1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. 685 ' an appropriation for a new post-office building-to the Committee belligerents of the Cuban patriots in their struggle for freedom; on Appropriations. which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. By Mr. SPARKMAN: Memorial from the mayor and citizens He also presented a petition, signed by the mayor and sundry of West Tampa, Fla., asking for the recognition of the belligerent other citizens of Utica, N.Y., praying the Congress of the United . rights of the Cuban insurgents-to the Committee on Foreign States to .use its influence as may seem most wise and efficient Affairs. in speedily arresting the awful persecutions now in progress in By Mr. SORG: Petition of the Dayton Ministerial Association~ Turkey and Armenia; which was referred to the Committee on of Dayton, Ohio, asking (1) to raise the age of consent; (2) tore Foreign Relations. peal the ninety-day divorce law of Oklahoma; (3) to enact a Sab Mr. SQUIRE. I present a petition of the Tacoma Chamber of bath law for the capital equal to the best State law; ( 4) to enforce Commerce, calling attention to the fa.ct that for many years past compulsory education and suppress child labor in the capital; (5) the Chamber of Commerce and the citizens of Tacoma have main· to pass a law for arbitration of railway strikes, and (6) to provide tained at their own expense a voluntary weather bureau, furnish· for a commission to investigate the labor problem-to the Com- in.g an office, rent free, for the use of the Signal Service observer. mittee on the Territories. · The Chamber of Commerce of Tacoma desire that a Weather By Mr. STAHLE: Papers to accompany House bill No. 3319, Bureau station be established at that city by the National Gov· granting a pension to Jacob Witiner-to the Committee on In ernment. This petition sets forth that the deep-sea craft stop at valid Pensions. this place constantly, going and coming, the arrivals amounting Also, papers to accompany House bill No. 1122, to correct the to over 400 annually, with an average tonnage inward amounting military record of _Edwin T. Lewis-to the Committee on Mili- to 600,00()-tons, and that the tonnage of the Sound craft at that tary Affairs. · port arriving and departing exceeds 1,000,000 tons annually. By Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE: Six petitions, severally, of citi The petitioners state that they have been informed by the Chief zens of Tarentum; . two of citizens of Cameron County; citizens of the Government Weather Bureau that no other State in the of Hazen, Jefferson County; citizens of Allegheny County, Pa., Union has so many Weather Bureau stations, or has received so and citizens of West Virginia, praying for the passage of the Stone large a share of the appropriation for the maintenance of the na· bill for the restriction of immigration-to the Committee on Im- tiona! meteorological service; but the Chamber of Commerce sug· migration and Naturalization. . gest that no other State in the Union has such an extent of coast By Mr. WALKER of Virginia (by request): Petition of the line as the State of Washington, which must of necessity call for · heirs of Burrell Wall, deceased, late of Wythe County, V a., praying larger expenditure in this direction. Therefore the petitioners reference of his war claim to the Court of Claims-to the Commit seek to have a larger appropriation made, for the purpose of estab tee on War Claims. lishing a Weather Bureau station at the city of Tacoma. By Mr. WANGER: Two petitions of Frank K. Reeder and 54 The petitioners go on to speak of the constantly increasing traf· other citizens of Bucks County, together with Wilbert Merrick fie between Tacoma and Oriental ports, as well as the United and 26 other citizens of Bucks County, Pa., for the passage of the Kingdom, carried on by steamers and sailing vessels, requiring Stone bill for consular inspection of immigrants (H. R. 58)-to the shipping to be protected from danger and loss by such signals - the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. · and information as is given by the Government at other ports. They humbly pray that this rising seaport may be accorded the measure of justice in this respect to which it is fairly and justly entitled. . SENATE. I move that the petition be referred to the Committee on Appro. priations. · WE:O,NESD.A.Y, January 15, 1896. The motion was agreed to. Mr. SEWELL. I present a memorial of the Daughters of the Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. W. H. MILBURN, D." D. Revolution of the State of New Jersey, praying that Miss Eliza The Journal of yesterday's proceedings was read and approved. Sandford, daughter of William Sandford, orderly sergeant in the Revolutionary war, be granted a pension. I move that the memo· BRIGHTWOOD RAILWAY COMPANY. rial be referred to the Committee on Pensions, a bill granting a The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communica pension to Miss Sandford having been introduced and being before · tion from the president of the Board of. Commissioners of the that committee. · District of Columbia, transmitting annual report of the Bright The motion was agreed to. wood Railway Company. of the District for the year ended Decem Mr. SEWELL presented resolutions adopted by the Lafayette. ber 31, 1895; which, with the accompanying report, was referred Reformed Church, of Jersey City, N.J., favoring protection for to the Committee on the District of Columbia, and ordered to be the Armenian people and indorsing the resolution introduced by printed. the Senator from :Massachusetts [Mr. HOAR] in relation to the BELT RAILWAY COMPANY. troubles in Turkey; which were referred to the Committee on The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communica Foreign Relations. tion from the President of the Belt Railway Company of the Dis He also presented the petition of L. T. Yeoman and 92 other cit trict of Columbia, transmitting a report of the names of stock izens of Essex County, N.J., and the petition of Joseph McComb holders and the number of shares held by each, together with a and 14 other citizens of Jersey City, N. J., praying for the passage statement of the receipts and disbursements for the year ended of the so-called Stone immigration bill; which were referred to the December 31, 1895; which, with the accompanying statement, was Committee on Immigration. Mr. LODGE presented a petition of the Massachusetts Whol~ referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia, and ordered sale Lumber Association of Boston, Mass., praying for the pas· to be printed. sage of the Torrey bankruptcy bill; which was referred to the . ECKINGTON AND SOLDIERS' HOME RAll,WAY. Committee on the Judiciary. · The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communica He also presented the petition of Hem·y W. Sears and 21 other tion from the president of theE ~kington and Soldiers' Home Rail citizens of Middleboro, Mass., praying for the passage of the s He also· presented a; petition or the Massachusetts: Wholesale Mr.. HANSBROUGH.presented a Lpetition irr the· form·.of reso~ Lumber AsBociation of Bostont Mass.t praying fur: the passage of Iutions adopted at a meeting of citizens of Tower City, N.Dak., tha Torr.ey bankruptcy bill; which. wa.s referred to the Committee praying that relief be granted the suffering Armenians; which on-the Judiciary. ' was referred to the Committee on: Foreign Relations. He- also presented resolutions adopted at-a·mass-meeting of citi zens· of .N ewtont Ma-ss. t expressing their approval of_the Senate SENATOR FROM DELAWARE. resolution:.inti:oduced.. by the Senator from Massachm;etts [Mr. Mr~ GRAY. I present the affidavits of Robert~. H-anby, State HoAR] to support the President in the most vigorous action he senator in the general assembly of Delaware; William T. Records, ma.y deem ftt' to take for the protection and. security of American Charles A. Hastings, J ohn.B. Pennington:, and..Ed ward D. Hearne, citizens in Turkey; which. were. referred to the Committee on all citizens of the State of Delaware, which I move be referred to Foreign Relations. the Committee on Privileges and Ele-ctions and printed. He also presented a petition~ in the fo:rm..of..resolutions adopted The motion was agreed to. at a. meeting of the High Street Congregational Church; of Low Mr. MITCHELL of Oregon. I present sundry affidavits-that e~ Mass., praying that Congress_will take such action as may be is to say, the affidavits of J. M. C. :Moore, George Fisher Pierce, deemed fit-to eBtablish law and order in· the Turkish Empiret and Samuel Ahich, Edgar T. Hastings, JohnS. Prettyman, jr., Frank commending the- efforts of the Red Cr..oss Society as worthy of Reedy, and George L. Townsend, and also portions of the senate cor.dialsuwort; which..was referred to the Committee on Foreign journal of the legislature of the State of Delaware of April 9,1895, Relations. pages 742 to 748; senate journal of legislative session of that legis Mr. COCKRELL. I present three petitions of citizens of Mis latm·e of Thursday, May 9t 1895, from 11 a.m. until noon, pages. souri, in favor-of the passage.of what is known as the Stone im 1172 to 1183; senate journal of joint assembly of the State or Dela migration-bill, which.. passed the·House of Representati:ves during ware on the same day, from noon to 3 p.m.., pages 1183 to 1231, all the laat Congress and is nowpending in that body, it being the relating to the question of the election of Mr. Du Pont by the purpose of the bill to restrict immigxation. I move that the peti legislature of the State of Delaware. tions be. referred to the Committee on Immigration. I ask that the affidavits and journal be referred to the Commit:. The motioa was agreed to. tee on Privileges and Elections and printed as a document, not Mr. VOORHEES. I present amemorial of the r.epresentatives the whole journal, but the portion I have indicated. The senate of the Religious·Societyof::Eriends for.£-ennsylvania, New Jersey, journal is a very large document. I have indicated the pages and Delaware to the EresidentandCongress of the United States, that it is desired to have printed, and the only part of the journal ·orr. the subject· of Venezuela. and the questions relative to the which relates to the case. I move that the' affidavits and the boundary of that country. Lmove that the memorial be referred journal, as I have indicatedt be printed, and that the whole be re to the Committee on. Foreign .Relations. ferred to the Committee on Privileges and. Elections. Th.e:motion_was·agreed to. The motion was agreed to. MI: HILL..pxesented petitions·of.snndry:citizens:of New York, praying· folr'the pa.ssage· of tha s.a-ealled Stone immigration bill; REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. which were-referred to the Committee on Immigration. Mr. VEST, from the Committee on Commerce, to whom was 1\I.rL GRA.Y. I p:nesen:t-a memoriarl from. the. representatives of referred the bill (S. 1176) t.o amend an act entitled "An act to the .Religious Society of Frienda for- Eennsyivania, New Jersey, authorize the Oregon and Washington Bridge Company to con and Delaware to the President and Congress of the United States, struct and maintain a bridge across the Columbia River, between on the dispute between Great" Britain and Venezuela relative to the State of Oregon and the State of Washington, and to estab the boundary of the latter and the intervention of the United lish it as a post-road," reported it without amendment. States. The memorial is not very long~ !.ask.. that it be printed He also, from.. the same committee, to whom was referred the in. the RECORD. bill (S. 214) a1,1thorizing the construction of a bridge over the There· being- no objectiorr, the memorial was referred.. to· the Mississippi River to the city of St. Louis, in the State of.Missouri, Committee on Foreign Relations; and. ordered to be printed in the from some suitable- point between the north line of St. Clair R~coRD, as follows:. County, ill., and the southwest line of said county, reported it To tka President of tke United States and tke Senate with an amendment. and House of Representatives in Congress assembled: He also, from the same committee, to whom was xeferred the The memorial of the representatives of the Religious Society of FriendS of bill (S. 636) to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware respectfully represenil>: '.rhat-we Missouri River at or near the city of Chamberlain, in Brule have participated with many others or our fellow-citizens in. anxiety and County, and Lyman County, in the State of South Dakota, re regret at the threatened disturb~ne;e of a~cable relations beqveen our Government-and that of Great Britain· relative to the boundary-dispute be ported it with an amendment. tween the latter and Venezuela, in.SouthAmerica: The efforts made by the He also, from the same committee, to whom was referred the Executive and Cabinet of the United States for months past to induce-Great bill (S. 25) authorizing the Dyersburg and Mississippi River Rail Britain to refer this question to arbitration meet with our cordial approba tion and sympathy. We believe this is the true and Christian solution of all way and Improvement Com1>any to bridge the Obion River, in the