Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-03-23
NATIONAL CAPITAL
SoIicitor-General Aldrich's Opinion on
the Power of the Secretary Of the
Treasury to Issue Bonds.

Hamilton, who was appointed postmas-
ter at Flora, Tenn.
Secretary Morton has appointed Dom
aid Maccuaig of Nebraska City, Neb., /
chief clerk Of the Agricultural Depart
ment, vice Henry Cassam resigned.
Allthe prominent officials OF the Treas
ury Department, including the Assistant |
Commissioners OF Internal /
Revenue, Comptrollers and all the Aud |
itors, except Patterson and Fisher, have |
verbally rendered Secretary Carlisle their
Secretary Carlisle has accepted the !
of the Denver clearing house
to let the government have 81 ,0O0,01 in
gold for like amount of treasury notes.
He has taken no steps toward issuing
bonds, and has not indicated what pol
icy he will pursue.
In the case of Captain Pharos B. Bru-
baker of North Dakota, imprisoned in
Spanish Honduras, the President has
transmitted to the Senate in compliance
with its resolution of the Sd instant
report from Secretary Gresham giving
ali the information in the department
relative to the case. The papers show
that Secretary Foster September 80 tele-
graphed Minister Pacheco to look into
the matter. October IS Pacheco for
warded telegram from Secretary of War
Alvarado OF Honduras, saying Brubaker
was one of those who took up arms
against the government and captured
Truxillo June %. When the uprising
was put down, Brubaker was captured
and tried under the Honduras laws and
sentenced to seven years. imprisonment,
which he is now undergoing at Ouroa.
President Cleveland the other morn
ing sent to the Senate a message with
drawing the Hawaiian treaty pending in
the Senate. The message was short,
simply requesting the Senate to trans
NIT to the Executive the proposed treaty
with Hawaii. The message was received
without comment on the floor of the
Senate. The Republican Senators re-
gard this action as in line with the course
pursued by Cleveland in withdrawing
the Nicaraguan treaty, sent to the Senate
by President Arthur in the closing days
Of his administration. The Democratic
Senator'S look upon the act from a two
fold point of view, come taking the
ground that it shows Cleveland is against
annexation or American domination of
any sort in the Hawaiian Islands, while
others hold he will send in another
treaty more to his liking.
Holman, Chairman of the House Com
mittee, in the remarks which he is pre-
pairing for publication in the Congress
SiOndl Record concerning the appropria'
tions of the Fifty-second Congress shows
the appropriations OF the session just
closed amount to $5l9,22 1851. From
this point Of view the appropriations Of
the Ffty-frst Congress aggregated ST.
095 ,6S6, ,92l, and those OF the Fifty-second
Congress amount to $1,025, ,S22, ,C21, or
&, 1928 less than those Of the Fifty
first Congress. Holman will present
statements OF the appropriations made
, by the Fifty second Congress as charged
against it under permanent appropria-
tions in accordance with the require
ments OF laws enacted by the Fifty. first
Congress. These include sums aggre-
eating in all $l54, ,172, ,040. Judge Hol-
man states, it these appropriations had
not been made as required, the total ap-
preparation Of the Fiity.second Congress
would show reduction OF more than
sl6S,0O0,O00 than the appropriations Of
the Fifty fret Congress.
Some time ago, when the question OF
the power OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury to use any part Of the SlOO, ,000, ,0OO
gold reserve was under consideration.
Solicitor General Adfich was instructed
by the Attorney General to look up the
matter. Aldrch's opinion in brief is:
First, the Secretary of the Treasury
has continuing power to issue bonds to
redeem the legal tender OF 1862 and 1868
and reissued under the act OF May 81 +,
1873, but am of the opinion it is not at
all necessary. Second, there is no re-
Quirement for the redemption of the
legal tender to be made in gold. As to
the policy of using silver am not pre-
pared to urge this action. 1t might cause
panic, but it could undoubtedly be
done. Third, the Secretary of the Treas
ury has no power to issue bonds redeem
able in either gold or silver. The law
stipulates they shall be redeemed in coin,
which means either gold or silver now,
and did so mean at the time OF the pass
age of the law" This opinion, while
asked and prepared, was not delivered,
owing to the fact that the occasion did
not demand it. Aldrich says: "The
belief that there is no positive provision
OF law requiring l00,0O0,0 900 reserve
shall he kept is in my opinion correct.
1t is also true under the law, as under
stand it, that all legal-tender notes may
be redeemed in coin. This was the case
at the period fixed for the resumption Of
specie payments, to-wit, January, 1872,
under the law OF 1875"
To guard against deficit Henderson
warns this administration to give closer
attention TO moonshiners and the
"whisky ring" in the collecting Of in
ternal revenue than il did from 1885 to
1889, when it collected So, ,090, ,62S less
than President Arthur and Sis. ,42
less than President Harrison. He saws
the retiring administration paid $685.
Sl6,qSl on the public debt, saving in IN
terest S55, ,352, ,49S annually. He ouched
on pensions, showing that the pension
bureau rolls will reach their highest
I point December 81, 1894, with ,l6l ,elS
names on the rolls. including invalhs,
widows, orphans and dependent parents,
the annual value OF the rolls at that date
being Sl55, SOS, ,09i; that in 1895 there
will be dropped from the rolls 44,eS2
pensioners, with an increasing ratio
thereafter. Referring to the complaint
against widows pensions, he show, II
all the widows claims yet undisposet of
were allowed, there would be TC9,SS4
dead soldiers unrepresented on the rolls
by widows, orphans or dependent par.
ents. He also points out the danger to