The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-31

! accusation is contained in the report of
the Senate proceedings of january II,
1873, in the Congressional Globe from
which l will quote some passages. Con
gressional Globe. parts 1 and 9. third ses-
sion, forty. second Congress, pages
CTS 67l.)
There was no reference in the debate to
the fact that the bill would abolish the
legal tender qualities of silver. The
House bill changed the weight of the sill
yer dollar, ll2 l-2 grains, to 3S4 grains.
and made it like the small coins, II legal
tender for = only. Mr. Sherman had re-
ported IN amendment TO strike this out,
and insert instead IL Grade dollar to
weigh 1870 grains with the same limita-
ton rs to the legal tender qualities. The
bill prohibited the issuance from the
minis of any coins not named therein
This was to make sure that the ALP IL
grain dollar would not survive any inn
pication.
The debate on the subject OF the liver
dollar came up incidentally only on the
unimportant questions of the provision
to omit the figure of the eagle from the
silver coins. Mr.. Casscrly, of California,
objected to it.
Mr.. Sherman stated that the reason for
leaving off the eagle was to make room
for the words describing the weight and
fineness of the coin. When pressed for Il
reason for doing this he stated that il
was recommended by the officers of the
mint. He said: The reason given to us
is because it has been adopted as a model
of international coinage
AS Mr. Casserly became quite insiStent,
Mr.. Sherman went into the subject more
explicitly. He declared that the bill pro
vidcd for an international silver dollar
He referred Mr.. Casserly to the preceding
section 90 which, in the form in which
it passed the House, provided for :,Si-
grain dollar, which, as he explained was
the extra weight of the franc piece of
France. Here are Mr. Shermnns words:
Iii the Senator will allow me, he will see
that the preceding section provides for "A
coin which is exactly interchangeable
with the English shilling and the 5-franc
piece of France: that is, IL j-franc' piece Of
France will he the exact equivalent of a
dollar of the United States in our silver
coinage. and in order to show this wher-
ever our coin shall tlOat--nnd we are pro-
viding that it shall float all over the
world-wc propose to stamp upon it in.
stead OF the eagle, which foreigners may
not understand, and which they may not
distinguish from Il buzzard or some other
bird, the Intrinsic iinencss and weight OF
the COIN
iI SCCtiDu W WHICH, MI. SHERMAN re-
ferrcd Mr. Casserly to was section II.
which, as it came from the House. did, in
truth, porvide for silver dollar of the
exact weight of the French j franc piece.
nam Fly ISL grains. But the record shows
that when Mr.. Sherman uttered the
above quoted words section ID had lust
been amended on his own motion by
striking out the 3S4 grain dollar ard sub
shutting the 420.grain trade dollar.
And yet he told the Senate that the bill
still provided for IL silver dollar of the
weight of the French 5-franc piece. This
was palpable misrepresentation.
The question may now be asked, could
AR Sherman thus deceive the Senate as
to its own action of Il few moments be
fore: The reply is that the bill was be-
ing hurried through by him on his state
nicnt ut the outset that its consideration
would not probably consume any more
time than the time consumed in reading
it, That meant that its seventy one
sections contained nothing of sufficient
Importance to e!en require explanation
10y him, much less call for debate. 1t
was represented by him to be merely Il
bill to enact INTO law some changes i'm the
mintage laws which the mint officers
deemed necessary. He evidently satisfied
Senators that it was not worth their seri.
ous consideration.
Another Misrepresentation of equal i'm
portance WAS contained in the language
in which Mr.. Sherman explained to the
Senate what kind of dollar was being
placed in the law. He had assured the
Senate that the bill provided for Il dollar
that would be good anywhere in the
world 1t was to be IL realization of the
dream of international money And yet
on this vital point-thatit was to be bereft
of its legal tender quaity-he was as
silent rs the grave Our silver dollar
certainly could not float all over the
world if we deprive it of the great
money function of being il legal tender in
the payment of debts.
Mr.. Casserly again pressed him as fol
lows: I'VE cannot have an international
coinage on the basis of our silver coins
unless our silver coin is to be the stand
ara o: all the nations with which we eX-
pect to have relations. Now, / ask the
Senator whether this bill provides for Il
silver coinage of that character?''
TO this Mr.. Sherman replied: This
bill provides silver coinage exactly the
same rs the French ann what are called
the associated nations Of Europe. who
have adopted in international standard of
silver coinage; that is the dollar provided
for by this bill and is the precise equva-
lent of the 5,franc piece. 1t contains the
same number OF grams of silver and we
have adopted the international gram in
stead of the grain for the standard of our
silver coinage
Mr. sherman further stated that the bill
also provided for the tcadc dollar of 100
grains This was not Il substitute for
the other. He positively stated shat they
were both in the bill. We have lust shown
that ne assured the Senate that the new