differences that may arise between either individuals or nations, in accord· State of "..:ennessee, reported it with amendm.e~:S . ance with the benign rule instituted by the Supreme Lawgiver in his Sermon Mr. ALLEN, from the Committee on Claims, to whom was re on. the Mount: "Therefore all things whatsoever-ye would that men. should. do to you, do ye even: so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." feiTed the bill (S. 90) for the relief of William P. Buckmaster, (Matthew vii.,l2:) Buii we think our. Government is liable to lose the firm reported it without amendment, and submitted a report thereon. ground·thus assumed in. its peaceful intervention· between the contending M:r. PLATT, from the Committee on Patents, to whom was re parties by holding out a menace against one of them that in case she did not accept our good offices in the mode we had prescribed the United.States ferred the bill (S. 32) for the relief of the legal representatives of would "resist by every means in- its powro;, as willful aggression upon its John C. Howe, deceased, reported it without amendment, and rights and interests the appropriation. by l:treat Britain of any_lands, etc., submitted a report thereon. which, after investigation, we ha-ve detet•m.med of r~ht belong to Venezuela." The intense agitation of the public mind, both m the United States and Mr. PASCO, from the Committee on Claims, to whom was re England\ which has followed the publication of the late state-papers on the ferred the bill (S. 271) for the relief of the Newberry College, Venezuela question, involving as they do the thought of the possibility of NewbeiTy, S.C., reported itwithoutamendment,andsubmitted a war indicate the sensitiven.ess of the thinking part of the two nations to anything that would refer to the arbitrament of the sword a difference be report thereon. tween them. Surely nothing that we-could gain by entering upon a contest , Mr. McBRIDE, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom of arms with Great Britain in such a cause could ever com.pensate for the was referred the bill (S. 708) to amend section 4 of an act to unspeakable loss, bothJD..oral and material, which must result to both nations by such a conflict! Should.not the minds of all good men shrink with horror provide for the adjustment of land grants made by Cong1:ess to from initiating even the entering wedge of so dire a calamity by using in· aid in the construction of railroads, and for the forfeiture of un temperate or offensive language in.de~gwitJ:l the questionat.iss~e, eit~er earned lands, and for other purposes, reported it without amend- in diJ?lomatic or statE! papers~ or by therr publi_c u1!~rances when m official ment, and submitted a report thereon. · positions? For wars~ ~man.y~tances, owe th6}J'.Orl!Pll more to. the o,ffended pride of rulru-s on tnvml occasions than to the .mvasion of the Just rights or Mr. SHERMAN. I am directed by the Committee on Foreign property of the combatants. Relations, to whom was referred the bill (S. 654) to prevent citi The &viour of men, who is the "Prince of Peace," has bestowed His bless· zens of the United States from soliciting. or receiving and accept ing on the peacemakers; and His inspired Apostle declares that" the wisdom which. is from above is first pure, then peaceable gentle, and easy- to be ing titles, patents of nobility, or degrees of honor from foreign entreated, fulLof mercy and good fruits, and the fruit of righteousness is nations, and for other purposes, to report it adversely. sown in peace of. them..that make peace." (James iii, 17, 18.) It is this peace The committee are of opinion that it is hardly worth while to able wisdom and a just. regard for the rights of all at this critical period that we desire to comm.end to ourTUlers, and to beseech you that no haste to dignify with the form of legislation the fact that some American vindicate what :may be supposed to be·the·honor and .Prestige of ouT beloved citizens receive titles from a foreign Government; that they ought Republic may obscure the ben:ign purpose of. the-religion we pTofess, which to be laughed at rather than be sent to the penitentiary for a crime. was ushered into the world by the angelic anthem. of "Peace- on earth and good will to men." We "feel that an.y-occasion should be carefully avoided I move that the bill be indefinitely postponed. which might kindle the flames of animosity between two of the foremost The motion was agreed to. nations of the globe, who are bound to each other bythe ties. of a. common la~age-and ra.~ commercial intercourse, and Christian civilization. ALASKAN BOUNDARY. S1gned by direction and on..behalf.ofa.meetingof the aforesaid.representa· tives held.m Pliiladelphia on the-3d day-of·tnefust month, 1898. Mi. SHERMAN. I am directed by the Committee on Foreign JOSEPH WALTON, Clerk. Relations, to whom was referred the joint resalntion (S. R. 39) t 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RKCORD-SEN ATE. 68-7 making an appropriation to defray the joint- expense of locating Mr. VOORHEES introduced a bill (S. 1580) granting a pension the boundary line between the Territory of Alaska and the British t o Dennis Sheedy; which was read. twice by its title, and referred North American territory, to report it without amendment. I to the Committee on Pensions. ask to have the joint resolution considered at the present time. He also introduced a bill (S. 1581) increasing the pension of Mr. MILLS. I hope no Senator will ask unanimous consent Frank Hight; which was read twice by its title, and, with the this morning to bring before the Senate anything that will take accompanying paJ)er, referred to the Committee on Pensions. up the time of the Senate. Mr. MORRILL introduced a bill (S. 1582) to pay to the widow Mr. GRAY. I do not think this measure will take any time. of Samuel F. Miller, a justice of the Supreme Court, a sum equal Mr. MILLS. I desire to take the floor after a while during the to· the balance of his salary for the year in which he died; which morning hour, and my friend, the Senat-or from Kansas [Mr. was read twice byits title, and refened to the Committee on the PEFFER J has it at 2 o'clock. There will be ample time hereafter Judiciary. to passj\.11 such measures. Mr. GORMAN introduced a bill (S. 1583) for the relief of L. Mr. SHERMAN. It will take but a moment to pass the joint Robert Coates & Co., of Baltimore, Md.; which was read twice by resolution. its title, and referred to the Committee on Claims. Mr. MILLS. I will withdraw the objection. Mr. SQUffiE_ (by request) introduced a bill (S. 1584) to provide :Mr. COCKRELL. I gave notice yesterday morning that I for the establishment of national patriotic memorial universities; would object to the consideration of bills when reported unless in which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee a purely exceptional case. on_Education and Labor. Mr. SHERl\i.AN. I will state to the Senator-- Mr. SEWELL introduced a bill (S. 1585) to authorize and direct Mr. COCKRELL. I will hear the Senator from Ohio. the Auditor for the Post-Office Department to credit the account Mr. SHERMAN. This is a case where a commission is now at of Geoige H. Tice, postmaster at Perth Amboy, N.J., for postage work, a commission on the part of Great Britain and on the part stamps and money--order funds stolen from his office; which was of the United States, fixing the boundary in Alaska. The fund read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee on Post has run out and it is necessa1·y that money shall be appropriated Offices and Post-Roads. immediately or else the work must be suspended. AME...·•mMENTS TO RIVER AND HARBOR BILL. Mr. COCKRELL. Let the joint resolution be considered if it Mr. MITCHELL of Oregon submitted three amendments in leads to no discussion. I think it is to meet an emergency. tended to be proposed by him to the river and harbor appropTia The VICE-PRESIDENT. The joint resolution will be read for tion bill; which were referred to the Committee on Commerce, information. and ordered to be printed. · The joint resolution was read, as follows: COAST DEFENSE INQUIRY. Resolved, etc., That in view of the expediency of forthwith negotiating a convention with Great Britain for marking convenient points upon the one Mr. SQUffiE submitted the following resolution; which was re hllndred and forty-fi:rst meridian of west longitude, where it forms, under ex ferred to the Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Ex isting treaty provisions, the boundary line between the Territory of Alaska and the British North American territory, and to enable the President to penses of the Senate: execute the provisions of such convention without delay when concluded, the Resolved, That the Committee on Coast Defenses be, and the same is hereby, sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is authorized, in the consideration of bills before said committee to provide for hereby, appropriated out of anr. moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appro fortifications and other- defenses, to sit during the sessions of the Senate, to priated, to be immediately1 available, under the direction of the President, to visit such points as in the opinion of the committee· may be necessary, to send defray the share of the United States in the joint expense of locating said me for persons and papers, and to employ a stenographer; the expense thereof ridian and marking said boundary by an international commission. to be paid out of the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers approved by the chairman of said committee. The VICE-PRESIDENT. Is there objection to the present con- PAYMENT OF COIN OBLIGATIONS. sideration of the joint resolution? · There being no objection, the joint resolution was ~nsidered as The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair lays before the Senate the in Committee of the Whole. resolution of the SenatorfromNor_th Carolina [Mr. BUTLER] com The joint resolution was reported to the Senate without amend ing over from a previous day. The resolution will be stated. ment, ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, read the third The SECRETARY. A resolution by Mr. BUTLER relative to the time, and passed. purpose of Congress to keep gold and silver at a parity byinvest BILLS INTRODUCED. ing the Secretar.y of the Treasury with the discretion of paying the coin obligations of the Government as they mature in either Mr. PETTIGREW introduced a bill (S.1569) allowing certain metal. Lower Brule Indians to take allotments of land on the Rosebud Mr~ ALLEN . The Senator from North Carolina being absent Reservation, south of White River, in the State of South Dakota; from his seat to-"day, I suggest the propriety of letting the resolu which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee tion lie over subject to call. on Indian Affairs. The VICE-PRESIDENT. Without objection, it is so ordered. He also introduced a bill (S. 1570) for the relief of Joseph Schwa-rz; which was read twice by its title, and referred to the FINANCIAL POLICY. Committee on Indian Affairs. The VICE-PRESIDENT. The Chair lays before the Senate the He also introduced a bill (S.1571) to amend the homestead laws; resolution of the Senator from Texas ~· MILLS] coming over which was read twice by its title, and Teferred to the Committee from a previous day. The resolution will be read. on Public Lands. The Secretary read the resolution submitted yesterday by Mr. He also introduced a bill (S. 1572) for the relief of W. L. Hall; MILLS~ as follows: which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee Resolved, Eirst. That the United States legal-tender notes now outstanding. on Claims. should not be retired, canceled, or funded into interest-bearin~ bonds, but He also introduced a bill ( S. 1573) for the relief of Dr. A. S. Brown; d~~tii!tl~~~ed into the Treasury they should be paid out-again-and kept in which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee Second. That the whole of the silver bullion now in the Treasury should on Claims. be coined as rapidly as possible. The coins from the seigniorage should be Mr. HOAR introduced a bill (S.1574) for the relief of the First paid out in the current expenditures and the other in the redemption of the National Bank of Newton, Mass.; which was read twice by its Treasury notes issued on its purchase. Third. That when from any cause the-re should be a deficit in the Treas~, title, and referred to the Committee on Claims. the Secretary of the Treasury should issue legal-tender notes sufficient m Mr. BERRY introduced a bill (S. 1575) for the relief of M. M. amount to meet all demands for current expenditure, and when said notes Beavers; which was read twice by its title, and referred to the are returned into the Treasury they should be destroyed. Fourth. That all laws now existing which authorize the Secretary of the Committee on Claims. Treasury to sell interest-bearing bonds of the Government should be repealed. He also introduced a bill (S. 1576) for the relief of the Little Fifth. That it is not only the established policy of the United States to Rock and Memphis Railroad Company; which was read twice by keep all kinds of money issued under their author1ty at par, but it is also the established policy of the United States to require a.ll creditors, public and its title, and referred to the Committee on Claims. private, to receive the gold and silver coins in payment of all obligations 1\Ir. JONES of Arkansas introduced a bill (S. 1577) for there where the terms of the contract stipulate for com payment, and that it is lief of James A. Mitchell, of Sebastian County, Ark.; which was the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to pay United States notes when read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee on Claims. presented in both gold and silver coins. Sixth. That we re~udiate the idea that a public debt is a public blessing; He also introduced a bill (S. 1578) for the relief of Mrs. Eliza on the contrary, it IS a burden which the interests of the people and the beth L . Traweek, of Sebastian County, Ark.; which was read preservation of the public credit demand should be removed as rapidly as twice by its title, and referred to the Committee on Claims. practicable. Seventh. The sinking fund established by law should be rigidly complied He also introduced a bill (8.1579) to authorize the Arkansas and with, and the amount now !Jrovided should be reenforced so that the whole Choctaw Railway Qompany to construct and operate a rail way interest-bearing debt should be extinguished as rapidiy as possible without through the Choctaw Nation, in the Indian Territory, and for imposing unnecessary burdens upon the resources of the country. other purposes; which was read twice by its title, and referred to The VICE-PRESIDENT. The question is on agreeing to the the Committee on Indian Affairs. resolution submitted by the Senator from Texas. 