Year: 1878

A Side Blow at the Southern Pa


cific Railroad.


FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


WAsHISeroS Dec. 4, 1873.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SENATOR EDMUNDs'


BILL--How THE PASSAGE OF A LAW WAS DE-


FEATED THAT WOULD HAVE MADE Mr.. TILDEN


PRESIDENT.


Senator Edmunds gave notice to-day that next Mon
day lie will ask the Senate to attend to Of the
most important pieces of unfinished business before
the counry-namely. the question Of providing way
for the election of President which shall avoid the
dangers and excitcments consequent the election
Of 1876 II Mr.. Edmunds undertakes in earnest to
bring this question up discussion there is
TO hope that bill will at least get through the
Senate. Mr.. Edmunds bill. which was reported
last May from the Select Committee, to whom
the subject was referred provides that the Presi-
dental election shall be held the FIRST Tuesday
October, and that tho electors shall meet in the
different States on the second Monday in January
following. This gives than three months to
decide questions OF disputed elections in the States,
and the bill provides that each State shall regulate for
itself the manner in which such disputes shall be de-
termined and that the determination made according
10 such regulations in each State shall be final and
conclusive. Congress is to meet on the second Mon
day Of February to open the electoral votes and count
them. and the bill provides that where there is but
emo return from State it shall not be rejected
without tho concurrent vote Of both houses. while
where there two more returns only that
shall bo counted which is received by the
vote Of both houses. That is to say, both houses
fbn NJ a otj jectio
Is made for to its reception where there is only
return. but if there two be received
without the concurrence Of both houses.


If the bill gets fairly before the Senate
1t is likely to be debated at considerable length,
as tho same question has been before. It is
curious fact that several years ago Senator Morton
got bill somewhat Like this through the Senate and
the House 1t that time ready pass it, would
have become law had not Senator Thurman, after
the passage of the bill in the Senate its
sid.ration. His motion was carried and, in the
subsequent hurry Of business, the bill
again taken up. Had it passed then it would have
done but for Mr. Thurmans act. its provisions would
seve made Mr.. Tilden President the count Of the
vote by the two houses in 1877.


AN UNAVOIDABLE VOTE ON THE SOUTHERN PA


crF1c RAILROAD BnL-ouEER MOVEMENTS OF


THE SILVER MEN,


Both houses adjourned early to-day. there being no
business ready to employ them and disposition
tsr TO engage in bunkum exciting discussions.
In the Senate Mr. Matthews motion to take up the
Southern Pacific Railroad bill was promptly rejected
by "a to 49, and the vote against the bill would have
been larger had it been that the question was
coming up To conciliate favor for the bill Mr.
Matthews thereupon gave notice Of amendment
that tho guarantee of the should not b
given to bonds for any part Of the road which the
company neglected to build. The bill must be
curiously drawn If it needs this amendment.


Two more silver bills were added to scna4or Bccks
to-day His resolution. it Will be remembered, in
effect requires the Secretary OF the Treasury to pay
the interest the public debt in silver A. far as it
will go. Senator Saulsbury to-day introduced bill
commanding the Secretary, when he redeems legal
tenders to pay for them per Of gold
and twenty-five per cent of silver. Considering the
fact that there only nineteen millions of silver
dollars coined these two gentlemen certainly provide
demand greatly exceeding the supply. But this is
not all Mr. Fort Illinois republican, evidently ~
furious as he is ignorant, to-day introduced
. resolution providing that the legal tender quality
Of silver dollars shall be maintained and enforced.
and that any national bank refuses to receive them
and treat them legal dollars This shall be deemed
defiance Of the laws Of the United States and it's notes
shall be Withdrawn from circulation The precedent
which Mr.. Fort evidently relies for the defence Of
this brilliant resolution of his is found in the action
Of the authorities of South German town during
recent hot summer which caused great incon-
vcniencc TO tho inhabitants The Town Council.
composed of philanthropic men like Mr.. Fort met
and adopted resolution commanding the people TO
break up all their thermometers and forbiddng tho
use OF Thermometers until the Of cold weather


Tho dificulty with the silver is. however,
neatly confessed in Mr.. Forts resolution. They be-
gin 10 that though Congress declare eighty
three cents worth of silver dollar IL liz poweress to
persuade the people that the declaration makes II So
The banks do not propose 10 refuse the silver dollars
which Congress has declared legal tender. but they
decline TO do business with any one who wants them
TO give him dollar worth Of gold for eighty three
cents worth Of silver. IL Mr. Fort will agree to take
silver back the banks will take deposit all he will
bring them, but when he proposes to deposit silver
and demand gold in return they very naturally de-
cline his CUSTOM they woud that OF any other over
sharp practitioner and IL is in fact because silver
men like Mr.. Fort do not themselves believe in the
silver dollar but want 10 unload on other people,
that the banks have to protect themselves. n Mr.
Fort will get Congress TO command tho Treasury to
redeem the silver dollars in gold the banks will take
them at once and in any quantity; but there Is no
why they should do what the Treasury refuses
to do. why they should do what Mr. Fort himself
would very promptly refuse and wou,d think any one
. rogue or q fool " no should ask him 10 do it.


IL Ia somewhat remarkable that 80 few silver bills
and resolutions have appeared thus far. II looks as
though the silver men themselves little puz
sled. Mr. Buckncr, tho chairman Of the Banking and
currency Committee, is maturing bill intended 10
mako all three kinds of currcncy-gold. silver and
grecnbacks-m mutually intcrconvcrtible at the Treas
ury That. II the silver only IL, will cure
their troubles. II will put upon the Treasury all ths
loss which may result from the exchange and that is
precisely where the loss should fall.


FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.