, 1886-07-31
Senate PROCEEDINGS.

WASHINGTON, July 30.-The senate
resumed consideration of the house Joint
resolution, directing the payment OF the
surplus in the treasury on the public debt,
and was addressed by him lin continuation
of the speech begun by Teller yesterday in
favor of the original resolution and against
the amendment reported by the senate
committee on finance. He had never in
sisted that the government should pay
silver for its bond; although he had
insisted that it had a right to do 50. and
bondholdcrs would have no right to com
plain. But, if the government saw fit,
and was able to pay gold for its bonds, he
had no objection. He had demanded
nothing for silver, which he had not de-
manded for gold. He wanted to keep the
two metals on an equality. because. in his
judgment, it would be as disastrous to
destroy gold as to destroy silver. But he
said that the government could pay this
$l36, 000, 900 at the rate Of SO 600. 900 a
month, without paying one dollar in silver.
That is, if it choose to do so. The tech
nicalities of finance so regarded it. The
question was simply whether the govern
ment should pay its debts from money on
hand. The course was the plainest dicta
tiOu VI tOiuluOu StHSC III Olu ldhIlDiltu
honesty. He did not trouble himself to
inquire whether the Joint resolution would
or would not be a vote of want of conf
dence in the administration. That was
an argument unworthy to be addressed to
a senator of the United States and was
unworthy Of the dignity of his position
for him to listen to such an argument.
To suppose that a senator would aban-
don his honest convictions or suffer him
self to be influenced by any consideration
other than those affecting the public good,
it VIZ insulting. To suppose that the
president desired senators to be actuated
by any other aim IN their legislative con-
duct, was not complimentary to him or to
the senate. For himself, he lad only in
quired as to whether the resolution would
promote the general welfare of the people.
The people demanded that legislation
should be as much in their interest at least
as in the interest of the money kings.
MIR. Vance spoke in support of the
resolution as it came from the house. He
believed that the action OF the house of
representatives in passing the joint reso
tion-307 to 65-reflrcted the wishes of
the people and he proposed to be obedi-
ent to the popular behest. He was,
therefore, in favor OF the resolution as it
came from the house. pure and simple,
and he was opposed to the amendment
because it increased instead Of diminish
ing the treasury reserve and because it
left the whole matter to the secretary of
the treasury. Just as now, and that the
secretary had declared again and again
that the public debt should be paid in
gold.
Mr.. German addressed the senate in
favor OF the resolution as amended.
The debate was interrupted to permit
the chair to nj the appointment
Of Messrs. Dolph, Sellers and Cockrell as
conferees on the bill TO forfeit the lands Of
the Northern Pacific railroad.
The debate was resumed and continued
by Mr.. Mcpherson in favor Of the amend
ment proposed by the committee OF
finance, and by Mr.. Whittborne in favoi
generally of the house resolution and par
t~icularly in advocacy of the bill to restor,
the proceeds of the cotton tax in tn,
treasury. and by Mr.. Call, on the silve
question generally, but especially agains
the resolution and amendment and il
favor Of leaving the whole matter in tn
hands Of the secretary of the treasury.
My. Edmunds moved to amend tn
amendment 10 the surplus resolution
by substituting the president for the SCI
rotary of the treasury so that il will read
When in the opinion of the president
!, public interests shall require il, he ma.
direct the secretary of the treasury +
suspend further call, " etc. Agreed TO.
Mr. Coke moved TO add the "followin
proviso: Provided, tnat such suspension