National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-11

Place In Respect TO the Dead Soldier
statesman-The Refusal of the New
Orleans subtreasury to Receive Sill
yer.
The Senate, unlike the House, did not
adjourn because Of the death of Gen. Han
COCK, but, in lieu thereof, passed resolu-
tion providing for the erection OF q statue
to the dead soldier. However, though the
Senate remained in session, its order OF
business did not present any very attrac-
tive features, the main item of interest be-
ing Senator ColIe's criticism OF the policy
Of the treasury officials in regard to the
issue of certificates on deposits Of silver
coin. In the morning hour Mr.. Riddle
berger's resolution offered yesterday was
adopted, directing the committee on public
buildings to report to the Senate the aggre-
gate amount of money recommended by that
committee, at this session, to be expended
by the government.
Mr.. Hoar offered the following resolu-
ton, for which he asked immediate consid-
Grafton:
RcsolrCd, That the committee on the library
consider and report at an carly day the OK
peditncy of the erection at the sent OF govern,
ment OF statue OF monument to the memory
OF the late illustrious soldier, Gen. Winfield
Scott Hancock.
In offering the resolution Mr.. Uoar said
that when the announcement was made yes
terday OF the great public calamity that had
occurred In the death of the illustrIous citi-
zen named In the resolution the Senate, very
properly, followed all the precedents in
like cases, and what, Mr.. Hoar was sure,
would have been In accordance with the de-
sire OF the distinguished deceased; that is to
say, the Senate proceeded with the public
business. BUTT was proper that proceed
ings should at once be Initiated for paying
fitting tribute to the memory of the de-
ceased.
The resolution was agreed TO.
On motion of Mr.. Call, the Senate took
up Mr. Eustis's recent resolution calling on
the Secretary Of the Treasury for informa-
tion as to the refusal of the assistant treas
urer at New Orleans to receive shipments Of
silver and to issue silver certificates there
for.
Mr.. Call, while not obIecting to the reso-
luton, defended the action of the treasury
officials in the matter referred to. lie also
defe the order issued by the treasurer
to the assistant treasurer at New Orleans,
to the effect that that officer should not
receive or receipt for more silver money in
one day than the clerical force could count
on that day. Any other order, Mr.. Call
lie had been Informed by the treasurer that
in one case the government had been held
responsible for discrepancy OF S25, 900,
growing out OF the fact that receipts had
been given for money "to be counted"
Mr.. Plumb said he had been told that
Treasurer Jordan, being asked why he
didn't pay for silver bullion In silverd dollars,
replied that II he did so the holders would
return the dollars and demand certificates,
l,Inrlnnl IN
age that sort of thing. lie thought this
threw much light upon the performances Of
last summer, when there was an apparent
effort to circulate the silver dollars, but
there was at the same time an intrigue with
New York people to bring the law into
contempt.
Mr., Coke read section of the law relat-
ing TO the issue Of silver certificates. It
was, he said, a part of an act which was
vetoed by the President, and was passed
over his veto and thus became law. 1t was
an absolute right OF every citizen who had
ten dollars In silver to deposit them and re-
ccive therefor a certificate. The question
was whether the treasurer had technically
complied with the law, but had in reality
violated 1t. lie had no tally for those who
violate the law. lie carednot whether they
were Republicans or Democrats. For one
he proposed to bring any officer who Is
guilty Of violating the law to the bar of
public justice and public opinion. Banks
In Galveston were attempting to establish q
discount on silver, because they could not
get certificates from the subtreasurY at New
Orleans.
Mr.. Coke commended that the treasury
officials were ostentatlously taking credit
for supporting the public credit and exc
cutting the law, while doing everything in
their power. TO accomplish q directly con-
frarynaesult. '''-'''-'-, 40 81
AT Q o'clock, Mr.. Coke being stu on the
floor, the chair laid before the Senate the
education bill. ..
After some discussion that bill was made
the unfinished business for tomorrow at
the same hour, and Mr.. Coke resumed his
remarks on the Eustis resolution.
He read correspondence to show, as he
commended, n practical refusal of the assist
ant treasurer at New Orleans to execute
the law of 1873, and an approval by the
treasurer at Washington Of such refusal.
Something had been said, Mr.. Coke con-
tinued, about an "attack on the administra-
ton" He (Mr, Coke) had helped to put this
administration in power. His state (TeXas)
had given $4,000 popular majority for the
Democratic ticket, the largest majority of
any state in the Union. There were $40
newspapers In Texas and he knew but four
Of them that supported the executive de-
partment of the government in its war ON
snNGT. Uuue no war OH UDc
ton, but he believed that "public office is
public trust" and he executed the trust
conferred on him by the people whom he,
in part, represented.
Mr.. Beck interposed to say that the issue
was narrowed down TO this: II the silver
coin was presented and certificates de-
manded, then he (Mr. Becky believed that
the officers were. In default in not issuing
them. But II the coin was TO be deposited,
"A hn M
tiilcates to be used as money, then the Off
GERS were not In default
Mr.. Coke said the senator from Kentucky
(Nlr. Reck) was conjuring up excuses for
the administration, but the excuses were
Iot valid.
Mr.. Call suggested the danger of the gov
eminent losing money by officers giving
receipts formoney to be counted later, and
repeated his statement made earlier In the
debate that the government had lost S25,-
Geo by such q course.
Mr.. Plat inquired what was meant by
the "loss ~ Did II mean q defalcation by
government official
Mr.. Call believed IL did: that for want of
strict accountablllty-au owing perhaps
TO dishonest appropriation of the money
by an Olilcinlr-thc government had been
held responsible for the loss.
Mr.. Coke did not think that that was any
argument. The government, he said, ought
to employ honest men. Thieves would
steal under the best system.
Mr.. Teller said that much had been heard,
from time to time, of the subserviency OF
public men TO executive influence. But
there had never been seen SO exalted an
example Of the independence of public
men as had been exhibited by the Demo-
cratic members Of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes in the spring of 1885, in resisting
the effort of the incoming Democratic
President to discredit silver. Not only
then, but since, those servants Of the
people had scorned to be In accord with
The Executive.-preferring to be right.
Mr. Teller said the President had referred
TO the silver coinage law as compulsory"
provision, and had spoken complainingly of
IL as u Compulsory COINAGE measure
Mr. Teller thought II no ground of com
plant against an act of Congress that it
was 'tConmIIeorv - All laws were Npnm-