Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-01-12
PORTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IL.
On motion of Mr.. Pendleton the House
resolution for the recognition Of the services
of the late Superintendent Patterson, Of the
coast survey, was concurred in.
The President pro TEN. submitted q minute
of the general assembly of the Presbyterian
church Of the United States, At Buffalo, last
MAY, condemning polygamy.
Mr.. Morgan presented petition from men,
bers of the Omaha tribe of Indians, praying
Congress to grant to each one of them 4 clear
and full title to the land on which he has
worked.
Mr.. Morgan submitted resolution direct
ing a special committee on woman's suffrage
to enquire into the matter of suffrage in Utah,
and to report a bill to annul any existing Law
comforting the right of suffrage upon women
in that territory. The resolution went over.
Mr.. Dawes said the supineness Of the au.
thorities has been discouraging to philanthro-
phists, and that the impression that Congress
has been derelict in not providing for allot-
ment of land in seyeralty, was an erroneous
one. The petition was returned to the COM
mittee on Indian affairs.
Numerous petitions presented for amend
ment of the constitution to prohibit the man
ufacture. importation and sale Of alcoholic
liquors throughout the national domain. A
large number of petitions for . commission
to inquire in regard to the alcoholic liquor
traffic were also submitted.
At the end of the morning hour, Sherman's
funding bill was taken up, and Vest address
ed the Senate.
He claimed the democratic funding bill of
the last Congress would have saved the peo-
Ia nh -. ,,.ta 80 -
lie debt, and that this was prevented by the
republican party.
He was not attacking the National Banks,
but he did attack the vast power vested in
them. He condemned the legislation which
had given the National Banks the power to
contract or expand the debt at will. He de-
clared the National Banks have grown in
wealth and power to such an extent that they
do not int nd to surrender their charter or
their existence. The banks can oRly continue
with national debts, and the banks do not
propose to have the public debt paid of, be-
cause it would wipe them out.
He insisted that the issue between aggre-
gated capital in the National Banks on the
one side, and the people on the other, 10 now
presented. and he arrayed himself on the side
of the people.
Mr.. Sherman, replying to the criticisms
upon his utterances in the funding debate of
1870, said he was glad to see his friends on
the other side following his precepts, although
they might do better by following his lead
when he acted more wisely than he did in the
instance referred to. He was then contend
cent, but first to Eve, then l-2, and then
q per cent. bond, at the time when our
bonds were below par. The present changed
of tha
of his present course. He would, however.
reiterate what he said then, that the banks
were the creatures of and subject to the will
of Congress.
The talk of the Senator from Missouri,
(Vest) about the vastness Of the power Of
the banks and of their throttling the govern.
ment, reminded him Of pismy throttling .
giant. The cowardice Of capital was pro-
verbal, and the alarm of the banks was 90
great last year when the compulsory features
of the funding bill were passed, that manv of
them began to draw in their circulation. The
President vetoed the bill for the reasons
given in his message, and not because he was
coerced by the banks for they never coerce
anybody. There was more cause for appre.
hension from railroad influence and from the
power Of demagoguery, than from the power
of the banks. TWAS fortunate that the bill
u
have taken the three per cents. What was
to be gained by reviving the contest of one
year ago? As to the charges of the Senator
against the National Banking system, it was
sufficient to reply that the people were cana.
BILE Of appreciating the advantages to them
Of the System in comparison with that of for.
mer days. 1t was not monopoly for bank
ing was free.
1t was said the banks made profits, but 40
did every body during the war. He was not
welded to the banking system AID had no
personal interest in it, but believed il SUD-
piled the best form of banking ever devised,
and it was now being copied BY other nations.
The debate was here suspended. and the
chair submitted . message from the Presi-
dent transmitting communication from the
secretary of the interior, containing Q bill
and accompanying papers relating to an agree
ment with the Shoshone and other Indiana.
rs to the disposal Of portion Of their lands
in Utah and Idaho. referred to the committee
on Indian affairs
Mr.. Anthony stated that on the 18th inst. he
would ask leave to submit resolutions of re.
spect for the memory of his colleague, Am.
brose +. Burnside.
The President pro tenn. announced n
special committee on the rights of women
Messrs. Lapham. Anthony, Ferrv. Blair
George, jackson and Fair.
Mr.. Anthony introduced q bill providing
for the retirement and pension of person
Who served 80 years, or upwa rds, in either
House of Congress
Mr.. Anthony from the commjtses ON naval
Affairs. reported favorably on lie hill to mo-
mote the efficiency Of the navy.
Adjourned.