Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-06
WASHINGTON
THE TWO HOUSES or CONGRESS.
The Senate Devotes Most of It's Time to
Stlver--Honse Considers West Point Ex-
cresences--LODg Bond Bill of Senator
Wallace--Favorable Prospects of the New
Tariff Bill
Senate.

T
presented petitions of a large number of
citizens of many counties of New York in
favor of the reconciliation of silver. Re-
ferred.
Senator Conkling presented petition
signed by large numbers of prominent citi-
zens of New York in regard to the famine
and suffering in north China, and suggesting
that commission be appointed from resi-
dents of China to act in connection with the
United States minister in procuring and dis
tributing relief. They also suggest that the
unexpended balance Of money received from
China in 1856 be used to relieve the sufferers.
Referred.
Senator Conkling said he had received a
large number of petitions from citizens of
many counties in New York in favor of de-
monetization of silver. He observed that
these petitions were all printed in one and
the same form, and were the product of all
organized effort. He denied that they repre-
scented theopinion OF convictions of the peo-
pie Of the State of New York on this silver
question. He also presented petitions in
and increasing it's weight so as to make it
equal in value to the gold dollar, also making
it legal tender to the amount of 81 900.
Referred.
Senator Bailey presented memorial of
the Merchants Exchange of Nashville, in
favor of the repeal of the act Of February
IL, 1873 prohibiting coinage of the silver
dollar.
fnl ,,,D1/ f
State Of Kentucky, signed by the Governor
thereof, asking Congress to make an appro-
priation to pay the balance due to the State
for expenses incurred in equipping troops
during the late war. Referred.
Senator Terry, from the committee on
post Offices and post roads, reported with
amendment the Senate bill to regulate the
compensation of postmasters and for other
purposes. Placed on the calendar.
Senator Butler, from the same committee,
reported favorably on the House joint reso-
luton to authorize the Secretary of War to
issue certain arms to the Washington light
infantry of Charleston, S. c. Placed on the
calendar.
At the expiration of the morning hour con-
sideration was resumed Of the silver bill, and
Senator Eaton spoke in opposition thereto.
He said he would vote for the amendment
proposed by the finance committee for an in
ternatlonal conference to fix the relative
value of gold and silver, but before consider
ing the bill he desired to submit an amend
ment thereto. To-day 454115 grains of
standard silver equalized the gold dollar He
under his constitutional oath he would do it
now and not wait for the report of any in
ternational commission, believing the stamp
ing of silver by the government as money
appreciated its value. He would make the
silver dollar consist of 40 grains. He there
fore moved to amend the bill by striking out
4121a grains and inserting instead 44O
grains. Ordered printed.
Continuing his argument, Eaton said the
bill now before the Senate was defective and
faulty, and should not receive the assent of
the National Legislature. He argued there
was suficiency of coin and currency in the
United States for the transaction of all the
business of the country. The cry was for
more currency, but there was great amount
now awaiting circulation. Honorable sena-
tors said pass the silver bill and the people
will be relieved, but no senator
had undertaken to show how it
would relieve them The dollar of our faith
ers had gone into the melting pots of their
sons. He had heard enough about the dol
q
our sons, silver dollar worth 100 cents. He
did not object to the coinage of the silver
dollar under proper restrictions, but there
could be no double standard. Such a stand
ard had been claimed but one metal always
drove the other out of the country.
Mr. Eaton referred to the recentspeech OF
the senator from Indianna, Voorhees,, on the
silver question, and said he did not attack OF
arraign the motives of any Hon. senator on
this floor, but of the effects which the prin
ciples enumerated might cause he had 6
right to speak. Millions, of the capital ri
Connecticut, had been poured into the lap OF
the West, and capitalists to-day did not ash
its return in greenbacks, gold OF silver. AL
they asked was the pay of the interest
The North, South, East and Wes
were bound together by bond O
brotherhood which could not bt
broken. The senator from Indiana charged
that capital was oppressive and arrogant
He, Eaton, thought it was always timid, quie
and afraid of anything like revolution H,
believed but for the unWise action of Con
gress, the commercial men of the countr,
would have resumed specie payment by tn,
first of March next. There we're some thing
which Congress could do to assist the PEG
pie. It could reduce the expenses of tn
federal government, cut down the army an
navy, reduce the number of cadets at Yves
Point and the naval academy, and open ne,
avenues of trade and commerce. Let Ameri
can capitalists purchase ships on the Clyd
or elsewhere, and issue an American registe
to them. We could underseu our great riva
England, everywhere.
Senator Howe said only that sort of coul
age which was born of conviction would in
duce him to speak Immediately succeeding
the very able and eloquent speech which tn
Senate had just listened to. He referred t
the arguments heretofore made in regard t
the payment of bonds in silver, and said tn
simple truth was, the debt would never b
paid in gold or silver either, for the simp]
reason that the coin did not exist with whic
to pay it. The debt must be paid in CON
modities. He then spoke of the power {
Congress to coin moneys and regulate th
value thereof, and said Congress had bette
exercise that power carefully and coin th
best money.
He favored the reconciliation of silver be
cause it was an American product and b
could not legislate against it. He spoke I
attempts to demonetize silver as a conspi1
acy, and said large part Of Europe was
ready in the conspiracy. The practical ques
tion for Congress was, should the Unite
States become party to the conspiracy?
In his opinion it was the duty Of the Tn
ted States to give notice to the world that
would not be party to this enterpris /
shrink one of its products by clinging to
single standard. The commercial integrit
of this country was not likely to suffer /
the reconciliation of silver, but the con
mercial integrity of the country never coul
survive that time when the government VI
dertook to wrest from the pockets of Il