The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1878-02-28
THE NEWS.
XLVth CONGRESS-.

on the 18th. Mr.. Ingalls, said he was op-
posed to the whole system of gratuitous
pensions as proposed by the bill, which was
to grant pensions to all survivors Of the
war OF 1872 who served in the military or
naval service fourteen days. He WIS in
favor of pensioLing those who were wound
ed and disabled in the service, but could
not favor the granting Of pensions to per-
sons merely because they entered the SER
vice. II such gratutOus pensions be given
now would Congress be able to resist the
appeals for pensions which would come in
10 or 20 years from this time from those
who served in the late war and were not
wounded? Such Legislation as this was
prompted by sentiment and when Congress,
IN 1871, departed from the system OF grant
ing pensions only to those who were dis
abled 1t took a dangerous step. Mr.. Oglcs-
by opposed the 9th section Of the bill au-
thorizing the restoration to tho pension
rolls those persons whose names were
stricken thcrefrom on account of disloyal-
ty, and moved to strike it out. Mr.. Blaine
said every soldier who served in the war Of
1872 must have been at least sixty wears of
age when the rebellion broke out, and they
were now nearly eighty years of age. 1t is
Impossible that these men could have done
anything active against the government OF
the United States during the late war, and
it was not to be expected that they would
break their family ties and come north when
the war broke out. Mr.. ingalls, said the at
tempt to array the American Congress
against few old men was an indication, to
his mind, of spirit which would lead a
man TO strike a woman or kick baby.
An extended discussion was held in
tho House on monetary matters in connec-
tiOn with the various bills now in different
stages Of progress before that body, though
nothing of Importance resulted. The pro-
posed measure for retiring national bank
notes and substituting new Treasury note
in lieu thereof was referred to and will be
brought up in few days.
On the Goth, in the Senate, Mr..
COckrell submitted resolution instructing
the commissioner of agriculture to furnish
the Senate such information and facts as
maybe in s,posessionrclativcto to the disease
of hogs, commonly called hog cholera, with
such suggestions as he may deem pertinent.
agreed to. Tho bill to regulate tho COM
pensatlon OF postmasters was then taken
up, and an amendment proposed by Mr..
Hamlin, providing that the President and
Vice President of the United States, Sen.
ators, representatives and Delegates in
Congress, secretary of the Senate and clerk
OF the House Of Representatives NAV send
and receive free through the mails all writ
ten and printed communications not cx-
ceeding two ounces in weight. After
brief discussion as to the proprirty of re-
storing the franking privileges the amend
ment WIS agreed to-yeas. 80, nays, q.
The bill was then read third time and
passed
Mr.. Chaflee submitted in the Senate,
on the 2lst an amendment to the bill here
toiorc introduced by him declaratory OF the
of the fifteenth section of the Pa
ciilc railroad act of July /, 1862, so as to uu-
thorize the President of the United States
to appoint, by and with the advice and con-
sent Of the Senate, person skilled in the
Of railroads. to be styled the
Paciilc railroad commissioner. The com
missioner, whose duty it shall be to cstab-
lish rules and regulations, subject to the
approval OF the Secretary of tho interior,
to govern the operation and use of several
railroads of the Union Pacific railroad and
branch companies, and secure TO the pub
lie and government all advantages of COM
travel and transportation as
stipulated and defined In several acts OF
Congress relating to the operation and use
OF said roads as one connected continuous
line,
In the House after the transaction OF
some business Of minor Importance, the
silver bill was taken up. Mr.. Stephens
having an hour to close the debate di-
vidod the debate in small portions, rang
ing from half an hour to eight minutes.
The main question having been ordered by
a voto of ISL to 43, the House proceeded to
vote upon the Senate amendments. Tho
first amendment, providing that silver shall
be legal tender except where otherwise
expressly stipulated in the contract was
cOncurred in, 17G to 50. The second amend
ment was that which strikes out the free
coinage feature of the House bill and in
serts provision limiting tho coinage of
silver dollars, and providing that any gain
arising from that coinage shall be paid into
the treasury, was concurred; yeas, 2O3,
nays II. The next vote was on the third
proposing an International sill
YER conference, which was agreed to; yeas.
95, nays, H. The next vote was on the
fourth amendment, authorizing the issue of
certificates in exchange for silver coin. 1t
was agreed to without division. Tho other
amendments were simply formal and were
in without division. Tha bill
now goes to the President for his approval.
Washington Notes.
CONFERENCE on THE SILVER BILL.
After the adjournment of tho House
about sixty members who were In favor of
the remoncuzation ofsilver convened in the
room of the committee on judiciary. They
were called to order by Mr.. Buckner who
announced that the executive committee
had agreed to call the association the sill
yer union. Mr.. Bright thought there were
serious objections to the bill as it was re-
turned from the Senate. One was as to the
limitation Of coinage, and another the strik-
ing out of the feature of free coinage from
the House bill He wanted to make some
protest against it, for this was discrimina-
tion against both persons and metal; the
holders OF gold were privileged to have
their gold bullion coincdfr free of charge, and
citizens and foreigners could benefit alike
In this respect. discrimination against
silver should not be made, rs silver to be
coined under the bill was to be full legal
tender in payment of all debts. What rea-
son was there for discrimination against
1t in the matter of coinagep Mr.. Wright Of
fered resolution, as follows: That the bill
should be reported as 1t came from the
Senate.
He said they had been here three months
on il, and 1t was evident they had made n
decided movement to carry silver bill.
When it passed he thought as matter of
course the President should veto II, He
had no doubt of that. But the House could
pass the bill over the veto by a majority of
twO-thirds. BY accepting the Senate bill
they made the measure certain and sure.
Free coinage was n small matter. Mr..
Haskell said he was no admirer of Secreta-
ry Sherman and his financial policy, but
for two years past the Secretary and the
Director Of tho mint have said that il the
people want the dollar at 41211S grains they
should have as much as they wanted. SO
far as these gentlemen could control, they
would put four million in circulation every
month. Mr.. Phillips called attention to the
fact that it remonetized silver, and declar-
1t to be unlimited legal tender. He thought
the true course to pursue was to take the
two points gained While he was not in
favor OF the amendments of the Senate. he
would take them II he could get nothing
better. He said there were bills pending in
the committee on banking and currency to
carry out the purposes OF this bill. The
question was disposed Of, agreeing to the
motion that the bill should be referred to-
morrow to tho committee on banking and
currency.
Friday being Washington's birthday
both houses adjourned over to Monday.