688 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. JANUARY 15, i Mr. MILLS. Mr. President, there has been for many years a munity that it should be redeemed. It is therefore manifest that it should It not issue upon the credit of any individual or association of individuals. A controversy over the settlement of the financial question. is as part can never be equal to the whole. The credit of any individual or asso earnestly pressed to-day as it has been at any period in the past, ciation of individuals can not be equivalent to that of the nation of which and it will continue to be pressed until it is settled on he right they form a part. principle. Another Democratic Secretary of the Treasury repeated the prin· The bill sent to the Senate from the House defines to some ex ciple of Jefferson. Robert J. Walker said: tent the line of policy to bepursued bythose who holdoneextreme and the substitute reported by the Finance Committee represents I am opposed to investing in banks the power of manufacturing a paper cur rency. This power of creating a currency for a. nation is one of the highest to some extent the other extreme. The substitute, instead of join and most important attributes of a. sovereign power, and more deeply affects ing issue squarely with the policy outlined by the bill, rather avoids all the diversified interests of society than the exercise of any other power and presents its side without sharply antagonizing the measure of whatever. the House. What is the real power behind the House bill? What These are some, and only some, of the footprints that mark the is the irrepressible force that for years has been opposing all silver 1·oad our Democratic fathers trod, the road we are now urged to circulation and demanding the retirement of all Treasury notes? abandon. Open, earnest, and undisguised opposition to bank paper Why is it so persistently demanded that the noninterest-bearing has been the creed of Democracy from the days of Jefferson. When Treasury notes shall be converted into an interest-bearing bond of the first bank was created, General Washington, then President, the United States? Why is it that one hundred and seventy-five called on Jefferson and Hamilton, his Secretaries of State and millions of silver bullion is kept locked in the vaults of the Treas Treasury, for their opinions. Mr. Jefferson strongly opposed the ury instead of being coined and put into circulation? charter and said to the President: Sir, all these results h~ve been produced by a wealthy and The incorpor~tion of a. bank and th~_powers assumed by this bill have not, powerful class who are interested in finding a safe and profitable in my opinion, been delegated to the Uni~d States by the Constitution. investment for their money and having conferred on them the power to issue and control the entire circulation of the country. All through the life of that great statesman, the greatest, per We have had this class with us from the beginning of the Govern haps, in the history of the world, certainly the greatest this coun ment, and it has grown in strength as it has grown in years, and try has ever produced, he opposed banks of issue as unauthor is to-day more powerful than at any other period in our history. ized and mischievous, and never at one single moment of his It is to-day imperiously demanding that the Government shall life did he ever advocate a national-bank currency or any bank abdicate· its sovereign power and create corporations and invest cuiTency, but from the beginning to the end, whether in public or them with the power of issuing, contracting, and expanding the in private, he always claimed that the issue of currency was the circulation. Their slogan is, " The Government must go out of prerogative of sovereignty, and always opposed the creation of cor the banking bu::;iness." The result of which is that the banks porations of any kind, either by national or State authority, and must go into the governing business. investing them with authorityto issue notes to circulate as money. The issue of currency, whether coins or paper, never was a part One of the chief arguments of the advocates of the bank of 1791 of banking business. It is a necessary function of sovereignty. was that it would regulate the currency and keep it uniform Receiving deposits, lending money, buying and selling exchange, throughout the country. · and discounting paper are the legitimate functions of banking. From the date of its passage to 1811, when its charter expired, To create and regulate the currency is as much the function of the country was deluged with the wildest of all the wild-cat cur government as to create and regulate an army or navy or post rency that it had ever known in its history. State banks sprang road. up like mushrooms and issued paper money in dollars and frac I confess to some astonishment when I hear the advocates of these tions of dollars. Scarcely any of it circulated at par with coin measures characterize them as Democratic. I would be glad if even in the immediate vicinity of the banks. Little of it circu some Democrat who is old enough and well enough posted in the his lated 50 miles away. By overissues of notes specie was driven tory of the great battles that have been fought by that party from out of circulation. The standard of value was paper, and differ its beginning would tell me when it became the advocate of bank ent in every locality, and elastic enough to satisfy the cravings of circulation. Mr. Jefferson tells us that" coinage is peculiarly an the most zealous advocate of ''better banking facilities." This attribute of sovereignty." Does not the coin and the paper cur was followed, as it always must be, by collapse. On examination rency perform the same function? Does not each have the same the banks were found to be bankrupt. All the banks of ~iassa effect on property? He did not see any difference. When speak chusetts did not have as much specie ;;ts one of them had issued ing of bank currency he said: paper. Bank paper must be suppressed, and the circulating medium must be restm·ed In 1812 the Eastern States became surfeited with bank elasticity, to the nation to whom it belongs. * * * Let banks continue, if they please, and imposed a penalty on all banks that refused to redeem their but let them discount for cash alone or for Treasury notes. notes in coin when presented; but the banks south and west of Again he asks: New England continued to issue without restraint, and the re Are we to have no banks? Are merchants and others to be deprived of the sult was that New England soon got all the specie, while the other resource of short accommodations found so conv:mient? I answer, let us States got all the elasticity. In 1811, when the first bank of the have banks, but let them be such as are alone to be found in any country on United States expired, the State banks had out $46,000,000 of earth except Great Britain. * * * No one has a. natural right to the trade their notes; in 1813, $66,000,000; in 1814, $70,000,000. In all the of a. money lender but hewho has the money to lend. Let those, then, among us who have a. moneyed capital, and who prefer employing it in loans rather States south and west of New England the banks suspended pay than otherwise, set up banks and give cash or national bills for the notes ment, but went on issuing notes. they discount. In 1815 the circulation of the State banks was $110,000,000 and Again: in 1816 $200,000,000, based on $19,000,000 of specie. What was the result of this large extension of" banking facilities" so urgently I have ever been the enemy of banks, not of those discounting for cash, but demanded now? The paper money grew cheaper as its volume of those foisting their own paper into circulation and t?~ banishing our cash. grew larger, and property of every kind went up just as paper When the first bank of the United States was created, in 1791, went down. Note holders were offering everywhere to buy prop it is well known that he earnestly opposed it. He not only denied erty, in order to get rid of the paper money that was every day the power of Congress to create it, but he opposed it on the growing less valuable. Others borrowed from the banks to buy ground of expediency as well. In 1803 he said it was an institu property to sell again in order to profit by the rise. Speculation tion ' tof the most deadly hostility existing against the principles took the place of legitimate business and buying and selling was and form of our Government." like betting on a game of chance. Thesewordsof:M.r. Jefferson prove conclusively that he claimed - From 1814 to 1817 prices continued to rise until in some locali· it to be the right of the sovereign alone to issue currency in both ties they touched 200 per cent aboye the specie standard. It was coin and paper, and that it was the duty of the Government to a period of wild-cat money and wild-cat speculation. Everybody interdict the issuance of either by corporations, companies, or seemed to be drawn into the whirlpool, for whirlpool it was. In individuals. 1817 the elasticity began its retrograde movement. The banks Mr. Gallatin, who was Secretary of the Treasury under both began to contract their circulation. The notes began to rise in Jefferson and Madison, held that-- value and the property to fall. The agonies of contraction re sulted in a panic in 1818. Property was changing hands. The The ri~ht of issuing paper money as currency, like that of issuing gold and silver corns, belongs exclusively to the nation, and can not be claimed by any debt of the country was twice the value of all its property. In individuals. 1819 the circulation of the banks was $45,000,000, a sum less than that of 1811. Lands that had sold in Pennsylvania at $35 Mr. Crawford. who was Secretary of the Treasury under Presi per acre in specie in 1813 sold for $150 per acre in paper and dent Monroe, said: on paper credit in 1816, and at $35 per acre again in 1819. M.r. Coinage and the regulation of money have in all nations been considered Jefferson tells us that in 1819 good lands in Virginia were selling the highest acts of sovereignty. * * * As a paper currency is issued upon the national credit the whole property of the nation is pledged for its redemp for one year's rent, and good horses at $5 apiece. The man who tion whenever by any circumstance· it may become the interest of the com- borrowed money from the banks in 1816 to buy land at $150 per 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. 