The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-02
Congress First Session.
WASHINGTON, March /. 1882.
SENATE.


Mr.. Vest introduced a bill TO prohibit the
issue Of bank notes a. currency by
national banks that may bc organized or
rc6rganiz,d after the lst OF February,
1852. lie said he saw by the papers this
morning that the Attoney-GcnerIl had
delivered his official opinion 10 the effect
that under the existing laws, without adj
ditional legislation by Congress. the ma
tional banks could continue their eX-
i>tencc. with the same privileges and
power, nOW conferred 10y cXi,tng statutes.
By the report OF the Comptroller Of Cur
rcncy il appeared that 3O3 OF these insti-
tuition, would 20 ont Of existence i'm
1882. and February lSt, 1883. Without
legislation their present system must
continue for IN indefinite period Of
time. He simply desired 10 bring this
question fairly and squarely before the
representatives OF the people, and Tor that
reason Introduced the bin which provided
that the feature OF The present law which
conlcrs upon national banks the power
% issue currency upon banks OF the United
state. shall cca.c rs 90 banks organized or
rcdrganizCd after July I. 1852. lie believed,
II Dee might hc permitted 10 say so, that the
Committee on Finance was opposed TO any
such legislation, and il they were he hoped
his bill would not be consigned 10 the tomb
OF the japulct>, but that if would be re-
ported lack either ilyorably or umiay0ra-
bly,.
Tie resolutions reported yesterday from
the Committee on Foreign Relations Tor
an Investigation OF the loss or abstraction
from the state Department OF the diplo-
matte correspondence relating TO Chill and
Peru. and Is 10 any improper connection
OF diplomatic or other officers or members
OF Congress with contracts or arrange
mcnts I'm regard to claims against or grants
derived from those countries, were taken
up.
Mr.. Bayard said the point to which the
resolution introduced by himself referred,
and the one which he considered most i'm
portan;. WAS whether or not the iutcryen-
ton of the United States in the affairs OF
neutral Governments had been implicitly
or expressly pledged. There, he said, was
the danger. The war-making power Is
vested i'm the Congress OF the United states,
and il was TO the Senate OF the graycsi mo-
meut chat there should be no implication Of
this great power by way OF influence by
any individual or in any manner other
than i'm accordance with the grave execution
OF powers under the Constitution. ne there
fore moved to amend by adding asa specific
subject OF inquiry the following: "Whc-
ther any promise or stipulation by which
Intervention by the United States i'm con-
troyersies existing between Chill and Peru
or Chilli and Bolivia has been expressly or
impliedlv given by any person or person,
officially connected with the Government
Of the United states. or whether it, inilu-
ence has been in any way cNcrted. prom
ised, or intimated. in connection with or in
relation 90 said contracts by any one Otii-
cially connected with The Government OF
the United States
Nessrs. WINDOW and Edmunds eX-
planned that the language reported by the
committee had been carefully chosen. 80 rs
10 make the inquiry 50 full that no possible
circumstance affecting the lnlted States
could escape. Therefore II had not been
limited to any specific matter. They had
not any objection To the amendment II the
Senator (Mr. Bayard) thought IT necessary.
Mr.. Bayard Insisted upon his motion,
and his amendment prevailed Without OBJ
lection.
The resolutions a amended Were
adopted.
Mr. Kellogg introduced bin appropria-
ting 5000. GOO for the construction OF pub
lie building for courthouse and post-ofllce
purposes at Opelousas, La, and approprla-
ting S20O, 900 for public building for like
purposes at Shreveport, In.
After the morning hour the unfinished
business (the Chinese bin was temporarily
laid aside for speech by Mr.. voorhees,
upon the urgency Of better accommodations
for the library OF Congress, the library bill
being taken up informally for this purpose.
Al the close OF MIR. Voorhees, remarks
Mr.. Bavard suggested that unless some
other senator desired 10 discuss the subject
vote should be at once taken upon the
| BILL
Messrs. Harris and ingalls, objected, the