The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-01-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
REPUBLICANS EXCEEDINGLY TENDER
FOOTED IN THEIR ADVOCACY OF
PUBLIC MEASURES.
The Constituents of the kepuDiicanS
Who Would Not Swallow INC
Force Bill Are Not Mad
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1871.

WASHINGTON, Jan. y, 1871.
An agreement was yesterday reach
ed in the senate by which vote Will
be taken next Wednesday on the
financial bill. The shape in which the
measure will pass can be predicted
with considerable accuracy. Inc
proposition to buy the l2OoO,ooo
ounces of silver will be stricken out
and in its place will be Senator Stew
arts free coinage amendment. The
section providing for reduction to
$1,000 of the amount required to be
deposited by national banks to secure
circulation will be retained, as will al
so the section which imposes charge
for converting gold coin into bars for
shipment, the object OF this charge
being to retard the export Of gold. The
bond provision will be stricken out.
1t was thought that Senator Sherman
would abandon this idea IN the lace OF
the antagonism which it has provoE-
ed, but he said yesterday that ne
would press it to a vote. There are
enough Democrats and Western Re
publicans, however, to vote against 1t
and defeat it. The shipping bill l.
now before the house without any linn
itation of debate, so that the taking OF
a vote is postponed to an indefinite
period. probably the latter part OF
next week.
1t is quite apparent that the con-
stituents Of the Republican sena tors
who voted to lay aside the force bill do
not propose to read them the riot act.
MIR. Cameron has been nominated
from Pennsylvania; the Republican
mem ers of the Colorado Legislature
have pledged their unanimous support
to MIR. Teller for reelection; the
legislative caucus OF the California
legislature with one voice pronounces
in favor returning Mr.. Stanford. No
where, among the people whom these
people represent, is heard a syllable Of
condemnation for their action upon
the federal election measure. The
supporters OF the bill reckoned without
their host in attempting to force it
upon the senate as matter OF parti-
san obligation. The eight senators
who voted against it chose their own
way as the path OF duty, and by the
manliness and independence of their
course have gained i'll the r, spect OF
the country.
The house committee on elections
will enleavor to hold its first meeting
Of this session on Tuesday next for the
purpose Of disposIng OF the contested
election case OF Eaton against Phelan,
from tennessee. There may be some
difficulty III securing the presence OF
a quorum of the committee at til,
meeting. During the latter part OF
last session the Democratic members
OF the committee prevented action on
the Eaton-Pnelan case by absen: ling
themselves from the committee room
on meeting days, thus leaving the
committee without a quorum. -Four
contested election cases are now 90
the house calendar awaiting the ac-
ton of the house. Two OF them hav,
been decided in favor Of the Repub-
licsn contestants, and the other two
in favor of the Democratic contestees.
The house foreign affairs committee
yesterday instructed the chairman,
Representative Hit of Illinois, to re-
port the diplomatic and consular ap-
preparation bill. The bill carries an
aggregate appropriation of 81 ,665 ,925
and is $39, 500 les than the appropria-
ton for the current year. No new
consulates are provided for in the bill
and no salaries of ministers or consul,
are increased. Sixteen consulates,
which have heretofore been paid in
fees. were made salared offices. The
aggregate fees OF these consulates dur.
ing the past yeat were Sal 80
and the salaries provided for aggre-
gates $34 600.
The question is sometimes asked
whether the Democrats have had con
troll OF the United States senate since
the civil war. From investigation it
has been found that the Democrats
were in complete control of the Forty
sixth congress, 1S79-Sl, having forty
five OF the seventy-six votes, and Allen
G. Thurman OF Ohio, in consequence
of Nice President Wheeler's ill health
was president pro tempore. The senate
Of the Forty-seventh congress was
about evenly divided between the two
parties, but the Democrats succeeded
in electing Mr.. Bayard president ORC
tempore on organization in Octo-
Der, 1881. He held the position three
or four days and was succeeded by
Judge David Davis, the Independent
senator from Illinois.
In recognition of the services rem
dered by the captain and crew o.
the United States steamship Balti-
more, which conveyed the remains Of
the late Captain John Ericsson to