New-York tribune., 1879-05-23
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.
A SPICY DEBATE ON SILVER.


A SPICY DEBATE ON SILVER.
AFR WARNER GROWING DIsGUsTED AT WHAT is
HAPPENING TO HIS BIII-THE DEMOCRATS
sulRKiyG REAL WORK vIGoRoUsLY-GENERAL
NEwS
The Warner Silver bill was again debated
IN the House yesterday without being DIS
rosed Of. The proceedings were lively. Mr..
rhittenden made the best speech of the day.
Mr Warner says that if the House amends
his hill much more he will abandon it alto
cother. The Democrats do not talk of hurry
;nc mn the Appropriation bills, but they
want first to pass several measures that
tbev know will be obnoxious, so as TO have
tbem vetoed and so render vetOes odious. The
Penubcans filibustered yesterday so as to
,revent vote on bill TO hinder the Gov
eminent from protecting its officers when as
sailed by State Courts. Supervising Architect
Hin has been restored to his position.
PATCHING UP THE SILVER BILL.
uuE REPUBLICANS ABLE TO AMEND THE BILL so AS
TO WEAKEN 1T MATERIALLY, WITHOUT AT THE
SANE TINE MAKING IT GOOD ENOUGH TO PASS.
UAsHIvGroN, MAY 22.-When the House took up
tho Silver bill to-day it was found that General
Warner who had gained some wisdom since yesteT-
day. was disposed to allow discussion and amend
rent of the eighth section, which was so severely
criticised by General Garfield and others yesterday.
A lively discussion then took place, and a number
of amendments were offered, some of which were
adopted. The clauses which provided that silver
certificates might be used to pay interest on the
public debt. that the amount of certificates OUT
standing at any time should not exceed by ~ per
cent the amount of coin in the Treasury ana that
National banks might use certificates to replace.
their lawful money reserve, were stricken out Ihs
section as amended, reads as follows:
The Secretary OF the Treasury is authorized and re-
Quired receive deposits of gold and silver coin ana
gold aud silver bullion wlth me IieasGIer OF any sSS
Ieudent the branch mint al Denver Col, IN sums or
NOT less than 500 and to issue certificates therefor in
cenomnatons at the discretion OF the dopOsto OF not
less each, corresponding with the denominations
Tor or representing the certificates of deposit shall be
retained IN the Treasury for the PAYMENT oI
c1in I'm the Treasury together with those issued Tor
bullion deposited shall be received at par IN payment
Tor al dues the United states. including duties on IN
pOrs provided that all certificates Tor gGlt OF sVes
bullion III standard silver dollars IN NeW-4oTK ana
San Francisco the week preceding sucn deposits ana
Shall become property Of the Government by return
OF the certificates TO the Treasury in payment or dues
thereto shall be coined and be PAID out the same as
other money.
The debate on this section was very interesting,
and brought out ON the Republican side Generals
GARFIELD, Hawley and Hayes, and Mes9rs. CongeT,
Reed, Chittenden and others. General Hawley
characterized the whole bill a direct and shame
less attack on the Nations credit. 1t is full of
crudities and absurditles, he said and if 1t sue
ceeds viii prove that the Democrats are rapidly
drifting into the position of repudators.
General Garfield drew attention TO the utterly
and hopelessly indefinite" character of the bill.
A man might 90 to the Treasury one day with a
hundred dollars worth of gold bullion and get
certificate therefor. The next day on presenting
his certificate he might, far as the bill provides,
be compelled to receive silver bullion for 1t. This,
be said. was only an example of the absurdities
which abound in this measure.
The speech of the day was made by Mr. Chltten-
den, who gained the floor through the courtesy Oh
North Carolina member, who yielded to HIM with
tho pleasant remark that he himself knew nothing
about "feenance." Mr.. Chittenden began by COM
planning that no dictionary he had ever read
could he find words with which fifty to characterize
the monstrous villainy contained in this bill. lie
did however succeed in bringing into use some very
vigorous English He declared that the bill out
Herods Herod," and that 1t implies that majority
of the American people are knaves or fools. 1ou
might he said " as well argue with mad bulls as
with the advocates and promoters of this Dill" lie
said that he owned and controlled, as executor,
$1,000 OF AZ per cent bonds. He bought them year
ago and paid gold for theu He knew when he bought
able in gold, and now it is proposed
not only to pay him in silver, but in GER
tifcates which are based upon bullion alone. Mr..
Chttenden's remarks continued for some
time, and were received with frequent rounds OF
applause. Hard hits were apparently well relished
on all sides.
On the whole, the prospects OF The Silver bill In
the House do not seem to have been improved by
the proceedincs of to-day. The amendments
adOpted have weakened the admiration of some OF
its most extreme advocates, without, SO lar as can
be seen giving the measure any better standing
with the Republicans. General Warner has pre-
pared an amendment to the ninth section, which IS
intended to nuIfy the Marsh Section; and he en-
phaticaily declared this morning that unless II IS
adopted by the House he viii ABANDON the whole
bill tie has prepared what he calls substitute
for the present BILL which he will try to get passed
by the House if the contingency mentioned should
A NEW DEMOCRATIC IDEA.
AN ELECTORAL LAW PROPOSED WHICH WOULD