National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Inc SPEAhER announced the appointment Ol
Mr.. RAY upon the Committee on Pensions, Invalid
Pensions, and Militia, and the appointment OF Mr.,
MCKINLEY member of the joint committee to
inquire into alleged losses in the collection of i'll
ternal revenue.
Mr.. PRICE arose to personal explanation. In
the discussion of the funding bill yesterday qHes-
tion of veracity had arisen between the gentleman
from Kentucky Mr. CARLISLEl and himself
Mr.. REAGAN objected to Mr.. PRICE continuing,
on the ground that the question was not a per-
sOnal one.
Mr. CARLISLE said that if he had made any as
sertion which could be construed as questioning
the gentlemanS yeracity he would withdraw ii
very cheerfully. [Laughter]
Mr. PRICE. don't want the gentleman to with
draw it. want to get it right on the record.
Mr. CARLISLE. If the gentleman has made any
assertion which could be construed as questioning
my veracity. forgive him for it. fLaughterl
Mr.. PRICE then stated the question of yeracity
was upon the point whether the redemption of the
circulation of national banks was at the expense
OF the banks or of the Government, and in assert
ing that it was at the expense of the banks stated
that the pending bill was anything but funding
BILL and that he would vote against If he voted
alone.
The matter was then dropped, and the Speaker
announced that the regular order of business was
the further consideration of the funding bill.
Mr. GILLETTE rose to point of ORDER and
argued that inaSmuch as Mr.. NEwBERRY had
openly stated that he had gone to the national
bank of which he was a director to inquire how
he should vote he had no right to vote on this
question. He did not make the point of order out
of any ill-Will to the gentleman but as matter of
duty. If there had been anything developed by
the recent debate it had been the fact that this bill
was so closely allied TO the national bank system
that it might with propriety be called national
bank bill.
Mr.. NEWBERRY said that he was very glad hat
the point of order had been raised. The point in
yolved nearly every member not only OH this
House. if construed as the gentleman from Iowa
construed it, no member who used tobacco in any
form could vote TO take the tax OFF tobacco He
held that no rule of the House could deprive any
member of his vote The foundation of the right
to vote lay with mans own conscience, and with
no rule.
Mr. WEAVER said that he would broaden the
point of order so as to include every member who
was national bank stakeholder.
Mr. HASKELL suggested that all the Greenback
members should also be included in the point of
order, because they were directly interested in
keeping up an agitation in regard to national
banks.
Messrs. SPRINGER and HOOKER contended
that the point of order was not well taken.
Mr.. cox declared that the rule referred to was
practically nullity, though he could wish it were
otherwise.
The SPEAKER said that the Chair must be gov
erned by the rules of the House and the interpre-
tations placed upon them in the past. The Chair
was not aware that the House of Representatives
had ever deprived representative of the right OF
representing his constituents, and decision of the
Chair to that extent would be an act altogether
without the reach of his authority; nor did the
Chair believe that the House itself had the right to
deprive member of his right to represent such
constituency. In view, therefore of former decis
ions, which he quoted, the Chair oyerruled the
point of order.
An appeal from the decision. taken by Mr. GIL
LETTE, was laid upon the table-yeas, 90; nays 81
The question then recurred on agreeing to the
amendments reported by the Committee of the
Whole TO the funding bill.
The first amendment on which a separate vote
was demanded was that fixing the rate of interest
upon the bonds at three per cent, instead OF three
and half. The amendment was agreed to-yeas,
149; nays, l04.
was adopted without division, were also the
amendments fixing the rate of interest the GER
tfcates at three per cent and making them lilo
certificates.
separate vote was taken on the amendment
providing that before any of the bonds or certif-
Gates authorized by this act issued the Secre-
ing during the year 1881 all the silver dollars and
all the gold over $4,000 900 now in the Treasury
for redemption purposes. The yeas and nays were
ordered.
The amendment was rejected-yeas, Ill; nays
1t0-and it was stricken from the bill.
The next amendment on which separate vote
was demanded was that the expenses of preparing
issuing, advertising, and dispoSing of the bonds
and certificates shall not exceed one-quarter OF
one per cent. 1t was agreed to-yeaS, l51; nays
l03.
Messrs. MCCOOK and WILLIAMS of Wisconsin
stated that they had been called out of the House
during the rol1-call upon the amendment fixing
the rate OF interest on the DOnuS. HAD LneE been
present they would have voted in the negative.
Mr.. GILLETTE stated that had he been present
he would have voted in the affirmative.
The next vote was taken upon Mr.. CARLISLE's
substitute to the fifth section which provides that
after the 1s of May, 1881 the three per cent bonds
shall be the only bonds receivable security for
national bank circulation, or security for the
ekeeping.of public moneys, repeals section OF
the act of June 90 1874 and reenacs sections 515g
and $50 of the Revised Statutes.
1t was agreed tO-yeas, 137; nays. 119.
hon
of the BILL and it was pasSed-yeaS 135; nays, 125
The House then adjourned.