The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-16
CLOSING THE SILVER DEBATE
AN ALL NIGHT SESSION OF THE UNITEg
STATES SENATE.
Rejecting Am endrpents Limiting the Coinage
and the Legal Tender Quality OF the Pro-
posed DoIIar-The Profits on Our Coming.

WASHINGTON Feb. 15.-The closing debate
on the Silver bill has had nothing in length. In
tedium. and in consequence to distinguish II
from previous debates upon the same subject,
save the roll calls with which its last ak hours
were sprinkled. There was display Of indie.
yendence by Senator Lamar. and Of singular
lack Of independence by Senator Thurman.
Nothing else Of interest occurred. Mr.. Conk-
ling from whom speech was expected. osten-
tatIously read little volume through the de.
bate. apparently u novel. There was nothing
about Alison's summing up Of the soft metal
side of the question to make 1t Of the smallest
current rate and he spoke to hstless and empty
galleries. ingalls, Of Kansas had preceded him.
and Lamar followed in five hot. emphatic min
utes, in which he declared his intention Of dis
regarding the instructions OF his State-ready,
TO surrender his seat but not his principles
Later Thurman improved his first opportunity
TO say that he should follow the instructions oil
his State In voting for the Bland bill pure and
simple. and vote he did with some twenty silver
men TO strip tho bill OF the restrictive amend
ments OF the committee. q proposition which
gained the support OF not another man OF even
moderate views. The formal debate closed
shortly after o'clock. and a running OF petty
verbal amendments began which lasted nearly
three hours. They were designed to serve two
purposes COTTtctlOn anu 10 prevent ue-
feat Of the purposes OF the bill by hostile Sec
retary Of the Treasury. These amendments
were put forward under much confusion. sew
ernl Senators being on tho hoor nj once. and
more than one member making the same
| amendment.
Pending these miscellaneous changes, which
require substantially that the coinage OF silver
shall proceed monthly nj the rate of from two &c
four millions, the Government gaining the ad.
tons a were r. disposed Of: BY By Mr Beck, % 10 give
the private bullion owner the privilege Of coin
age by Mr.. Wallace Limiting the coinage to one
| hundred millions. unless in three years silver
rose over 81 by Mr.. Morrill,, making silver lie.
| gal tender Tor customs only for twenty-five and
remon citation: and 10y Mr.. Edmmnis. Keeping
the mints carefully open for gold and sui s'dary
silver coinage. which would practically cut down
silver coinage one-halfto one-thiri BY varying
votes. but substantially by two-thirds majorl-
ties. all these amendments were voted down.
| With these successive defeats for the opponents
OF silver came Il defeat for the extreme silver
men in the adoption of the committee's amend
ment to which Bland and other radical silver
men in the House haye given their adhesion.
| ninety dollar 10 the Government.
The evening was half gone when question
w was called on the first regular amendment pro-
| ton. The cursory debate, which hns indef-
initely prolonged the decision Of the main
ran on i6r an hour & followed by otRer Msnrs
hours; The galleries were full with tired listen.
ers 1t was hard to rally interest in this fadna
| question. Senators found relief by resortna
10 cloak rooms. from which eight to ten came
| with unsteady steps. two or three with thick.
unsteady voices. which they persisted Id nInk-
ing heard. to the confusion OF the debate, For
the rest. men strolled uneasily back and forth
| upon the floor lounged at ease on the scttees.
smoked in the doorways. turning occasionally
with languid interest when Blaine pounced on
some speaker. now on this side and now on
that. alternating his attentions.
At midnight the debate had passed from the
consideration OF any particular features Of the
hill and dealt with the relations to the national
credit Upon this point feeling ran high, and
| terms rarely heard in the Senate" swindles. .
fraud" and dishonor'-were used by one
Senator and another; A. II O'Clock approached,
Mr.. Thurman took the floor. and used equally
strong language. Mr.. Eaton joining with him In
cOl!oquial debate Of a sprited.nnture. No.pros-
pect exists Of u vote before daybreak.