Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-07
THE HOUSE WAS SILENT Not a Word Was Said About
 the Bond Matter. FREE SILVER BILL AGREED TO The Silver Men of the Committee Voted Sol
 idly fer It TO BE REPORTED TO THE SENATE TODAY It Will Be Substituted for the Bond Bill That Came From the House-An Op-
 tion Redemption Clause
 Is Inserted.
FREE SILVER BILL AGREED TO
TO BE REPORTED TO THE SENATE TODAY

Washington, Jan. 6.-The senate not being in session today, all interest in leg islative matters concentrated in the south wing of the capitol, where there was some expectancy that there might be furry of some kind in connection with the thirty-day call for bids for $100, 900, 900 of per cent bonds published in this mornings papers. No public reference, however, was made to the subject. Af- ter some preliminary routine business unanimous consent was asked by Mr. Broderick of Kansas to have Clarence E. Allen sworn in as representative from Utah. The state, he said, had been ad- mitted to the union last Saturday and MT Allen had his credentials signed by the governor and secretary of state, though not in their official capacity, as they were only to be sworn in today. Objection was made by Mr. Crisp and the matter was referred to the judiciary committee, with leave to report at any time
 MT. Hit offered a joint resolution ap- pointing William Lawson of West Vir- glnla member of the board of the smithsonian institute in place of Henry Coppe deceased, and it was adopted
 Then, on motion of MT Dingley. at l2;20 D. m., the house adjourned
 The senate committee on finance went lnto session at 1:30 D. m. Before that time the silver members of the commit tee were in conference in the room of senator Harris and agreed upon the text or the Dill they proposed to submit in full committee. This bill as laid before the full committee provides for the free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio or 10 to l, the coinage of the seignorage in the treasury and the applicat tion of that coinage to the payment of current and other obligations of the treasury. A clause is also inserted that directs the secretary of the treasury in redeeming both treasury notes and greenbacks to uEe,s his option In redeeming them in either gold or silver and not take the option of the holder. The bill also pro- vides for the retirement of all national bank notes of denominations of less than $10 and the substitution therefor of sill yer certificates, the bank notes to be re- placed by notes of denominations above $10.
 The bill was agreed to by the solid vote of the silver men and the report will be made to the senate tomorrow.
 There was no debate in the committee over the measure. It was read and Mr Voorhees, moved that it be substituted for the bond bill that came from the house This was done by yea and nay vote.
 Treasury Gold Reserve.
 The treasury gold reserve today stood at the close of business, with all with -drawals out, at $61, ,351, 826.
 The court of appeals of the District of Columbia has reversed the decision of the lower court in the case of Major Armes. retired officer of the United States army, who was arrested by order of General Schofield, when the latter was O a nf r1.. him threatening letter. Armes was re- leased by Judge Bradley of the district court on a writ of habeas corpus The court of appeals sustains the authority of Schofield to order the arrest and re- mands Armes back into the custody of the military authorities.
 Election Contests.
 The committee on elections. MT. Mccall of Massachusetts chairman, will prob- ably dispose of two contested cases on Wednesday next. They are Davis against Culberson, from the Fourth Texas dis trict. and Newman against Spencer, from the Seventh Mississippi district. No tes- timony whatever has been taken in these eases and the resolutions will undoubted- ly be reported declaring Culberson and Spencer (democrats), sitting members en- titled to their seats.
 Justice Peckham Sworn In.
 Hon. Rufus w. Peckham of New York the new associate justice, today took his seat on the supreme court bench There were present within the bar besides representation from the department of justice and large attendance of the bar. Mir. Yang. the Chinese minister. ac- companied by his secretary and interpre- tor. The statutory oath was administer ed to the new justice by Chief Justice Fuller, and MT. Peckha m took his seat at the extreme left of the bench, next to Justice Shiras.