeal of Mr.. O-Brien, of Balti-
more, on behalf of distant and rival city
aefrauded Of her rights:
Why. cir, the Philadelphia mint, which is
Mr.. Randall beg the gentleman's par.
don; l have nothing to do with it.
Mr. O'BIien-If the gentleman declines to
be responsible for the mint in his own CITY,
then l suppose there is nobody here who re.
presents it. / will say, however, that the
expense of conducting the mint at Philadel-
phia aggregates $3.50, 600 annually. while the
amount OF bullion coined there does not ex-
coed 100000. Yet when New Orleans,
the great city of the South. the commercial
emporium OF that great empire watered by
the Mississippi, asks for the restoration Of !
an establishment which will cost but the |
sum of $4,000 annually, we |
lind the proposition met at every point by |
questions of order coming from the distin- |
gulshed gentleman who 30 well represents |
The debate ran on until it brought cut
he astounding purpose to suppress the
Branch Mint here and refer the whole
natter of coinage and assaying to
,ffices elsewhere.
Mr.. Holman was driven to saw that
lothing except the loss of the Mint prop
rty OF New Orleans by lapse OF title, as
consequence of non-user, had induced
his Democratic committee to make any
ppropriation at all.
Mr. Baker, of Indiana-I beg to say that
1t De true that We run the risk of losing |
ne title to this ground On which the Mint
uliding at New Orleans is situated by the
allure to make an appropriation Of few
lOusand dollars
Mr.. Holman-M3 friend certainly has not |
MIR. Randali-We have avoided that rick.
MI. Holrnan-We have for years and
ears made little appropriation of a few
lousand dollars for this purpose.
MIR. Baker, of Indiana-That is all | want
, know.
Mr.. Holman-The pending paragraph
axes little appropriation.
Mr.. Morey-That will not prevent the
pse OF the title.
Mr.. Holman-It will do that very thing.
Here is an avowal Of the conscious de- I
rmination on the part Of MIR. Randall,
Of Philadelphia. and Mr.. Hol- ,
an, Democrat, that they have "for years
Id years" determined to close the New t
rleans Mint. Mr.. Morey suggests that '
is will not prevent lapse of title, and 4
r. Holman tfiumphantly retorts: sIt s
III do that very thing" The suppression