Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-12-06
FORTYBICRfn CONGRESS.
First Session.
SENATE.

referred to appropriate committees when ap-
pointed:
By Mr.. Hoar from the legislature of Mas
sachusetts asking the passage of the Law pro-
hibiting the employment of cOnvlcts upon
works of the United States.
By Mr.. Blair from the legislature of New
Hampshire against land subsidies to railroads
1t recites that nearly $50. 900 acres of land
| have been given to railroads, an acreage
equal to thirty times the State of New
Hampshire and comprising lands of the
United States, that if such subsidies were
ever necessary they are no longer. That
many Of the railroads recently built are un-
called for by the settlers and others, that the
public lands are the property of the whole
people, and when sold should be sold in such
quantities and on such terms as to encourage
| settlement and improvement, or not given to
large corporations or otherwise squandered.
1t therefore asks that no further such subsid-
les be given and that there be no renewal of
forfeited granite.
Mr.. Blair also presented joint resolution
from the same legislature asking for the es-
tablishment of a government postal telegraph.
Among the bills introduced were the fol-
lowing:
By Mr.. Hale, to relieve ships from com
pulsory pilot fees; also for the erection of a
public building at Augusta Maine.
By Mr.. Frye, to extend the duration of the
court Of Alabams claims also to remove GER
tain burdens on shipping.
By Mr.. Butler to repeal the internal revs-
nue. laws now in force and to abolish the in
ternsl revenue bureau.
By Mr.. Logan, to provide for granting
pnblic lands to soldiers and sailors OF
the late war
By Mr.. GroOme, to regulate the rank OF
engineers and officers in the navy.
| BY Mr.. Pendleton, relating to the exercise
of the jurisdiction conferred upon the United
States in places outside of its territory and
the Dominion; also to regulate bills of ex-
| change drawn on foreign countries when the
amount involved is to be paid in coin.
By Mr.. Cockrell, to amend the laws to
permit retired army officers to hold civil
offices; also to provide for the appointment
of special commissioner to visit the princi-
pal contries in Central America for the pur-
pose of collecting information looking to
extensive American trade and commerce and
to strengthen the friendly and advantageous
relations between the United States and
other natiOnalities.
By MIR, Blair to aid in establishing and
temporary support Of common schools also
to reduce revenues and promote domestic in
dustry and increase foreign commerce. A
joint resolution was also offered by Mr..
Blair proposing national constitutional
amendment regarding alcoholic liquors. The
proposed amendment prohibits the manufact-
ure or sale of distilled alcoholic stimulants
except for medicine, mechanical, chemical
and scientific purposes, or for the use in arts,
in any of the states or territories, and the
importation OF any 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 proposes shall take effect as an act of Con.
gress at the expiration OF ten years.
BY Mr.. George, to permit the statue OF
Garibaldi to be erected upon public grounds
at Vicksburg. Miss.
Mr.. Frye of Maine, presented to the Sen
ate petition from the Sons of Temperance
on the liquor traffic.
Mr.. Morrill, made speech on the coinage
bills.
Mr.. Morrill, said among other things,
that the present unsatisfactory condition of
our gold and silver coinage appears so pro-
nounced as to demand the serious and early
attention of the Senate. Though nominally
representing double standard, the relative
proportional value is fection too gross to
endure and when the feetian explodes, as
some time It must explode, the heaviest loss
will fall upon those least able to bear it. All
silver CONS and all minor coins are practi-
cally nothing more than tokens representing
the values received for them, much above
the actual value. Ifthe government was poor
or its credit strained, such indirect gains
might be winked at and tolerated, but the
United States is now in its vigor and united
manhood, with oveflowing treasury and has
no excuse for maintaining such conflicting
standards and such paltry sources of un.
necessary revenue, and by expedence which
have grown inexcusable. The actual value
of the silver dollar is SD cents and we are
daily doing what we can to depress its value
at home by laborious additions to the enor
nous pile in the treasury, until it threatens
to tople over, carrying with it its false and
flimsv scaffold of equivocating silver certii
Gates, which when redeemed must be re
deemed in metal Of quite another color. We
are compelled to seek and use at least S24,.
000, 900 of revenue with option which allow.
the use of S4S. 900 900 above that which would
otherwise be required to perpetuate the colos
sal folly of boarding 1856 tons of silver dol
lars, 142 tons of fractional silver and lac
tons of silver bullion. 1t is as useless either
| to the government or to the people as the
buried treasure of Captain Kidd. 1t may be
falsely supposed that the large accumulation
of silver dollars in the treasury are there fol-
the redemption of outstanding silver certii.
Gates, but not one of these ever has been OF
ever will be presented by the holder for re.
demtion in silver. They will be rendered a,
the custom house instead of gold the frs,
moment our exchanges feel short of the ad.
verse balance of trade or whenever there i.
excess of imports over the exports and then
the real difference between the standard O,
gold and silver coin will become painfully
manifest. When this contingency occurs
gold will become fugitive and sink below
the horizon and the fickering single standard
of silver, whether up or down, will become
dominant. The disastrous effect thus to
arise can't fail to disjoint the whole com
merce and will invade the home of every
wage receiving laborer of the country. Mus,
all of our trade and business enterprise. be
kept forever on the lookout for financial con
vulsion, suspended only by hairs breadth
in the rate of exchange? If not, may we no,
hope that all will unite on some proper OF
conservative measure that will save to our
people the use of both gold and silver.
A message was received from the Presiden,
and upon the conclusion of Mr. Morrill,,
speech the Senate went into executive session
during which number of nominations re-
oI &aIa l.,.J