Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-10
CONGRESSIONAL.
WAsHiSeros, d, c., Jan. 9th.
.r SENATE. .i
Pensions.

] Alarge number of petitions were pre-
sen.ed.
! In answer to question by Mr.. Howe
in reference 10 the pension bill, Mr..
ingalls, stated that he proposed to call
the bill up as soon as the bill TO amend
the patent laws was disposed OF.
! .I.--. silver Coin.
| Mr. Beck called ur his resolution Of
the 9Th, referring to the Committee on
Finance the answer OF the Secretary of
the Treasury to the resolution OF De
| cember 2Sd, relative 20 the amount of
silver coin received in the payment of
customs dues aad its disposition. He
criticised the answer OF December Sd,
and said that specie resumption had
been reached by the ruin Of Hendricks
and thousands al the best men OF the
country. All he Beck was seeking to
! do was TO require the Secretary to use
| the silver coiIr as he does the gold coin
in the payment OF interest, and To forbid
him increasing the bonded debt. The
Secretary had net answered as
q public officer should. He well knew
that he had not paid dollar of silver
coin as interest on the public debt. Mr..
Beck spoke of Secretary Sherman rs
the autocrat OF the Treasury Department
and said il was the time, as said by Bis
marck, when he who holds the money
bags controls the politics OF the country.
Congress ought 10 see To it that the laws
are executed in the interest Of the peo
pie. ..I "' HHn o..
He quoted from the answer Of the
Secretary and spoke of some OF
il az nonsense, and that he showed
scant respect for the Senate and none
for the law. The Secretary was trustee
and agent OF the people and not OF the
creditors Of the government. He had
no right to allow the bondholders 10 say
in what coin they would take their In
terest. Mr.. Beck then argued that the
Secretary had increased the interest |
bearing debt Of the United States |
Sl05, 100000 This was not very |
hattering exhibit when business OF |
all kinds was 50 depressed Unless
the Secretary could show some law au-
thorizing him 20 divert silver coin from
the purposes for which Il was intended
hc was guilty OF official misconduct In
short time the Finance Committee
would be- controlled by new men, and
then il would be seen whether the Sec
retary could violate the law a. he pleased.
Public officers should be made 10 obey
the law Half the deficiency bills an
nually before Congress arose from dis
regard OF the law. lie argued that there
had been contraction OF the currency;
that the last report Of the Treasurer
showed that the legal tender notes, Of
denominations from one to fifty dollars,
in circulation OH the 30th of June
last, were $40 0,9l4,000 below the amount
outstanding on that date in 1877, and
the 500 notes were g., ,407 900 less than
were In circulation i'm 1877. Now ID was
the purpose Of the Secretary to issue
large notes and further contract the
currency by substituting them for small
ones. lIe (Mr. Beck thought II doubt
iul that onc-half Of the outstanding
legal tender notes were now In circula-
ton. II the Secretary should he al
lowed TO convert !the smaller. noteS juta
soon have no currency except
that which the National Banks supplied.
He Beck had fought rs hard a. any
one 10 make legal tenders receivable Tor
customs duties; he had bill now he.
fore the Finance Committee Tor that
purpose. Ii should be reported with
mt DELAY and passed. As much as he
favored that measure he would not al
low the Secretary to receive those notes
in violation OF the law, as he was now
doing. The notes should be received
in accordance with law and not in plain
violation of il. lie wanted such meas
ures adopted as would compel the Sec
rotary Of the Treasury TO carry out the
existing law, and let him know that he
was the agent of Congress, to carry out
the laws, whether he liked them or not.
Mr.. Beck quoted at length from the
speeches OF Secretary Sherman, when q
member of tho Senate, TO show that he
advocated the punishment OF the public
officers failing to execute the laws. al
4 resolution referring the answer TO
the Finance Committee was then
PASSED. and the bill TO amend the patent
laws taken up. -,
Mr.. Window reported back with
the amendments OF the Indian Appro-
priation Bill, aud gave notice that he
would call ii up tomorrow Tor consider
alton.
Mr.. Rsyard moved that when the
senate adjourn to-day that he TIL
next Monday. Rejected by rising
vote; yeas IL nays "a.
A message was received from the |
IIsuse announcing the funeral OF
Representative Hartridge, OF Georgia,
would take plare in the Hall OF the
House at o'clock, and inviting the
Senate to be present.
4 resolution accepting the invitation
was agreed 10. .... -,
The Senate then went into executive,
and, when tine doors were reopened,
took a recess until 3P.N
Upon reassembling, the Senate, head
ed by the Vice President and Secretary
,inrham, proceeded To the House to at
tend the funeral services al the late
Representative Iiartride, OF Georgia,
Cpon returning 10 their chamber AT.
Thurman renewed his motion oi tins
morning, TO adjourn over until Monday
and il was rejected.
The senate then adjourned until to-
morrow. sr