Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-05-22
to night by Rev. B. M. Randolph.
At Grace Church services will be held to-
morrow at 7 a. IN. and p. m.
FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May %.
SENATE.


his opening PRAYER, and without even
waiting for the reading of yesterdays
journal, Mr.. Butler moved to proceed
to the consideration of his bill prohlb
ing the issue of United States bonds
without the consent of Congress.
Mr.. Sherman asked unanimous con-
sent to take up and pass the titled
cheese bill, but Mr.. Butler said he
felt compelled to object as that measure
W ,uld lead to discussion. and he insist
ed on his motion. THAT being such an
important question:" Mr.. Hill inter.
posed, 81 desire a full Senate; and l
suggest the absence of quorum"
The roll was called and 40 tour more
that quorum) responded.
The Vice President stated the ques-
ton to be on Mr.. Buffers motion; and
the yeas and nays were demanded.
The vote resulted yeas "a, nays 20,
both the Virginia Senators voting among
the former. So the bill was taken up.
Mr.. Hill then addressed the Senate
against the prohibitory bond bill. "Mr.
President" he said, "the crime, the al
legged crime, of 1873, is nothing COM
pared to the crime which will be per-
petrated if this act shall pass the pres
emit Congress and become law.
stripped of all its verbiage, con-
densed as it is, it is q bold PROPOSE
ton for the repeal of the resumption
act of 1875; for the repeal of the only
provision of law that exists fol- the
maintenance or redemption of the pa
per currency of the country. 1t does
not, in so many words, repeal the law
of 1875, but it is, in effect, repeal of
that law. 1t is a startling proposition.
1t will not solve the silver question, it
will not solve the financial
question. 1t simply embarrasses
the government. 1t simply puts
in peril the finances OF the country.
1t is a measure in the wrong direction.
1t was boldly avowed yesterday by its
author and sponsor as populist meas
ure. Let there be no misunderstand-
ing about 1t. 1t is an avowed pOpulist
measure.
II do not believe that there is SEN
ator who believes that 1t can pass the
House. There is not q Senator who
thinks that the President could possibly
approve 1t. 1t is a measure for an ire
deemable paper currency. The reve-
nues will be soon exhausted by the APP
preparation bills which Senators have
passed: and then there is no solution of
the difficulty, except by the sale OF
bonds. We cannot refuse to look at
the situation which confronts US. A
bill has been passed which does not re-
alize sufficient revenue for the support
of the government. If your revenues
are not sufficient how are you to pro-
vide fund with which to keep your
paper currency ahoat?
"This bill is nothing more or less than
plain, open, bald reputation. Repudi.
alton is what it means. Dishonor is
what it means. Degradation of tho cur
rency is what it means. The crime of
1878 pales in insigni6cance in COMPARE
son with the enormity of this contem-
plated measure"
Mr.. George made a suggestion to Mr..
Hill in rather low tones to which Mr..
Hills reply was that the Senator's
words must be acceptable to the SEN
ator from Ohio (Mr. Sherman).
"But," Mr.. Sherman called out from
his seat on the republican side, II have
not heard word of it," Naughter.)
Mr.. Hill informed Mr.. Sherman that
Mr.. Georges suggestion was in the
direction of pure, unadulterated tariff
and that he (Mr. HilD had said that
those were pleasant words for the SEN
ator from Ohio to hear.
The debate was interrupted by the
close of the morning hour, at p. M,
when the presiding officer declared the
calendar to be before the Senate.
A motion was made by MIR. Butler to
Law aside the calendar and proceed with
the consideration of the bond bill. That
motion was carried by diminished
majority-yeas 90; nays 81. And so
the consideration of the bill was con-
tinued.
HOUSE.
A conference report recommending
that the pension of Brigadier-General
Joseph r. West, of Washington, D. c.,
formerly United States Senator from
Louisiana, be fixed at $50 a month was
agreed to.
Mr.. Hooker presented the conference
report on the river and harbor bill.
Mr.. Dockery opposed the bill on the
grounds of its extravaganza and the
inadequate condition of the Treasury
to respond to its demands. He said he
knew that what he had to say would
evoke no applause; for as the gentle
man from California Mr.. Loud) had
aptly observed 1--WE are all in it.
Mr.. Dockery said he would appeal
from this forum to the laboring men of
the country, who earn their livelihood
by their daily toll, to condemn this
riotous, enormous prohigate expend,
iture out of an already impoverished
treasury. (Republican laughter and
applause at the admission that the
treasury was now impoverished.
Mr.. Hepburn was more energetic
than Mr.. Dockery in his criticism of |
the bill. He said he could tell, in o
general way, how much there was for
a district in the bill by the degree of
opposition the representative from that
district made to criticism upon it. A
demand was now made that there
should be named one or some of the
projects in tho bill deserving of censure.
Did the friends Of the bill want that
done when they crowded it through the
House with absolutely no debate and
without permitting q single section of
the bill to be read or amended. Was
anything like this ever known? And
they had the insolence now to demand