Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-14
WASHINGTON NOTES.
INTERESTING GOSSIP FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.

| Trade Dollar-How Crook got the Best
| of Teller and LincOIn-JOhn Sherman
as Talker-Bryant's FaiIure-Sale OF
the OglethOrpe Barracks.
| WASHINGTON, July 13.-United States
/ treasurer Wyman said to-day to
your correspondents: ''There is nc
doubt whatever in my mind that
all this trade dollar agitation is
is caused by combination of brokers'
who are working to buy in all of the coin
they can at 50 cents on the dollar. and
then, when the agitation ceases. and il
is taken in trade at its face value again.
sell out and pocket the~profits of their
trick. There are many evidences that
this is the game that is being played. One
particular piece of evidence is the fact
that posters calling on the public not to re-
ceiye the coin for more than 50 cents on the
dollar have been distributed throughout the
various cities, and placarded prominently
like circus bills. Who would go to this
expense unless there was sOmethin o
hoped to be gained by the outlay? There
is no doubt but that this trade dollar agi-
tatlon is scheme of brokers. The people
are unwise to be deceived by it. But it
can't be helped" Assistant Treasurer
Graves was present during this conversa-
tlon. When asked his opinion. he said
that it was and always had been similar
to that expressed by Mr.. Wyman. Mr..
Wyman continued: 81 am surprised to find
that there are so many people in the
country who apparently do not read the
newspapers. The papers have been filled
for the past three weeks with statements
concerning the status of the dollar.
yet we receive daily a large number
OF letters from all parts of the coun-
try asking if the trade dollar is a legal
tender? We answered them at first i'm
writing, but they have increased to such
an extent that we have been compeIled
to have a statement of the history of the
trade dollar printed III circular form.
We will now send a copy of this circular
to each of the thousands of anxious in
qulrers. The circular states that
the coinage of the dollar was author
lied by the act of February 18th, 1873.
Its object was to
MEET THE CHINESE TRADE.
Large quantities of it were exported to
China, where it went into ready circula-
tiOn. After few months there was an
unforeseen depreciation in the value of
silver bullion. Under such a condition
dealers IN bullion found a profit in putting
trade dollars into circulation at par in
Ihe racine states. From there they have
travelled all over the country. In July,
1876, Congress passed an act that there
after the trade dollar would not be
legal tender. Owing to the appreciation of
paper currency in the fall of 1877 the trade
dollar became of less value than the pa
per dollar, and in December of that wear
a number OF them were put into circuIa-
tlon at their face value at profit to the
owners OF bullion. Owing to this misuse
Of them their coinage was discontinued.
But In their use as money the depart
ment has never had any interest or de-
rived any profit. For the expense of their
coinage the owner of the bullion reim-
bursed the government, and this ended the
connection OF the government with the
transaction. AT no time and on no ac-
count have they ever been received. or
paid out, by the Treasury, and it is a
cause of regret that so many of our peOpIe
should have accepted them at their face
value, thus enabling their owners to
put them in circulation at a consider
able profit. Under date of July %. 1873
the Director of the Mint published tables
from which the value of these coins can
be ascertained and the terms on which
they are received at the mints. He does
not advise any one to dispnsn of tho1n at
such rates. The law under which the de-
partment buys bullion with which to coin
OAAC oOonOotAh oIlNSI uOIldf, REQUIRES the
same to be bought at the market price.
and it can purchase trade dollars only as
bullion. Possibly in time these coins will
find ready market in China at nearly
or quite their face value, for circulation
as coin.
SECRETARY TELLER
is very much put out because General |
Crook is to have his way in dispOsine of !
the hostile Indians which he captured i'm (
Mexico and brought back. Secretary
Lincoln is not much pleased either. But |
II is Secretary Teller who feels the worse.
He is from Colorado and believes with |
the people of that State, and many others,
that the only good Indian is a dead |
Indian. The Colorado people expected a
good deal from him when he became |
OF the Interior. They thought
that he would exercise a policy towards /
the Indians according to their own idea. /
He certainly tried to do so. AT
the very first big opportunity he has /
failed. The way Crook came it over
secretaries Lincoln and Teller possesses !
an element of amusement. An army Off /
GER on duty in the War Department told |
me to-day how it was. The two Secreta- I
rles were determined that the Indians I
should not be taken back on a reserVa-
lion. Crook recommended strongly that
they should. He was directed to proceed
10 Washington for consultation, but th( ,
TWO Secretaries were confident that the
lad it in the hollow of their hands thf
they should have their own Way. Pref {
lent Arthur was ON their side, but oJen I
TO conviction if Crook could persuade i'm {
that his idea was the correct one. Cook
came to Washington. He is quiet, ean
and rather ungainly looking. But he kiows
when it is raining. He first held aeon '
'ultation with Lincoln. He coKH not 9
shake the latter in his opinion chat the {
Indians must not be allowed 'ack on Il
He then had gJoIllt inter
view with Teller and Linc-n; II IS un-
necessary to say Tat he ,naue no mead
way there. TheDthegc was Z consulta-
lion of the President, ne TWO secretaries
and Crook. MateSS ,Iay evIIoently We're not !,
changed by tl1stlJn tl1he detncta4 :o,,,otR, 0rook, e
fUmr 'ovoro6io ~ ohside in the way the Presi.
iant scted ~ YWent to his hotel and ate his f;
Inner. AZ smoking over the matter t.
.o. .,bn,,+ =, ,1our, he came to the concIu-
ion id Tia hight he ordered a carriage
md drovedt to the Soldiers Home to see
he PRESENT. n.
HE ALKED WITH MIR. ARTHUR ~
until eer midnight. The President was al
led that Crook was right. Secre- r
arie Lincoln and Teller were astounded n
he ext day, when the President told
no that he had decided that CrooIr
~ best, and that the Indians should be
1'oglrned to the San Carlos reservation. p,
e President did not say a word about b
midnight conference with Crook, and 2f
this day neither Lincoln nor Teller n
Ow why he changed so suddenly. Crook III
s.certainly demonstrated that he is 9s
pable of dealing automatically With che
lie face as of fighting the red map. tr
JOHN SHERMAN te
known nationally as cold, 0looded, un- e.
and lacking all genlal quaI- tC
es. His brother, Gen. william Ie- Sc
lmsch, is directly the reverse: A gen.
,man from Ohio, now in the city, to-day
id that he TOOK breakfast few days ago,
Cincinnati. with John Sherman. He Ii
ae surprised to ind him very talkative, II
,ry entertaining and almost cordial. He II
stoned to Sherman's conversation with 6
eat pleasure. AS he Was leaving he eX-
ressed his surprise at finding his host
lch a different man from what he had
xpected. 'EOh," said Sherman, 81 am v
OF usually a very talkative man, but
hen feel in the humor i often tank a C
reat deal-almost as much, sometimes, 4
S my brotherv'
FX-REPREsENTATIvE DEZENDORF,
f Virginia, who is probably the most ;
onspicuous victim of Malone that the :
ills and valleys of Virginia can produce,
} sharpening his meat AK and will try to
et at least one satisfactory whack at the
seadjuster boss. DezendOrf has many
acts about Mahone's methods of prostitu-
ing the Federal service in Virginia to
lis personal use, and the way in which
le has been allowed to do so by President
rfhur and Sacrafarv Chandler DpZpn- !