The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-29
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
The Western Contests settled-Prompt
Action ON Silver.

Washington, August 28.-There was an
unusually small gathering of spectators
in the Senate this morning. Notice was
given by Mr. Sherman, Rep, of Ohio,
that he would address the Senate next
Wednesday on the silver question, and Mr..
Walcott, Rep, of Colorado, for Thursday.
Mr.. Platt, Rep, of Connecticut, from
the committee on Indian affairs, reported
a bill authorizing certain Cherokee allot-
tees or claimants to purchase lands held
by them He explained that, under the
recent agreement with the Cherokees,
seventy Of those Indians had occupied
and had made improvements on the land
ceded in the Cherokee outlet. 1t had
turned out that more than seventy of
them had equities in the land, and the
bill simply authorizes the Secretary OF
the Interior to allow those who have such
equities to purchase their holdings (not
over eighty acres, paying the same price
therefore as white people pay. The bill
was passed.
The Senate took up the bill to allow
National banks to increase their circula-
tion Mr.. Cockrell offered an amendment
authorizing any holder OF any United
States bonds to deposit and receive in ex-
change legal tender notes equal to the
value of the bonds, the bonds to be held
in the treasury subject to redemption in
the same amount as the legal tender
notes which shall then be destroyed. No
interest will be paid on the bonds while
they are held in the treasury, and when
they are withdrawn, interest will be paid
less 1-2 per cent per annum. MI. Cock
rell said the amendment would increase
the circulation whatever amount the
people wish, but the maximum would be
the amount of United States bonds less
the amount deposited by National
banks. The effect of the amendment as
to gold being demanded by holders of
legal tender notes would be precisely
what it now is Any holder of United
States legal tender notes has right to
The people of the United States know
greenbacks are money. Under the
johnson bill the owner of a bond would
lose all the interest on it while held in
the treasury. This amendment would
only deprive him of 1-2 per cent per
annum of interest which would place
him on the same terms as the National
banks now have.
At two the bill was laid aside and the
Lee Mantle case laid before the Senate;
the question being on Mr.. Vance's motion
to lay on the table. Mr.. Manderson's s
motion to reconsider the vote whereby
the Senate decided MaA5ie was not en-
titled to seat. The motion was agreed
to. Mr.. Hale was paired. Mr.. Frye voted
no. The vote was then taken on the
original resolution as amended, and it
was agreed to. The effect of the vote is
the declaration that Mantle is not en-
TITLED to his seat. The vote taken on the
right of John B. Ellen to a seat from
Washington, claimed under similar Cir
cumstances, was also decided in the
negative No action was taken on the
case from Wyoming, Mr.. Beckwith
having resigned.
The clerk of the House was announced
with message that the House had passed
the bill to repeal part of the Sherman
act. The bill was referred to the COM
mittee of finance and Mr.. Voorhees,
promised immediate action upon it.