The Portland daily press., 1877-11-14

capitol who wanted to know why the late Sec
rotary of the Navy had been using money inn
properly. THIS might be in violation of good
taste on his (Bloupts) part, but he would not
permit the gentleman from Maine to try him.
The debate closed and the bill passed without
division.
House at 3.15 proceeded to the consideration
of the bill to repeal the resumption act.
Mr. Eden of Illinois offered a substitute
simply repeating the third section and provid-
ing that there snail be no further issue If ma.
tional bank notes except to replace such as are
mutilated, worn or destroyed
Mr. Chittendsn of New York took the floor
He sent to the clerks desk and had read
memorial Of the National Board of Trade and
a draft of the substitute for the pendIng
bill p. oposei by that body. He then stepped
to the CLERKS desk himself and addressed the
House from that position. Holding up a ten
dollar legal tender note he SAID that he was
very much mistaken if the bill before the
House was not downright reputation. This
note in his hand was promise of the govern
ment to pay him $40, but 10 date was fixed for
the payment. The note was issued in 1875 and
on the fourth day of that year Congress had
enacted law declaring that this debt of the
government should be paid on the 1st of Jan
uary, 1879.
The government must keep its promise
faithfully or it would become the leader of all
the regulators in the land, including every de-
faulting town, city and state. The question of
uOuUI was tuO CcutIdi duQ Nltal DI1uG IN Ul6
discussion. He proceeded to criticize the OPEN
ing speech made by Mr.. Phillips Of Kansas,
and expressed his ragret that that gentleman
had given his confidence to that monster of in
faton who told him there were 100000 paupers
in the streets of New York.
Mr.. Chittenden said that the contraction of
the currency under the resumption act had no
more to do with the present sufferings Of the
country than it had to do with the frozen feet
of the Turks 10 Shipka pass. 1t was high time
hat mo ahory of md mar Of
dropped forever all such nonsense, He went
on to argue that the limitation of paper cur
Tency should be left to adjust itself onder a
free banking system supplemental by eager, in
tslligent, aggressive enterprise of the people.
There was but one alternative-an exclusive
greenback currency subject at all times to the
caprice Of Congress. He believed that there
never had been an hour in American history
since the days of colonial dependence when the
national honor and welfare were so imperilled
as now. What had the House done ON the 4th
inst? 1t had passed the silver bill without a
syllable of debate-a bill which if it became
| law wonld take $40, 600 from the hard earn
| ings of depositors in the savings banks of New
York alone. The country was now shaken by the
wild blast of grand currency illusion which
had swept over the plains of the South and
| the prairies of the West, carrying the House by
storm and threatening to engulf the national
| integrity. The crisis was upon the country.
1t was NOW or never" Shoud the govern
ment in this supreme moment turn away to go
| after strange gods and to plunge into limit
| less abyss of cowardice AMI shame?
| After further discussion by Mr.. Monroe of o.
| against the bill and Kelley of Pa. in its favor,
| the debate closed for the dag.
Mr.. Glover of Mo-, offered a resolution for
an Investigation into all departments of the
i government, 1.-THE same resolution that was
adopted at the beginning of the last Congress)
which was referred to the Committee on Ways
| and Means.
| Adjourned.