The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-15
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS
Mr.. Beck Will Not PresentPe Petitions Ask
ing Suspension of Silver Coinage.
Messrs. Brown and Maxey Argue in Favor of
the Beck northumberland Of Presi-
Dental Succession in the House.
THE SENATE.

urr. Beck and Aati-silver Petitions-speeches
by Brown and Maxey.
WASHINGTON, JAN 14-Mr. Platt presented a
petition from commercial travellers praying for
legislation to relieve them of burdensome taxa
tion.
Mr. Beck said there had come to him (he did
not know WHY several petitions to be presented
TO the Senate urging Congress to suspend silver
coinage. He had declined to present such petit
tions, and had returned them to the
persons sending them to him. He
believed that the sending of such petitions had
been influenced by circular letter marked
CONFIDENTIAL sent out by a committee Of the
New York Board Of Trade and Transportatio n.
Mr.. Beck read copy of the letter Il asks its
recipient to write personal letter to Speake r
Carlisle, urging him to refrain from placing ex
treme silver men on the coinage committee Of
the House of Representatives, and to also write
personal letters to senators and representatives
urging suspension of the silver coinage.
The Chair laid before the Senate Mr.. Morrill's
resolution, offered yesterday, calling on the Sec
Rotary of the Treasury to inform the Senate
whether any collectors Of internal revenue not
confirmed were in receipt of the emoluments of
the Office.
Mr. Beck said he would not object to the reso-
luton, but saw no necessity for it. The Senate
knew all that was to be known on the subject.
The law on the subject, passed during President
Johnson's time, had been very sweeping.
but during President Grants time it
had been modified Since then, newly-appointed
officers of the class designated by Mr.. Morrill,
had received the emoiuments of the Office. The
Supreme Court had decided that they were en-
titled to them. When the Republicans had be-
come afraid that the Democrats were going to
win, they again modified the law, but the modi-
fcation did not make improper the payments in
the case contemplated, and the Republicans
knew such officers had for years received pay.
Mr.. Morrill, differed from Mr.. Beck as to the
precise class of cases covered by the
Supreme Court decision. He denied
that the President could take money out
point. That was the duty of Congress. The in
formation called for Mr.. Morrill, thought mani
testify proper, not only in the interest of the
government, but of the collectors personally.
Mr.. Cockrell offered an amendment to Mr..
Morrilrs resolution, making it apply to back
years. This was acceptable to Mr.. Morrill, and
the resolution, amended was agreed to-
Mr. Teller presented memorial of the Col
orado Legislature, urging Congress to see that
no discrimination was made against silver and
favoring the free coinage of that metal 1t was
referred to the committee on finance.
Mr. Allison desired to correct an error of state
ment in the Kelley correspondence to the effect
that when Mr.. Kasson had been nominated to
government of Spain Mr. Allison, upon the
very best authority. characterized that state
ment as wholly erroneous. Mr.. Allison sent to
the desk and had the Clerk read letter from
Mr. Evarts, then Secretary of State, to Mr.. Kas-
son, stating that no question was ever raised as
to Mr. Kassons acceptability to the Spanish
government 1.-THE appointment for Madrid"
the letter continues, originally proposed by me,
was changed, upon your preference to Vienna,
and for reasons having no connection with or
knowledge Of either government"
Mr.. Evarts corroborated the statement Of Mr..
Allison.
Going to the calendar the Senate gave some
consideration to the bill providing for the divis-
ion of the Sioux Indian reservation in Dakota.
Without reaching result, the matter went over.
Mr.. Brown called up MIR. Becks silver resolu-
ton and addressed the Senate on it. The officers
of the Treasury, he said, should treat all public
creditors alike; it they paid the bondhoders in
gold alone they should pay the laborer in gold
alone. AS to the accumulation of silver dollars
in the Treasury, Mr.. Brown insisted that it was
the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to
pay them out to the public creditors
whenever anything was due, and if
that did not dispose of them, he
should call in enough bonds on which the
people are paying interest to absorb the silver
dollars, and so stop the interest payments. If
the public creditors were paid $780, O00 900 or $40
900, 600 of silver the endeavor would be to keep
up the value of silver, their endeavor would be
to increase the value of silver not to make it
represent less value. If it were said that it was
not honest to pay them in silver, on the ground
that the silver dollar was not an honest dollar
Mr. Brown would reply that 1t was always hon.
est to pay debt in the very cure ncy which the
creditor, by his contract, had agreed to take
The creditor had secured several successive
changes in the contract. and the contract, as
it now stands, was that the bondholders should
be paid in gold dollars or silver dollars at the
convenience of the Treasury. Mr.. Brown 9dvo-
Gated the issuance Of silver certificates to repre-
sent the silver in the Treasury Every surplus
gold and silver dollar, he said. not part
of the necessary Treasury reserve, should
be put into circulation by gold
or silver certificate Instead of hav-
ing too much silver coin, business would be much
improved if we had more of it in circulation in
the form of paper certificates. If the national
banks attempt to practically demonetize silver
said Mr.. Brown, in conclusion. and if the officers
who represent the people in the different depart
ments of government will not take the matter
an hand, then the people, in their elections
should take it in hand, and fill these Offices with
men who will apply the laws
Mr.. Maxey followed on the same subject. He
said: Tine raid on silver was a European raid,
and, If successful would infiict incalculable in
jury on the United States. The bugbear of sill
YER SO terrifying to the European money-chang-
ers, had TO terrors for the American people.
1.-THE people OF the South Mr. Maxey continued
were not erievously burdened with silver or
any other money. but if they should, by chance,
md themselves hampered by the great weight
VI oAsSAs boy Souiu cACubuSo III kOr SILVER certlf-
Gates, which, when based on coin dollar for dol
lar, would be better than coin for actual use Mr.
Maxey expressed himself as utterly opposed to
an irredeemable paper currency, and declared
ductuating currency inconsistent with healthy
trade, while sound currency, based on the
precious metals, and convertible into coin, was
a blessing to civilization. The silver advocates
he contended. repealed the imputation that they
wanted to take any advantage of their creditors
by paying dollar debt in an 00-cent dollar A
fouler lie had never been uttered against brave
and industrious people. The people knew that
the fall of silver was the result of conspiracy
OF combined capital to destroy silver as money
metal; and the gamblers were but reaping the
fruits OF their own folly. The suspension of
silver coinage was but another name for the total
stoppage OF coinage, and such suspension or
stoppage would be fraught with the most serious
consequences to the people. What we needed