689 acre sold his land in 1819 at $35 per acre, and Etill owed $115 Sometimes the friends of the two paper systems worked in har per acre. In their desperation they offered 36 per cent for money mony and sometimes in opposition. At last the national banks to get them out of the depths into which "banking facilities" had crushed the State banks by the 10 per cent tax on their circula plunged them. But there was no money to be had. tion. The national-bank currency and the Treasury-note cur Mr. Benton came to Congress from Missouri in 1820, and he says rency came into the circulation together during the civil war. th3t- And as soon as the conflict ended the banking fraternity began a He traveled from the Mississippi to the Poto:ma.c amidst the crash of failUl.g war to the knife and the knife to the hilt against its rival, the banks, the wreck of a paper currency, and the lamentations of a suffering Treasury note. There was no silver then in circulation against nation. which it could direct its blows. The Treasury note was its sole These lessons have been repeated since, and always from the antagonist, and it marshaled its clans to exterminate its adversary. same cause. And we are asked now to adopt the same system,-or On the 12th of April, 1866, Congress passed an act to retire the a kindred one, and send the country again through the same mourn Treasury note permanently from the field. As soon as it became ful experiences. known the people began to murmur, and the murmur swelled into And these measures are now urged by Democrats, and we are tempest, and Congress was compelled to retrace its steps, and on told that they are in harmony with Democratic principles. In the 4th of February, 1868, they repealed the law of 1866 and re 1813, when the country was entering upon this era of paper pros stored the Treasury note to the field of circulation. The banking perity, Mr. Jefferson wrote to the chairman of the Ways and Means forces, beaten and routed in this campaign, like a beaten army, Committee of the House of Representatives that- went into winter quarters, drilled and disciplined their forces, re enforced their ammunition chests, and got ready to try results with Paper is liable to be abused, has been, is, and forever will be abused in every the enemy again. country in which it is permitted; that it is area.dy at a term of abuse in these States which has never been reached in any other nation, France ex On January 14, 1875, Congress, at the demand of the banking cepted. * * * Instead, then, of yielding to the cries of scarcity of medium set interests, for the second time decreed the death of the Treasury up by speculators, projectors, andcommercialgamblers,no endeavors should notes. Again the storm gathered and broke with fury at the law be spared to begin the work of reducing it by such gradual means as may give time to private fortunes to preserve their poise and settle down with the sub that decreed the death of the Treasury note; and again Congress siding medium. was compelled to restore it to the circulation. And on the 31st of May, 1878, a Democratic Congress, as the Senator from Ohio [Mr. In 1814 he says: SHERMAN] said the other day, in defense of a Democratic money, We are now without any medium. Congress may now borrow of the pub lic and without interest all the money they may want to the amount of a. repealed the act of January 14, 1875, so far as it required the competent circulation by merely issuing their own promissory notes of elimination of the Treasury note from our system. The contend proper denominations for the larger purposes of circulation, but not for the ing forces are again on the field. The Treasury note now is re sniall. Leave that door open for the entrance of metallic money. enforced by $500,000,000 of silver. The prize to be won is a field We now have $500,000,000 of these notes issued by Congress of twelve or fifteen hundred millions of circulation. The plan of without interest, but we are told they must be funded into' 'long Qampaign is to keep the $175,000,000 of silver bullion now in the time" bonds, bearing interest, and bank notes for that amount Treasury from coming out to aid the $500,000,000 o~ coined silver must be issued and loaned at interest to the people instead of the and the $500,000,000 of Treasury notes. That bullion after a while Treasury notes which they have without interest. must be sold f COLOBA.DO. MIN~~T..A In 1878 Colorado denounced '• the retirement and destruction of 1878: We ar&! opposed to any increase of the bonded debt, to the sale of bonds !or the pn:rpose of obtaining eoin for resumption purposes. We a.re in . lege 1-tender notes1 and the. maintena.nce of the national banking ' favor ot the gradual substitution of national Treasury notes for national- system," and said: , bank notes and making such Treasury notes the sole paper currency of the country. and placed on such basis as that. the_ same shaJ.l be equal in value No further increase-in the bonded debt and no fn:rther sale of bonds for the with coin, and as a legal tender the same as coin. purchase of coin for resumption purposes; a gradual extinction of the Public debt by the redemption of the interest-bearing portion thereof in sucb cur MISS.OURL :rency as th.e law will permit. We regard the national banking system as being-oppressiv-e and burden ILLINOIS'. some and demand the abolition and retirement from circulation of all na,. tionai-ba.nk notes and the issue of legal-tender notes in lieu thereof, and in That the present system of national banks can and should be abolished at quantities from time to time sufficient to supply the wholesome and neces once, and the notes of such institutions redeemed and their place relieved by sary business demands of the entire country, and that all greenbacks so noninterest-bearing notes of the Government. thus saving to the people issued shall be used in the purchase and retirement of the bonds. of the, annuaQv $20,000,0£Xt-mi-nois State Democratic platform, 1:868. United States, so that the interest-bearing debt of the country- may be less~ That ft is the exclusive prerogative of the United States to issue all bills to ened to the extent of the greenbacks thus put into circulat10n.-Missouri circulate as· money, and a right which ought not to be exercised by any State State Democratic platjfXr71-r-~ 1878. or corporation. That the national bank notes should be redeemed, and in MAINE. stead thereof there should be issued by the Government an equal amount of Treasury notes.-IUinois State Devwcratic platform~ 1878. That so long as the currency consists in whole or in part of paper money, issued under the authority of the National Government~ such pa:Q6r should INDIA.NL be issued directly by the Government itself, and that the great and valuable That the national-bank system organized in the interest of bondholders privilege of issumg three hundred millions of this money, yielding a profit ought to be abolished and United States notes substituted in lieu of the na equal to eighteen millions annually in gold, has been too long enjoyed by fa tional-bank cruTency~ thus saving to the peo= interest alone more than oredindividuals associated under the national-bank law1 and should be forth $18,000,000 a year, ana, until such system of , be abolished, we demand 'vith assumed by the people represented b.y the political authority of the that the shares of such banks in Indiana shall be subject to the same taxa United States.-Maine State Democratic platform,,1868. tion, State and municipal, as other property of the Sta.te.-Indiaaw Democratic 1878: The payment of the bonded debt of the United States as rapidly as State platfonn, 1868. practicable. No further issue of Government bonds whereby equal taxation We are in favor of the repeal of the national-bank law and the substitution with the- other property of the country is avoided. * *' ,.. W are opposed of ~p:eenback:s for the national-bank eurrency.-Indiana State D6m.ocratic. to an irredeemable currency, but believe in a CUITency for the Government pl.a;tf01"Vl, 1874. and people, the laborer and officeholder, the pensioner and soldier, the pro- · 1376: We declare in favor of the adoption of measures. looking to the gradual ducer and t;he bondholder. We are opposed to the present national bankin~ retirement of the- circulation of the national banks and the substitution system and in favor of the gradual substitution of greenbacks for natioruu theref01· of' circulating notes issued by the auth<>rities of Government. bank bills. 1 78: The right to issue papa: Jn<)lleyaswell as cainisthe exclusive prerog NEBRASKA. ative of the Governmen.t "' * * We demand that the national-bank notes 1878: We demand the. gradual substitution of United States legal-tender shall be retired, and in lieu thereof sha.ll be issued by the Government an paper for national-bank notes and its permanent establishment ::~;s the sole equal amount of Treasury notes with full legal-tender quality. paper money of the country; the immediate repeal of the national banking rowA... act; no further issue of interest-bearing bonds; no further sale of bonds for the purchase of co.in fOl" resumption purposes, but a gra.dual extinction of the That the national-bank ~ystem. organized in the interest of bon.dholders, public debt. · ought to be abolished, and United States notes substituted in lieu of the na tioD.al-bank currency, thus saving to the people in interest alone more than NEVADA. eighteen millions of dollars annually; and until such system of banks shall be · The substitution of the United Statescurren~ 1m· the national-bank notes.. abolishe<4 we demand that the shares of such banks in Iowa shall be subj.ect No further sale of interest-bearing bonds for coin for resumption purposes. to the sam.e taxes, State and municipal, as other property of the State.-Iowa but the gradual reduction of the public debt.-Nevada State. Dem.oeratic platfonn, 1878. Stf~ff~~tl~~i~t{tf:~ !Sfional curse. NEW HAMPSHIRE. 1875: We favor a sufficient supply of national currency for business pur po es. Opposition to the present national banking law. 1878: One currency for the Government and the people, the laborer and the 1876: The resumption law should at once be repealed. officeholder,.the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the bondholder. That whatever currency is issued by the Government should b issued for 1877: We favor the retention of af!eenback cun-ency, and decl&re against the benefit of. the whole people, and not for the benefit of capitalists at the ~i:J~~erbilfs~action, and. we avor Sl.lbstitution of greenbacks for na- expense of the people. We deprecate the funding of our noninterest-bearing debt. * * * We OHIO. appose any further retirement of the United States notes now in circulation, 1869: We denounce the national banking system as one of the worst out and favor the substitution of national Treasury notes for national-bank growths of the bonded debt, which unnecessarily increases the burden of the bills.-Iotea State De'TTtOCratic platform, 1878. peoP!e S30,000,000 annnally, and we dem.'IDd its immediate repeal. 1879: We are in favor of the substitution of United States Treasury notes 18.0: We are opposed to the system of national banks, and demand the im for national-bank notes, and of the abolition of national banks as banks of mediate repeal of the law creating_ them, and that in place a! the notes of issue. · * "' * We favor a reduction of the bonded debt as fast as practicable such banks Treasury notes of the United States should be substituted. and the application of the idle money in the. Trea.sury to that pw·pose. 1871: Honor and duty alike require the ho.nest payment of the public debt. Believing that a better system can be devised, and one that will be free from KANSAS. unjust privileges, we are m favor of abolishing the franchises of the national We demand the repeal of the n&tional bank law, and tha..t the. Government banks to issue a paper currency as soon as the same can safely and prudently shall issue a.legal-tender currency direct from the Treasury.-Kan-sas State be done, and that the notes so withdrawn by the banks be replaced by the Dem.ocmtic platform, 1874. Government with legal:tender currency.-Ohio State Democratic platform, 1876: We demand that the act of Congress creating the national banking 1874. srstem be repealed; that the notes of the national banks be withdrawn from 1875: That the policy already initiated by the Republican party of abolish· CirCUlation, and in lieu thereof the paper of the Government of the United ing the legal tender and giving national banks the power to fm-nish all the States be substituted. That as Congress bas the sole power to coin money currency Will increase the power of an already dangerous monopoly and the. and regulate the value thereof, it should also have the sole power to provide a enormous burden now oppressing the people, without any corresponding ad paper currency for the people. vanta.,.e, and that we oppose the policy and demand that all the national 1876: We are opposed to ail banks of issue, whether chartered by Congress. hank circulation be promptly and permanently retired, and legal tenders be or the State legislature, and we- desire that banking on the part of corpora issued in their place. * * * No J>n.per c1,1.rrency except such as may be is tions or private individuals shall be confined by law exclusively to exchange, sued directly by and upon the faith of the General Government. discounts, and deposit. 1876: The gradual but early sub titution of legal tender for national-bank That as Con.,aress has sole power to coin. money and regulate the value notes. * * * The issue hy the General Government alone of all the circu thereof under the Constitution, it should also exercise the sole power of pro lating medium, whether paper or metallic. viding a paper currency to be used as money. * * * That we favor the 1 77: We favor the retention of greenback currency as the best paper money retirement of national-bank notes and substitution of Treasury notes, com we have ever ha<4 and declare against any further contraction. * * * We monly called greenbacks, in. their stead.-Kansa3 State Democratic platform, favor the issue by the General Government alone of allcircu1.'l.ting mediums, 1878. whether paper or metallic1 to be always of equal teuder and interconvertible-. LOUISIANA. 