The New York herald., 1878-12-21

tuem DtiOfc lne cOfnlnlttce anu uot W po
sworn as to their present condition or location.
1t appears to me that Mr. Seward having been sub
penaed to testify before this committee touching the
matters Of inquiry the committee must judge OF the
propriety of any questions that may be put to him.
He cannot refuse to be sworn. refusal to be sworn
is criminal offence. The President Of the United
states cannot refuse to be sworn II he should come
before this committee and refuse to be sworn. he
would be guilty of an indictabe offence under the
Statutes OF the United States. and might be indicted
in the Criminal Court of the District of Columbia
and imprisoned not less than thirty days. SO there
is no high In this country. from the President
to the humblest citizen. not to be required to be
sworn when called upon by the proper tribunal That
is the first step
Now we come to the next step. What is Mr..
Seward to testify concerning? The question being
put to him the committee will decide whether it Is
proper question for him to If he claims
his privilege, that he cannot the question
without crimnating himself (and that is the only
claim which any witness had even in court of
justice). the committee will then decide. and the
committee can then only determine, whether it will
report the witness TO the House for contempt in refus
ing to answer the question. The question must be set
out before the House in hac usrba. The House must
know the very words of the question submitted to
the witness and his for not answering. We
never know whether case is made out to bring
the witness before the House until have proceeded
another step in this Therefore. think that
Mr. Seward must now be sworn refuse to be
sworn. -
After some further discussion the committee went
into executive session. adjournng its open session
until tomorrow ut ten o'clock.
To-DAY's CABINET MEETING.
At the Cabinet meeting to-day there some
rraf.
erence to the early resumption of specie payments.
The Secretary of the Treasury gave expression to
views that subject. but in way different from
the opinions of that gentleman already published
No action whatever taken with regard
to the mission at Berlin. as it was not
thought respectful by the Cabinet to consider any
suggestions relative to this mission at period SO
immediate to the deceasc Of Minister Bayard Taylor
The Consul Generalship at the City of Mexico. va
Gated by the death of Judge Colburn, was not
alluded to.
DISBURSEMENT OF STANDARD SILVER DOLLARS
The following is the full text of the circular rela-
tive to the in which standard silver dollars
may be obtaned:-
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, Jan. J. 1879.
The Treasurer Of the United States has been di-
rected upon the receipt by him from any person of q
certificate issued by any assistant treasurer, desig-
n public depository of the United States
stating that deposit has been made to his credit
general account OF the sum of $1,000 THAT being
the smallest sum shipped by express at government
rates., or any multiple thereof to cause shipment
to be made from some mint of the United States to
the person in whose the certificate is issued Of
a like of standard silver dollars, the expense
Of transportation to be paid by the mint.
Until further notice. upon receipt by the Treasurer
Of the United States Of United States notes national
bank notes sent for redemption in mutpes of 0oO
standard silver dollars will be returned under the pro-
visions of this circular.
It is expected that the coin furnished above will
be put into circulation by being furnished to public
disbursing officers and to oil persons corporations
who desire it for use or distribution as current
money.
also authorized to the standard silver dollars i'll
their vaults for the general purpose approved in this
circular.
United States dsbursng officers and paymasters
who obtain funds for disbursement from assistant
treasurers depositaries are requested to procure
standard silver dollars. when practicable. for dis
bursement.
Shipments as above indicated. however, will be
made only to points in the United States reached
through established express lines by continuous
''' : JOHN SHERMAN. Secretary.
THE GoLoID METRIC DOLLAR.
At the request of Mr.. Stephens. chairman of the
Coinage Committee. DIR. w. W. Hubbel has handed
to that committee number of specimens of the
goloid metric dollar. which were received this
morning from the Philadelphia Mint This dollar
contains 10 ce0tlSralnIneS Oh pure BOlu anu IL
grsmmes 75 milligrammes of pure silver. and /
gramme 425 milligrammes Of pure copper II
weighs 14l4 grammes, which is little less than
22O grains. In size it is slightly larger in diam
eter but not so thick as the silver half dollar
and is incapable Of being split. It is
the exact equivalent of the present gold
and silver dollar in intrinsic value; that is to say,
81 of this metric goloid dollar would be the exact
equivalent in it's intrinsic value Of 81 in gold and 81
in silver of present con. The reverse Of the
metric dollar is ornamented by the words United
States of America. 100 cents" within the outer cir
cumference and chain of thirty eight stars to repre-
sent the States Of the Union, within which in-
scribed the words "goloid metric G., 1G. s, 1. c.
grammes, 1425" arranged in tabular form. On the
diverse thirteen stars to represent the original
States the words '.E Pluribus Unum" and a finely
cut hgurehead of Liberty. and the figures 1873.
THE FOUR PER CENT LoAN-cIRcuIAR FROM
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
The following circular will be issued from the
Treasury the lst of January next
The Secretary Of the Treasury calls attention to the
four per cent funded loan Of the United States
offered by this department in denomnations--viz
for coupon bonds OF $780, 500. $500 and $1,000, and
for registered bonds of $780, 500, $500. $1,000 5000
and $4,000, at par and accrued interest to date Of
subscription in coin. The bonds are redeemable July
J. 1907, and bear interest. payable quarterly the
1s day of January. April, July and October OF each
year. and are exempt from the payment of taxes
duties to the United States well from taxation
in any form by under State, municipal local
authority. Upon the receipt of full payment the
bonds will be transmitted free of charge to the sub
scrbers.
Applications should specify the amount and denom-
nations required and for registered bonds the full
name and Post Office address of the person to whom
the bonds shall be made payable The interest the
registered bonds will be paid by check issued by the
Treasurer of the United States to the order of the
holder and mailed to his address. Tho check is pay
able presentation. properly indorsed, at the Office
of the Assistant Treasurer of the United States in New
York in coin or United States notes. the holder
may prefer, IL desired, in United States notes ut
OF the United States
All national banks again invited to bscome
financial agents OF the government and repositories
upon complying with section 5.l53 Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States. All banks. bankers,
paymasters and other public officers and all other
persons invited to aid in placing these bonds.
They can make their arrangements through national