Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02
XLVIITH CONGRESS.
The Three Per Cent. Funding Bill-Sher.
man Says He win Vote Against
the Measure if the
Plumb Amendment is Not Stricken Out
The POstOifice Appropriation Bill
in the House.

! WASHINGTON, February 1-.SeHgts-Peti-
! tons were presented for the suppression
/ of polygamy.
! The bill appropriaIing S15, 900 to enable
the National Board Of Health to supply
1 pure vaccine virus TO the people at cost
| price was reported favorably.
| On motion of Senator Window a resolu-
! ton was adopted requesting the President
| to communicate the correspondence between
! the executive department and diplomatic
agents of the United States relating to the
proposed congress of American nations, or
any of them, In 1882.
! The Senate then took up Senator Nor
| gan's pending resolution calling for au-
/ thentie statement of all tests made by the
mixed commission in reference to heavy ord
nance being built by the United States,
| and also for printing the testimony taken in
| the last Congress on the subject of heavy
| ordnance and projectiles. and the tests to
| which they have been subjected.
| Discussion followed, in which Senator
Morgan explained that his purpose was to
have published matters which the ordnance
bureau had suppressed. He had been in
| formed that the bureau was in the hands of
| ga ring" interested in certain inventions, and
| its chief officer had patents upon inventions
which the 'ring" had caused to be patented.
He wanted TO have the whole matter sifted
to the bottom and an opportunity given to
American inventors to compete with the
favorites of the bureau.
The resolution was finally laid aside in
formally, without action.
The Senate then took up the three per
cent. bond bill, aud Senator Morgan ad-
yocated as an additional section an amend
ment ar follows: THAT the agreement
made with the holders of bonds oil the United
States since the adjournment of the forty
sixth Congress, by which the rate of interest
on such bonds is reduced to three and one
half per centum per annum, is hereby fully
ratified and confirmed according to the terms
and intent of said agreement"
After a long discussion, upon the sugges-
ton of Senator Ingalls, the amendment was
modified by the insertion of the express
recognition of the agreement as being valid
and binding upon the government.
The amendment was then adopted without
a dissenting vote, as was also the provision
offered by Senator Davis w. Va declaring
that nothing in the act shall be so construed
as to authorize an increase of the public
debt
The bill was then reported to the Senate
from the Committee of the Whole, and the
question being upon agreeing to the amend
ments whole, Senator Sherman asked for
a separate vote upon Senator Plumb's amend
ment applying the surplus revenues over
Sl00,000000 to the reduction of the public
debt. He said that If the proposition was
not stricken out he and others who had acted
with the committee would be compelled to
vote against the bill. He urged upon the
Senate to appreciate the Importance OF main
tanning a sufficient reserve in the treasury as
heretofore, in order that sudden emergencies
might be provided against, and argued
that ii the proposed reduction was
now made it would open
the same direction. The next move, he !
feared, would be to dispose of revenues in
excess of S50,00O,000. He had been informed
even to-day that the flow of gold from our
own country had begun, and he was appre-
hensive that the balances in our favor here |
tofore might be turning against US. He |
added that on the previous evening he felt |
like initiating the example of the French |
ministers and resigning the charge of the |
bill in favor of the senator from Kansas |
[ Plumb.
Senator Plumb said the senator complained |
that somebody might some day reduce the |
redemption fund to S50,000000. He Plumb |
knew one man, the secretary of the treasury, |
who might to-day reduce it to nothing, and |
he wanted to restrict this one mans power.
The senator sought to alarm the country by |
charging that a panic might occur if the |
surplus revenues were reduced, and he had |
spoken Of the outflow Of gold, and in this he
was helping to bring on the very evil he /
protested to fear. He Plumb believed now
was the accepted time for applying usefully
the revenue which had been living useiessly
in the treasury vaults.
Senator Teller said the financial state
ments laid upon the desks of the senators
from official sources disproved Sherman's as
sertion that gold exports had begun.
Senator Bayard here took the floor, but
yielded for a motion for an executive session.
The House concurrent resolution, fixing
the 9th of February as the day for the Gar
field memorial services, was concurred in.
Senator Morrill, reported from the Finance
Committee bill proposing amendments to
the Revised Statutes to authorize collectors,
naval officers, surveyors and inspectors who
may have cause to suspect the concealment
IF merchandise in a particular store or
dwelling, to search for and seize the same.
After an executive session the Senate adj
onrned