The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-03-22
Last Nights Dispatches.
wAsHIN GToN

! WASHINGTON. March 20 Secretary
Sherman and Treasurer GilhiIan explained
to the House Coinage Committee this
morning the connection of the New York
/ Clearing House and the Treasury. War
ner regarded the consent of the Treasury
| Department to the rule TO which the
receipt of silver coin 10 payment of balau-
ces is prohibited as a virtual abdication of
the right of option which the law gives it
over the mode of payment to the govern
ment creditors, whether in gold or silver
or paper. Sherman disapproved the rule,
but did not so Interpret it, 1t was merely
the exercise by the government of its op-
ton. His attention was called to the fact
in SO doing he was aiding in the deprecia-
tion of silver. The Secretary could abro-
gate or mollify the agreement between
the Treasury and the Clearing House in
the interest OF the government upon thirty
| days notice. At present it was perfectly
convenient to pay out gold and paper in
the settlement of balances.
The SeDate committee on removal of the
Poncas to, day, examined Col. Z j. Brooks
chiet clerk OF the Indian Bureau. He
showed that the department recommend
| ed their removal TO the Omaha reserve,
| where they wished to go. and that Con-
gress thereupon directed their removal to
| the Indian Territory, conditioned upon
| their consent. The department felt
obliged to obey the law, although in con-
traventlon TO the treaty stipulations,
because the United States Supreme Court
in the Cherokee tobacco case, IL Wallace,
p. 6l6. decided that treaty may be super
seded by an act of Congress and that an
act OF Congress of date subsequent to
treaty must prevail, as if the treaty was
NOT an element to he cOnSidarR0
Being asked whether the Poncas' con-
sent was given, he replied: Hardly such
consent as | myself should wish to be re-
moved under.
Senator Dawes-Am | to understand
that in your opinion the consent of the
Poncas was given to their removal2
Col. Brooks-I can hardly answer that
more definitely.
Dawes-I think SO myself, but did not
know but you might like to put it in some
other language,
Witness-No sir.
= BY what authority of Law, ,then.were
the Poncas taken to the Indian Territoryf
Ali any, under general authority resid-
ing 10 the President or government as
guardian Of the Indians and Iu view of
the fact that their reservation in Dakota
had been given 10 the Sioux aud that Con-
removal to the Indian Territory and to DO
other place.
Before the Exodus Committee James
Langsdale, postmaster at Greencastie, In
diana, testified to the story OF their wrongs
told by the negroes, to the necessity for
their labor felt by the farmers, etc, IN his
section. and to the schemes OF the Dem
ocrats to colopIze them for their own pur-
pose.
Senator Hill is having &.liveIy time, Miss
Raymond, with her babe, named Tommy
Hull. appears alternately at the Capitol
and at Hills boarding house. The Senator
is practically under the protection of the
Capitol police while Senate is in session,
and OF the city police during the time he
spends at home.
Demand fox the Eight Hour Law Enforce
ment.
ST. LOUIS, March 21.-At the mass
meeting of wOTkingmen held at the opera
house this afternoon, under the auspices of
the Trades Assembly, to consider the
eight hour law and devise means to procure
| its enforcement, several speeches were
made by leaders of the labor movement in
| both English and German, strongly urging
| a reduction OF the hours OF labor, and res
olutIons were unanimously adopted calling
upon our senators ana representatives In
congress for such legislation as will insure
| the i'm partial observance and enforcement
of the act of congress OF June, 1868, fixing
eight hours as legal days work for all
laborers, workmen and mechanics en-
ployed by or in behalf of the national gov
ernment; declaring they will do every
thing in their power to accomplish the
political destruction of auy congressman
OF whatever party who votes or speaks
against a proper bill to enforce said
national law, and demanding of congress
the creation of pational bureau of labor
statistics in the interest of manufacturers
and mech anical occupations of the coun
try. The resolutions will be sent to each
Missouri congressman. The opera house
was packed from the parquette to the gal
lery with a very orderly but very earnest
and enthusiastic audience.
Nothing worthy of special mention oc-
Cured to- day in railroad affairs. The ma
chinsts and blacksmiths of the city. out
side of the railroad shops. have called a
meeting for Tuesday night. to discuss
probably the asking for an advance of
| wages,