The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-02-16
From Washington.
THE SILVER BILL.

| TIE Sll.' FIX BILL.
! The senate. in its tedious way, has again been
all week hammcrin% at the silver bill-the
most notable speech Of the week being that of
Hill, of Georgia, who declared himself in tav-
or of silver but opposed to making it legal
tender except in limited amounts. salisbury,
of Delaware, made strong speech IN favor OF
the Bland bill, in reply to the speech on the
other side Of Bayard from the same state
Jones had the floor on Thursday, and 1t was
agreed to take the final vote on Friday, (yes-.
terday) even if it was necessary to proIong
the session into and through the night
SOUTHERN WAR CLAIMS.
The house spent an exciting afternoon on
Friday of last week over bill to pay for the
use of mill in Alexandria that had been scz
ed during the war and used by the army. The
owners claimedto be loyal New Workers, but
the bill was stoutly fought on the ground that
the allowance of one such claim would let in
millions of southern claims Of the same sort
The bill was defeated by 100 against o.
INCOME TAN.
The WAYS and Means committee Of the
house are preparing and IN few days will re-
port Il bill levying an income tax. Under its
provisions all incomes under $4,000 will be eX,
empt: on incomes of over $4,000 and under
$4,000 . per cent will be levied and on in
comes of $4,000 and over 3 per cent. 1t is
estimated that such a tax will yield $l24,O0O-
! 600.
PAPER CURRENCY.
The house committee on banking and cur
rcncy have agreed on bill which proposes to
retire the national bank notes, as they may be
received by the treasury through legitimate
business channels and substitute therefor treas
ury notes, to he receivable for all dues to the
government or fundablc in 4 per cent. bonds
at par. The banks may voluntarily retire
their circulating notes and receive for them a
per cent bonds, and treasury and legal-tcnder
notes may be received in payment Of such
bonds. Bonds heretofore authorized to be IS
sued may be disposed of at not less than par
whenever coin may be needed for any purpose
The bill is framed IN contemplation of the pas
sage of the silver bill, with which it is intend
ed to be in accord.
PICTURE OF LINCOLN.
| The two houses of congress had Il joint
meeting on Tuesday to formally accept the
present, from a Mr.. Thompson, of Carpenters
picture of Abraham Lincoln. Garfield made
the speech of acceptance, eulogising Lincoln;
but the notable incident about the affair was
that Garfield was followed in very warm and
earnest eulogy of Lincoln by Alexander Steph-
ems, the vice president of the Southern Con.
fedcracy! He said he had always profoundly
believed in the Union and counted Lincoln
among the warmest of his personal friends
THE PRESIDENTIAL BARGAIN.
\ ridiculous muss was stirred up in the
house on wednesday during tie discussion Of
the West Point bill, growing ont of Il remark
made by Hewitt ON Mondy, which was con-
strued by certain southern members to imply
that Hewitt had charged the south with sell,
ing out Tllden to Hayes in the electoral count
a wear ago. Mr. Aiken got considerably eX-
cited over it, and while Hewitt denied that he
had made any such charge against any south
crn members of congress, he did make bold to
say that offers had been made to him in behalf
of the Louisiana returning board, after the
election in 1876, to sell the vote of Louisiana
to Tilden for Il specified sum Of money. That
was no new story to the house, and rs Hewitt
had nothing else to reveal, the subject was
dronnpl