Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-10
THE FIFTY-FIRsr CoNCnEss.

terry.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-Mr Plumb in
troduced bill to reduce the amount of
United States bonds to be required of
national banks and to replace their sur
rendered notes and to provide for the free
coinage of silver. It was referred to the
committee on finance. He also offered an
amendment Tin the same terms) to a bill
now on the calendar 30 that the matter
can be brought before the senate indie
pendently of any report from the finance
committee. In doing so he gave notice
that if the elections bill were not disposed
of at an early day he should move to lay
it aside for the time being in order that
the-bill just introduced by him and all
other measures relating to the financial
condition of the country should be con-
sidered. Something, he said, ought to be
done. Congress had on it a responsibility
which in his judgment it could not avoid
for any great period of time without let
ting go by very great opportunity for
helping the country, and one which in his
judgment would not occur again in very
great many years. If something was not
done within the next two or three weeks it
|
Mr.. Mcpherson offered a resolution
which was agreed to, calling on the secre-
tary of the treasury for a certified copy of
the accounts of John I. Davenport, chief
supervisor of elections for the southern
district of New York for the elections of
1884, 1886 and 1888, together with reports,
correspondence, etc.
On motion of Mr.. Hoar at lilo the cleo
tions bill was taken up and Mr.. Berry ad-
4 r4l hos b. To- l. L
said that since he had the honor of a seat
in the senate no bill had been introduced
80 important as this one, none so far-reach-
ing in its consequences, SO dangerous to
the liberty of the citizen and so threaten
ing to the peace, good order and pros
peYity of society. 1t equaled if it did not
surpass in its evils the constitutional
amendment comforting the right of suf-
frage on the negro. That amendment had
for its excuse the changed conditions
brought about the war and the alleged ne
cessity of giving protection to the newly
emancipated slaves, but for the pend
ing bill there could be no excuse
At time of profound peace, at time
when the scares inflicted by civil strife
had healed and its bitterness passed away,
at a time when the relations of the people
of the several states were becoming more
extended and complicated and when the
ablest and best men of the southern states
were seeking to find o remedy for the evils
that surround them, this bill was brought
forward to disturb harmony and to infiict
an injury ON business relations. He
would not deny that there was a
great interest in the bill throughout the
south. There was anxiety and even much
alarm in many sections of the union
at its threatened passage. One of
the greatest and most influential
republican newspapers of the west,
the Globe-Democrat of st. Louis, was
bitterly opposed to the bill and so were
thousands of republicans throughout the
western states. He was slow to believe
that q majority of senators who purported
to be fair and honest would vote for the
passage of such a partisan measure. He
entered his earnest protest. against it as
being a bill not to secure absolutely fair
elections but to legalize fraud and enable
men to be counted and returned to con-
gress who were defeated at the polls.
At the close of Mr.. Berry's speech Mr..
Aldrich, from the finance committee, re-
ported back the house bill to authorize the
payment of q drawback or rebate in GER
tain cases Ito correct the enrolment of the
tariff billy and asked unanimous consent to
have it considered, but Mr.. Plumb objected
and the bill was placed on the calendar.
The debate on the elections bill was re-
| sumed and Mr.. Daniel addressed the SEN
ate in opposition to it. He quoted from
Mr.. Hoars speech last August that the
bill struck at the north as well as at the
south, and also reeited the motto placed
at the head of that speech, "Shall we keep
| faith with the people?" and said that
| whether sincere or not, that was a strik.
ing battle cry. The people had read that
| speech and had answered it. All of the
- 81 ,4,AN \
| fat of their condemnation. The state OF
Massachusetts,, at which he struck, in dis
trust of its local affairs and its time-hon
ored customs, had given him its answer
| and he did not wonder that the senator
from Massachusetts, should be impatient
/ by some method or other to have the
corpse taken from the presence OF
the senate. The cold fingers of the
cadaver could not be warmed at the dying
fires of sectional hate. The senator Cdr.
Hoar) had proclaimed his purpose to have
the bill strike at the north as well as the
south and the north had taken him at his
word and had overuled him. And to him
he (Mr. DanieD said now, "Shall you keep
faith with the American people or will
you play the part of desperate gambler
who having played for a high stake an6
lost, prefers to kick over the table, blow
out the lights and grab the stake befor,
the man who has won it can interrupt the
proceedings"
After further debate Mr.. Hoal
gave notice that he would ask tn,
senate tomorrow to sit into the even
ing until the debate was closed.
After q short executive session the sen
ate at 5:35 p. m. adjourned until to
morrow.
| HOUSE.
In the morning hour the house resumed
the consideration of the Plumb resolution
looking to the removal of the remains o
General U. S. Grant to Arlington.
Mr.. Quinn of New York regretted tn
presentation of this resolution, whicl
could have no other object than the tear
ing asunder of the heart strings of de
voted family of the illustrious dead. H,
was surprised that the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. O'NeiD should hav
committed himself to the furthersnce of
resolution which he was sure was repug
nant to the gentleman's best feelings.
Mr.. Cummings of New York said tina
there was something in the resolution
more than spirit of envy; something tina
savored of a rancorous spirit. The city o
New York had been General Grant
chosen home. He had closed his csree
there without having expressed wis
to leave it. 1t was dissertation t
remove his bones from the cit
of his choice when he wa
: helpless to prevent it. To do it under tn
specious plea that General Grant belonge
, to the nation only added to the outrage
To use this pretence as a lever to ope
General Grants tomb was simply atrt
cious His name and fame belonged I
the nation, but individually he belonged
8 it-no more than did any other person. HI
bones did not belong to the nation. TIL
, miserable presumption that they di
would open the tomb of Washington ,
= Mount Vernon, and the memorable sarc
o phagus at Springfield. If there was OF
: desire imbedded in the human heart
9 was to remain undisturbed in the grav
. Was the dissertation of the grave any lei
u reprehensible because it was provided fl
in the statutes of the United States.
9 Was not the law itself degraded
graveyard could not be broken into by
2 resolution of congress. [Applausel. TIL
4 was not an affair for congress and Il
J resolution was CHASTITY and ghost
ii impertinence. Let congress keep its u
! holy hands off the illustrious dust.
q Messrs. Cutcheon of Michigan, Bingha
ii of Pennsylvania, Cannon of Illinois, al
g Dunnell of Minnesota, spoke in favor {
II and Messrs. Mason of Illinois, Spine
4 and Farquhar of New York, against t
9 resolution.
iS Mr.. Moore of New Hampshire regard
the resolution as unwise, unseemly and u
patriotic. Something had been said abo
Is the press favoring it. He wished to say,
4 a lifelong Journalist, that he could concei