Daily globe., 1879-05-18
House of Representatives.

WASHINGTON, May 17.-As the business of
the morning hour consideration was resumed
of the bill to amend the law relating to the
transfer OF cases from thu State to United
States courts, and Mr.. McLane concluded
his argument in favor of the bill.
Mr.. Urner opposed the bill on the ground
that one of the sections proposed to be re-
pealed, No. $50, was virtually the judiciary
act of 1889, which gave force and effect to
that clause of tho constitution which author
ICES United States courts to pass upon ques-
tions in controversy between a citizen OF one
Stata and citizen of another State. The
morning hour expired before Mr.. Urner had
finished his argument and the bill went over
till Tuesday next.
THE COINAGE BILL.
Consideration was then resumed of the bill
to amend the statutes relating to gold and
silver coinage and coin and bullion certif-
Gates, the question being on the third sec
ton and amendments thereto. The first
amendment was the one offered by Mr.. Bel
ford confning the privilege of free coinage
to silver mined in the United States
Mr.. Springer spoke in favor of his amend
ment, to which Mr.. Belford's amendment
was offered. It would make difference be-
tween the value of bullion and coin inure to
the government instead of to the bullion
owner. It would give the bullion holder 81
cents for his bullion, which 1t was worth,
and not 100 cents, which it was not worth.
1t would put into the treasury the difference
between the bullion and coin value of silver,
and keep it there as a trust fund for the peo-
pie of the United States. (Applause on the
Republican side)
Mr.. Buckner opposed Mr.. Springer's 8
amendment as proposition utterly destruc-
tive of the whole theory on which the bill
was founded. It was a worse blow at silver
than the proposition of the secretary of the
treasury to stop it's coinage at fifty million
dollars. This amendment cut the throat of
the silver dollar, and if it was put upon the
bill he would vote against the bill, because
he would then put into the hands of the Sec
retary of the treasury the very power he de-
sired, and would virtually stop the coinage of
another silver dollar.
Mr.. Newbery opposed the bill. 1t was
not based upon facts but upon theories,
opinions and guesses of the widest kind
He criticised the provisions in the eighth
section that certificates ''shall not exceed &c
per cent. beyond the amount of coin and bull
lion in the treasury" What was that 20 pei
cent? It was simply hat. It was tail tc
the Greenback kite. It was legislation fo1
Why were the streets of Washington filled
with mon who had bullion piled up in New
York, if not for the purpose of seeing tina
the bill was passed, and of lobbying i
through? He was thinking of Offering al
amendment to the bill providing that any
owner of paper pulp might deposit the sam
at the treasury and receive therefor lega
tender notes of the same dimensions of thos
now in use.
Mr.. Bright of Tennessee said the question
was whether the government should have
seignorage of coinage, or whether the coun
try should have free coinage, and argued
that when seignorage was put upon coin i
would be driven out of the mints. He or
posed Mr.. Springer amendment as amount
ing to little less than tax of 16 per cent. o
the coinage of silver bullion.
Soon afterwards vote was taken on MI
Belford's amendment, and it was defe atet
yeas 81, nays 12O.
Mr. Ewing offered an amendment to MI
Springer's amendment. It provides that tn
secretary of the treasury shall issue and dc
liver to depositor of silver bullion certif
Gates to an amount equal to the value Q
such bullion, and that silver dollars coine
from such bullion to the extent of 40 ps
cent. of such certificates shall be held #
the redemption thereof, and the remainde
applied to the payment of the interest an
principal of the public debt. The certif
Gates 50 issued are to be received at par f'
all dues to the United States and to be use
in payment of the current expenses of tt
government, and are to be redeemable
standard silver dollars.
Mr.. Cannon favored MIR. Springer
amendment because it would give the prof
of coinage to the government and not to Il
holders of bullion.
Mr. Boyne denounced the whole bill as