Year: 1878




luton of STANLEY MATTHEWS was
under discussion, Senator THURMAN was
brought to his feet by an effort made to
delay vote thereon. In the few re-
marks he made he stated quite explicitly
his views upon the question at issue; but
he was even more explicit in his re-
marks on Thursday, which we printed in
full in yesterday mornings REGISTER.
We copy his Wednesdays remarks from
the Congressional Record:


Mr.. Thurmsu.-Mr. President, have
said nothing on this resolution beyond
few remarks that did not occupy three
minutes in their deliverance on the first
day the resolution was taken up for con-
sideration. / entertain very clear and
positive convictions upon the subject,
very clear TO my mind and very posi-
tlvely entertained, that this resolution
contains nothing but the naked truth;
but it does not embrace the whole sub
iect that is. embraced in the bill. Tne
resolution relates to what is legal and
what would be honorable, but the bill
embraces not only those questions but the
question what would be polite. l had
hoped, therefore, that this resolution
would be speedily disposed of, and have
not occupied any of the time OF
the Senate in discussing it. do not re-
gret it, for all that / could have said has
been better said by other Senators; but
do think that alter we have sat here
three months, deducting the recess, 1t is
about time we come to something that is
practical, something that is TO take the
form of law il it pass the Senate and the
House 1T all. We shall have settled
simply a question of what is law and
what would be honor wheh we shall
have passed this resolution, suppcsing 1t
to pass, but we shall not have deter
mined what will be the policy OF this
Government, what will be the law of the
land upon this silver question, as 1t has
been called, until we com TO vote upon
the bill itself.


And inasmuch as the bill necessarily in
wolves every question that can be raised
upon this resolution, /, for one, do not
see that in urging the Senate to tx 8
time, and short time too, when the vote
shall be taken upon this resolution, am
cutting of, or desiring to cut of, any
Senator from the full expression of his
views. l do not see that any one Sena-
tor can be charged with attempting to
stife debate or to deprive any Senator of
the full privileges that he ought TO enjoy,
or to lnjure the public service in any
way, by saying "Let US stop debating
this question in its present phase upon an
abstract resolution, and let US 60 to the
subject in the concrete on the bill which
is before US for consideration" That in
lures no one; that deprives no one OF the
right to express his opinion; that only
iurthers the business Of the body.


l hope, therefore Mr.. President, that
we may soon come to vote on this res
olu.ion and get 1t out Of the way in or
der that the bill may be taken up Tor
consideration. And then there will be
ample room for all who desire to express
their opinions to do so, and 10 do so fully.
For myself, believing that the remone,i-
ShbiOI Va w eAhO bioSSt w
heving that it ought to be made full
legal tender, believing that you cannot
maintain specie payments in this coun-
try until that be done, believing that the
interests of the whole country require
that it should be done, believing that the
fears which have been expressed in re-
gard 10 the effect of such measure are
for the most part imaginary, | feel bound
10 urge, IS far as it is in my power
to do so, the speedy consideration and
decision of these questions; and ! feel
that am bound also, if necessary, to
avoid consumption of time myself and
give up to others who may desire TO
speak the floor, rather than tire the
patience of the Senate with anything
that l could say.


l trust, sir, that some one of the sug-
gestions that have been made, either that
of the Senator from New York or that
OF the Senator from Iowa, will be agreed
TO, and that every Senator will feel that
IN urging such position as ihst, no one
is seeking to deprive him OF the right to
speak, no one is seeking 10 stife debate
upon this question which Senators regard
Of such high Importance.