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1506 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. FEBRUARY 16, and on the purchase in Septembe~ 24, 1873, the premium was a little He also presented a memorial of the chief and councilmen of the less than 11. · Shawnee Indians, late of Kansas, in rela.tion to the lands in the Black Thus we see that under this policy the value of the bonds on the Bob reservation in Kansas, and asking the repeal of the fourteenth gold standard has increased about seventeen cents on the dollar, while section of the act of July 15, 1870, making appropriations for sundry tbe premium on the legal-tender standard has decreased but five cents civil expenses of the Government for the year ending June 30, 1871; on the dollar. which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered Instead of entitling this law "An act to strengthen the credit of to be printed. the Government," it should have been entitled "An act to strengthen He also presented a concurrent resolution of the Legislature of the the power of the money monopoly over the people, to increase the State of Missouri, in favor of the repeal of the law prohlbiting plant burdens of taxation, and to perpetuate high rates of interest, to the ers from selling leaf-tobacco without license; which was referred to ruin of every industrial pursuit." · the Committee on Finance. Sir, as a result of such a policy as I have been attempting to por He also presented a memorial of the Kansas Pacific Railroad Com tray, every industrial interest in the country now lies prostrate. The pany, in relation to charges against the Union Pacific Railroa-d Com :people have been the witnesses of this class legislation, and under pany; which was referred to the Committee on Railroads. an unnatural stimulus given to some classes of business by the pro He also presented a concurrent resolution of the Legislature of the tective policy, aided by a depreciated currency, and the inherent, un State of 1\lissouri, in relation to the Kansas Pacific and Union Pacific developed capacity of a new country, they were falsely told and made Railroad Companies; which was referred to the Committee on Rail to believe that they were in the midst of unexampled prosperity. The roads, and ordered to be printed. delusion has pa-ssed away. The prosperity was all fictitious. The at 1\Ir. FENTON. I present the petition of John Fisk1 of Suspension tempt to create wealth by specuJation, and without labor, has failed, Bridge, New York, who represents that he is the origmal inventor of as it always will fail. The country must be restored to its normal the iron-clad ram for harbor defense, as set forth in the memorandum condition. The whole protective policy must be abandoned, and the and affidavits which I submit with this petition. He a-sks that the people be left to choose the pursuits in which they will engage. same rights and benefits be granted to him as to the person who claimed The attempt has been made to create the impression that the abo to be the inventor of the Monitor, believing his invention to be supe lition of the national banks will disturb financial relations and destroy rior to that in its operations. trade. The legal-tenders will flow into immediate circulation as the I ought to say that I know Colonel Fisk to be a highly respectable bank notes are absorbed. The money locked up by the banks will be and worthy citizen, residing at Suspension Bridge, New York, to whose paid out pro mta to their creditors, and the reserves will go into cir statements respect is due. I became acquainted with him during the culn.tion among the people. The abolition of the national banks period of the war, as the gallant lea-der of the Sixth New York Cav abolishes stock-gambling and forces the hundred million, now used by alry. I move that this petition, with the papers, be referred to the them to the detriment of every material interest, into legitimate fields. Committee on Military Affairs. I suppose that is the proper direction A sound financial system will immediately take the place of insolvent for them to take. banks, whose struggles for perpetuation a.~e now obstructing all the The motion was agreed to. avenues of trade. 1\Ir. FENTON pre ented the petition of the members and congre On motion of Mr. SPEER, the House (at three o'clock and thirty gation of the Society of Friends of Brooklyn, New York, signed by five minutes p. m.) adjourned. Henry Dickinson anu other officers, and the petition of the Congre gational church, of Sayville, Suffolk County, New York, praying for the appointment of a commission of inquiry concerning the alcoholic liquor traffic, its relations to pauperism, crime, the public health, and general welfare; which were ordered to lie on the table. IN SENATE. lli. BOUTWELL presented the petition of the Second Congrega-• tional church, of Medfield, Massachusetts, signed by the pastor, Rev. MONDAY, February 16, 1874. J. M. R. Eaton, and other officers, praying for the appointment of a Prayer by the Rev. E. D. OWEN, of Washington. commission of inquiry concerning the alcoholic liquor traffic, its rela On motion of Mr. MORTON, and by unanimous consent, the read tions to pauperism, crime, the public health, and general welfare; ing of the Journal of the proceedings of Friday last was dispensed which was ordered to lie on the table. with. Mr. BUCKINGHAM presented the memorial of Howard Meeks and CREDENTI4J.S. other citizens of Fairlee, Kent County, Maryland, asking Congress to enact a law making lega1-tender notes and United States bonds bear · Mr. JOHNSTON presented the credentials of Ron. Robert E. ing interest at the rate of 3.65 per cent. interchangeable; which was Withers, chosen by the Legislature of Virginia a Senator from that referred to the Committee on Finance. State for the term beginning March 4, 1875; which were read and Mr. WRIGHT. I present a petition of citizens of Clay County, Iowa, ordered to be filed. setting forth that nt the present time of financial trouble1. while busi PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS. ness is emb:trra sed or suspended, and labor unemployed., it will be Mr. CONOVER pre ented the petition of Jame Curtis, of Florida, oppressive to restore the duty on tea and coffee, or to revive or increase praying compensation a-s master and pilot of the schooner James internal taxation. They also set forth that, in accordance with the Buchanan; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce. second section of the act. of June 6, 1872, a reduction was made of 10 per· Mr. ANTHONY presented the memorial of Cyrus Harris, president of cent. of duties upon ma.nufn.ctured cottons, woolens, irons, steel, paper, the Roger Williams National Bank, of Providence, Rhode Island, and leather, glass, metals, and other staple commodities, and that under many other presidents and cashiers of national banks of that city, this law one-tenth of the duties upon imports of these wares ha-s been respectfully remonstrating against the bill to take from that State a handed bn;ck to the foreigners who send them to our markets, instead portion of the national cuiTency; which was ordered to lie on the table. of going into the Treasury of the United-States. Theyrepresentthat He also presented the memorial of the Providence Medical Associa they believe the legislation above set forth is wrong in principle, and tion, of Providence, Rhode Island, approving of the objects of the they n-sk its repeal. I move that this petition be referred to the Com memorial of the American Medical Association, relative to the Medi mittee on Finance. cal Corps of the United States Army, and of the act propo eel therein The motion was agreed to. now before Congress; which wa-s referred to the Committee on lllili l\Ir. WRIGHT also presented the following resolution of the General tary Affairs. A sembly of the State of Iowa, which wa-s ordered to be printed, and Mr. KELLY. I present some petitions of citizens of Oregon, con referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections: cerning charges against Ron. J. H. MITCHELL and asking the Senate .Toint resolution relative to an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to investigate the same. in regard to the compensation of members of Congress. 1\fr. President, I have been requested by a number of citizens of Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, That our Senators in Oregon to present these petitions, in which they prefer certain charges Congress be instructed, and our Representatives be requested, to vote to submit to the several State Legislatures, for their ratification, an amendment to the Constitu against my colleague, and ask the Senate to inquire into their truth. tion of the United States, providing that no Congress shall increase the compensation In this connection I desire to state that having been well acquainted of its members. with Senator MITCHELLfor twelve years prior to his election as a mem Resolved, That the secretary of state be instructed to furnish a. certified copy of . ber of this body, I ~ew not~ng during all that time derogatory to his these resolutions to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congr~s. .TNO. H. GEAR, character or reputation. W1th regard to the charges preferred, I wish Speaker of the House of Representatives. it to be understood that I do not now express any opinion upon them .TOSEPH DYSART, either one way or another.