San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-02-16
FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

In the Senate, on the Goth, Senator Beck
called up the resolution submitted by hin,
last week, declaring IL unnecessary or mex
pcdient to maintain or impose taxes Mt this
time for the purpose of providing for s37 ,l9G,.
Oi5 " asked for by the Secretary of the Treas.
ury for II sinking fund, and spoke In favor OF
passing the resolution. Upon the conclu-
sion of Senator Beck's remarks the rcsolu.
ton was laid over, and consideration re-
sumed of the unfinished business, be.
ing the Silver bill, and senator Wallace spoke
in favor thereof. lie was followed by
Senator Dawes in opposition to the bill. SEN
ator Cameron (Wis.) submitted an amend-
ment to the Silver bin so rs to provide that n
dollar shall consist of 42O grains standard sill
YER instead of 4l2h grains. ordered printed.
senator Burnside submitted an amendment
to the clause declaring that said dollar shall
be legal tender for all debts, public and pri.
vate, SO rs to provide that it shall be legal
tender for all debts, public and private,
amounting to sums over 500. ordered print
ed........l In the House, Mr., Stephens intro
duced u bill to make importers use the metric
system of weights and measures. Referred.
MIR. Butler presented u memorial of the Nor
Sn 81 of Wapoe Mass de
claring that honesty was vital part of reli
gion, and protesting against the passage OF
the Bland Silver bill. Referred Mr., Builder,
Mr.. Speaker, will you be kind enough to send
me the Bible from your desk? Laughter;
After searching for the passage he desired,
amid great laughter, Mr.. Butler sent to the
second chapter of John, which describes
Christ driving the money changers from the
temple and saying to them Make not my
Fathers house n house of merchandise" Mr..
Butlel-After that reproof have no further
word to say. [Great laughter.l
In the Senate, on the 3Oth, Senator Chris
tiancy submitted an amendment to the Bland
Silver bill in the nature OF a
substitute, providing for ,, the GO. coin In
nine. tenths pure silver ana tenth alloy,
which shall be II legal tender for all debts eX-
cept when otherwise provided by law or con-
tract 1t also authorizes the Secretary OF the
Treasury to purchase monthly not less than
81 OOO,O 900 worth of silver bullion to be coined.
Any gain arising from such purchase and
coinage shall be accounted for and paid into
the Treasury as provided under existing laws
relative to subsidiary coinage, provi oo
elusive of such resulting coin, shall
not exceed 100000. 1t further pro.
one year. ordered printed Senator Chris.
fancy read II lengthy argument in support of
his substitute, and said he was not opposed
currency, nor to making it a legal tender.
The question was as to what amount
of silver should be put in a dollar to make it
equal in value to gold dollar. To fix the
standard of silver dollar at 4l2k grains,
worth but 81 cents, would be grossly unjust.
The passageo of the bill now before the Senate
was, in plain English, deDaSlng our com, ana
all such eXpedients had by averdict OF history
dcbased the debaser more than the coin. .....
In the House, Mr.. Hays introduced bill
prohibiting any further destruction OF legal
tender notes, and making such notes legal
tender for customs duties. Referred. Mr..
Davis of North Carolina introduced bill re-
pealing section 47l6 OF the Revised Statutes,
forbidding the payment OF pensions Ions TO TO any
deceased person who in any manner Volun-
tarily engaged in OF aided or abettcd the late
rebellion.
In the Senate, on the 31st, Senator MaXey
called up the Senate bill approprating $780,
600 for the erection of suitable posts for the
protection of the Rio Grande frontier, and it
was passed. At the expiration of the morning
hour, consideration was resumed of the Silver
bill. Amendments were proposed by Sena-
tors Morgan and Booth, and after some dis
cussion the Senate adjourned till Monday.
......In the House, the Military Academy ap.
preparation bill was discussed in Committee
of the Whole, no action being taken.
The Committee on Elections reported,
in the California case, against Pacheco,
the sitting member, and in favor of Wiggin-
ton. the contestant. The report was ordered
printed, and notice given that the case would
be called up on Tuesday.
The Senate was not in session on the LIST.
......In the House, Mr.. Phillips of Kansas in
troduced a bill to provide for the funding of
the National debt in home bonds,
convertible lnJO CuIlclCy.
Mr.. Baker of Indiana offered resolution re-
citing the charges that John w. Polk Door
keeper, has been guilty of corruption and
malfeasance in office, and directing
that the matter be Inquired into
After some discussion, in which several
speakers expressed their entire confidence
in Mr.. Folks honesty and good intentions,
the matter was referred to the Committee on
Civil Service Reform. Adjourned till Monday.
In the Senate, on the 4th, large number
of bills and petitions were introduced. Con-
sideration of the Silver bill was resumed and
Senator Beck submitted an amend
benefit of seigniorage on all silver coined.
After Senator Beck had explained his
amendment briefly, Senator Bayard
spoke in opposition to the bill:
In the House, Mr.. Knapp of Illinois intro
duced a bill appropriating S2,OO0OOO for the
Improvement of the Mississippi, upon the
plan proposed in the memorial presented on
behalf of the st. Paul Convention. 1t was re-
fcrred to the Committee on Commerce.
Other bills introduced were the fol-
lowing: by Mr.. Southland of Ohio
TO authorize the payment OF duties
in legal tenders; by Mr.. Mills of Texas-Di-
recting the Secretary of the Treasury to
make all bonds hereafter sold payable in
gold, silver or legal tenders; by Mr. Clark
of Missouri-To reduce the fees of
Clerks and Marshals in United States
Courts; by Mr. Pollard of Missouri
For the construction of bridge across the
Missouri, at or near Lexington, Mo. Mr.. NC
Mahon moved to suspend the rules and adopt
a resolution favoring an income tax. Reject
ed-yeas l65, nays SS-less than the necessary