Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-10

created is not questioned, but the employment
OF the notes as paper money indefinitely, after
the accompaniment Of the object for which
they were provided, vas not contemplated by
the trainers Of the law under which they were
issued; These notes long since became like
any other pecuninry obligation Of the Govern
ment-a debt TO be paid, and, when paid, 10
be cancelled as mere evidence OF indebted
ness Iss, no Longer existing therefore repeat
year, that the retirement from circulation OF
United states notes, with the capacity Of legal
tender In private contracts, Is a step to BE-
taken in our progress toward a safe and stable
currency, which should be accepted as the
policy and duty Of the Government aud the
interest and security OF the people.
COINAGE OF THE SILVER DOLLAR.
At the time Of the passage Of the act now In
force requiring the coinage Of silver dollars,
fixing their valueand giving them legal-tender
character, It was believed BY many OF tho sup
porters of the measure that the silver dollar,
which 4 authorized, would, speedily become,
under the operations of the law, of equivalent
value 70 the gold dollar. There were other
| supporters Of the bill who, while they doubt
ed rs to the probability Of this result, never
theless were willing TO give the proposed ex-
pertinent fair trial, with view to stop the
coinage, II experience should prove that the
silver dollar authorized by the bill continued
TO be Of less. commercial value than the stand
| ard gold dollar
Thecoinage of silver dollars, under the act re-
| ferred to, began IN March, 1878, and has heen
continued as required by the act The average
rate per month ~ the present time has been =
21i i92. The total amount coined prior to the 1st
Of November last was 3l2S41,7j0. Ofthis amount
! $HOA45 remain in the Treasury, and only
S6783, 9l are in the hands Of the people. A
| constant effort has been made 20 keep this cur
rency in circulation, and considerable expense
/ has been necessarily incurred for this purpose
but its return 70 the Treasury is prompt and
sure. Contrary IN the confident anticipation Of
the friends of tho measure at the time Of it's
adoption, the value OF the silver dollar, contain
ing il21 grains OF silver has not increased. Dur
ing the year prior 70 the passage of the bill au-
thOrizing its coinage. the market value of the
silver which 1t contained was from ninety TO
| ninety-twO cents, as compared with the stand
ard gold dollar. During the last year the aver
| age market value of the silver dollar has been
eighty-eight and half cents,
| 1t is obvious that the legislation of Congress
in regard TO silver, so far as IL was based on an
anticipated rise in the value of silver as a result
Of that legislation, has failed to produce the eff
! feet then predicted. The longer the law remains
in force requiring a. itdoes the coinage of a
nominal dollar, which, in reality, is not dollar,
| the greater becomes the danger that this oOuu-
| try will be forced to accept single metal as the
| sole legal standard of value, in circulation, and
! this standard of less value than it purports 70
| be worth in the recognized money Of the world
The Constitution Of the United States sound
financial principles and our best interests, all
require that the country should have as its legal
| tender money, both gold and silver coin, of an
| intrinsic value, as bullion, equivalent to that
which, upon its face, it purports TO possess. The
/ OOnstitutiOn. in express terms, recognizes both
gold and silver as the only true legal. tender
| money. 70 Danish either of these metals from
our currency is tO narrow and limit the circula-
| ting medium Of exchange to the dsparagement
| of impOrtOnt interests. The United States pro.
| duces mora silver than any other country, and
Is directly interested in maintaining it as one of
| the two precious metals which furnish the coin
age of the world. II will in my Judgment, con-
tribute to this result il Congress will repeal so
much of existing legislation as requires the coin
age Of silver dollars containing only 4l2h grains
pf silver, and in its stead will authorize the
Secretary of the Treasury to coin silver dollars
Of Ofequivalent value as bullion, with gold dollars
This will defraud no man, aud will be in accord
Rnce with familiar preCedents. Congress on sew
eral occasions, has altered the ratio of value
NanN "A NanNW NgIa
more nearly in accordance with the actual ratio
of value between the two metals.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT..
The Secretary of War reports that the eKpend-
itures of the War Department for the fiscal year
ended June 30 1880, we're B39 924, ,773.03. The Op-
pToDriatiOns for this department for the current
fiscal year amount to Sil 99j,69O4O.
