The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-26

hessrs. doar, butcr hnq Hill, VINO would nave
voted In the affirmative, were paired with Messrs.
Harris Patterson and Garland, who would have voted
In the negative
Mr. PLrMB rsp.) OF Kansas. announced that his
colleague (Mr lngaIis detained from the Senate
on account Of sickness in his family
The question then REQUIRED on the amendment OF
Mr. Morrill, OF Vermont, submitted on the I5th inst.
but he withdrew II Tor the present that the question
might be taken on the amendment submitted by his
colleague tMr Edmunds) the 18th inst, with the
understanding thai his (Mr Morrilrs} amendment
SPEECH OF MR. .pmuyps
Mr. EpNUSps, rep.l OF VI, said the interesting
mad just declared that II was not fl TO make this q
JOINT resolution as II now stood. The Senate, one Of
the Coordinate branches OF Congress, thought II
might have opinion the House oil Represent
tatives said II could have such opinion That
admirable commentary on this wnoe proceeding. He
congratulated the Senator from OHIO OR. Matthewsl
upon the mastery strategy by which ne mad put the
Senate INTO this extraordinary situation He had al
ways thought tho Senate might have opinion with
out asking the House OF representatives In opening
MS argument Mr. Edmunds said lie would refer at
some longth to the sta,e OF the law, aud II he hap
peued 10 be little prosy he hoped the Senate would
pardon him. From 1892, whom the irst coinage act
passed, to 1884, the double standard existed in
this country on the theory OF exact equaiitiea He
then referred 10 the Coinage act OF 1884, aud AFTER
quoting from the debates IN Congress upon that act
SAID those were hard times well these
Mr. JosEs, rep OF New SAID he would like the
Senator orr. Edmunds) 10 point 10 history showing
Mr.. EDMuNDs said II his friend (Mr Jonos) would
turn TO the records OF CONGRESS for that period ho
would hnd them teeming with petitions IRON people
IN all parts OF tho country Tor roef from the financial
suffering then existing. Continuing his remarks In
regard 10 the legislation OF 1894 he said the separation
OF the metals, gold and silver, had been steadily
growing. They had been steadily drawing apart IN
Mr.. JONES, OF Nevada. inquired II in 1859 and 1850
the values oil gold and silver not much
gether than they were IN Io34 aud 1885.
Mr. EDMUNDs replied Very likely. Tho United
States, SINCE 1776 had been gradually progressing
everything which went 10 make mp weil.ordered
nation and yet there was period OF TOUR years about
1872 when we went back yard. and there another
period more recently when wc went backward. Ho
argued that the simple declaration Of statute would
hot cquaze the value OF god ana silver Congress
might us well say that a bushcl OF potatoes should
be equal In value to bushel OF corn. rhe fnrnors
OF tho West would smile at such proposition, and
tho respective values OF and potatoes would ro
main just as they wore before.
Mr.. JONES inquired oi the Senator from Vermont II
all the troubles o 1881 were not attributable 10 tho
removal OF tho deposits ny General Jackson and worc
not petitions presented asking Tor the restoration OF
such deposits
Mr. EDMUSDs replied that OF course stump orators
and newspapers then, as now cried out iasten the
cause OF all the distress upon this thing they
ala not Ike. Continuing his argument Mr.. Edmunds
said tho legislators Of 1881 hnd discovered that
amount OF lawmaSing would give any value to silver
at all He begged The Senate bear In mind that the
laws OF the Uned States forty years ago ceased to I'M
pute value TO either SILVER or gold The Legislators
then found out That tho word 'vaue' related TO tho
operations OF men Of society aud OF commerce and
that statute could not add one bit 10 the vauo OF any
thing
THE GOLD DOLLAR
He next spoke oil the oil lS49, authorizing the
coinage OF The gold dollar, and said there was ne
cesslty coming that dollar because there
s,v err dollars Ho next referred the
Coinage act Of 1885, and said when tho act OF 1884
passed there was but a trfilng difference between
gold aud silver, but that difference had continued
until the gold coin overruled silver and drove II away
from the people. The House OF representatives then
deliberately dc clarod in favor OF aold coin and
jccted silver the Of value Gold then,
as IL had been years BEFORE the only rea,
truo operating standard OF value in tho United
States, and yot Senators argued now that
II was proper 10 90 back aud upset history and
legislation. Andrew Johnson was member Of
the House OF Representatives In 1853 and then
argued that deDasng the silver coin would DO injuri.
Gus TO tho iaDoring man, aud there was a good deal
in what no sad. Now, II the workinsmun should be
compelled TO take halt dollars fer days work.
about eightyfour or eighty 1.-Two cents, no would
be injured The very men VINO were urging tho
RECOMMENDATION OF silver, should they stay IN tho
senate ten years, would he among tho drst to undo
tho proposed leg isaton of to-day. When the lato
CIVIL war began, aud the tremendous imitation Of paper
currency took place, silver coin had long since
passed out OF exstcnca, and the statutes recognizoi
the TACT He then referred 10 the financial Legislation
Teudcr act when war loans were boiug forced upon
tho people, Mr. Thaddeus Stevens, chairman OF tho
rnseulalives, argued that the people who ad-
yanced their earnings We're entitled 10 Dc
pa'd Id golu, because years oe'ore tnas goa
was recosn zed az he only standard OF
value. The act oil 1850 under winch The bonds were
issued, provided that they should be paid IN con-;
but IL was Understood that such coin should 20 gou
Tho "ord com imputed not silver dollars, they I'M.
puied nall dollars, quarters, copper aud MCKEE and,
II the nation was going To stand upon the letter OF
the law why not give notice that 1t Intended to pay
bonds ia copper, which was u coin oil Inc United
States f.l
Mr. MArrHEws said that no coin but gold and silver
was Il iegai teuacr ABOVE 30.
Air. EphuNps replied that THIS was not legal ten
der act II was an act pedgng the good alth OF the
government IL he should draw the act oil 1869 now,
win his present oplnl"n, he would use the terms
god' aud sver' Just AZ they we're used in that let.
There was part oil the dcDt VI the United states
which, according TO tho letter >of tho law, coud be
PAID IN silver; every interest coupon less IMAM 50
might 20 para III SILVER; every uoiiar note might ne
redeemed III silver com mat coin could DO used Tor
all small ueDts.
MIR BLAINE salu q very large portion OF tho puDlic
DEBT was heid IN sluu pieces OF scrip, on wnlch
the interest was - DO payable semi annually.
Dd he understand tue Senator (hr. Edmunds) 10 say
that TINS interest was payable IN SILVER haiIdoiars,
while mo man VINO held registered pond Tor Sl,OUO
must nave gold!
MT EDMuSps replied that the letter OF the law was
one tnlnS and mo spirit oI u apother rue nation
would 10 in bad condition TO resort TO literal con-
strucion OF us statutes, against whch mono could
nave 10 the conscience OF