The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-26
SOUTHERN SILVERITES.
SENATOR PUGH ATTEMPTS TO DE-
FESD THEIR POSITION.
He Criticises the Action Of the President as
Does Senator rJones-Proceed-
ings of the House.


at II o'clock this morning, and although
there was evidently no quorum present,
no notice was taken Of the fact, and for
the first time In week or longer, busi-
| ness went on without call Of the roll
The silver purchase repeal bill was
taken up. and Mr.. Pugh addressed the
Senate In opposition TO it. He expressed
his belief that nine-tenths Of the senators
favoring It did not desire either free
coinage or any degree of silver coinage;
and that President Cleveland did not de-
sire 1t. He spoke Of the compromise
which had been gotten up by Democratic
senators, and said that that compromise
would have had the support of forty
three Democratic senators, had not Presi-
dent Cleveland interposed and demanded
unconditional repeal at all hazards. He
was satisfied that all efforts at cOmpro-
mise had failed only on account Of Presl-
dent Cleveland and his Secretary Of the
Treasury, whose will has been as poten-
tial and had served the same purpose as
the clOture rule.
Mr. Stewart followed Mr.. Pugh in con-
tinuation of his speech begun several
weeks ago against the repeal bill. Ills
from to-day's papers on the silver ques-
tion. After Mr.. Stewart had read all the
newspaper articles that were supplied by
his secretary, who occupied a seat close
at hand, and whose duty II appeared to
be TO furnish material for the speech, ne
read a large number Of letters and tele-
grams sent to him from all over the
South and West commencing him for the
fight he was making for f~ee coinage. At
last, he came to what he said would be
a very interesting matter, and said he was
very sorry there were not more senators
to hear it. That was cue for roll
call, and Mr.. Allen acted upon It, ana
suggested the absence Of a quorum. This
call (at 2:40 resulted In gathering fity-four
senators, and then Mr.. Stewart read the
interesting paper and went on with his
speech. After declaring that seventy mil
lions of people, pleading FOR justice, could
not be inundated he stopped suddenly
and said he would yield 10 his colleague
terwards
Mr. Jones New resumed the speech
begun by him some weeks ago by a pre-
liminary statement that the speeches that
were being made by the opponents OF the
bill were not made in the hope of chang
ing any vote in the Senate, but because
they believed in the truth Of their cause,
and were determined 20 present before
the people OF the United States the basic
reasons which were at the foundation Of
the question. Alluding 10 what he called
"the abuse and ab1urgations" by the
newspapers upon the senators opposing
the repeal bill, Mr.. Jones said: "We defy
them all. We laugh at them. ! know
that / am performing a great duty IN
this body--a duty to my country, and
nothing that the newspapers can say viii
induce me 20 omit one word or 70 retreat
one step"
Mr.. Jones' peroration was:
The American republic, Mr.. President,
did not lose its liberties until the Senate
had degenerated into mere instrument
for recording the will Of the Chief Magis-
trate. Macauley has commented upon the
ease with which all Democratic forms,
and the names and titles appertaining TO
a Republican form of Government were
preserved In that Commonwealth concur
rently with the absorption OF all the pow
ers Of the State, executive, legislative and
judicial, In the hands OF one man. But
that was long time ago. Times change.
and men change with them.
This is a very different republic from
that Of Rome, and although history, we
are told. some times repeats itself, /, for
one. will not believe that the Senate Of the
United States is ever 10 become a sub
servient Senate. / know that / can speak
for the voters Of the mining States and
millions Of voters in other States who are
in hearty accord with them on all funda
mental features Of the question now be
fore the Senate, when l assert that If
the entire monetary policy Of the country
is TO be changed. 1t is too great a ques-
ton 10 be decided without consulting
the American people, whose mere repre-
nA anfG An ii
perchance there be a majority Of sena-
tors here favorable to the passage OF this
measure and able TO secure a vote upon
IL. without reference to the fatal effect
II is absolutely certain to have. not only
on the people Of the mining States. but
on the producing masses in every State in
the Union may / not beg those senators TO
pause and reflect that there is no ext
gency whatever demanding its passage
that absolutely no public condition re-
auires IT, and that 1T Is excellent to
have a giants strength, but 1t is tyran-
nous to use il like giant" applause
in the galleries)
At the close of Mr. Jones' speech, the
Senate. at 4:45, on motion Of Mr.. Faux
ner, proceeded to executive business and
soon afterwards took a recess until II
O'Clock tomorrow.
The proceedings in the House to-day
were neither interesting nor important. In
the morning hour Mr.. McRae, Of Arkan-
sas, endeavored to secure action upon the
bill for the protection OF public forest
reservations, but no quorum was present,
and none could be secured before the
morning hour had expired, and the bill
went over upon the motion Of Mr.. oates
The House went into the Committee of the
Whole for the consideration Of the bank
ruptcy bill.
Mr.. Lane Rep., ILL addressed the House
against the bill.
Mr.. COombs defended the proposed law
Mr.. Coombs WIS followed by Mr.. Kilgore in
opposition TO the bill He stated that a
bankruptcy law had been in existence in
England since the time of Henry VIII,
and bill IN the same line was passed
in 1893 which was said TO be the protec-
tion of bankrupt laws. and yet they did
not prevent fraudulent imposition upon
the creditor class. He did not believe IL
necessary 10 pass any bill of this kind,
but he would not have such grave objec-
tions against a voluntary bankruptcy law,
instead OF the involuntary law proposed.
He objected TO that section Of the pro-
posed law which makes 1t Illegal to prefer
one creditor 10 another. AT 1856, on motion
OF Mr. Oates, the committee rose, and
the House adjourned.