The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-18
WASHINGTON.
A Platform which the President Thinks
He Could stand On

A Platform which the President Thinks
He Could stand ON.
WASHINGTON, April lit is stated that the
President read the following platform from an
Ohio paper to the Cabinet yesterday saving
that nothing yet so fully met his views:
1. Resumption of specie payments in gold
aud silver.
q Resistance to all schemes for initiating the
present volume of currency
3. A fair and moderate tariff that will af-
ford reasonable protection to American in
dnstries
4. An amendment to the constitution prohib-
ting the use of money raised By taxation for
the support of sectaran schools.
5. The speedy completion of all public works
such as river and harbor improvements, public
bulldogs aud Notifications, now that material
and labor are cheap and wOrklngmen need en-
ployment, and liberal policy for the improve
ment OF great national channels of commerce
like the Mississippi river and its tributaries.
Secretary McCrsry suggested that there ought
to be claus added, declaring opposition in
emphat terms to the payment OF all claims of
dislOyal citizens for damages and losses grow
ing out of the war, and the payment of pen
siOns to persons disloyal during the war.
With this amendment which the Cabinet
present all accepted, the resolutions were pro-
nouuced very proper and complete presenta-
ton of the views of the administration.
The Senate Resumption Bill.
The following is the full text of the bill agreed
upon by the Senate Finance Committee today
and reported to the Senate with favorable rec
OmmendatiOn:
An act to amend an,act to provide for the resump-
ton of specie payments and for other purposes
Be it Enacted: DC, That from ami after the pas
sage Of this act United States notes shall be receya
BILE in payment for United States bonds now author
lied by lew to be issued, and on and after Oct. 1st
1875 said notes shall be receivable for duties i'm
opA in Tho violin
Oct 1s 1878, shall not be cancelled permanently
boarded but shall be reissued and they may be used
for fu0dng and all other lawful purposes whatsoever
to an amount not exceeding in the whole the amount
then in circulation and in the treasury and the said
notes, whether then in the treasury or thereafter
ceved under any act OF Congress aud from whatever
source, shall be again paid out, and when again
TUNED 10 the treasury they shall not be cancelled or
destroyed, but shall be issued from time to time
with like qualities and all that part Of the act Of Jan
IA, 1885, entitled IAN act to provide for the resump-
ton OF specie PAYMENTS authorizing the retirement
become noperative and after said Oct LIST, 1878.
| Sso. 2. All laws and parts Of laws inconsistent
| with this act shall be and are hereby repealed.
Democratic Caucus.
The House by a vote of 101 against 129 to-
| day refused to refer to the committee on ways
| and means the concurrent resolution of the
| Senate fixing the 10th of June as the time fol
| the adjournment of Congress without day, the
| anti-tariH Democrats voting with the Republi-
| cans against the motion to refer.
With view of recOnciling the difference
| among the Democrats caucus was held TO-
night at the Capitol, about seventy members
being present, Representative Blackburn in
the chair.
Representative Wood of New York offered
| resolution to postpone action on the Senate
18th OF May and spoke of the justice and pro
| priety of the House taking the initiative of ad
| journment and against what he termed dicta
ton of the Senate in this particular.
1 80, saLk e
briefly expressed his views against the psssag'
| of the tariff bill, which he thought would have
| depressing effect upon labor.
| Various opinions We're expressed, some de
| caring that the tariff bill demanded immedi
ate action by Congress, and others that b,
close application to business Congress could ad
journ by June 10th.
The National Party.
The National Party met tonight and arrange,
to hold mass meeting shortly and invite Gen
Butler and E. L. Carey to be present. The
passed resolutions demanding that as the lega
| teuder notes of the United States are of equa
| actual value Tor all purposes to any other mon
| ey, all dues shall be paid and received in suci
| money and that national banks should b.
obliged to pay with legal tenders; also de
mandiDg that the government construct post
roads by way Of transcontinental roads to in
duce and foster emigration to the West; ais
| pledgDg the National Party to name for offic
| only men pledged to the decrease of taxation
| and the abolition of class legislation and cor
ruption.
| The Kansas Pacific Suits.
In relation to the foreclosure suits against tn,
Kansas Pacific Railroad Company, Attorne!
| General Devens says the only suit he know
| about officially is that of Adolphus Meir ant
| others representing the third mortgage. Tit
United States is made defendant to this suit
and other suits are pending to which the United
| States is not made party The Indebtedness
nf ho Puil 10 he taI
States amounts to nearly $40 000,0 900 secured b.
a second mortgage upon all its property an(
franchises The third mortgage was giVel
June 20 1869, for So 100000 in gold at per cent
| interest.
The bill before Congress asks for the sale o
the whole road and distribution of the proceed
| according to the rights of several mortgages
without offering to discharge the prior lien o.
| the United States, or to have the sale made
subject to that incumbrance.
This fact, and the expensive management
seemed to the Attorney General to require the
| Intervention of the United States, aud he has
directed an appe arance to be entered, subject t
the decision OF the court as to his right to rep
| resent the United States in the case, without
having been authorized to do so by legislation
Mr. Devens recommends that the Attorney
| General be empowered by Congress to inter
vene in all future suits against the Pacific rail
roads, and any other cases relating thereto
where the interests of the governments might
| be affected.
Various
House committee on revision of laws TO-DAY
heard Mr. Foote of New York in advocacy O.
the law which prohibits transmission Of OBJ
scene literature through the mails. Mr. Com
| stock was prefent to defend the law, but tn,
committee postponed hearing his argument
| until Saturday.
The House Committee on Railways AM
Canals today adopted the report of the sub
committee on Representative Schleicher's bill
to provide for cheap transportation of freigh
| between the Atlantic coast and the Ohio an(
M issssppi valleys, and agreed to report thu
| bill to the House with favorable recommends
| tiOn