The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-08
Bland's Seigniorage Bill Rushed
Through Its Third Reading and
About to Pass Without Debate.
COUP AVERTED BY MORRILL,
Who Uttered a Warning Note Just
in the Nick of Time.
Halt Called by Sherman, Who Was AS
tOnished at the Action of the Worlds
Greatest Deliberative Body.

WASHINGTON, March Z. - An exciting
and interesting debate was precipitated in
the Senate to-day by Mr.. Harris's motion
for the second reading of the Bland seign-
forage bill. This was opposed by Mr.. Sher-
man, who moved it's reference to the finance
committee. and in the course of a strong
speech in opposition to the bill, said that
It's object was to divert trust fund from
its legitimate purpose-a thing which in
Ohio would be a penitentiary offense. His
motion defeated, however. and the bill
taken up as unfinished business, and al
most before anyone was aware of what
had happened, 1T passed its third reading
and was on the point of passing the Sen
ate. Then its opponents recovered from
their surprise and endeavored to prevent its
passage, and, on request of Senator Sher-
man, it went over until tomorrow. In the
morning hour Mr.. Morgan introduced a
resolution calling on the President for in
formation as TO the occupancy of Bluefelds,
Nicaragua, by the British. This was agreed
TO. The House bill appropriatlng $4,000 for
saving the Kearsarge was also passed, as
did the bill permitting Gen. o. o. Howard
to accept from the French government the
decoration of commander of the Legion Of
Honor
The Senate, this morning, on motion of
Mr.. Gibson, passed the House bill appro-
priating 5000 for the rescue Of the arma-
ment and hull of the corvette Kearsarge.
A resolution was reported by Mr.. Morgan,
Of Alabama, from the committee on foreign
relations, as follows:
Resolved, That the President be request
ed TO inform the Senate II it is not incOn-
sistent with the public interest whether the
government OF Great Britain has occupied
BluefieldS, or any other place on the Mos
quito reserve in the state of Nicaragua with
military force and the character and
strength of such force, and the claim Of au-
thority of that government to so occupy
that country"
Mr.. Morgan, in explaining the resolution,
said the matter had been called to his per-
sonal attention by some statement made
in reputable newspaper. He supposed the
information so obtained was accurate, and
he wanted to know whether the provisions
OF the Clayton-Bulwer treaty of 1850 were
being violated. He had no inclination to in
terfere with the diplomatic officers OF the
United States by calling attention to the
matter. He understood that the Kearsarge,
FOR the rescue of whose wreck the Senate
had just provided, was on her wav TO
Bluefields when she struck on Roncador
reef. The resolution was then agreed to.
HARRIS OPENS THE SILVER BATTLE
Senator Harris then opened the fight for
the day on the silver question by moving
the second reading of the segniorage bill.
He gave notice that when the bill should
have been read the second time he would
move to take it up for consideration. His
motive in objecting to it's consideration yes
terday, he said, was to bridge over the day
until he could consult with his Democratic
colleagues as TO their action in regard to
the bill.
Mr. Sherman objected to immediate con-
n rel fer
it to the committee on finance, as he thought
no matter of such Importance should be re-
the finance committee The discussion was
taken up by Senators Hale. Hoar, Cock
rell and Aidrich. Mr.. Cockrell. in the
ished and amazed at the action Of the Sen
ator from Ohio (Sherman) in moving the
reference of the bill to the finance commit
tee He had supposed, from the action of
the minority yesterday, that they were de-
sirous OF taking up and passing the bill
He supposed that when the Senate under
took to fulfill pledges the Senator's from
Ohio, Iowa and Rhode Island would give
Mr.. Aldrich, the Senator from Rhode
Island, referred TO. said that he wanted to
take UP the bill.
Then. Then. Why did yGp want to take it up?"
AIdrich.
The question was further discussed by
Senators HOar. Harris and Stewart and
was then interrupted by Mr.. Mcpherson.
who rose to question of personal privilege
and made the statement concerning pur-
chase of Sugar stock printed elsewhere.
Mr. Call tried to take UP his bill to fix
the boundaries Of the Northern judicial dis
it was lost-yeas %. nays q.
Mr.. Harris moved to take up the seignior-
age bill and make ii the special order of
business, which was agreed to-, but Mr..
Shermans motion TO refer 1t to the finance
committee had first to be acted on. Be
fore consideration could be entered upon
Mr. Dubois briefly opposed its reference,
and was followed by Mr. Voorhees,, who
thought that the bill might as well be taken
up in view of the time that must neces-
sarily elapse before the tariff bill could
come before the Senate for consideration.
ting the latest Hawaiian dispatches and also
the response of the Secretary or State TO the
resolution of the, Senate asking for reel
procity correspondence with Colombia, Vene-
zuela and Hayti were laid before the Senate
and ordered to be printed with the accom-
panying documents.
sHERMAN'S MOTION DEFEATED.
The vote was then taken on Mr.. Sher-
mans motion. the yeas and nays being de-
manded 1t was defeated-6 to 5O-the fol-
lowing voting in the affirmative: Messrs.
Davis, Gallinger, Morrill,, Palmer, Sherman
and Villas.
The bill was fairly before the Senate, but
no one appearing desirous of speaking on
it. Ii was read third time, and before any
one had time TO realize ii, ii was about TO
be put on It's nflal passage, Wnen the Nen-
erable Senator Morrill, arose and uttered a
warning note.
Senator Sherman also sought to check it's
passage. being, as he said, cas- much sur
priSed any one to see that the Senate of
the United States. which was the greatest
delberative body In the world, without con-
sideration had gone to extreme beyond
anything since il was organized in rushing
a bill of this kind through pell NELL refus-
ing TO consider it, refusing to refer. and now
it Is proposed to pass the bill without de-
bate" IL was as indefensible as anything
which had ever been proposed. Holding a
copy of the bill in his hand. he began TO
go over ii word by word, but soon asked
that the question go over until Tomorrow
so that he could debate IL.
Mr.. Harris expressed n Willingness TO
have the bill informally laid aside until to-
morrow.
"Why," said Mr. Sherman in an aggrieved
tone mo one dreamed that the bill would
pass to-day"
mo matter what any one may have
dreamed replied Mr.. Harris, ''if the Sena-
tor from Ohio wants time he shall have it."
Mr.. Allison, who was absent while all
these events We're occurring. and learning
that the bill had come near to passing dur
ing his absence, moved to reconsider the
vote by which the bill was ordered 70 be
read the third time and engrossed, because
he said. he wanted TO offer some amend
ments
Mr.. Harris replied that he preferred TO be
frank being able. and hence he