Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-17
Senate.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The president pro
TEN was authorized to fill vacancies occasioned
by the recent changes in committee member
ships and other like vacancies previously ex-
listing.
Bills were introduced and referred for the
suppression and prevention of pneumonia in
neat cattle; to authorize the erection OF
statue to Chief Justice Marshal. By Camden.
for further appropriation to continue the
Improvement of the Ettle Kqnawha river in
West Virginia.
House resolution for a special committee
on the rights of women, was taken up. Vest,
in opposition, said the senate now had forty
one committees, with messengers and clerks,
one. half of whom, without exaggeration, were
literally without employment. He had been
informed by the sergeant-at arms that he must
have, if the resolution is adopted, six addi-
tional messengers. The committees on ter
ritories and privileges and elections,
were open to inquiry, and had
now before them single
proposition on the subject There was anoth-
er committee that would do ample justice to
it, one to which he referred most respectfully,
that on Revolutionary claims. If there was
anyrevolntionarv claim in this country that
should 90 to that committee it was that for
woman suffrage (Laughter), for it would revo
lutionize society, religion, and woman's
proper position in the family circle as
wife and mother, for she was this and not
a politician and voter. AS the committee on
revolutionary claims had had before 1T but
one bill in thirty years it would be able 10 give
woman suffrages their undivided attention,
and they would there find at last one undivided
haven of rest Thai committee was, in par
liamentary life, typical of that verse IN Watts
hymn,
There shall | battle my soul
In seas of heavenly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast.
That committee needed today, in a western
phrase, some "stirring up" and what could
Stir up this most venerable and respectable in
stitution more than a delegation Of "strong
minded" with short hair and shorter skirts,
invading its dignified realm and demand
ing attention while it illustrated
female suffrage? (Renewed merriment.)
Moreover, if these ladies could
even succeed in obtaining in Providence, a
good report from that committee it would
end the question forever, because the public at
large, himself included, in view of that ex-
hibition of power of female Establishment and
female influence, would surrender at once, and
female suffrage would become constitutional
and loyal.
Vest finally moved to refer the subject to
that committee. Not agreed to. Ayes 2l,
nayes 3.
Senator Bayard moved to refer the resolu-
ton to the committee on Judiciary. He re-
garded woman suffrage as presenting ques-
ton which struck at the very roots of the
present organization of society. 1t was
many sided one, and some of its aspects were
not fitting for discussion in a public forum
like the senate.
The morning hour expiring, Senator Logan
asked and obtained unanimous consent to say
IA word. He thought it but just that the lady
citizens of the United States should have
committee specially charged to hear their
views, which should be organized as favorably
to those views as possible in order that such
citizens may have a hearing.
Morrill, asked unanimous consent to allow
he resolution to be disposed of.
VOORHEES, asked the regular order, namely,
resolutions and the bill on presidential sue
cesson. This subject was accordingly taken
up, but laid over after a statement by Jones,
Fla), who had the floor, that he would yield
for a speech by VOORHEES, on another subject.
The following assignments in the rearrange-
ment of committees consequent upon the re-
cent vacancies were announced: Window is
substituted for Edmunds as chairman
of committee on foreign affairs, and
takes the place of Aldrich on
the same committee. He is also assigned to
the committees on patents, and education and
labor, to fill vacancies, and to the committee
on transportation routes to the seaboard, in
place of Blair. Harrison succeeds Logan on
Indian affairs and Sawyer on territories. AL
drich takes the place of Hawley on District of
Columbia. Sewell is assigned to the chair
manshlp on enrolled bills, in place of Rollins;
Sawyer to the select committee on census,
in place of Cameron wis; Miller New
W 1
place of Miller (Cal.); Hill (Col.) to the select
committee on Nicarguan claims, in place of
Howley; Davis to committee on civil service
and retrenchment, in place of Hill (Col.);
Saunders to the select committee on civil SER
vice in place of Rollins; VanWyck to COM
mittee on pensions, to fill vacancy.
Voorhees, resolution, referring TO the
finance committee parts of the presidents
message relating to the repeal of laws author
izing silver coinage and the
issue of silver certificates was taken
up, and that senator ADDRESSED
the senate He referred to the financial dis
tress of the country daring the five years
prior to 1871, and the following act demone-
tizing silver, and said that while this distress
was not due to that legislation the act was
patent factor on the general scheme for the
cotraction of money, and the consequent over
throw of business prosperity. Itwas one of
same end, and looking to the benefits of
money lending usurers engaged in making
money scarce and dear rate of interest,
making high wages low and times hard for all
but bond and mortgage holders.
The law of the Democratic congress in 1878,
restoring silver circulation by means of GER
tIfcates and coin, broke the nightmare spell
of financial prostratiOn and quickened the vi
tality of every business enterprise. 1t gtve
IF ia mnph naa1pd
ual increase of our circulating medium. Every
body could then know how much
was coming and at what rate, and
could prepare for business accordingly.
None of the vehement representations of
cavil then made against United States silver
money had been verified. The capricious eX-
ercise by different secretaries of the treasury
of vast and dangerous power, contracting
the currency and Tightening the money mar
ket at the instance of national banks, who
would have drawn out of circulation all kinds
of money but their own in order that they
might have the whole financial field and all
its profits to themselves, together
with the demonetization of silver, more than
all other causes combined, what created and
continued the panic of 1878. The act of May
81, 1878, prohibited greenback money from
being touched, and the treasury was thereby
told to let the greenback circulation alone at
the amount then outstanding. The answer to
the cry that the greenback cause was failure
is given in the fact that the amounts
of greenbacks in circulation in 1878
and 1881, respectively, are exactly the same
That cause had achieved great and important
victory, for the greenback currency remained
a steadfast, undertaking and honored one. Be-
sides the act securing greenbacks from further
molestation, the subsequent steps, making it
receivable for import duties, raised it to a par
with gold, and there it has remained ever
since. By these measures the currency has
been reasonably expanded by the use of silver,
and our entire circulation rendered stable
and uniform in value, and to this
was due the business prosperity
of the country. 1t had been accomplished
against the avowed hostility and active energy
of the Republican administration.
Under the act of February 2S, 1878, about
S92, ,OOO, 900 of legal tender silver money had
been coined, and silver certificates issued to
a. ,,,,o,,n4 f sR6 ee2 ON ha ead do1lar for do1