The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-16

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15.-There was
such very slim attendance OF Senators
in the chamber this morning that, after
prayer and the reading Of yesterdays
journal, Quay "ventured to inquire"
the absence of quorum. The Vice.
President thereupon ordered the roll to
be called, and during the progress OF
the roll call forty-four Senators (being
one more than quorum) answered to
their names.
Among the petitions presented was
one by Cullom, signed by large num-
Der OF ex-soldiers, residents Of his State,
alleging that they were beset by detec.
tives OF the Government travelling in
disguise, secretly CO operating with
those who have been distinguished by
their antipathy for those who fought
for the flag. 1t is alleged that these
spies, with friendly pretepces, visit the
homes of pensioners. and with the
basest Hypocrisy and fawning deception
seek to find some clew to furnish in
formation to the pension office to de-
prive old veterans OF their pensions.
Inc petitioners ask pro :ection against
the methods Of Government officers who
seek to brand pensioners as periurers
and criminals without the right of be-
ing heard in their own defense, and to
be shielded from the false and base
imputation OF those high in power who
seek to discre6it and dishonor the
Union soldiers.
On motion OF Hoar the privilege of
the floor was extended for one week to
William Writ Henry, of Virginia, as an
m m n tivnn urh
name and who came to the city to de-
liver an address at the cerem onies in
celebration of the hundredth anniver-
sary of laying the foundation of the
Capitol
at 1895 the Senate proceeded to the
considerationof the repeal bill, and was
addressed in defense of the bill by
Lindsay, dem, KY 1t being his first
speech in the Senate, except some re-
marks of an obituary character. He
argued that the repeal bill left unim-
paired the bill of 1890 SO far as it
affected the coinage of silver in the
future. 1t was strange, he said, to hear
Senators assert that the repeal of tho
Sh erman act would be to demonetize
silver and to strike down the last hope
of those who held to the popular idea of
bimetalism.
The pertinent question, ''if we are
not to coin silver why purchase it?' had
been asked in July. 1890, when the re-
port OF the conference committee 1.-THE
Sherman billy was under discussion. 1t
had not been answered then, it had not
been answered since, and it could not be
answered in accordance with thu Demo
cratic theory of the powers and duties
of the Federal Government.
He cited Mr.. Vest in saying that the
passage of the Sherman act would be
IAN absolute stoppage of the standard
silver dollar" to which assertion Jones,
of Nevada, had added that is all they
want" And yet these Senators we're
now opposing the repeal of the act
''There is no free coinage about this
bill. Il is the decentralization of silver,
absolute and unqualified"
The greater part of Lindsay's speech
(Which occupied an hour) was devoted
TO the conspiracy of New York bankers
to bring about panic in order to com
pei repeal Of the Sherman law.
Higgins addressed the Senate in
favor of the unconditional repeal of the
Sherman law. In his opinion the peo.
pie had fairly made up their mind That
the repeal bill ought to he passed and
passed without delay, promptly. At
the close of Higgins speech Allison
took the floor, saying he desired to
make few remarks on some phazes of
the pending question He postponed
doing so, however, un.il to morrow, and
the Senate, after short exc outive SEES
sion, at 5:15, Adjourned until TO morrow.
IN THE HOUSE.
The order made yesterday revoking
leaves of absence and directing the ser.
geant-at- arms to telegraph for absentees
did not, when the House met this morn.
ing, appear to have been productive of
very gratifying results. The attendance
was small one and there were more
empty seats on the Democratic side than
on the Republican side.
There were numerous corrections
made to The Journal, all referring to
the roll calls yesterday but they gave
Reed an opportunity TO say directly that
Ike would refrain from abiding to the
obvious incorrectness OF the Journal.
Then came more corrections and Reed
inquired smilingly how many errors had
been found in the Journal. The
Speaker. as smilingly, replied that he
had not counted them up
Reed-"There have been about seven
or eight corrections. / just want the
House to notice it as an instance Of the
imperfectlon of parliamentary ma
chinery." (Laughter.j
The Speaker directed the clerk to call
the committees for report, but burrows
saw an opportunity TO put small
pebble in the cogs OF the legislative
machine He did so by demanding the
regular order"
This is the regular order, responded
the Speaker. But Burrows dissen.ed
from this opinion and contended that
the regular order was his motion I'm ade
Yesterday co dispense with the call OF