The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-13
BY TELEGRAPH.
ASSOCIATED PREss REPORT.
TO THE DAILY LNTELLIGENcER
-
GENERAL NEWS.
More Savings Banks Gone Up the
Spout.
Developing Crooked Places in the
Louisiana Election.
The Senate Still Hammsring on
The Silver Bill.
Smiling Henry After a Militia Ap-
preparation.
Threatened Impeachment Of Nc
Mahon.
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE,
WAsHIEaroN, DeCe mber 70.

WAsHIEGToN, December IL.
In the morning hour great number oi
petitions and many bills we're presented
and referred.
Mr. Edmunds submitted resolution
authorizing the appointment Of select
committee to take into consideration the
state Of the law respecting the ascertain,
lug and declaration Of the resUlt Of elec.
tions OF President and Vice President OF
the United States, anti 10 also consider
and report upon the besl manner Of elect.
ing those officers. Agreed to.
AT the expiration OF the morning hour
consideration was resumed Of the untin.
ished business, being the resolution OF
Mr.. Matthews declaring the right Of the
government 10 pay its bonds in silver,
and Mr.. Chatlee submitted the following
as substitute:
"That all bonds Of the United States
Issued or authorized TO be Issued under
said acts Of Congress, heretofore recited,
are payable, principal and interest, al
the option Of the government, in coin OF
gold or silver Of standard value when
such bonds were issued, anI 10 restore to
iLs coinage such silver coin as legal
tender co equal with gold coin is not in
violation Of the public faith, nor in der
ognton OF the rights of the public
creditor"
Ordered printed.
Mr.. Dawes, from the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds, reported
adversely on the petition from the friends
Of female suffrage, asking TO be allowed
the use Of the Senate Chamber to present
arguments before the Committee on Priv.
ileyes and Elections in favor of the 10th
amendment, granting female suffrage.
In submitting the report, Mr.. Dawes said
the committee expressed no opinion ad-
verse 10 the adoption Of such an amend
ment, but the Senate had invariably de-
Clined to allow the chamber to be used
for any other purpose than the business
OF the Senate.
Mr.. Sargent, from the Committee on
Naval Affairs, reported fayorably on Sen.
ATE bill TO regulate expenditures in The
navy. Passed.
Also. Senate bill authorizing a general
sccount Of advances for the naval appro.
rriation. Passed.
The following bills we're introduced
and referred:
By Mr.. Barnum: To save the rights Of
Patentees under section 1916 OF the Re.
Vi~ed Statutes.
Mr.. Davis, OF West Va, submitted a
resolution reciting sections Of the revised
statutes in regard to the organization OF
militia in theStates and making an annual
appropriation for arming and equipping
such militia, &C., aud calling on the Sec.
retary oil War TO report TO the Senate the
condition and strength Of the militia In
The several States, together with any
recommendations lie may have made
looking to the more thorough orgauiza.
Iion OF the militia, amount of money dis.
bnrsed 10 the various States, what amount
is now due 10 any State, and il any State
has been excluded from the benefits OF the
law and for how long, and il, in his
opinion, the annual appropriation for
arming and equipping the militia should
be increased. Ordered printed. Mr..
Davis gave notice that he would call it
up for action at an early day.
On motion Of Mr.. Allison, the Senate
insisted on its amendments to The delicen.
cy.apprOpriation bill, and committee Of
conference was ordered. Messrs. Sar-
gent, Dorsey and Beck were appointed
members Of the committee on the part oil
the Senate.
Mr.. Morgan read a lengthy argument
in favor Of the resolution Of Mr.. Mat,
thews, claiming that the Government had
a right 10 pay bonds in coin. The statute
simply used the word "COin," and any
coin which came up TO the standard Of
value fixed at the time the bonds were
issued filled the contract. He argued that
II the Government should, upon maturity
OF bonds, have in the treasury coins Of
Spain or Mexico, OF the standard Of value
6xed by our laws in 1870, the bonds could
be paid in such coin without the United
States recoining il and placing its own
stamp on it. Should the Government
abolish all coinage and resort to green.
backs alone, the national debt could still
be paid in coin which might be purchased
for that purpose, and tue South could do
it with about Iour Of her cotton crops.
The Government was perfectly at
liberty to do as it pleased in re-
gard to currency, fixing the standard
value, etc, provided 1t was ready at the
maturity OF bonds to pay them in dollars
0fstandard value existing on the 14th OF
July, 1870. II was Of no concern 10 a
creditor what stamp these dollars should
bear. He could not see what right cred.
itors ot the government had to say what
money the government should use in lila
daily business. It's business with its
creditors was at stated intervals, and II
they received Spanish dollars at the end
oieyery six months ofour standard value
OF 1870, 1t was none Of their business II
the people cheated each other every day
with the dollars coined at our mintS. He
referred 10 the question OF national
honor and argued that the payment
ot bonds In silver would not he
a violation thereof. He considered the
matter as the people OF Alabama consid-
cred II, and they saw no repudiation-no
violation Of national honor. To pay the
bonds in silver, an act Of justice 10 both
debtor and creditor, was In no sense an
act Of repudiation. It was this con.
sciousness Of the requirements Of duty
which compelled him 10 support this res.
olution. To-day the South could proba-
bly, have the single standard Of gold alone
better than any other section, % she could
get more gold for her prodncls than any
other section Of the country, but 1t will be
an act Of injustice to these sections to have
u single standard and the South would
never favor single standard. lie re-
terred TO the colored people in his
State and said they much pre-
ierred Hilyse They were ignorant
Of all laws Of finance. '..Where igno-
rance is bliss lis folly TO be wise" They
never could respect a law which said
enough silver dollars would NOT pay of a
debt Of any size. He could not under
STAND why II would not himself andothers
wiser than him were in the same dark.
lness, The plain people Of his section