The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-02-22
THE PASSAGE OF THE SILVER BILL.

On Saturday morning last at 3 o'clock in
Il hours the amended Silver Bill passed the
Senate by vote of As yeas to 81 nays, or
more than two thirds. Senators Wallace and
Cameron voted for it. The House will un.
dobtedly pass the Bill by more than two
thirds vote, accepting the Senate amend
ments. Hayes veto in that event would be
imperative.
The full text of the bill with amendments
as it passed the Senate is as follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled. That there
shall be coined at the several mints of the
United States silver dollars of the weight of
4l24 grains Troy of standard silver, as pro-
vided in the act of January Is, 1887, on
which shall be the devices and superscrip-
ton provided by said act, which coins, to-
gether with all silver dollars heretofore
coined by the United States of like weight
and fineness, shall be legal tender at their
nominal yolue for all debts and dues, pub
lie and private, except where otherwise ex-
pressly stipulated in the contract. Aud the
secretary of the treasury is authorized and
directed to purchase from time to time, sill
yer bullion at the market price thereof, not
less than 100000 worth per month nor
vo)re than 100000 worth per month,
I'D cause the same to be coined monthly
fast as so purchased into such dollars.
nd sum sufficient to carry out the pro-
ison of this act is hereby appropriated out
i any money in the treasury not otherwise
appropriated. And any gain or seigniorage
arising from the coinage shall be accounted
for and paid in to the treasury as provided
under the existing laws relative to the sub
sidiary coinage, provided that the amount of
money at any one time invested in such sill
yer bullion, exclusively Of such resulting
coin, shall not exceed S500O0O0 and pro.
vided further that nothing in this act shall be
construed to authorize the payment in silver
of certificates of deposit issued under the
provisions of section 254 of the Revised
Statutes.
Sec. > Ali acts and parts of acts incon-
sistent with the provisions of this act are
hereby repealed.
Sec. 8. That Immediately after the passage
of this act the President shall invite the
governments of the countries composing the
Latin Union, so called, and of such other
European nations as he may deem advisable
TO join the United States in conference to
adopt current ratio between gold and sill
yer, for the purpose of establishing internal
ly the use of bimetalic money, and securing
Gxity of relative value between those metals.
such conference to be held at such place in
Europe or the United States, at such place
in Europe or the United States, at such time
within six months as may be mutually agreed
upon by the executive of the governments
joining in the same, whenever the govern
ments so invited, or any three of them shall
have siguiied their willingness to unite in
the same. The President shall, by and with
the consent of the senate, appoint three
commissioners, who shall attend such con.
ference on behalf of the United States, and
shall report the dongs thereof to the Presi-
dent who shall transmit the same to con-
gress. The said commissioners shall each
receive the sum of $4,000 and their reason.
able expenses, to be approved by the secre-
tary of stateS'and the amount necessary to
pay such compensation and expenses is here
by appropriated out of any money in the
treasury not etherwise appropriated.
Sec. THAT any holder of the coin au-
thorized by the act may deposit the same
with the treasurer or any assistant treasurer
of the United States in sums not less than
$40 and receive therefor certificates of not
less than $40 each, corresponding with the
denominations Of the United States note. The
coin deposited for amount representing the
certi fcate shall be retained in the treasury
for the payment of the same on demand
Said certificates shall be receivable for Gus,
toms, taxes and all public dues, and wher
80 received may be reissued.