The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-10-03

| silver uOlIdT was OIIlllleu ITOIn the isl
The bill passed the senate jan 10, 1871
but was never acted upon by the house
The Third and Successful Attempt.
The third and finally successful move
! ment for the decentralization of silve
| was the Introduction in the house of rep
resentatives on the 9th of March, 1871
| Of "A bill (No. 1,12O revising anC
| amending the laws relative to mints
assay office and coinage of the United
States" 1t was introduced by Mr. KEEL
ly, of Pennsylvania, chairman Of the
committee on coinage, and reported by
him favorably from that committee on
the eth of January, 1872. He informed
the house that it had been prepared
in the treasury department for the
purpose of codifying and simplifying
the mint laws, the only important
change being the creation of a mint bu-
reau in the treasury department.
1t was recommitted Jan. 10 and
again reported with amendments Feb.
0, 1872, this time by the Hon. Samuel
Hooper of Massachusetts. He stated
that the bill reduced the weight Of the
silver dollar from 4121a grains to 3S4,
but he did not state that it proposed,
as it did, to demonetize silver by maxi
ing the silver dollar a legal tender
only in sums not to exceed s..
The bill then passed the house in
the substitute form under a suspension
of the rules.
Ignorant of It's Contents.
Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, who in
troduced the bill, declared on the floor
of the house in 1878 that, though he
was chairman of the committee on
coinage, he was Ignorant of the fact
that it would demonetize the silver
dollar" Congressional Record, vol. Z,
part 2, page 1909 Mr.. Blaine, who was
speaker of the house when the bill
passed, declared on the floor of the
senate in 1873 that he did not know
anything that was in the bill at ALL"
and that little was known or cared
on the subject" Same page 1063.)
Garfield declared that he knew nothing
about it. Congressional record, vol. Z,
part l, page 9S9.) Mr.. Holman of In
diana, declared that the passage of
the bill through the house was a col
lossal swindle," and never had the
sanction of the house" Congressional
record, vol. A. part 6, appendix 1881
Mr.. Cannon. Of Illinois, said: Neither
members Of congress nor the people
the scope of the legislation"
(Same, page 1919
In the senate the bill was taken up
for consideration on the 18th of Janu-
airy, 1873, and debated and passed on
that day. All the debate that was ever
had upon 1t in that body took place on
that date.
The bill, as it passed the senate, con-
Ainfc in, OF
assertions made by Mr.. Sherman dur
ing the debate upon it as to the provis-
ions it contained concerning the stand
ard silver dollar. 1t demonetized sill
yer, which he declared to the senate it
did not. Mr. Hooper had misled the
house by omissions, evasions and in
Mr. Sherman deceived the
senate by direct Misrepresentation
This was "the crime of 1873"
The Proof of Deception.
The ineffaceable proof of this serious
accusation is contained in the report of
the senate proceedings of Jan. II, 1873,
n the Congressional Globe, from which
will quote some passages: Congress
;ional Globe, parts / and 2, third ses-
sion, Forty-second congress, pages 66S-
"a.
There was no reference in the debate
o the fact that the bill would abolish
he legal tender quality Of silver. The
house bill changed the weight Of the
oliver dollar from 412h grains to 3S4
grains, and made 1t, like the smaller
oins, a legal tender for S. only. Mr.
sherman had reported an amendment
o strike this out, and insert instead a
trade" dollar, to weigh APO grains.
With the same limitation as to the legal
ender quality. The bill prohibited the
ssuance from the minis of any coins
ot named therein. This was to make
ure that the 4121a grain dollar would
OF survive by any implication.
The question may be asked how
Guild Mr.. Sherman thus deceive the
enate. The reply is that the bill was
eing hurried through by him on his
tatement, at the outset, that its con-
Iteration would not probably con-
ume any more time than the time
in reading it," That meant
hat its seventy-one sections con-
aimed nothing Of sufficient importance
} even require explanation by him,
luch less to call for debate. It was
epresented by him to be merely a bill
} enact into law some changes in the ,
lintage laws which the mint officers
eemed necessary. He evidently sat-
fled senators that it was not worth
leir serious attention. Those who have
ny acquaintance with senate pro-
ceilings understand very well that
lch mere routine legislation as this
as represented to be attracts no at
,ntion in the senate chamber. The
enator in charge is trusted to truth
lily state its objects, and no one
links of doubling his word. {
The Testimony of Senators. {
That no suspicion was being enter I
lined at the time that silver was be- :
g demonetized by the bill is evil
enced from the declarations subse-
lentely made in the senate in 1878.
n Feb. Is of that year Senator Thur I