The semi-weekly miner., 1886-01-23
NATIONAL LAW MAKERS.
Proceedings in Both Houses of
Congress Yesterday.
EUsTIs ON SILVER
Montana Formally Applies for Adn19s-
fsion---Canadian Fisherfes---An,
Avalanche Of Bills.

e. ...- II a5ssE r,- O. slE
WASHINGTON, d. c., January 18.-Yice
President Sherman resumed the chair 10
dss. Among the petitions presented sab'
referred was one by Mr.. Coke, from tn
merchants OF Ell Paso, Texas, c0mplainin
OF the smuggling on the Mexican border
and urging Congress to take measurera t.
put Il stop to it. Also, by Mr.. Dolph AM
Mr.. Mitchell, a memorial OF the State Leg
islature OF Oregon, praying Congress +
make an appropriation for the. Improve
ment of navigation Of the Columbia Rive
and the establishment of a public park il
Oregon. ..-... IN,
Among the reports submitted from com
mittees was one by Mr.. Collum, from th
committee, appointed to investigate th
subject OF the regulation OF freight ant
passenger rates on railroads and wate s
rouses. with Che report MI. Coiiuh' pre-
sented a bill regulating Interstate Com
merce, which he asked might be referred
back to the committee, and that the com
mittee be continued. The request wal
granted and the resolution passed, order
ing that 5000 copies of the committed
report and testimony taken before it b'
printed. .-g.u.
Mr.. Ingalls, Offered resolution directing
the Secretary OF the Treasury to inform
the Senate what proportion of s 10, ,OOO. .OO(
of United States bonds called for payment
February /, 1886, are held by the nationa
banks as a basis for circulation and how
M. r'" Edmunds inquired whether MI Mr
Ingalls, thought the Senate had any right to
call on the Secretary of the Treasury fol
any information. II have seen it ques
toned by newspapers" Edmunds added
Mr.. Ingalls, supposed Mr.. Edmunds was
hardly serious in asking such a question
upon the resolution offered. Mr.
fectly serious. Mr.. Cockrell asked whether
the law did not require the Secretary oi
the Treasury to call in outstanding bonds
in certain order. Mr.. Ingalls, said there
was no doubt that Mr.. Cockrell's state.
ment was true. He, ungalls) merely
wished to know what proportion oi
money now in the Treasury was to be paid
out on bonds called for the first of February.
Mr. Edmunds thought the resolution a
proper one. In any event the point made
by him in what had been regarded as per-
haps sense OF humOr was made in order
that the Senate might be sensible OF the
fact that the public press had largely given
out the idea that Congress had no right to
know any thing that was being done in any
OF the Executive Departments. He merely
wanted the Senate to vote with it's eyes
thus opened on the subject. Mr.. Merrill
thought the resolution of sufficient import
ance to have it 60 over till tomorrow and
it went over accordingly.
Mr.. Frye offered a resolution relating to
the fisheries, the preamble to which re-
cites that whereas the President hau rec
commended to Congress to provide for q
commission to settle and adjust the fish
cries question and whereas the fisheries
question had been settled for .teu years past
under the treaty OF Washington at a cost
OF IS, 500, 900 in money and the remission
OF 5000, 900 of duties in that period,
and whereas that treaty has resulted in an
increase OF 500 vessels and 10000 seamen
to the Canadian fishing fleets with corres-
ponding decrease in the fishing fleets of the
United States, therefore be it resolved that
in the opinion of the Senate q commission
clothed with the powers referred to ought
not to be provided by Congress Mr.. Ed
munds said it seemed to be stated in the
report just laid on the desks Of Senators
that the President, without any advice or
consent OF the Senate, had entered into ar
rangements with her Majesty's government
by which citizens OF the United States
were accorded certain rights in fish
ing in British waters, which by
existing treaties and laws OF nations they
would not otherwise have, and that British
subjects were accorded reciprocal rights in
Uuited States waters. Ii that was what
was meant by the statements of the report
land he spoke Of it with reserve because he
had only just seen the report) it certainly
presented a very grave question as to the
exercise OF Executive power in the matter
Of entering into arrangements with foreign
overs affecting rights OF citizens of the
United States in the face Of the constitu.
tional provision that gives the President
power to make treaties 'by and with the
advice and consent OF the Senate. He
{Edmunds) called attention to the matter
in the best possible spirit as he desired to
speak OF the President with all respect.
Mr.. Frye characterized the arrangement
referred to rs 1.-THE most marvellous piece
OF business in the way OF diplomacy that
our history could show" Fishermen, he
said knew as well as he knew that Great
Britain dare not undertake to depend upon
Canadians in taking eighty United States
vessels into Colonial ports and trying and
condemning them on the evidence OF colo
nial witnesses who stood on shore and
looked out to sea and guessed that ves-
sells we're within the three-mile limit. Let
the United States be where they were able
to be, and not frightened to
death by the ghosts of dead treaties.
Our executive officers were trembling at the
ghost OF the Clayton-Bulwer treaty which
Great Britain had regarded dead for q
quarter OF a century,
Mr.. Morgan was for the sway Of reason,
for influence, jnstice and truth in prefer.
snce to war or anything that looked like
war After further debate the resolution
went over. Mr.. Copger giving notice he
would ask to be heard on it tomorrow.
Mr.. Teller also gave notice that tomorrow
he would ask to be heard on the silver
question.
Mr.. VOORHEES, presented several memo
rails from citizens of Montana praying the
Territory may be admitted as a State into
the Union and also introduced a bill pro-
viding for such admission. Mr..
Harrison gave notice that on Friday.
he would call up the Dakota bill
Mr.. Eustis then addressed the Senate upon
the silver question, he said the President
had told us that there was not enough sill
Yer now in circulation to cause any uneasi-
ness, that the whole amount now coined
might after a time be absorbed by the peo'
pie without apprehension, but that it was
the ceaseless stream that threatened to
overflow, etc. We were to understand then
then that this silver dollar is an honest
dollar when absorbed by people, but dis
honest when offered to bondholders. Were
we to have double staHda rd Of morality,
one for the peopl" and the other for the
bondholders. Would any department Of
the Govern uent arrogate toitself the arbi-
trary power to establish unjust discrimin-
alton against the people and indefensible
iavoritism to the bondholder. II so, how
could the people accept that department
as the guardian OF their interests. Our f.
nancial legislation had received the ap.
proval OF the country and We should have
thecourage to maintain our position and
to surrender only to force. It would be an
appalling admission to make to the cOun.
try il we were to create a financial po icy
every few years and destroy it, merely be-
cause persons high in authority had chosen
to differ with US. In France all the depart
ments were in hearty sympathy with the
financial policy Of the country, and &C.
lively co-operated with the people to sus
tain it. In France public Office is public
trust" while it would seem that in this
country the patriotic maxim. pro.
walls only to q limited extent. The
results OF the Congressional policy OF
coinage had never been fully tested accord