1878: The gradual substitution of United States lega.l-tender paper for na tional-bank notes and its permanent e talilishment as the sole paper money 1878: The Louisiana.. Democracy demands that the national banking system of the country. * * * No further increase in the bonded debt and no fur should be abolished and national-bank notes retired, and in lieu thereof that ther sale of bonds for the purchase of coin for resumption purposes, but the the Government of the United States should issue an equal amount of Treas gradual extinction of the public debt. ury notes, commonly known as greenbacks. 18'19: The issue of money in any form and the regulation thereof belong to the General Government alone, and ought not to be delegated or intrusted to HASSACHUSET'l'~ indiviQ.uals or corporations. We oppose the perpetuation of the present na 1868: Every dollar received by taxation from the people not absolutely nec tional banking system as a means of control over the currency of the coun essary for the economical and legitimate expenses of the Government to be try, and demand the gradual substitution of Treasury notes for nationo.l-bank applied to the payment of the Rublic debt. currency. 1871: Resolved, That the practice of borrowing moneyforotherobjectsthan OREGON. those of strict public necessity has generated schemes of extravagant ex penditure, until taxation has become well-nigh an intolerable burden. Hon 1875: The institution of the- system of national banks was a fraud upon the. esty, economy, and "pay as we JJ.O" should be the rule in all the a:J?propria country and an injustice upon the la borin~ cJasses, and we demand such pru tions of the people's money. Tne power of the State, counties, Cities, and dent legislation as will gradually bring this vicious system to a close; that all towns to borrow money ought to be rigidly limited, so that an end may be currency which may be issued shall be convertible. into coin upon deman{} put to the S¥stem which" anticipates the labor of eoming ages and appropri and be issued directly by the Government. ates the frmts of it in advance; which coins the industry of future- genera That the gratuity of nearly $24.000,000 now paid to national banks by the tions into cash and snatches the inheritance from childl-en yet unborn." Government is simply levying tribute upon the people for the beneiit of the cupitalists. We therefore favor the repeal of the law under which they were 111ICHIGAN. established and the direct issue by the Government of currency, receivable 1879: We demand that all money, whether paper or meta.Ilic, shall be issued for all public dues, sufficient to supply the place of the present bank-nate cir by the General Government only, and made a full legal tender for all debts, cula.tion.-OregDnr State Democratic ptatfOTm, 1878. public and private, except as to such contracts heretofore made as were orig-. PENNSYLVANIA.. inallypayabie in coin. We are opposed to all banks of issue\ and demand 1875: That the policy already indicated by the Republican party of abolish that greenbacks shall be substituted ip. pla.ce of natio.nal-bank bills. ing legal tenders and gjving the na.tiona.l banks the power to furnish all the 1896. ,CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. · 691 cur;rex:cy will increase the power of an .already dangerous monopoly and the notes are freely used, for such notes a.lways drive coin out of circulation. enormous burde» now oppressing the 1Jeo:ple without compensating -advan And wlleneve;r conversion into coin is pra-cticable and desirable, it will be tage, and that all the national-bank circulation be promptly and--permanently just as·ea.sy to con-vert greenbacks a.s to convert bank notes. The question retired and fnlllegal tenders be issued in their place. then is narrowed down to this, S.b.all our paper money be national·ba.nk notes 1875: The honest payment of our just debts and the sacred preservation of or greenbacks? For several "Teasons that I will briefly state I think that the the public faith. latter are preferable. 1876: The honest payment of 'the -public debt. 1. In the :first place, a national-bank currency means the indefinite perpetua· 1878: Gold, silver,and United States legal-tender·no.tes at par therewith are tion of the national .debt. The nationa.l banks, so far as their circulation is a just basis for paper circulation. concerned, are founded on that debt. It is the security for their notes, and NEW YORK. whenever the d-ebt be paid the banks must retire their -circulation and cease 1874: Honest payment of the public debt in coin. to issue notes. In order, therefore, to perpetuate their privilege of issuing notes they must strive to perpetuate the nati rencywhich was issued by corporations on the credit of the Govern Treasury notes and notes payable on demand which are never to ment and loaned to them on interest, and the substitution of that be redeemed? which was issued directly by the Government, based upon the Mr. MILLS. Just on the same principle as I am in favor of civilization, wealth, and honor of the people, and which costs them keeping up taxation which is neyer to be stopped so long as the nothing for interest to the issuer. Why, then, in the light of our Government needs taxation to support it to keep it in existence past history, is it now so persistently demanded that Congress and to protect the rights and liberties of the people. shall sweep away this circulation and give to banks the sole power Mr. GRAY. Does not that mean fiat money? to provide the whole paper circulation of the country? Mr. MILLS. No, sir. There are · two very strong reasons why the corporations desire Mr. GRAY. That is my idea of it. it and why the people oppose it. The silver and Treasury notes Mr. MILLS. Oh, no. Everything the Government does is a now outstanding supply a circulation of about one thousand mil fiat. The Government speaks in the language of command. lions. This costs the people nothing in the way of interest to When the Government puts legal tender on gold, silver, or paper maintain. But if it is swept away its pla~ must be filled by bank it is fiat. When it says the bank note shall be receivable for all notes. The bank-note system must stand on a pedestal of bonds Government dues it makes the bank note a fiat money. When it which draw an annual interest from the people. Then we must imposes taxes and commands the collectors to gather them it is fiat. have a thousand million of bonds. The annual interest charge at When gold and silver is coined at the mint it is fiat money. All 3 per cent would take from the people thirty millions a year. If this is fiat in one sense. But the sense in which "fiat money" has the notes are issued to the full face value of the bonds, as is rec been used is a paper dollar which has no basis of intrinsic value. ommended, a thousand millions of bank notes must be issued. It does not promise to pay either gold or silver. It does not cir They can only be put in circulation by lending. They will be loaned culate on the credit of either. It is not intended by its advocates at from 5 to 10 per cent per annum. In the Eastern States the to be at par with either. This is not the situation with the Treas rate will be about 5 percent; in the West, 7; in the South, 8 and 10 ury note. It is redeemable-that is, it is exchangeable for gold per cent. It will be safe to say the average rate will be 7percent. and silver and kept in circulation. Then a thousand millions of bank notes will be loaned at an aver The Senator from Delaware understands "redeemable" to mean age rate of 7 per cent. That will make a tax of seventy millions the notes are to be taken up and destroyed and not returned to annually. With the interest on the debt and the interest on the the circulation. The people who advocate Treasury note circu-, notes the people will be taxed one hundred millions annually. lation understand '' redeemable" to mean the notes are to be kept The silver and the Treasury notes cost the people nothing for in at par with the standard of value, equal in value with all other tel"est. This is one reason why the banks want the circulation dollars, with the right of the holder to have agolddollaror silver and the reason why the people do not. They do not want a circu dollar in exchange for it when demanded of the Government, and lation that loads their necks, shoulders, and backs with such an the note to be paid out again and kept in circulation. intolerable burden. This brings me to the question of the redemption of these notes I regret that I must differ from the President on this question, in coin. The President contends that they are gold obligations but this is a Government that derives its vital force from public and must be paid in gold alone when presented. I maintain, on opinion. It is a Government where the freedom of speech and the contrary, that they are coin obligations, and payable by ex.:. press are essential factors in the production of a correct public press statute in coin. But it is contended that, while the statute opinion. Public opinion to be right demands the freest and fullest makes them payable in coin, the public credit would be impaired discussion of all public questions; and I shall not hesitate to ex and the country put upon a silver standard if they were paid in press my difference in opinion from the President and Secretary silver. Both of these propositions I deny. I understand it to be of the Treasury, highly as I respect them both. They both urge a principle that is disputed by no well-informed person that where Congress to fund the five hundred millions of Treasury notes into two kinds of money are authorized to circulate without limit as "long-time" interest-bearing bonds and authorize the banks to to volume the cheaper will supplant the dearer and become the issue notes to the face value of the bonds and reduce the tax on sole circulating medium. And, again! that money takes its value bank notes from 1 to one-fourth of 1 per cent. The President says in proportion to its units, everything else remaining unchanged. he does not see why the bonds should not be payable fifty years Mr. Jefferson recognized this law. Writing to the chairman of from their date, and to bear interest not exceeding 3 per cent per the Ways and Means Committee of the House in 1813 in reference annum. He says: to the proposed charter of a national bank, he said: We of the present generation have large amounts to pay if we meet our They authorize this bank to throw into circulation SOO,OOO,OOO (three times obligations, and long bonds are most salable. the capital), which increases our circulating medium 50 per cent, depreciates pmporti onably the present value of a dollar, and raises the price of all future And again: purchases i n the san~e proportion. The m crease of our b onded debt involved in this plan would be amply com Mr. Calhoun says: pensated by renewed activity and enterprise in all business circles, the r e If we turn our attention to the laws which govern the circulation we shall stored confidence at home, the reinstated faith in our monetary strength find one of the most important to be that as the circulation is decreased or abroad, and the stimulation of every interest and industry that would follow increased the rest of the property will, all other circumstances remaining the the cancellation of the gold demand obligations now a.ffiicting us. same, be decreased or increased m value exactly in the same proportion. The statement that this generation has enough to bea,r now, and Mr. Clay says: therefore it ought to be relieved by converting a noninterest-bear The great law of price is determined by supply and demand. Whatever ing debt into one that bears $15,000,000 a year, is to me rather affects either affects the price. If the supply is mcreased, the demand remain strange. In addition to this, five hundred millions of bank notes ing the same, the price declines; if the demand is incr eased the supply remain ing the same, the price advances; if both supply and demand are undimin are to be put into circulation by loans at 7 per cent, making ished, the price is stationary, and the price is influen ced exact ly in proportion $35 ,000,000 more. The measure recommended by the President to the degree of dil:!turbance to the demand or supply. adds fifty millions more to the burdens of the people annually, and yet he sees great advantages to the people in the change. And I have read the definitions of many statesmen and economists, this is only a part of the plan. When the field of circulation is but none of them, in my judgment, have expressed this law so swept of the silver coins and Treasury notes it will require a clearly as the Senator from Nevada fMr. JoNES] in his very able thousand millions of bonds for a thousand millions of notes. The and exhaustive argument made in tbis Chamber two years ago. interest on both will cost one hundred millions a year, and in fifty This is what he says: There is one principle of monetary science that, if held steadfastly in view, years the people will pay five thousand millions of dollars for the will constitute an unerring guide through what would otherwise be a :path maint.enance of the system. This is an enormous price to pay for of inextricable difficult y. That principle is, that the value of the urut of a circulation that now costs nothing. money