Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-01-17
The 4urkrille Gmquirer.
YORKVTLLE. S. c.:
THURSDAY MORNING, JAN. II, 1878.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.

PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.
Congress reassembled on the 10th. In the
Senate, Sargent, Of California, introduced
joint resolution proposing the Sixteenth
amendment, giving women the right to vote
Referred to the Committee on privileges and
elections. Kellogg of Louisiana, introduced
bill to improve the navigation and to afford
protection and security to the shipping trade,
commerce and alluvial lands of the Mississip.
pi. Senator Kellogg introduced bill to pro-
vide for a steamship line between New Or
leans and certain ports of Mexico. This is
the same bill which passed the Senate in 1870,
and again in 1872. but was lost in the House.
Senator Matthews resolution to pay interest
and principal of bonds in silver was resumed,
and Mr.. Beck, of Kentucky, spoke in favor
of the reconciliation of silver, though he did
not favor the Bland bill as it came from the
House. He thought that the Senate Com
mittee on Finance did right in striking out OF
the House bill the clause allowing any owner
of silver bullion to deposit the same at mint
to be coined into dollars for his benefit. He
argued that Germany had demonetized silver,
and much of it was for sale in that country
at a reduced price. Had this clause been
allowed to remain in the bill, the German
Government could bring bullion to this coun'
try worth forty-six million dollars and receive
fifty million therefor. He spoke ofthe acts OF
1873 demonetizing silver as unconstitutional
and vicious, and reviewed, at some length,
the financial legislation of the Government.
Silver always had been the coin of the coun'
try, and demonetization of it deprived the
people of one half of their means to pay
their debts. He believed in maintaining ma
tional faith, but at the same time the people
should not be deprived of their legal and con.
stitutional right. Mr.. Sargent's resolution al
lowing ladies, who advocate the 10th amend
ment to the Constitution, comforting the right
of suffrage upon females, to appear before
the Senate in advocacy of that amendment,
was rejected-yeas l3; nays 81. The Senate
adjourned to Monday. In the House, the
first business in order was the considera-
ton of the resolution reported by Wood, of
New York, from the Ways and Means Com
mittee, giving the various committees special
powers in regard to investigating the several
departments of the Government. Hale, OF
Maine, offered as substitute resolution pro-
viding that such powers shall only be confer
red upon the committees when specific charges
shall be presented to the House in writing.
After long discussion in the committee of
the whole, Hale's substitute was adopted and
reported to the House, but pending action it
adjourned. Cox, of New York, introduced a
bill for the coinage Of silver FIVE cents, legal
tender for FIVE dollars, and discontinuance Of
the coinage of nickles. Mr.. Luttrel, Of Califor-
MIA, introduced bill forbiddiDg the employ
ment of Chinese on United States work or on
vessels bearing the United States flag. Vio-
lations of the provisions of the bill involve
fines and imprisonment.
In the House on the 18th, the proceedings
opened with voting on the resolution reported
from the committee of ways and means, d.
recting committees to investigate the several
departments of the government The orig
inal resolution was carried by the Democrats
on strict party vote. The rest of the day
was devoted to private bills, none of which,
however, we're passed.
In the Senate on the 18th, Mr.. Davis, Of
Illinois, presented petition of four hundred
bankers and business men of Chicago, ILL.,, in
favor Of retaining gold as single standard
of value, and against the repeal of the specie
resumption act He spoke of the high stand
ing of the signers of this petition, but said
that, in his opinion, their views were enter.
tanned only by very small percentage Of the
population of that city. He also presented
the proceedings of meeting held at Bloom
ington, ILL.,, his place of residence, in favor of
the remonetization of the silver dollar, and,
in presenting them, said that he had no agen-
cy in getting up this meeting, but he be-
lieved its proceedings expressed the opinion
of the people of the whole county, which was
the fourth in population in that State. Re-
ferred to the committee on finance. Senator
Herman, of New York, presented memorial
from the New York Chamber of Commerce
in favor of the passage of law to equitably
adjust errors in the assessment and collection
of duties on imports. Referred to the COM
mittee on finance. He also presented petitions
from more than one thousand bankers, mer-
chants and others of New York City, in fa-
vor of the repeal of the bankrupt law. Re-
ferred to the committee on the judiciary. Mr..
Edmunds, of Vermont, submitted lengthy
amendment to the preamble of the resolution
introduced by Senator Matthews, of Ohio,
before the recess, declaring the right Of the
Government to pay its bonds in silver, &c.
The amendment reads as follows: "Be it en-
acted that all the bonds of the United States,
issued or authorized to be issued by Congress,
are payable, principal and interest, in gold,
or its equivalent, and that any other pay
ment, without the consent of the creditor,
would be in violation of public faith, and in
derogation of his rights" Laid on the table
and ordered to be printed, the resolution to
which it is proposed as an amendment now
being before the Senate. The Senate re-
sumed the consideration of the resolution of
Mr.. Matthews, declaring the right of the gov
ernment to pay its bonds in silver. Mr.. Bal
ley, of Tennessee, read lengthy argument
as to the constitutional powers of Congress in