With respect tO the army, the Secretary invites
attention to the fact that ts strength is limited
by statute (secton LIE, Revised Statutes) to not
more than 5000 enlisted men, but that prOvisos
contained in appropriation bills have limited
expenditures 70 the enlistment of but Is 900. II
is believed the full legal strength is the least
possible force at which the present organization
can be maintained, having in view ethoienoy
discipline and economy. While the enlistment
OF this force would add somewhat TO the appro-
pration for pay of the army, the saving made in
other respects would be more than an equiva-
lent for this additional outlay, and the efficiency
CT the army would be largely increased,
NAVAL DEFENsEs. ...
Especial attention is asked TO the report of
the Chief of Engineers upon the condition Of
our National defen es. From a personal in
speotion of many of the fOrtlhCations referred
to, the Secretary Is able to emphasize the
recommendations made, and to state that
their incomplete and defenseless condition is
disoredltable to the country. While other ma
tions have been increasing their means for
carrying on offensive warfare and attacking
maritime cities we have been dormant in
preparation for defense; nothing of Import
ance has been done towards strengthening
and finishing our oaaemated works since our
late civil war, during which the great guns of
modern warfare and the heavy RrmOr of modern
Qualifications and ships came into use among
the nations, and our earthwOrks left, by sud-
den failure of appropriations some years since,
in all stages of incompletiOn, are now being rap
idly destroyed by the elementa.
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
a comprehensive Improvement of the MisaiB-
sippi and its tributaries is a matter of trans
comprise a system of inland transportation
spread like network over large portion of the
United States and navigable to the extent OF
many thousand miles. Producers and cOnaum-
ers alike, have q common interest in such un-
equaled facilities for cheap transportation.
Geographically, commercially and politically,
they are the strongest tie between the various
sections Of the 90 1ntry. pheae channels of com
muulcatiOn and interchange are the property OF
the Nation. It's iqrisdietiOn is paramount over
their waters, and the painest principles of pub
lie interest require their intelligent and careful
supervision, with view tO their protection, inn
ness.
WORD FOR GENERAL GRANT
commend to the attention of Congress- the
our armies during the war for the Union, whose
wise, hrm, and patriotic conduct did so much to
bring that mumentnus conflict to a close, The
legislation of the United States contains many
precedents for the recognition of distinguished
military merit, authorizing rank and emolu-
ments TO be conferred for eminent services TO
the country An 40. of Congress authorizing
the appointment of Captain-General of the
Army, with suitable provisions relating TO com
pensation, retirement, and other details would,
IN my Judgment, be altogether fitting and
proper, and would be warmly approved by the
country.
The report OF the Secretary of the Navy exhib-
ITS the successful and satisfactory management
of that Department during the last fiscal year
The total expenditures for the year Sl2 9l669g.-
u, leaving unexpended at the close of the year
S2l4l ,652.Gi OF the amount of available appro-
priatiOns. The appropriations for the present
hsoal year ending June 80 1881 are Sl5 O96 O6l as;
and the total estimates fOz the next fiscal wear
endi ng June 50, lSs2 are sl5,9b9 15l 81: The
November l, 1880, is S5 50il, ,57r.45.
The Secretary of the Navy has taken steps to-
wards the establishment of naval coalinR-sta-
tons at the lsthmus OF Panama, 10 meet the re-
quirements of our commercial relations with
Central and South America, which are rapidiy
growing IN importance, Locations suitable,
both as regards our naval purposes and the nae
of commerce, have been selected, one on the
east slde OF the lethmus, at Chiriqui lagoon, in
coast, az the Bay Of dolito. The only safe bar
hOrH, aumeiently oOmmodious, on the IsthmuR
are at these pointa, and the distance between
them is less than ono hundred mHes, The re-
port of the Secretary Of the Navy ooncludes with
valuable suggestions with respect TO the build,
ing up of our meTohant-marine service which
deserve the favorable oonsid aration Of Congress.
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
, Inc report OF the pOstmaster-0 0eneral othibits
OienOy of the pDgtal garyire The onara t;,.,u "a