National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-05
F0RTY-SIXTH CONGRESS-.
Legislation Again Gives Way to
King Caucus.
A short Session of the House and None of
the Senate District bills Reported and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Bills Con-
sidcrcd-Mr Warmers Views
the Currency-Freo
Coinage Advocated,
The Senate was not in session to-day.
HOUSE or REpBIS I,yTdTIYEs.

Mr.. DAVIDSON rising to q question of privilege
referred to the speech printed by Mr. Russell IN. CD
in the Record of the Goth ult, which he character
lied as wonderful because of the many errors in II
and the heat and venom which 1t manifested. He
pronounced some of the statements made in that
speech as absolutely mise and untrue and added
that the hipp0nt manner in which some members
charged fraud upon others was altogether unbc-
coming their station.
Mr.. Cox offered resolution calling on the secre
larry of the Navy for copy of the report of j. L.
Brown, Of the Marine Corps. In regard to the prls
ons of the several States. Adopted.
Mr.. STEPHENS, chairman of the Committee on
Coinage, Weights, and Measures reported bnck the
bill to enable importers to use metric weights and
measures. He stated that a precisely similar bill
had been unanimously reported by the committee
10 the last Congress. II had been prepared by
business man, and had undergone q most intcll-
gent revision. He also stated in the course OF a
short debate, that the Coinage Committee would
soon report bill for the coinage Of the goloid dol.
lar which would be perfectly metric. and for the
coinage Of gold metric caglo double eagle and
halfCagle.
Mr. KELLY spoke in favor of referring the bill to
the Committee on Ways and Means, and upon his
motion 1t WINS so referred.
Mr.. SPRINGER, chairman of the Committee on
Elections reported back bill relating TO contested
election cases, with few unimportant amend.
ments
lie stated that the only object of the bill was to
permit the clerk of the Committee on Elections,
when Congress did not meet until December, to
III lne NucatlOn the rGCOruS and briefs i'll
contested election cases, and have them ready to
be, presented to the Committee when organized.
Mr. HARRIS SVal opposed the bill, because IL
gave ministerial officer Of the House, during the
State
Pending action on the bill, the morning hour OK.
pired.
The following bills wero reported from Commit.
tee on the District of Columbia ordered, printed,
Fixing the rate OF interest on arrearagcs of gen.
eral taxes ana assessments for special improve
ments now due to the District of Columbia and for
revision OF assessments for special improvements.
=, Authorizing the construction Of a bridge across
the Potomac River at or near Georgetown.
,hutnorIlng the COMMISSIONERS OF the District OF
redeem certain funded Indebtedness
Inc House then resumed the consideration of the
Dill reported from the Committee on Coinage
amending the statutes in relation to coinage and
coin and bullion certificates.
Mr.. WARNER offered an amendment providing
That the gold and silver bullion which shall be-
come the property of the Government by the re.
turn OF certificates to the Treasury in payment OF
dues thereto shall be coined and paid out the
same as other money. He made an argument in
support of his substitute and quoted In favor of his
argument from the writings or speeches OF Ham.
demonetization of silver as a 'ielonous act on
the part OF the moneyed classes, and argued that
Congress had no right to pass that legislation.
Mr. CHITTENDEN asked him whether he did not
admit That the legal-tender paper money of the
country was merely "a forced loan
Mr. WARNER declared that he would admit moth.
lhs oil the Kind on the contrary he held that the
iegaltender paper currency was as much money as
II II were gold or silver coin. He asserted that IN
England gold had appreciated in its purchasing
power between 10 and 20 per cent. within the last
fifteen months, and the question was whether a
should be adhered TO-
lu reply to the objection made to the provision Of
Inc Diil allowing the unlimited coinage of silver he
denied that the provision would be for the benefit
OF Dulllon dealers. hundred ounces of silver il
the form of bullion would be of the same value o.
a. hundred ounces of silver in the form of coin
There would be no profit In the transaction which
would not be shared by everybody. The effect o
ltwould only be to increase the value of silver ant
TO decrease the value of gold. That was the sort o
compensation which belonged to the bi.metalliC
system, and tended to retain the equiyalcncy o
tile two metals.
Mr.. CLAfLIN obtained the floor, and then thu
Democratic caucus was announced 10 be helC
forthwith. - ~