The Portland daily press., 1877-10-19
Washington News and Gossip.
THE SILVER COMMISSION.

The report of Jones's silver commission was
completedTuesday. 1t makes book of 200 pag-
es. The commission recommend the restoration
of double standard and unrestricted coinage
both of gold and silver, but are unable to agree
as to the relative value which should be fixed
by law. The commission doinot suppose it pos
sibe to maintain paper in actual concurrent
circulation with coin, unless it 10 made equal in
value to coin by actual convertibilty into it.
The fourth question covers the best means for
providing for facilitating the resumption Of spe-
Gle payments. .Opinonslupon this point are
various and contradictory. The commission
conclude that resumption in this country, is
not practicable under the circumstances until
the existing laws making gold legal tender
are repealep Inc total inadequacy Of gold
alone is apparent Germany, Great Britain
and France are the only countries which have
any considerable quantity of it, The maxi
mum estimates OF the amounts they have in
coins and bars do not exceed thirteen hundred
millions. The commission thinks the guam
titles in the western world are much exagger-
ated. The commission believes that the re-
monetization of silver will have pow
erful influence in preventing, and probably will
prevent, the decentralization of silver in France
and other European countries, in which a
double standard is still legally and theoretically
maintained. But if, notwithstanding remone-
tizing here. further European demonetization
shall take place. the result for us will be ad-
vantageous exchange of commodities which
we can spare for money, which we need. FL
nally, the commission believe that the fact that
Germany and the Scandinavian States have
adopted single gold standard, and that some
other Eurcpean nations may possibly adopt it,
instead of being reasons for perseverance in
the attempt t) establish it in the United States,
are precisely the facts which make such an
attempt entirely impracticable and ruinous:
To propose to this country contest for gold
standard with European nations is to propose
| to it disastrous race in reducing the prices Of
labor and commodities, in aggravating the bur-
den of debt, in the diminutlon and concentra-
| tion of wealth, in which all contestants will
suffer immeasurably, and the victOrS even more
than the vauquished. The report is signed by
John P. Jones, Lewis V. Bogy, George Will
lard, r. Bland and William s. Groesbeck.
THE NOMINATION OF GENERAL HARLAN
| Associate Justice Of the Supreme Court is pref
| ty well received by large number of Republi-
can Senators, and by majority Of the Demo
cratic side. A few of the latter will oppose him
| and quite number of the former. The Repub-
lican opposition is based mainly upon the fact
that he was a member of the Louisiana COM
mission, and, as an investigation of of that set
tement is to be attempted next week. it is ike
| ly that final action upon the nomination will be
| delayed for some time. Gen. Harlan is about
| AZ years old. His parents were natives of Ken
lucky, and his father James Harlan) was the
Whig politician who represented the Mercer
| district in Congress from 1886 to 1889. His fa-
ther was also Secretary of State of Kentucky
| from 1910 to 1874, and from 1850 to the time of
| his death in 1868 he was Attorney General of
the State. Harlan county. KY, was named af-
| ter Gen. Harlan's grand-uncls. who fell in
battle with Indians at Blne Lick. In 1889,
| when only "a years of age, Gen. Harlan ran for
| Congress in the Fayette District on the Oppo-
| sition ticket, aud, after a bard fight, was de-
| feated by the Democratic candidate by ma
| jority of only 67, in total vote of 13,797.
/ When the war broke out be served for two
Il years. as q Colonel in the 10th Kentucky Infan-
| try. The death of his father then compelled
him to tender his resignation. On returning to
i civil life Gen. Harlan settled his fathers es-
tate, and in the same year (1S63) he was elect
! ed Attorney General of the state At the close
| of his term he removed to Louisville, aud re-
| turned to the practice of law. Gen Harlan is
| probably the best orator in Kentucky. and is
/ one of the most successful members of the bar
| in that state. 10 1871 and 1875 he was the
| Republican candidate for Governor of Ken
lucky Gen. Harlan is about six feet high, and
weighs, perhaps 225 pounds. He has good
| humored expressive blue eyes, fair complexion
and hair, a large head, massive, lofty forehead,
| deep chest and broad shoulders.