Year: 1874

portunity yet.-----ss--- -


Mr.. Boey said he would consent to the


arrangement


| Mr.. Merrimon said this measure was Of


too much Importance to be passed Owe!


silently, and those who favored the bill


owed it to themselves to thoroughly


examine the message Of the President and


discuss it. III -


Mr.. Thurman said he would be glad


to have it disposed of, but he thought


measure of this Importance must provoke


dlscussion. The bark that was launched


upon the waters of an irredeemable paper


currency had struck presidential rock


and was shattered. He would rive his


hearty support to any bill which would


restore confidence and put the cur


rency OF the, nation ON sound basis. He
did not understand the great diversity
of opinion between the administration Sem


ators. For his part, he longed to have re-


turn TO the GOOD old days of Andrew Jack
son, when the President had good, whole


some influence upon Congress, and when
the policy and views of the administration
had some weight.


Mr.. Edmunds said he liked that speecb.
1t put him in mind Of old times. CLaugh.
ter The difference between Republican
and Democratic administration was that in
q Republican administration the chief
magistrate attended to his constitutional
.~St. WuVAOSc Au SuO kOO0 OAu u0y0 Va
Andrew Jackson if any Democratic Sena-
tor failed to come to time, or support any
measure of the administration, he was not
allowed to have any position in his party.
1t was tor that reason that the people Of
this country broke down the Democratio
administrations, because under them there
were constant aggressions against the lib
critics OF the people, In the Republican
party every Senator had right to his own
opinions, and acted according to his own
views ,s


Mr.. Thurman said when he entered the
Senate five years ago, there was one man
here to whom the Republican party was in
de0ted for its existence more than any
other man living; yet the time came when
that man disagreed with the views of the
administration and was humiliated in every
way therefor; to such an extent was he
humiliated that he was only allowed
place upon the committees by Demo
cratic votes. He (Thurman) thought it
would not do for the Senator from
Vermont (Edmunds| to talk about
Independence in the Republican party
in view of this past history would besr out,
the statements which he (Thurman) had,
ton every successful administration had
always exercised wholesome influence in
the halls of Congress 90 as to prevent its
party from being dashed to pieces by col
lisiOns amongits own members. When the
San Domingo question was before the Sem
ate the opinion of the executive was very
well known and the exertioqs of the
President in its behalf were felt,
but now when it comes to the great ques-
tion of currency. whether we should drift
off into sea of irredeemable paper money,
or whether by wise legislation the country
should be brought back to sound currency,
it is said the duty of the President is to
wrap himself up in cloud and let the
members of his party array themselves
he was bound to arrest by the presidential
veto. a


Mr.. Edmunds said his friend Thurman
had defended the influence of an admnis-
tratiOn of Congress-; that influence in the
past history of the Democratic party meant
that unless Democratic Senator stood by
the administration, this or that friend would
be removed from Office, and they could
have no influence with the administration.
kind.


Mr.. Eimunds said the President was to
be commanded for not interfering in legis-
lation. The nOn-election of Mr.. Sumner to
the Craftsmanship of the Committee on
Foreign Relations, was not for the cause
stated by the gentlemen tThurman), but
solely for a personal reason. The Senator
had no right to say that Senator Sumner or
any other Senator had been pursued by the
administration or any of his party.


Mr.. Howe said the very Senate which
refused to put Mr.. Sumner at the head of
the Committee on Foreign Relations ten
dered him at the same time the chairman
ship of one of the most important commit
tees of the Senate, that Of Privileges and
Elections.


Mr.. Logan said the friends of the finance
bill were willing to keep silent and vote.
but he warned his friends on the other side
not to commence the war. a,f


A vote as to whether the bill should pasa
the veto resulted tliirtv
yeas to twenty- four nays, not two-thirds.
and the bill was lost.


The Senate then adjourned.


The Committee on Ways and Means were
instructed to inquire whether officers of the
New York customhOuse visited Washin gtOn
to secure cOrrupt legislation.


The legislative appropriation bill was,
passed. The Amendments to it, striking
ont the items tor the assay Office at Char
lOtte. North Carolina, was not agreed to in
the House, so the items stand.


The House has appropriated 500, 900 to
purchase ratiOns for the distressed people
suffering from the overflow of the lower
r., ,.ll


The Judiciary Committee has been au-
to take testimony, looking to the
impeachment of Judge Story, OF Arkansas.