The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-10-01
As TO the second clam: The resump-

AS to the second clam: The resump-
ton act of 1875, as it is called, was
agreed upon by caucus of Republican
senators early in the December session
of 1874. 1t was passed by the senate
on December ~, by vote OF 80 yeas to
IA nays. Every man who voted in the
affirmative was Republican, and of the
IA who voted in the negative II were
Democrats, one (Sprague) was Repub-
lican, who afterward became n rampant
infiationist, and the other (Tipton) was
Liberal. In the house, where, as in
the senate the act was made Republican
party measure, the final vote, taken ON
January 7, 1876, was 139 in favor to so
against. Every man who voted in the
affirmative was Republican, and of the
80 in the negative II were Democrats, %
We're Republicans and 8 were Liberals.
The act was approved by President
Grant on January ID, 1875. The Demo.
cratic attack opened briskly the following
year. Three efforts were made in the
house on June 81, 1876, to secure u vote on
arepeal bill, but the Republicans defeated
them all by making points of order,
ordering roll-calls, and otherwise caus-
ing delay. The Democratic national
convention was to meet mt st. Louis on
the following day. and the party leaders
in congress wish, i t, AXE such action as
would force an expression Oh the subject
into their platform. They were success.
full; and the convention adopted its
famous declaration that the Republican
party was annually enacting fresh
hindrances to resumption, adding: "As
"such hindrance we denoumce the re-
"sumption clause of 1875, and we here
"demnnd it's repeal" This declaration
made the question of repeal an Issue in
the canvass, and to put the party more
emphatically on record in its favor. the
house passed repeal bill on August 8,
by vote of Jog yeas to SO nays. OF the
voters in the affirmative 81 were Demo-
Gratis ane Republicans, and of those in
the negative ~ were Democrats and SO
Republicans. The Republican senate
stopped the mischief for that year by de-
Ginning to pass the bill.
General Ewing renewed the attack in
1877. He introduced q repeal bill on
October 20; it came up in the house for
action two days later. Amotion to bury
the bill in committee was defeated by a
vote of 116 yeas to 1873 nays. OF the
yeas 95 were Republicans and 81 were
Democrats. OF the nays 107 were DEM
ocrats and 81 Republicans. On Novem-
Der 4 the bill was up again, and the
Democrats threatened to block all legis-
lation on the appropriation bills until q
vote on this could be taken. The sub
ject was debated almost daily until No
vember %. One of the ablest speeches
against il was made by General Garfield.
A vote was taken ON the 23d, and the. bill
was passed by 13 majority. OF the 1873
votes in favor of repeal, 104 were cast by
Democrats and 20 by Republicans. OF
the 100 votes against repeal, 81 were
cast by Republicans and % by Demo-
crates. The east cast 67 votes against
repeal, and IA votes for it; the west cast
Al votes against repeal, and 80 for it;
the south cast 20 votes for repeal,
and only Is against 1t, and of these IS
were cast by Republicans. Nothing
was done with the bill by the senate
during this session. On March 26,
1873, the subject was taken up in the
senate, and on June IA that body passed
u substitute which struck out the re-
pealing clause of the house bill, and
provided that on and after the passage Of
the bill greenbacks should be receivable
rs coin for four per cent. bonds, and
after October 81, 1873, be receivable in
payment of duties. The vote OH the bill
thus amended was 45 yeas and ID nays.
OF the yeas, 81 were Republicans and
"a were Democrats; Of the nays, 8 were
Republicans and 9 Democrats. This
substitute failed to secure two-thirds
majority in the house, receiving on June
Is, 145 yeas and 105 nays. The parties
were not divided rs formerly on this
vote, as the extreme imitation Democrats
and the hard money Republicans were
alike dissatisfied with the substitute.
This ended the direct attack upon the
act itself. In February, 1879, Ewing
tried to have the defeated substitute re-
vived, but the proposal was received
with derision, He reported the bill
from the committee ON banking and
currency with the senate substitute
stricken out and some imitation ideas of
his own put IN their place, but on Feb
ruary "a the house tabled the whole
question finally by vote of III to 10.
This vote is interesting as showing that,
even after the resumption act was al-
most certain of success, the Democrats
were eager to repeal 1t. OF the 141
votes in favor Of tabling the dying re-
peal measure, Ia were cast by Repub-
ioans and az by Democrats; while Of