American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-02-09
FoRTYF1FTH. CONGRESS.

In the Senate, on the 2Sth, the House bill
to remove obstIuctions from the Mississippi,
Missouri, Arkansas and Red Rivers, was taken
up and passed after brief discussion. Among
providing for the disposition of public timber
and timber lands of the United States, and
one by Mr.. ingalls, to reimburse the States of
Kansas, Texas, Nebraska and Colorado for ex-
penseS incurred by said States in repelling
ties At the expiration of the morning hour
consideration was resumed of unfinished
business, the same being House (Bland) bill
TO authorize free coinage OF the standard sill
yer dollar, and to restore its legal-tender
character. Mr.. Morrill, made a long speech
large number of bills were introduced and
referred. At the expiration of the morn
mgved ng hour t. M s1spena Baker, the OF re9 Indiana and
adopt an anti-subsidy resolution. A motion
TO adjourn immediately interjected by
Mr.. Butler and the vote thereon was taken by
yeas and nays. The motion to adjourn being
defeated the question REQUIRED on adopting
ed-yeas IA, nays S. 1t declares that in
the Judgment of the House no subsidies in
or by pledge of public credit, should
be granted or renewed by Congress to asso-
Citations or corporations engaged in, or1pro1
posing to engage in public or private enter
pr1ses, but that all appropriations ough
to be limited to such amount and
lively demanded by the public service.
Mr.. Ewing moved to suspend the rules, take
from the Speakers table and pass the Senate
United States bonds, principal and interest.
in gold or silver-known as the Matthews Sill
yer resolution. The motion was carried
yeas 1S9, nays 10.
In the Senate, on the 29th, Senator Beck
called up the resolution submitted by him
last week, declaring it unnecessary orfnex-
pedient to maintain or impose taxes at this
time for the purpose of providing for S37, 1885,,
O45 O4 asked for by the Secretary Of the Treas
ury for sinking fund, and spoke in favor of
passing the resolution Upon the conclu-
sion OF Senator BeCk'S remarks the reSOlu-
ton was laid over, and consideration re-
inc tho Silver I,il and Senotor Voiiace s,,olSe
in favor thereof He was followed by
Senator Dawes in opposition to the bill. Sen
ment to the Silver bill so as to provide that
dollar shall consist of 42D grains standard sill
Senator Burnside submitted an amendment
to the clause declaring that said dollar shall
be legal tender for all debts, public and pri.
vate, so as to provide that it shall be legal
tender for all debts, public and private,
amounting to sums over $500. Ordered print
ed. In the House, Mr.. stephens intro
duced bill to make importers use the metric
system of weights and measures. Referred.
Mr.. Butler presented memorial of the Nor
folk Conference of Unitarian and other
Christian Churches of WalpOle, Mass, de-
cIaring that honesty was a vital part of reli-
gion, and protesting against the passage of
the Bland Silver bill. Referred. Mr.. Butler
Mr.. Speaker, win you be kind enough to send
me the Bible from your desk? Laughter
After searching for the passage he desired,
amid great laughter, Mr.. Butler sent to the
Il
second chapter of John, which describes
Christ driving the money changers from the
temple-a and saying to them, Make not my
Fathers house a house of merchandise" MIR.
Butler-After that reproof have no further
word to say. [Great laughter.l
In the Senate, on the 30th, Senator Chris
tiancy submitted an amendment to the Bland
Silver bill in the nature OF a
substitute, providing for the coin
age of silver dollars of 434 grains,
nine ,tenths pure silver and one tenth alloy,
which shall be legal tender for all debts ex-
cept when otherwise provided by law or con-
tract. 1t also authorizes the Secretary of the
Treasury TO purchase monthly not less than
81, ,000, 900 worth of silver bullion to be coined
coinage shall be accounted for and paid into
the Treasury as provided under existing laws
relative to subsidiary coinage, provid-
ed that the amount of money at any one
elusive of such resulting coin, shall
not exceed S, ,000 90. 1t further pro-
vides that the act shall remain in force but
one year. Ordered printed. Senator Chris
his substitute. and said he was not opposed
to the Introduction of silver coin into our
currency, nor to making it a Legal tender.
The question was as to what amount
equal in value to gold dollar To fix the
standard of a silver dollar at 4l2k grains,
worth but 81 cents, would be grossly unjust.
The passage of the bill now before the Senate
was, III plain English, debasing our coin, and
all such eXpedients had by verdict of history
In the House, Mr.. lays introduced bill
prohibiting any further destruction of legal
tender notes, and making such notes a legal
tender for Gus Oms duties. Referred. Mr..
pealing section 47l6 of the Revised Statutes
| forbidding the payment of pensions to any