Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-14
CONGRESSIONAL.
TIE PROCEEDINGS IN rsE SENATE AND
HOUSE YESTERDAY.
H.. Beck Pays His Respects to John sher-
MANA Lively
Time.
WASHINGTON, March ~, 1883.

for the appointment Of special com
mittee 10 examine minutely into the
present condition of the civil service in
oil branches OF the Government.
Mr.. Coclrell offered an amendment TO
extend the inquiry TO instances OF per
nicious partisan activity Of Republican
officials since the executive order of
President Hayes OF June. 1878, particu-
larry in the presidential elections of 1880
and 1884.
Mr.. Hale said that personally be had
no objection 70 the investigation pro-
posed in the amendment, but he Wished
il to be distinct from his own PROPOSE
ton, which was TO make a clear and dis
tinct investigation OF what was going on
to-day. lie could not. therefore, con-
sent 10 the amendment. He was not,
however, opposed to the investigation
he desired 1t, but it should go on dis
tinctly by itself.
Mr.. Hoar could not see the propriety
OF an amendment proposing to investi-
gate the past. The practical question
was that of the present Observance or
violation Of the law.
Mr.. Hoar asked Mr.. CoclTell if by
bis amendment he wished to plead an
"ofiset.
Mr.. Cockrcll replied that there was no
need Of an Offset, but even if the insinu-
atoms in the original resolution were
true they had been a thouand-fold more
than counterbalanced by the preceding
ADMINISTRATION.
Mr.. Dawes: Is il a justification which
the Senator from Missouri wishes to
plead ? The justification is that some
body else was Just IS bad as tins reform
Administration.
Mr. Cockrell: We don't want any
justification. The present Administra-
tion speaks for itself and can take care
OF itself before the people. We simply
want the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, and that Is not
what is desired upon the opposite side.
Mir. Dawes The Senator is resisting
Just exactly that thing. He is not will
ing to stand on merits bat desires to 90
after something else which may better
up things where merits will fai. II the
Administration is DESTROYS OF standing
on It's own merits, the best way if to as
certain what its merits are and not what
the merits of somebody else have been.
Mr.. COckrell 1t is fear of the result
that oxcltcs the opposition. | antici-
pated as much. All that we ask is
that the country may see the Administra-
lions side 10y side and draw Its conclu-
sions from the comparison.
The amendment was defeated by a
straight party vote-yeas. "a nays, %.
The original resolution was then
adopted.
The hill went over without action, and
the Senate proceeded TO the considora-
ton of Mr. Bccks bill to provide for the
retirement of United States legal-tender
and national bank notes of SINAI! de-
nominations and the issue of coin certi-
fcates in lieu Of gold certificates.
Mr.. Beck addressed the Senate in adj
yocacy of II.
Mr.. Geek delivered at great length
carefully-prepared speech, devotinG his
attention principally to Mr.. sherman.
After criticising several Of Mr.. Sher
mans reports and suggestions while
Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Beck
sail: That is ono OF the reasons why /
said that while the Senator from Ohio
might he President of the United States,
his conduct IN relation TO the act Of
1878 and his great financial abilities
jcxercistd rs thcy have always been III
the interest Of money power will not be
record OF which he viii be
proud when NE comes before the
people. Notwithstanding all pretences
about silver he asserted that in
the banks Of England, France, Ger
manv, and Austro-Bungary silver was
DOW in excess OF gold; that silver was
there at par with gold. end that it was
maintained at par without any trouble
whatever. The bill which he had intro
duced had been voted for by five of
eleven members of the Finance Com
mittce. II proposed TO issue coin GER
tificates instead Of gold and silver GER
tifcates. This WIS the first great step
for the cOuntry to take. Silver had
its friends among the people at large,
Int 1t had never had an enemy
who had done it so much harm rs the
Senator from Chic. That Senator was
one of the very ablcst men in public lie.
and it was because of his great ability
that he (Air Beck regarded his policy as
dangerous TO the great masses OF the peo-
pie. He made no charges against the
senator as to reputation or anything
wrong. but he thought that his policy
was death 20 the best interests of the
masses Of the people Referring to the
efforts of national banks TO pre-
vent the coinage Of silver, he
snoke of those banks as a failure Is
10 longer OF any account. as going down
every day. As to Edward Atkinson's re-
port on the silver question he said that
that gentleman had not even pretended
10 notice the fact that great parliament
tary commission under Lord lddesleigh
had investigated the subject, and had re-
ported 10 the Queen that the business de-
preston everywhere prevailing had
grown ont OF the great conspiracy of
1878 against silver between England.
Germany, and the United States, and
that the restoration of silver to its legal
tender quality was all that was
wanted. lie read a letter to him
self from Edwards Pierpont, calling
his attention TO the efforts OF ma
tional banks, in their convention IL
Pittsburgh last November, to suspend
indefinitely the coinage Of silver, and
stating that such indefinite suspension
was Just what the English wanted.
Comiug b,ck TO tho report OF Edward
Atkinson, be spoke OF him as doubtless
an able and respectable man, but as not
the sort Of man whom he Beck would
send nywheIe 10 take care Of silver, any
more than he would send ont q wolf to
take care Of lambs in tire bluegrass re-
gion Of Kentucky.
NJ. Hoar reminded Mr.. Beck that the
present Administration had sent Akin
son TO Europe.
Mr. Beck know II, and that is what
j complain OF. Oh. bless you. there are
gold men IN the Democratic party as
we'll as in the Republican party. We
are not divided exactly on that line. and
there Are rome men on the other side of
the chamber who stand 10y me IN sustain
ing silver. In conclusion be said that be
would cell ND his blll for action ct an
early day, when he would sec whether
the Senate agreed with him IN thinking
his bill step in the right direction. He
was not sure that silver should not be
coined up 10 the maximum OF the limit