The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-21
Full Text Of the Silver Bill as Passed

The full text of the Silver bill as passed
by tlieSenate on Saturday the 10th, is as fol-
lows:
AN ACT to authorize the coinage OF the
standard silver dollar, and to restore its le-
gal-tender character.
BE 1t enacted, etc., That there shall be
coined, at the several minis OF the United
Stats, silver dollars Of the weight of 412l
grains Troy OF standard silver. as provided
in the act of January, 18th, 1887, on which
shall be the devices and superscriptions pro
vided by said act; which coins, together
with all silver dollars heretofore coined by
the United States OF like weight and fine
ness, shall be a legal tender, at their nomi-
nal value, for all debts and dues, public and
private, except where otherwise expressly
stipulated in the contract. And the Secre-
tary of the Treasury is authorized and di-
rected to purchase, from time to time, silver
bullion, at the market price thereof, not less
than 81, 0OO, 600 worth per month, nor more
than 81, 100000 worth per month. and cause
the same to be coined monthly as fast as so
purchased into such dollars and a SUN sufi-
ficienG to carry ont the foregoing provision
is hereby appropriated out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated
And any gain or scigniorage arising from
this coinage shall be accounted for and paid
into the Treasury, as provided under exist
ing laws relative to the subsidiary coinage !:
Provided, That the amount of money at
any one time invested in such silver bullion,
exclusive Of such resulting coin, shall not
exceed $5,000,0 900: Ind provided further,
That nothing in this act shall be construed
to authorize the payment in silver OF certifi-
Gates of deposit issued under the provisions
Of Section 254 Of the Revised Statutes.
Sec. 9. That Immediately after the pas
sage OF this act, the President shall invite
the governments of the countries composing
the Latin Union, so-callcd, and of such other
European nations as he may deem advisable,
to join the United States in conference to
adopt common ratio as between gold and
silver, for thelpurpose Of establishing, inter-
nationally, the use Of bi-metallic money,
and securing fiXity of relative value between
those metals; such conference to be held at
such place, in Europe or in the
United States, at such time within six
months, as may be mutually agreed upon by
the executives Of the governments Joining
in the same, whenever the governments SO
invited, or any three of them, shall have sig
nified their willingness to unite in the same.
The President shall, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, appoint three
commissioners, who shall attend such con-
ference on behalf of the United States, and
shall report the doings thereof to the Presi-
dent, who shall transmit the same to Con-
gress. Said Commissioners shall each re-
ceive the sum of two thousand five hundred
and their reasonable expenses, to be approx
ed by the Secretary of State and the amount
necessary TO pay such compensation and eX-
penses is hereby appropriated out of any
money in the Treasury not otherwise appro-
priated.
Sec. 3. That any holder OF the coin all-
thorized by this act may deposit the same
with the United States, in sums not less than
ten dollars. and receive therefor certificates
of not less than ten dollars each. cor respond
ing with the denominations of the United
States notes. The coin deposited for OR rep
resenting the certificates shall be retained
in the Treasury for the payment of the same
on demand. Said certificates shall be re-
ceivable for customs, taxes, and all pub
lie dues, and, when so received, may be se-
issued.
Sec. 4. All acts and parts of acts incon-
sistent with the provisions OF this act are
hereby repealed
VOTE ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
At five o'clock a. M. the bill was passed
as amended by vote of IS to 81, as follows
YEAs-Messrs. Allison, Armstrong, Bailey,
Beck, Booth, Bruce. Cameron, of Pa, Cam
eron of Wis, Chaffee, Cockril, Coke. Con-
ner, Davis Of ILL.,, Davis Of W. Va, Dennis.
Dorsey, Eustis, Ferry, Garland, Gordon,
Grover, Hereford, Howe, ingalls,. Cohesion,
Jones, of Fla, Jones Of New, kellogg, Kirk
wood, McCreery, Mcdonald, Mcmillan, Mat
thews, SIaxey. Merrimon, Morgan, Ogiesby,
Paddock, Plumb, Salisbury, Saunders,
Spencer, Teller, Thurman. Voorhees,, Wal
lace, Window ana Wlthers-4S.
NAYs-Messrs, Anthony, Barnum, Bay
ard, Blaine, Burnside, Christiancy, Conk-
ling, Dawes, Edmunds, Hamlin, IIoar, Kcr-
nan, Lamar, Mcpherson, Mitchell, Morrill,,
Randolph, Rollins, Sargent, Wadleigh and
Whyte-21.
Messrs, Butler and Patterson and Hill and
Harris were paired. NIessrs, Eaton, Ran
som, and Sharon were absent.