Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-04
Of the Fifty-Third Congress Slimly
 Attended.
MR. BLACK OF GEORGIA
Discusses the Merits and De- merits of the Currency Bill.
 Morgan Heard From.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-Less than 100 members Of the house were in their seats today when tie last session of the Fifty third conere was resumed after the holi- day recess.
 asked that there might be unity of opinion among the representatives in the coming months, in order that legislation might be effected for the benefit of the people.
 Alter the call of committees for reports the ouse went into committee of the whole for the purpose of further consider ing the currency bill, and Mir. Richardson, democrat, of Tennessee, took the chair. Up to this time the opponents of the bill had occupied one hour and forty minutes more time than it's friends, and the chair man recognized MT. Black, democrat, of Georgia, to speak first in favor of the bill ln the absence of Mir. Gull erson, democrat, of Texas, who had been expected 10 reopen the debate.
 Mir. Black reviewed some of the various criticisms made against the bill, declaring that the measure had been the subject of long and earnest consideration and was not in any sense the creation of immature thought. Regarding the point that it pro- posed 10 retire the green backs against the wishes of the country, Mir. Black said that the people had had an opportunity on two or three occasions to express themselves. In 1SS) General Weaver was candidate for president on greenback platform and he received about 300 ,000 votes, against s, S00,- GOO for Garfield and Hancock. h 1884 General Butler of Massachusetts was the candidate oI the party and received of the popular vote 175, GOO, against 9 9,6O0, ,OO0 for Cleveland and Blaine. In 1s9) Mir. Streater received 146, ,000 votss, against 10 BOG, ,000 Tor Cleveland and Harrison.
 We all kuow the result of the election of 1892. The attitude of the democratic party toward the legal tender theory engaged MT. Black s attention for time. He said he found no support in any democratic platform nor in the writings or speeches of democratic leaders of the past Tor the theory now insisted upon, that this gov ernment shall enter upon the issue of treas- ury notes to be made legal tender. As to the decision by the supreme court, he said it shocked the public conscience and was not in harmony with democratic doctrine. MT. Black quoted the dissenting opiuion of Justice Field in that case aud Gn extract fropfa speech delivered by MT. Webster in
 senate in 1856 as expressing his views.
 Webster then said:
 Most unquestionabiy there is no legal tende<. and there can be no legal tender in this c0entry under authority Of this gov ernment or any other. but gold and silver, either the coinage of our own hints or foreign coins at rates regulated by con- gress.
 The time had come, he said, when, if the very fabric of our institutions was 10 be maintained in it's integrity, we should re- turn to the safe requirements and ltmfta- tions of the constitution.
 MT. Black deprecated the passage of leg islation in effort to relieve business depres- sion or any financial ills. Nothing ought to be done, he said, which would lead the people to think that every time they wanted anything done to relieve or improve their condition they could come to congress with confidence that what they asked would be granted.
 The bill under discussion, MT. Black said in answer to question by MT. Walker, republican, of Massachusetts, might not do all that was expected, but he was willing to vote for 1t as an experiment.
 All Legislation on this line, he said, was experimental in character. MT. Black re- ferred to the opposition which it was stated General Jackson had manifested to banks of issue. While he was opposed to such banks he showt d that he had greater re- withdrew the govern m. nt depo it's from the United States bank he placed them in the state bank.
 Justice Fancy had said with reference to this removal that he "had no doubt tbat the state banks could furnish better cir culating medium, quite as uniform in value as that which hao been furnished by the United States banks and probably more so.
 He declined 10 enter into discussion of the merits of the state bank system, but announced his opposition to the tax which had been laid upon the circulation of state banks. He questioned the right of the house to continue the tax. He came from a state that had never repudiated it's obliga- tious, and If any of it's paper was still out standing and should be offered for redemp- tion, it would be promptly redeemed in legal tender money.
 Other speakers were Messrs. McCreary, democrat, of Kentucky who made a speech in advocacy of the bill, and Adams, repub- lican, of Pennsylvania, in opposition. An animated colloquy occurred between Mr. Adams and MT. Warner, democrat, of New York, respecting the operation of the Mckinley law upon the wages of Pennsyl. yania coal miners, with which tue proceed ings of the afternoon closed.
 The house adjourned at 4:45 o'clock until tomorrow.
 IN THE SENATE.
 Forty senators were in their seats when the senate was called to order at noon, the vice-president being in the chair.
 MT. Sherman reported the Lodge resolu- tion requesting the president to transmit to the senate all papers relating to the de- livery by the United States consul at Shang- hai of two Japanese citizens to the Chinese authorities, and to inform the senate whether those two Japanese were put to death. The resolution was agreed to.
 Among the bills introduced and referred was one by MT. George to prevent the boarding of coin in the treasury, sub treasuries or any other national deposito- ries; to amend the laws relating to national banks, and to supply safe and permanent national currency.
 During the morning hour there was a somewhat amusing discussion of the reso- | lution offered by MT. Allen, populist, of BNebraska, before the holidays proposing n investigation Into the affairs of the
 ate restaurant, MT. Allen asserting that
 5diNon to rooms, furniture, carpets,
 nnirs~ranges and stoves, supplied
 1kaurant keeper, he
 DO to S1000 a
 e contingent
 inced as lar.
 porning hour