in any country is determined by the number of units in circulation. It is something strange to me that it is considered no burden to In other words, the value of every dollar depends on the number of dollars out. The greater the number of dollars out, other things being equal, the pile a monument of taxes on the backs of people now living and less will bathe value of each dollar; the fewer the number out, other things curse vnth slavery our children, and children's children who are r emaining the same, the greater the value of each, and this without any re not yet born. This is slavery, and a slavery from which no power gard whatever to the material of which the dollar s are composed. This is the key to the financial situation of the United States. Much more, it is can extricate us or them. Ordinarily, if unwise legislation is en the key to the financial situation in many lands. Wit hout this k ey it is in acted in one Congress a subsequent Congress can remove the vain t hat the student attempts to unlock th.e door leading to the arcanum of evil. But if we issue and sell bonds redeemable only after fifty monetary.know!edge. Unlike many of the locks made by men, the lock on years we place ourselves, our children, our children's children, that door IS unp1ckable. and our children's grandchildren and great grandchildren beyond Ricardo says the principle is" incontrovertible." Every dollar, the region of hope, for no power that Congress possesses can re therefore, put in circulation takes its value according to the num deem them. ber of dollars in circulation. If the circulation is one thousand Mr. GRAY. May I interrupt the Senator at that point? millions, every one represents the value of 23.22 grains of gold. Mr. MILLS. Certainly. If, in the United States, we add to-day one hundred millions in Mr. GRAY. I should like, if itdoesnotinterferewith the argu gold, the dollar will depreciate 10 per cent, and, as Mr. Jefferson ment of the Senator from Texas, at that point to ask him whether says, it will flow out of our circulation to restore the level. If we be is in favor of the Government of the United States issuing add to the circulation $100,000,000 of silver and $100,000,000 of I 1896. CONGRESSIONAL .RECORD-SENATE. paper, they will each take the place of $100,000,000of gold because taxation? In 1869 and 1870, when they had Congress tO declare of their superior convenience. The gold would leave the circula the notes and bonds payable in coin, silver was worth 3 cents more tion and the silver and paper would enter it, but the standard than gold in our dollars, and while the silver _dollar is now as val would remain the same. And until the silver and paper increase uable as the gold dollar, they demand gold, because silver will in volume beyond a thousand millions they will circulate at par not enable them to carry out their purpose. They want bonds and be exactly of the same value as the gold dollar. This fact is and bank notes. They demand gold, and the Government gives stated in the Herschel report, with which my friend, the Senator it until it is compelled to have more, and then it sells bonds to get from Missouri [Mr. VEsT], is familiar. it. The Treasury then pays out the notes again and the syndicates In Brazil, that report states, there is little or no gold, but their get them and rep~at the same performance. And so goes the end paper circulation is at par with gold, and kept at par by limiting less chain, effecting nothing, but carrying our people along into the number of units. We maintain the equal value of all our captivity to the money holders of the world. dollars by limiting the number of the subsidiary dollars that cir The President admits that it accomplishes nothing. Then why culate on the credit of the standard. The market value of the continue it? He tried the experiment with the first fifty millions gold in a gold dollar is the staudard in the :United States to-day, of bonds, then another fifty millions, then sixty-two millions; now and by limiting the units of silver and paper, and investing them we are to sell one hundred millions more in a few days, and it is with the power to pay every obligation in that standard, we make admitted that this is to be followed by still another hundred them precisely of the same value as the gold dollar. Then if the millions in a few months. This policy was established by the silver dollars are of the same value as the gold dollars, why should Republican party. It has been adhered to by a Democratic Ad our Government give to note holders the option to demand gold ministration, and if it is to be continued in the futnre, it is only alone in theirpayment? Every debtor has that right. Why should a question of time when our interest-bearing debt will go to fifteen not the United States exercise it for the benefit of the people? hundred millions and more. For there is no stopping place until When the conspiracy was formed to attack the gold reserve, so all the gold in the world that can be cornered and controlled by called, it was intended by the large bankers and money owners syndicates shall be safely invested in American muscle and our of the world to bring our Government to its knees and bully the posterity delivered into hopeless slavery. people into submission to their terms. They wanted a safe and These much-coveted long-time bonds are never intended to be profitable investment for their money. There is no longer room paid. They are to be perpetuated. Many years ago, when I was for profitable investment in railroads, mines, manufactures, and a member of the House of Representatives, a member of that body banks. And these ''business men" demand that Congress shall introduced a bill to refund the bonds-then soon to become due ~ermit them to invest their surplus in the muscle, blood, and sweat into fifty-year bonds. I got ugly, as it is sometimes said I do, of the American people, and fix that investment far beyond the when I found him seriously urging such a measure, and I talked power of emancipation. When their demand was made, if the ugly. I said to him, if we were to recommend such a measure Secretary had said to them, "Back up your carts; I will fill them and it should become a law the people of the United States ought with silver dollars," the play would have ended. But the Secre to hang every one that supported it, when he returned to his home. tary says that would have put the country on a silver basis. I The bill was reported to sell forty-year bonds redeemable after have shown that the standard of value can only be changed by twenty years. I spoke in the House against it. I showed that increasing the number of dollars in the circulation. No manipu with the same rates of taxation and the same revenues coming to lation can do that. As long as every dollar, whether gold, silver, the Government we could pay the seven hundred millions in six or paper, has the same value, will pay the same amount of debts, years. The bill was greatly modified in the House and passed. and purchase the same amount of property, neither the payment President Hayes vetoed it because he said it contained- ·· of the one nor the other will affect the standard. If the Secretary Provisions which, in my judgment\seriously impairilhe value and tend to the had paid the notes in silver, would it have changed the price of destruction of the present national oanking system of the country. cotton, wheat, or corn? Would not the silver dollar have bought just the same amount after as before? Would a gold doll.ar have Here were the banks again trying to perpetuate the public debt. bought any more? Would silver dollars have paid any more ciebts What was the result? All the seven hundred millions were paid after than before? That is the point upon which the standard in six or seven years. Every dollar of that debt was extinguished.· changes. Then why continue to sell bonds to raise gold? And in the controversy between Congress and the President our We have sold.$162,000,000 of bonds, and in a few days it will be children and grandchildren were saved from the great evil. two hundred and sixty-two million. Why put this annual tax of It w.ould seem from the expressions of the President in his mes more than eleven millions on the people to pay interest to these sage recommending the funding of the Treasm·y notes, that he bondholders? If the Seeretary had coined the silver bullion in does not entertain the same views about public debts that were the Treasury and paid it out, as Congress asked him to do, there held by the fathers. He speaks of the gold obligations that are would have been no deficit. Why was it not done? Because when afflicting us, as though there were any such. I have shown that silver once got into circulation it would occupy a field which the there are none, and I trust in God that the American people will bankers wanted for their notes, and it would be more difficult to never let Congres~ make any gold obligations that will afflict us. get it out than to keep it out; so the silver is "Kept under lock and The President seems to think there is much good that comes from key. Step by step they move upon the Government, sapping and public debts; that they bring in their train renewed activity and mining as they go, blowinguponeoutpostafter another until they enterprise, restore confidence, and reinstate faith in our monetary get into the citadel and take it by storm. All this is done to pre strength abroad. This is a very different view of public debts serve the public credit! from that entertained by his predecessors. I have not been able Did anybody ever hear of any man's private credit being in to find in any State paper a single expression in line with it. In jured by his performing with religious fidelity the terms of his con 1865 Jay Cooke, who was agent to aid the Government to dispose tract precisely as he made it, at the time, at the place, and in the of its loans, issued an address in which he said: manner he contracted? Has anybody ever read in history of any The debt is public wealth, political union, protection of industry, secure n ation on the globe that ever lost its credit or had it impaired by basis for national currency, the orphans' and widows' saving fund. . performing its contract in the very terms and letter of that con In this address he says, in capital letters: tract? I am sure I never have. The note holders came to Con W e lay down the ;proposition that our national debt made permanent and gress in 1869 and asked Congress to declare that the Treasury rightly managed will be a national blessing. . notes should be paid in coin, and Congress so declared. The bond holders came in 1870 and asked Congress to declare that the bonds He maintained that the national debt was necessary as a basis to be sold under the act of July 14, 1870, should be paid not only for national banking, and in a few years from that time we would in coin but coin of the then standard value. It was done as they :want one thousand millions of bank notes and the generation then requested. And the notes and bonds are both payable in coin. living had burdens enough to bear without having to pay the debt. What is coin? When we speak of coin, what do we mean? We This was the view of an enthusiast for bank-note currency and m ean the gold and silver pieces struck by the mints of the United protective tariff. But these were not the views of the fathers. . States. If, when the notes are presented, the Government tenders I present to the Senate some of the utterances of om· great lead performance in the terms of the contract, there is neither a breach ers on the subjects of public debts and bank currency. I will be of public faith nor danger of going to a silver standard. I am as gin at the beginning. These are the words of Mr. Jefferson: much in favor of the gold standard as anybody. I would do any It is a. wise rule and should be fundam ental in a government disposed to thing in my power to bring the silver up to gold. I am sure we cherish its credit, but at the same time to r estrain the use of it Within the limits of its faculties, " never to borrow a dollar with out laying a tax on the all want both metals to be standard money. But this is no ques same instant for paying the interest annually, and the principal within a given tion of standards, neither is there involved in it any question of term; and to consider that tax as pledged to the creditor s on the public faith." public credit. The question is, will we use both metals equally On such a pledge as this, sacredly observed, a government may always com mand, on a reasonable interest, all the lendable money of th(\ir citizens, while when coined in payment of debts contracted to be paid in either? the necessity of equivalent tax is a saJ.utary warning to them and their con Will we treat the powerful moneyed syndicates just as we treat stituents against oppression, bankruptcy, and its inevitable consequence! rev our own people? The Democratic and Republican parties both, olution. But the term of r edemption must be moderate and at any rate Within in their platforms in 1892, declared that they held to the use of both the limits of their rightful powers. But what limits, it will be asked, does this prescribe to their powers? What is to hinder them from creating a ~er gold and silver. Then why not use it and save the people from petualdebtf The laws of nature, I answer. The earth belongs to the livmg, 694 CONGR-ESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. JANUARY 15, not to the dead. The will and the power of man expire with his life, by na I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. ture'slaw. