The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-20
THE HOUSE.

Congressman Scott Defends the President
Against His Democratic Enemies.
WAsHINGToN Feb. 19.-Mr. Kelley, of Penn
sylvania, renewed his request to have printed in
the Record a review of the testimony in the Fitz
John Porter case prepared by Judge advocate
Holt
Mr.. Bragg, of Wisconsin, who had previously
objected, said that as the battle was over he was
in favor of general amnesty. and would make
no objection The request was granted.
Mr., Hewitt of New York, called up the joint
resolution rendering the thanks of Congress to
Joseph Francis for his lifelong services to hui
.aanity and his country in the construction and
perfection of life-saving appliances, and author
izing the President to have prepared gold med
al to be presented to Mr.. Francis. Passed.
The House then went into committee of the
whoe-Mr. Hatch, of Missouri, in the chair-on
the private calendar.
On the first bill on the calendar, Mr.. Scott of
Pennsylvania, offered verbal amendment. and
proceeded 70 deliver speech on the silver ques-
ton. He preceded his speech by expressing re-
greet that gentlemen representing his own polit-
ical faith had seen proper to anticipate their
party opponents in their criticisms of the
first Democratic President and Secretary
of the Treasury who had occupied
those positions in the past twenty-five
years. and he desired further to say. in justice
to large majority of the gentlemen who differ
from him politically and who represent their
party in both branches of Congress- that he did
not believe they would so far ignore facts as to
intimate that 1.-The organizations of wealth have
succeeded in alarming tho President and Secre-
nf haya don
previous administrations. If the language en-
ployed IL this connection meant anything ut all
Unjust be construed to mean that the President
and Secretary of the Treasury were under the
influence OF capitalists whose interests were sun
posed TO be antagonistic to those of the product
i've classes and wage-workers. What facts sus-
ceptible of such conclusion had been submitted
in proof OF the charges or insinuations utteredl
They seemed to him to rest only upon the bare,
unsupported statements of those who promul-
gated them Had the President and Secretary
OF the Treasury. in any respect violated the
law as it exists to-day2 Had they not conformed
90 its every letter. Could not Congress concede
Go them as much honesty and integrity in the
views they entertained upon this subject as il
claimed for itself, and could it not presume them
TO be as DESTROYS as itself of doing what was for
the best interests of the peoplel 1t was true
that they had recommended the suspension of
the coinage OF the silver dollar under the pro-
visions of the act of 1878 but could
any one say that such recommendations might
not ultimately prove as wise and as we'll calcu-
ated to promote the public good. as It's continued
.oinage bad boon shown by practical experience
% have been of doubtful advantageq The charge
lad been made that the Secretary of the Treas.
try was inimical to silver for the reason, it was
alleged, that he had not paid out silver in the
Treasury for the retirement of government
bonds. The government provided for three
grades of money. all of equal purchasing power
10 the market To maintain this equality was
one of the duties of the Secretary OF the Treas
ary. Suppose he had $4,000 Of government
bonds. Hs was required, when they were called,
20 presens them for REDEMPTION AT the Treasury
Of the United States at Washington. He was
not paid for them in money. but he received
eheck This check did not describe the kind of
money he should receive; it simply called for