The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-06
XLVIII CONGRESS-.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. o

10 Do referred 10 the appropriate committees
| when appointed:
By Mr.. Hoar, from the legislature of Massa
chusetts, asking the passage of law prohi
biting the employment of csnvicts upon works
| of the United States.
BY Mr.. Blair, from the legislature Of New
Hampshire, against land subsidies TO railroads
1t recites that nearly 1S0 600 600 acses OF land
have been given to railroads, an acreage equa
to thirty times the State of New Hampshire
and comprising the best lands of the United
State: that ii such subsidies were ever necessa'
ry they are so no longer; that many of the rail-
roads recently built are uncslled .or by settlers
and others; the public lands are the property
of the whole people and when sold in such
quantities and on such terms as to encourage
settlement and improvement and not to be
given to large corporations or otherwise squan-
dered. 1t therefore asks that no further such
subsidies be given, and that there be no ras
newal of forfeited grants.
Mr.. Blair also presented joint resolution
from the same legislature, asking for the es-
adjustment OF government postal telegraph.
Among the bills introduced were the follow
ing; &, NJ, u.,. - ..,,.u. .,,,,, 80, ........,-
sorry pilot dues. Also for erection of public
buildings at Augusta, Me.
By Mr.: Frye, to extend the duration of the
court OF Alabama claims. Also to remove GER
By Mr.. Butler, to repeal the internal reve-
nue. laws now in force and to abolish the inter-
nal revenue bureau.
By Mr.. Logan, to provide for granting pub
lie lands to soldiers and sailors of the late
war.
By Mr.. Groome, to regulate the rank of en-
gineer officers of the United States Navy.
By Mr.. PendletoD, relating to the exercise
OF Jurisdiction conferred upon the United
States in places outside of its territory and
dominion, also; to regulate bills of exchange
drawn on foreign countries, when the amount
inV0lyad ia tn he maid in foraiun noY,
By Mr. Cockrell, to amend the laws so as to
permit retired army officers to hold civil office
in the Territories; also, Ito provide for the ap-
pointment of a special comm ission to visit the
principal countries of Central and South
America for the purpose of collecting insor-
nation looking to the extension of American
trade and commerce, and to strengthen the
friendly and mutually advantageous relations
between the United States and other national
tiles.
BY Mr.. Blair, to aid in the establishment
and temporary support of common schools;
also to reduce the revenue, promote
domestic industry and increase foreign COM
merce.
A joint resolution were also offered by Mr.
Blair proposing national constitutional
amendment regarding alcoholic liquors. (The
proposed amendment prohibits the manufac-
ture or sale of distilled alcoholic Intoxicating
liquors except for medicinal, mechanical,
chemical and scientific purposes, or for use in
the arts, in any of. the States or Territories,
and the importation of such liquors except for
the purposes named; and the bill provides
that should the amendment not be ratified BY
three-fourths of the States on or before the
last day of December, 1890, the prohibition it
processes shall take effect as an act of Con-
gress at the expiration of ten years)
BY Mr.. George, to permit statue Of Carl
baldi to be erected on public grounds at vicks-
burg, Miss.
Among the petitions presented was one by
Mr.. Frye from the Sons of Temperance, an or
der numbering, he said, about 10000, asking
Tor enquiry into the working and effects of the
liquor traffic.
After the introduction of an additional num-
Der of bills, Mr.. Morrill, obtained the floor for
delivery of speech on his blli relating to
coinage.
Mr. Morrill, said among other things that the
present unsatisfactory condition of our gold
and silver coinage appears so pronounced as to
demand the serious and early attention of the
Senate. Though nominally representing a
double standard the relative proportional val
ne is fiction too gross to endure, and when
that fiction explodes as sometime it must ex-
plode the heaviest lost must fall on those least
able to bear it. All silver coins aud all minor
coin are practically nothing more than tokens
representing values received for them much
above their actual value Ii the government
is poor or its credit strained, such indirect
gains might be winked at and tolerated, but
the United Stetes is now in its full vigor and
united manhood, with an overflowing treasury,
and we have no excuse for maintaining such
conflicting standards and such paltry sources
OF unnecessary revenue, and by expedients
which have grown inexcusable the actual val
ne of q silver dollar is 853 cents, and we are
daily doing all we can to depress its value at
home by laborious additions to the enormous
pile in the treasury until 1t threatens TO topple
over carrying with it its false and flimsy scaf-
folding OF the equivocating silver certificates
which when redeemed must be redeemed in
metal of quite another color. We are COM
PEELED to seek and to use at least $24 600 900 of
revenue annually with an option which allows
the use of $48, 600, 900 above that would other
colossal folly of boarding $3.50 tons OF silver
dollars, 942 tons of fractional silver and 40
tons of silver bullion, as useless either to the
government or to the people as the buried
treasure of Captain Kidd. 1t may be falsely
supposed that large accumulation of silver
dollars in the treasury therefore is for redemp-
ticn of our silver certificates, but not one of
these certificates ever has been or will be pre-
sented by the holder for redemption in silver.
They will be rendered at the custom house in
stead of gold. The first moment our exchanges
felt the shock of adverse balance of trade, or
whenever there is an excess of imports over
exports, then the real difference between
the standard of gold and silver coins will be-
come painfully manifest. When this contin-
gency occurs gold will become a fugitive and
sink below the horizon, and the Pickering sim
gle standard of silver whether up or down will
become dominant. The disastrous effects Thus
to arise cannot fail to disjoint the whole COM
merce and will invade the home of every wage
receiving laborer Of the country.
Must all our trade and business enterprises
be kept forever on the lookout for a financial
convusion, suspended only by hairs breadth
in the rate of exchange. If not then may we
not hope that all will unite upon some proper
and conservative measure that will save to our
people the use of both gold and silver.
A message was received from the President
and upon the conclusion of Mr.. Morrill's re-
marks the Senate went into executive session
After brief executive session, during which
a number of nominations received today were
laid upon the table to await formation OF COM
mittees the Senate adjourned until tomorrow.
HOUSE.
In the House q resolution was adopted for
the printing of $500 copies Of the Digest and
Rules of the House.
A communication from the Chief Justice of
the United States Supreme Court asking for
the immediate appropriation of $4,000 for the
printing of the records of that court, was, after
discussion, referred to the committee of the
whole.
Mr.. Tucker of Virginia called up his resolu.
tion referring to the committee on elections
the papers in the Virginia contested election
case of Garrison vs. Mayo, and it was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Randall lof Pennsylvania,
IT was ordered that when the House adjourn
tomorrow it be to meet on Monday next.
Mr.. Belmont of New York, presented a me-
mortal asking for marine hospital at New
York city. Referred TO committee on appro-
priatioBs.
Mr.. Jones of Alabama submitted the Gus
tomary resolutions announcing the death oi
Thomas H. Herndon of Alabama, and out oi
respect to the memory of the deceased the
House, at 12.40, adjourned, with the under
standing that no business will be transacted
tomorrow.
THE ESTIMATES.