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the adminis • • • • • • tration of our Government to the genuine principles of its Constitution· I In seeking, then,• for an ultimate term for the redemption of our debts, let mean an additional article, taking from the Federal Government the power us rally to this principle and provide for their payment within the term of of borrowing. I now deny their power of making paper ~ney or anything nineteen years at the furthest. (Volume 6, pages 136, 137.) else a legal tender.-Letter to John Taylor, November Z6, 1798, volume 4,, page 260. We must raise, then, ourselves the money for this war, either by taxes within the year, or by 1oans· and if by loans, we must repay them ourselves, The monopoly of a single bank is certainly an evil. The multiplication of proscribing forever the English practice of perpetual funding; the ruinous them was intended to cure it; but it multiplied an influence of the same consequences of which, putting right out of the question, should be a suffi character with the first, and completed the supplanting the precious metals cient warning to a considerate nation to avoid the example. (Volume 6, by a paper circul&tion.-Letter to M1·. Gallatin, June 19, 18W, volume 4, page 44D. page 197.) At the time we were funding our national del1t, we heard much about "a public debt being a public ble&~ing"; that the stock representing it was a From a passage in the letter of the president (of the United States Bank) I creation of a-ctive capital for the aliment of commerce, manufactures, and observe an idea of establishing a branch bank of the United States in New agricultures. This_paradox was well adapted to the minds of believers in Orleans. This institution is one of the most deadly hostility existing, a~st dreams, and the guU.s of that size entered bona fide into it. (Volume 6, page the principles and form of our Constitution. The nation is at this time so strong and united in its sentiments that it can not be shaken at this moment. ~~e misfortune is that in the meantime we shall plunge. ourselves in unex But suppose a series of untoward events should occur, sufficient to bring into tin~Jl!ishable debt, and entail on our posteritv an inheritance of eternal taxes, doubt the competency of a republican government to meet a crisis of great which will bring our Government and peop1e into the condition of those of da~ger.or ~o un?llge_the confide"!lce of tp.e people in the public functionaries, England, a nation of pikes and gudgeons, the latter bred merely as food for an institution like this, penetrating by 1ts branches every part of the Union, the former. (Volume 6, p~e tOO.) acting by command and in phalanx, may in a critical moment upset the Gov Funding I consider as limited, rightfully, to a redemption of the debt within ernment.-.Letter to Mr. Gallatin, December 13, 1803, volume 4, page 519. the lives of a majority of the generation contracting it; every generation coming equally, by the laws of the Creator of the world, to the free posses sion of the earth He ma-de for their subsistence,_, ~encumbered by their pred That we are overdone with banking institutions, which have banished the ecessors, who, like them, were but tenants for lire. precious metals and substituted a more fluctuating and unsafe medium; that these have withdrawn capital from useful improvements and employ • • * • • * • ments to nourish idleness; that the wars of the world have swollen our com And I sincerely believe, with you, that bankin~ establishments are more merce beyond the wholesome limits of exchanging our own productions for dangerous than standing armies; and that the prmciple of spending money our own wants, and that, for the emolument of a small proportion of our to be paid by posteritv, under the na.me of funding, is but swindling futurity society, who prefer these demoralizing pru·snits to la.bors useful to the on a large scale. (Volume 6, pages 6()5....6()8.) whole, the peace of the whole is endangered, and all our present difficulties No earthly consideration could induce my consent to contract such a debt produced, more easily to be deplored than remedied.-.Letter to Abbe Sali as England has by her wars for commerce, to reduce our citizens by taxes to mankis, March 1A, 1810, volume 5, page 516. such wretchedness as that, laboring sixteen of the twenty-four hours, they are still unable to afford themselves bread, or bare!I_ to earn as much oatmeal or potatoes as will keep soul a.nd body together. (Volume 7, page 7.) One of the great advantages of specie as a medium is that, being of univer • • • • • • * sal value, it will keep itself at a general level, :flowing out from where it is too I am not among those who fear the people. They and not the rich are our high into parts where it is lower. Whereas. if the medium be of local value dependenoe for continued freedom. And to preservetheirindependenoe, we only as J?aper money, if too little, indeed, gold and silver will flow in to supply must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our elec the defiCiency; but if too much, it accumulates, banishes the gold and silver not tion between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into locked up in vaults and hoards, and depreciates itself-that is to say, its J?ro such debts as that we must be taxed in onr meat and in our drink, in our neces portion to the annual :produce of industry being raised, more of it is reqrured saries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings to represent any particular artic-le of produce than in the other countries. and our creeds as the people of England are, our people, like them, must And to fill up the measure of blessing, instead of paying, they receive an come to labor sixteen1 hours in the twenty-fonr, give the earnings of fifteen interest on what they owe from those to whom they owe; for all the notes, of these to the Government for their debts and daily expenses; and the six or evidences of what they owe, which we see in circulation, have been lent to teenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live as the;v now do, on somebody on an interest which is levied again on us through the medium of oatmeal and potatoes; have no time to think, no means of calling the mis commerce.-.Letter to John W. Eppes, November 6, 1813, volume 6, page 239. managers to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers. Our landholders, too, Everything predicted by the enemies of banks in the beginning is now like theirs, retaining indeed the title and stewardship of estates called theirs, coming to pass. We are to be ruined now by the deluge of bank paper, as we but held in trust for the Treasury, must wander, like theirs in foreign coun were formerly by the old Continental paper. It is cruel that such revolutions tries, and be contented with penury, obscurityiexile, and the glory of the in private fortunes should be at the mercy of avaricious adventurers, who, nation. This example reads to us the salutary esson that private fortunes instead of employing their capital, if any the:y have, in manufactures, com are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance. And this is the merce, or other useful pursuits, make it an IDStrument to burden all the tendency of all known governments. A departure from principle in one in interchanges of property with their swindling profits, profits which are the stance becomes a precedent for a second, that second for a third, and so on till price of no useful industry of theirs. * * * I am an enemy to all banks dis the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery~ to have counting bills or notes for anything but coin.-.Letter to D_r. Thomas Cooper, no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering. Then begins, inaeed, the January 16, 181.4., volume 6, page 295. bellum omnium in omnia, which some philosophers observing to be so gen eral in this world have mistaken it for the natural instead of the abusive Until the gigantic banking propositions of this winter had made their ap state of man. And the forehorse of this frightful team is public debt. Tax pearance in the different legislatures, I had hoped that the evil might still be ation follows that, and in its tru-n wretchedness and oppression. (Volume 7, checked; but I see now that it is desperate, and that we must fold our arms page H.) and go to the bottom with the ship.-.Letter to Joseph C. Ca1Jell, esq., January • • • • 17, 1814, volume 6, page 300. I place• economy • among the first and• most important of republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared. We see in Eng I have ever been the enemy of banks, not of those discounting for cash, bnt land the conse~jfJ~~es of the want of it-their laborers· reduced to live on a of those foisting their 'l..own paper into circulation, and thus banishing our penny in the s · · g of their ea-rnings, to give up bread, and resort to oat cash. My zeal against uhose institutions was so warm and open at the estab meal and potatoes for food; a.nd their landholders exiling themselves to live in lishment of the Bank of the United States that I was derided as a maniac by penru·y and obscurity abroad, because at home the Government must have the tribe of bank-mongers who were seeking to filch from the public their all the clear profits of their land. In fact, they see the fee sim11le of the island swindling and barrengains.-Letter to .President .Adams, January fl., 181#, vol transferred to the public creditors, all its profits going to them for the in ume 6, page 305. terest of their debts. Our laborers and landholders must come to this also unless they serenely adhere to the economy yon recommend. (Volume 7, From the establishment of the United States Bank to this day I have page 19.) preached against this system, but have been sensible no cure could be hoped but in the catastrophe now happening. The remedy was to let banks drop The incorporation of a bank and the powers assumed by this bill have not, gradation at the expiration of their charters, and for the State governments in my opinion, been delegated to the United States by the Constitution. to relinquish the power of establishing others. This would not, as it should Opinion against the constitutionality of a national bank, February 15, 1791, not, have given the power of est.ablishing them to Congress. But Congress volume 7, page 556. could then have issued Treasury not.es payable within a. fixed period, and founded on a specific tax, the pt•oceeds of which, as they came in, should be The bank filled and overflowed in the moment it wa!: opened. Instead of exchangeable for the notes of that particular emission only.-.Letter to Thomas twenty thousand shares twenty-foru· thousand were offered and a great Cooper, esq., September 10, 1814, volume 6, page 381. many unpresented who had not sus:pected that so much haste was neces sary. Thus it is that we shall be paymg 13 per cent per annum .for eight millions of papex· money, instead of having that circulation of gold and silver Let us be allured by no projects of banks, public or private, or ephemeral for nothing. Experience has proved to us that a dollar of silver disappears expedients, which, enabling us to gas_p and flounder a little longer, only in for every dollar of paper emitted; and for the :eaper emitted from the bank crease by protracting the agonies of death.-.Letter to Jarnes Monroe, October 16, 1/Jlt,, volume 6, page 395. / 7 per cent profits will be received b_1 the subscnbers for it as bank paper (ac I cording to the last division of prouts by the Philadelphia bank), and 6 per J cent on the public paper of which it is the representatlVe.-Letter to Colonel The fatal possession of the whole circulating medium by our banks. the ex Monroe, July 10, 1791, volume 3, page 268. cess of those institutions, and their present discredit cause all our difficulties. / Treasury notes of small as well as high denomination, bottomed on a tax Our public credit is good, but the abundance of paper has produced a spirit which would redeem them iu ten years, would place at onr disposal the whole of gambling in the funds, which has laid n:p our ships at the wharves as too circulating medium of the United States; a fund of credit sufficient toearry slow instruments of profit, and has even diSarmed the hand of the tailor of us through any probable length of war.-.Letter to his excelle:ncy M:r. Cmw his needle and thimble. They say the evil will cure itself. I wish it may, jord, February 11, 1815, volume 6, page 419. but I have rarely seen a gamester cured, even by the disasters of his voca tion.