Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-11-11

In the Parliamentary paper recently
issued in London, which made public
the full proceedings connected with the
mission of the special envuys from the
United States in tho interest OF silver
coinage appeared the following letter
from the Foreign Office to the Treasury
Foreign Office. July 9th, 1897. Sir:
/ am directed by the Marquis of Sails.
bury to inform you that meeting took
place at the Foreign Office on the 10Th
inst, which was attended by his lord
ship. Mr.. Balfour, Sir NJ. Hicks Beach.
Lord George Hamilton, the French Am.
basssdor, the French Minister NJ.
Geoifray), the American Ambassador,
and Messrs. Wolcott, Paine and Steven
son.
The following proposals were made
by Senator Wolcott:
|. The opening of the Indian mints,
and the repeal of the order making the
sovereign legal tender in India.
3. The placing OF one.fif of the
bullion in the issue department Of the
Bank Of England in silver.
8. ta) The raising of the legal tender
limit Of silver to, say, el0.
(b) The issue of 20s. notes based on
silver which shall be legal tender.
tc) The retirement, gradual and
otherwise, CT the l0s. gold peces. and
substitution of paper based on silver.
4. An agreement to coin annually
6 Of silver.
Present silver coinage average for
five years about el, 600, 900, less annual
withdrawal of worn and defaced coin
for reeoinage about e350, 600
Alternative proposal. -. Agreement
to purchase each year { in silver at
coinage value.
8. The opening of English minis to
the coinage Of rupees and of British
dollar. which shall be full tender in
Straits Settlements and other silver
standard colonies and tender 10 United
Kingdom to the limit of silver legal
tender.
6. Action by the colonies and coinage
Of silver in Egypt.
Z. Something having the general
scope of the Huskisson plan.
] am, &C., George N. Curzon.
Here il distinct and unqualified
statement that Senator Wolcott made
certain proposals. Upon whose authority
did he make them?
1t is fact that the Congress of the
United States did not cothe Senator
wolcott With any authority in thi.
matter. And Congress is the only
power in this country that could legally
authorize anyone to make deliberate
proposals to the representatives Of /
foreign government with respect t.
questions of finance and coinage.
Nor does it appear that Presidvn
Mckinley gave Senator Wolcott com
mission to do this thing, unless he die
So in very secret manner. But ever
the authority OF the President woulC
go no further than to authorize Senu
tor Wolcott to make these proposals il
conditional manner, dependent upol
subsequent approval by the Congress
of tho United States.
The only other sort OF even quas
authority is found in the platform
adopted by the Republican nationa
convention held at st. Louis on Jun
18th, 1896, which among other thing
declared: I'VE are therefore opposet
to the free coinage of silver except b
international agreement with the lead
ing commercial nations Of the world
which We pledge ourselves to promote.
But even this declaration, made by
political, not legislative, body, wa
not sufficient to authorize Senator VOL
colt to make deliberate proposals I
the representatives. of foreign govern
ment.
The irresistible conclusion, there
fore, is that Senator Wolcott mad
these proposals solely and entirely upo
his personal responsibility. AS III
action Of Congress would have bee
necessary to their completeness, eve
had they been accepted by the repr,
sentativss of the British governmen
his nerve in going to such an exter
was remarkable. Fortunately, howeve
his silver scheme was rejected, an
thus our government will not be calls
upon TO take action upon proposition
made in its behalf. although by a ma
who is not known to have had Hcir
tilla of legal authority to act in sue
capacity.