The Ottawa free trader., 1878-02-23
From Washington.
The Silver Bill.


attached by the senate to the house bill before its
passage were, 0) striking out the free coinage
iclausc, and limiting the coinage to notlcss than
two and not over four millions per month, the
Secretary Of the treasury to buy the bullion and
the mint TO have the gain or seignoragc aris-
| ing from the coinage; (!) that Immediately al
ter the passage of the bill the President shall
invite the Latin Union and such other Europ-
can nations as he may deem advisable To ioln
the United States in fixing a common ratio be
tween gold and silver; and l}) providing for
the issue of certificates for silver bullion de
posted with the government, the certificates
to be receivable for customs and taxes, and
when so received to be rc-iSSucd. In this shape
the bill finally passed on Saturday morning by
IA vote Of A. TO 2l The nays consisted of =,
democrats and II republicans; the yeas OF %
democrats, % republicans and independent
Judge Davs)
The bill was reported TO the house on Mon
day and referred to the committc on banking
and currency, in accordance with suggestion
made in Il caucus of the friends Of the bill by
Ben. Butler, who deprecated too speedy action,
as there was great deal of difference among
the friends of RECOMMENDATION IN regard to the
senate amendments, and these differences
ought first to be rcconclcd. Ewing, for in
stance, and some other ltot heads, declaring that
the senate amendments had destroyed the bill
and expressing purpose To defeat it rather
than allow its passage in that shape; while
Butler maintained that the worst features Of the
senate amendments could afterwards be over
come by tacking amendments TO appropriation
bills
Accordingly the bill was allowed to remain
in committee until Thursday, when it was re.
ported back, and Stephens the chairman, gave
notice that he would allow just one hour tor
debate when he would move the previous
question. The announcement created intense
excitement, but Stephens stuck firmly to his
purpose OF course this was equivalent to no
debate at all. A number Of members however,
took occasion to declare that though opposed
to the senate amendments they would vote for
the bill as one step gained, and work for the
rest hereafter Thus the bill came to final
vote and was passed by 202 to -.
1t now goes to the President for his sigma
ture The President 1t is well known has no
desire to veto it, but it is feared John Sherman
may force him to do it, though the veto can
have no effect with two-thrds of both houses
in favor of the measure.
LAMAR-BUTI.ER.
Previous to the final passage of the silver
bill in the senate Lamar, of Mississippi, made
Il lachrymose speech saying that although the
legislature of his state had instructed him to-
vote for the bill he believed he was doing his
duty to his state best by obeying his own con
science and voting against it. On the other
hand, Butler said in the house caucus that he
was perhaps the only member supporting the
bill whose constituents were opposed to 1t, but
he believed he served his constituents best by
obcying conscience, sc.
RESUMPTION REPEAL"
The senate having disposed of the silver
bill, its finance committee have taken up the
house bill to repeal the resumption law, and i'll
is understood will report it for action before
the week is out
OGLESBY- BLAINE.
There was curious episode in the senate
on Monday during the discussion of the pen
sion bill. The committee had restored to the
pension list some soldiers of the war of 1912
living in the south, whose names had been
dropped during the war for supposed sympa-
thy with the rebellion. Oglesby made an old
fashioned bloody-shirt haranguc in opposition
to the restoration, To the astonishmcnt off
everybody Blaine made as earnest harangueI
on the other side, pleading for the rcstorationI
of the era Of good feeling, dc. Some CORES
pondcnts go so far as to question, in view off
this remarkable speech, whether Blaincs brain
has not been permanently affected by that me
morablc sunstrokc The motion to strike out
was lost by the strong vote of 80 To :,
FRAMING PRIVILEGE.
Ever since the repeal of the franking privil-I
cgc four or five years ago, Hamlin, Of Maine,
has on all occasions had little amendment
ready, to he tackled on any available bill, to re-
store to congressman that convenient sop. on
Wednesday, during the consideration of the
post office bill in the senate, he was ready asi
usual with his little amendment and uneX-
pectcdly 1t was adopted. The vote is not given,
but of course so important Il measure won't be
allowed to slip through the house in that sly
way
THE POLICY"
Hale of Maine who for his subScrvicnCv toI
Blaine two years ago got the soubriquet of
"BlaincS tumblc-bug," made a furious assault
in tho House on Tuesday on the Presidents
southern policy The speech s. supposed to-
have been he intended rs Il sort of Offset to-
Blainc's slop over on the other side in the sen
ate the day before.
SOUTHERN RAILROAD SUBSIDIES.
In spite of the strong vote in the house on
the resolution against the granting of any fur.