Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-05
SENATOR STEWARDS RESOLUTION.
Are Silver Bullion Owners Entitled to Ere
Coinage Under an Old Unrepealed Law?

Are Silver Bullion Owners Entitled to Free
Coinage Under an Old Unrepealed Law?
Senator Stewart (Nevada) added q new fea-
ture to the silver question today by the intro
duction Of a resolution founded on the propo-
sition that holders Of silver bullion are en-
titled under an existing law, never repealed SO
far as the Senator can ascertain, to free
coinage Of silver. The resolution is as follows:
Whereas, by the fourteenth section of the act
approved January is, 1887, it is provided that
gold and silver bullion brought to the mint for
coinage shall be received and coined by the
proper officers for the benefit Of the
depositor," and whereas by the act
approved February %, 1873, entitled AN
act to authorize the coinage OF the standard
silver dollar and to restore its legal tender
character" it is enacted that there shall be
silver dollars of the weight OF 4I21a
grains Troy Of standard silver, as
provided in the act Of January
18. 1887, on which shall be the devices and
superscriptions provided in said act;'
Therefore. be 1t resolved, That the commit
tee on the judiciary be. and it is hereby, in
structed to inquire il any further legislation is
necessary to make it the duty of the proper
officers of the mint to receive and coin silver
bullion for the benefit Of depositors.
WHAT THE RESOLUTION MEANS.
When asked today what was tho meaning of
his resolution Senator Stewart said:
"It is provided IN the act of 1887 that gold
and silver bullion brought to the mint for coin
age shall be received and coined by the proper
officers for the benefit of the deposition.
There is no other mode or manner provided
for coinage in that act. The Bland act Of 1873
reviyes the law of 1897 relative to the coin
age of silver bullion for the benefit of
the depositor. The requirement that the
officers of the mint shall coin silver
bullion for depositors, as provided in the act OF
1887. is unequivOcal. That net makes 1t their
duty to do SO. The act of 1897 also proscribes
the devices and superscriptions to be impressed
upon the silver dollar. The officers OF the
mint did not hesitate to follow that act
as to such devices and representations. Why
| they have not received and coined
terry. The omission to enforce the provision
| of the law is unaccountable. 1t appears to have
been overlooked by all parties. l. myself,
have hestated to call attention to this law, fear
| ing that there might be some other provision
| repeating, suspending or qualifying it.
But at the suggestion OF Mr..
Z. D. Stark, lawyer of Ohio. have ex-
| amined the question with as much care as my
| time would permit and fail to find any repeal
| or Nc ,lifcation of the statute. The fact that
| The act Of 1873 requires the purchase and coin
nse CT silver by the Secretary of tho Treasury
| does not modify the preceding requirement
| that he shall also coin for depositOrs.
"But before asserting on my own rcsponsi-
bility that the law makes no discrimination as
| to coinage between gold and silver thought il
| best to submit the question to the judiciary
| committee. I shall be surprised if they do not
| find that as q matter of law it Is the duty OF
| the officers Of the mint to coin silver bullion
into standard dollars at the ratio OF 16 to for
| thu bene6r of leDOsitOrsn