Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-02-16
THE EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.
FcSferdav's Proceed, nos.
All Nights Session Of the Senate on
the Silver R3ll

:. MI: Dialue SAID ne had received numerous
INQUIRIES upon POINT that Is of no conse-
quence, but yet it had been magniied into
Importance, VIZ, tbs question whether the
Dali OF 1870 was read, and said that the GloSe
said the reading OF the bill was began, and
later MIR. Mccormick called for the reading of
the 18Th section again. A dispatch in the New
York Tribune said the bill was read, consum-
ing an hour and Washington papers in their
reports said: THE bill was read at length,
and then passed under suspension of the
rules Ii would be found that the subject
was not as well understood then as now; the
silver dollar was not in circulation then. and
no one saw the effect of the act. It would D..
quite as we'll If they all acknowledged their ig-
horance. He desired that no stain should rest
upon the name OF one now in his grave, who.
when In the House, was the peer in financial
matters OF any gentleman in the House.
Mr.. voorhees, asked il the Senator from
Maine knew that the bill demonetized the sill
Yer dollar.
MIR. Blaine-I did not Did you:
Mr.. oorhees said he would frankly say he
Mr.. Thurman said this was singular cate
chlSm. One Senator asks the other if he knew
the bill demonetized the silver dollar and the
reply was, No; did you?" and the other says
no. Neither knew that the bill demonetized
the silver dollar, because it did not. ILaugh-
Mir. Beck's amendment was the next in
order. 1t provides for the purchase of buI-
lion, not less than three millions per month
ana as much more as can be coined by The
minis, payment TO be made at ma rket rates in
legal-tender notes: and when the bullion can
not De purchased at less than par in legal ten
ders, then the minis shall be open to free coin
age for citizens of the United States. Section
provides that the halves, quarters and dimes
shall contain the same relative quantity of
pure and standard silver as the dollar author
lied to be coined by this act.
MI Ferry moved to amend lines % and p in
section so as to read, mot less than two mil
lion dollars worth per month nor more than
Tour million MI dollars worth per month, and
purchased. bn
amendment was adopted.
MIR. Thurman at this time (5:4O D. M moved
that at O'Clock the Senate take recess until
S0'clock; which motion was rejected
MIR. Mcdonald moved to strike out the maxi
mum of four million dollars worth per month:
which was disagreed to.
MIR. Beck moved to amend the first section of
the committees bill by striking out all after
line 10 and inserting instead the first section
OF the amendment offered by himself: which
Mr.. Mcdonald moved that the Senate take a
recess until IL O'Clock a. IN. tomorrow; which
was rejected.
The question recurring upon the amendment
OF the finance committee to the House bill
MIR. Morrill, moved an amendment 10 the
amendment that in the first year after the
passage of the act not more than twenty-five
and In the second year not more than fifty per
cent; of import duties shall be payable i'm coin
hereby authorized. The amendment was lost
yeas q, nays 40.
Mr.. Wallace moved an amendment which i'm
effect provides for a coinage of one hundred
million dollars within the next three years.
and that If the average purchase price of sill
yer bullion during the last of these three years
be less than ninety seven one hundredthS of
the gold dollar the Secretary shall discontinue
coming silver dollars until otherwise directed
by Congress.
Several Senators opposed this amendment
because they thought it expressed a lack of
confidence in the pending measure.
Mr. WINDOW, however. thought that it was
an expression OF confidence, and he was in
favor even of making the limit two years.
The amendment was lOSt-yeaS 26, nays 40.
The vote was then taken upon the amend
the free coinage clause inserted by the House
and giving the SeignOrage TO the government.
This was adopted by a vote of - to -.
Mr.. EdmundS moved to amend the amend
ment just adopted by adding as follows: But
nothing In this section contained shall be con-
Strued to interfere with the coinage of gold
and subsidiary silver coin as now authorized
by law"
After further discussion Mr.. Edmunds'
amendment was reiected-yeas %, nays As.
The question then was stated to be upon
Mr. Allsons amendment, which was second
section providing for an international COM
mission for establishing internationally the
use of bi-metallic money and securing fixity
OF relative value between gold and silver.
Mr. Eaton offered an amendment TO Specif-
cally invite Great Britain to the conference,
and it was rejected
MIR. AlllSon's amendment was then adopted
by vote OF 40 to 80
MIR. Mcdonald moved an amendment to the
first section, which was to provide that the
silver dollar shall be legal tender for all
debts, &C., except where otherwise expressly
stipulated In the contract" The amendment
strikes out the words. provided by contract
and inserts the words, expressly stipulated
in
The amendment was adopted by vote of 81
to 35.
MIR. Morrill, offered an amendment to the
first section, providing that for all uncom-
pleted contracts requiring money payments
such payments shall be made on the basis of
the value represented by United States notes
at the date of such contract. Rejected-yeas
20, nays IA.
Mr.. Cameron (Wis.) offered his amendment
for dollar Of 400 grains instead of one of
4121@, and at five minutes of one o'clock he
commenced to read a written speech On the
subject.
1.-THE subsequent proceedings of the all
night session and passage of the silver bill will
be found reported on the first page of this
paper.l
HOCSE.-After our report closed
The private calendar being under c0nsid-
Grafton, debate occurred on bill applying
the appropriation made March 3, 1877, to pay
certain southern mail contractors The Sec
rotary Of the Treasury had refused to pay the
claims till they were all in, and this bill
directed the payment of those received and
proved. Without action the committee rose
and the House adjourned.