The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-01
Silver In the Senate-Conkling and
Blaine.

silver I'm the Senato-COnk11nR ana
Blaine.
The Senate has adjourned over to Mon
day, when Mr.. Bayard will deliver strong
speech against the Bland bill. For three or
four days the silver question will remain IN
statu quo and possibly the debate on it in
the Senate may run through the greater part
Of next week. Several Senators wish to
speak, about whose views the country cares
nothing. We do not see that anything will
be gained by talking for the mere purpose
of delay. The. bill is certain to pass by
large majority and the last resource for de-
feating it lies in the possible effect of the
Presidents veto. All that can now be done
by its opponents is to stir up public opiaon
with view to strengthen the President,
and in the hope that popular condemnation
may have some effect on few members of
Congress before vote is taken on the ques-
ton whether the veto shall be sustained
One or two votes in the Senate may at last
make the difference between success and
failure.
There are two Senators who ought to
close of the debate. We refer to Mr. Conk.
ling and Mr.. Blaine, both of whom will be
inexcusable if they shirk so important
duty. These two Senators have a command
over the attention of the country which
is possessed by no other statesmen
now in public life, and their joint
influence and eloquencs might, even
yet, save us from this pernicious measure.
Mr.. Blaine has given too much reason for
distrust but SO far as he is silver man
he is 80 from policy rather than con-
viction, and an able speech from him,
though not quite on the right side, would
have a moderating, and therefore bene-
fetal, effect. 1t is given out that he intends
to move an amendment to the Bland bill
for increasing the quantity of silver in the
dollar and making the silver coins equal to
gold. Such an amendment, if adopted,
would disarm the Silver bill of the greater
part of its power for mischief If Mr..
Blaine can bring even three or four of the
more moderate silver Senators into his view
powerful speech from him in advocacy
of nh honest silver dollar would in this
crisis do infinite good. If it can be demon
strated that the dollar of 412 1-2 grains
cannot be carried over the Presidents
negative, even the stiffest of the silver
lunatics would be likely to concede some
thing rather than lose all. We therefore
hope that Senator Blaine will be heard
from, and that he will speak at his best
IA -, e., fba, oiv int >r
not to pass the bill in such shape that
they cannot carry it over the veto, and its
mischief would be diminished in propor-
ton to the additional amount of silver thew
might consent to have put into the dollar.
A perfectly honest silver dollar-a dollar
worth hundred cents-would neither de-
range business nor impair the public credit,
SO long rs the two metals should continue
to bear the same relation to each other in
the market. If very small number of the
silver Senators would stand for an honest
dollar the veto might be made effective.
We have right to expect that Mr..
Conkling will do more than can be hoped
from Mr.. Blaine. He ought to bring all his
batteries to bear on the Bland bill and to
riddle its absurdities so effectually that
there would be no ground of argument left
for it to stand upon. He is abundantly ca
pable of making it appear not only absurd
but ridiculous, and, by the interest of his
eloquence, gaining the whole country for
readers. II he fails to speak strongly he
will not only lose the confidence of his con-
stituents, but cause it to be believed that he
is colluding with Senator Jones and forbear-
ing to strike Mt the Silver bill in considers
ton of the bonanza kings cooperation
against the President This is suspicion
to which Senator Conkling cannot afford to
give any color by failure to represent his
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