-.Letter to Gouverneur Morris, Aug-ust SO, 1791, volume 3, page 290. The Government is now issuing Treasury notes for circulation, bottomed on solid funds, and bearing interest. The banking confederacy (and the You will see further that we are completely saddled and bridled, and that merchants bound to them by their debts) will endeavor to crush the credit the bank is so firmly mounted on us that we must go where they will guide. of these notes, but the country is eager for them, as something they can trust They openly publish a resolution that, the national property being increased to, and so soon as a convenient quantity of them can get into circrilation, the in value, they must by an increase of Circulating medium fuinish an adequate bank notes die.-Letter to Jean Batiste Say, March e, 1815, volume 6, page 4:34:. representation of it, and by further additions of active capital promote the enterprises of our merchants.-.Letter to Colonel Monroe, June H,1796, volume Their merchantS {the English) established a.mong us, the bonds by which '-pageUO. our own a.re cha.ined. to their feet, and the banking combinations interwoven 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. 69!i with the whole, have shown the extent of t~eir control, even during a war Democratic platform of 1844 affirms article 6 of the platform of with her. They are the workers of all the embarrassments our finances have 1840. experienced during the war.-Letter to Cresar A. Rodney, March 16, 1815, vol ume 6, page 449. Democratic platform of 1848 declares- For the gradual but certain extinction of the public debt. Like a dropsical man calling out for water, water, our deluded citizens are clamoring for more banks, more banks. The American mind 1s now in the The platform of 1848 further declares that the triumph of 1844 state of fever which the world has so often seen in the history of other nations. had fulfilled the hopes of the Democracy of the Union in defeat We are under the bank bubble, as England was under the South Sea bubble, ing the declared purposes of their opponents create a national France under the Mississippi bubble, and as every nation is liable to be under to whatever bubble, design, or delusion may puff up in moments when off their bank. In protecting the cm·rency and labor of the country from guard. We are now taught to believe that legerdemain tricks upon paper ruinous fluctuations and guarding the money of the country for can produce as solid wealth as hard labor in the earth. It is vain for common the use of the people by the establishment of a constitutional sense to urge that nothing ca.n produce nothing; that it is an idle dream to be lieve in a philosopher's stone which is to turn everything into gold, and tore Treasury. deem man from the original sentence of his Maker, "In the sweat of his brow Also- shall he eat his bread. "-Letter to Colonel Yancey, January 6, 1816, volume 6, Resolved, That it is the duty of every branch of the Government to enforce page 515. and practice the most l'igid economy in conducting-our public affairs, and that no more revenue ought to be raised than is required to defray the nec The metallic medium of which we should be possessed at the commence essary expenses of the Government and for the gradual but certain extinc ment of a war would be a sufficient fund for all the loans we should need tion of the public debt.-Democratic platf01-m, 1852, article 8. through its continuance; and if the national bills issued be bottomed (as is indispensible) on pledges of specific taxes for the]r redemption within certain Article 9 of the same: and moderate epochs~ and be of proper denominations for circulation, no in That Congress has no power to charter a national bank; that we believe terest on them woula be necessary or just, because they would answer to such an institution one of deadly hostility to the best interests of thecountry.l everyone the purposes of the metallic money withdrawn and replaced by dangerous to our republican institutions and the liberties of the people, ana them.-Letter to William H. Crawford, June fO, 1816, volume 7, page 8. calculated to place the business of the country within the control of a con centrated money -power above the laws and will of the people.-De1lWcratio The bank mania is one of the most threatening of these imitations. It is platjornt. 185,, article 9. raising up a moneyed aristocracy in our country which has already set the Gov That Congress has no power to charter a national bank; that we believe ernment at defiance, and althou~h forced at len~th to yield a little on this first such an institution one of deadly hostility to the best interests of the coun essay of their strength. their prmciples are uny1elded and unyielding. These try, dangerous to our republican institutions and the liberties of the Am.eri have taken deep root in the hearts of that class from which our legislatork can people, and calculated to place the business of the country within the are drawn, and the sop to Cerberus from fable has become history. Their control of a concentrated money power and above the laws and will of the princiJ!leS lay hold of the good, thei1· pelf of the bad, and thus those whom the people.-Democratit platform 1856, article 7. Constttution had placed as guards to its portals are sophisticated or suborned Payment of all the public debt of the United States as rapidly as practi from their duties. That paper money has some advantages is admitted. But cable.-Democratic platform, 1868, article 3. that its abuses also are inevitable, and by brea.king UJ;> t he measure of value 1nakes a lottery of all private p1·operty can not be derued. Shall we ever be The following are some of the utterances of some of our great able to put a constitutional veto .upon itY-Letter to I>r. Josephus B. Stua1-t, leaders in the past: May 10, 1817, volume 7, page 64:. Th.e ex-pansion of the currenc-y: by the issu~ of .pape~ in a period of .Prosperity willmev1tably be succeeded by Its contraction m periOds of advers1ty.- W. H. There is, indeed. one evil which awakens me at times, because it jostles me Crawford. at every turn. It is that we have now no measure of value.-.Letter to Na thaniel Macon, esq., January 1!, 1819, volume 7, page 111. The great object now in view is to terminate forever the evil of the present system, and to place the currency on a foundation so stable that it can not again be shaken. If a broad and sure foundation of gold and silver is provided The evils of this deluge of paper money are not to be removed until our for our system of paper credits we need not hereafter apprehend tlwse alter citizens are generally and radically instructed in their cause and consequen nate seasons of abundance and scat·city of money suddenly succeeding each ces, and silence by their authority the interested clamors and sophistry of other, which have so fa,· marked our history and irreparably injured so many of speculating, shaVIng, and banking institutions.-Letter to Mr. Adarns, March our citizens.-Repoo·t of R. B. Taney, Secretary of Treasury, .April15, 1834 181, 1819, volume 7, page 115. The paper bubble is then burst. This is what you and I and every reason Proneness to excessive issues has eve1· been the vice of tlte ban.J.:ing system, a ing man, seduced by no obliquity of mind or interest. have long foreseen, yet vice a.s prominent in national as in State institutions. This propensity is as its disastrous effects are not the less for having been foreseen. We are labor subservient to the advancement of private interests in the one as in the ing under a dropsical fullness of circulating medium. Nearly all of it is now other; and those who direct them both, being principally guided by the same called in by the banks, who have the regulation of the safety valves of our for views and influenced by the same motives, will be equallyreadyto stimulate tunes, and who condense and explode them at their will. Lands in this State to extravagance of enterprise by improvidence of credit.-President Van can not now be sold for a year's rent.-Letter to J. Adams, esq., November 7, Buren's me.ssage, September 4, 1837. 1819, volume 7, page H2. The history of trade in the United States for the last three or four years If we suffer the moral of the present lesson to pass away without improve affor At this epoch, this second explosion of the paper system, I came into the system; and when you speak to me of well-regulated banks of circulation, Senate of the United States. I came here .in the autumn of 18?Q. I traveled you speak to me of what never has been or will be. You might as well speak from the Mississippi to the Potomac amidst t~e crash of falli~g ba~, the to me of well-regulated devils, whom even .Almighty power found it impos wrecks of a paper currency, and th~ lamentatiOns of a suffe~ng nation. I sible to regulate in any other manner than by casting in chains into billows arrived here to see a Government without a dollar, and borroWing money to of everlasting fire. And~. sir, our bank-paper system, if not abandoned, may pay its daily expenses which the year before boasted a revenue of forty yet be regulated in the au-consuming blaze of popular indignation. s~ven millions and torni.ented itself with sche~es to get rid of .surpluses. I commenced my Senatorial career under these Cl!cumstance~--?ITCumstan<:es For myself,* I am* opposed *to investing* in banks* the power* of manufa.ctur_.* to make me meditate and to make me feel Happily my assoCia t10ns were With ing a paper currency. This power of creating a currency for a nation is the fathers of the Repn.blic-with 1tfacon and Randolph, whose intimacy I one of the highest. and most important attributes of a sovereign power, and enjoyed and whose friendship I possessed. My reading was that of the early more deeply affects all the diversified interests of society than the exercise history of the Government-the Revolution, t?-e Confederation1 the forma of any other power whatever. It is more important than coining money, tion of the Constitution of 1789, and ~h~ wor~mgs of the m~hinery. of the for that must be preceded by the purchase of the bullion but here is a Federal Government under the AdminiStratiOns of the earlier Presidents, power to manufacture paper money at pleasure, to constitute the currency Washington Adams and Jefferson. The result of this association and of of a State or nation, a power entrusted to the irresponsible directory of a this reailing 'was a thorough conviction (1) that the Federal Constitution was bank, acting in secret, and whose chief interest is to abuse their power. In formed by hard-money men, and was intended to be a hard-money Govern proportion as a bank increases in currency are its dividends and profits aus ment; (2) that it had been co~verted into a ~ape!-money Govet:nment, con mented, and hence the stimulus to over issues is irresistible, and especially IS trary to the genius and intention of the Constitution: (3~ ~hat thi:S departure this the case where, as we have seen by the evidence before quoted, the very from the Constitution wa.s the cause of the money calanntl~~ durmg the war, directors which manufacture the paper loan out, as a general rule, more and again at that time; (4) that th~ rel!ledy for these cal~ ties was to return than one-fourth of it to themselves. This power, then, of issuing their to the plain meaning of the ConstitutiOn, as expressed m the revenue a.ct of paper as money is truly fearful, and when united with the power of loaning 1789 and to confine the receipts and exuenditures of the Federal Government at pleasure, in secret conclave, and to whom and for what purpose the bank to gold and silver coin only.-Benton, March 14, 1838. directory may think proper, and of recalling it at pleasure, and of contract ing and expanding as suits tootr caprice, is a power which few European e It tends to make and to break fortunes by the flux and reflux of paper. despots would dare to exercise, and is utterly incompatible with the funda Pr~fuse issues and sudden contracti9ns P.erfo":''! thfs ope:ation, which can be mental principles of a free government.-Jilrom the speech of Robe~·t J. Walker repeated, like planetary all;d pestilential VlSita~IOns, .lll; every cycle of so in the Senate Janua1-y 21, 1840. many years, at every periodica return transferrl?g millions from the actual possessors of property to the Neptunes who preside over the flux and reflux In a recent report made by the Treasury Department on the condition of paper.-Benton, February 2, 1831. of the banks throughout the different States, according to r eturns dated nearest to January, 1857, the aggregate amount of actual specie in their vaults The Bank of the United States was -;bartered in 1816, and. before 1820 had is $58,349,838, of their circulation $214,778,822, and of their de:posits $200,351,352. performed one of its cycles of delusive and bubble prosperity, fo:Uo~ed by actual and widespread calamity. The whole paper system, of which It was Thus it appears that these banks, in the aggregate, have considerably less than one dollar in seven of gold and silver compared with theircirculatw~and de the head and citadel, after a vast exp!Lnsio~, had suddenly collapsed, spread posits. It was palpable, therefore, that the very first pressure must drive them ing desolation over the land and carrymg rum to debt_ors. The year~ 1819 and to suspension, and deprive the people of a convertible currency, with all its dis 1820 were a period of gloom and agony. No moneY:, either gold or silver; !J.O astrous consequences. It is truly wonderful that they should have so long con paper convertible into specie; no measure or stanaard of valu.e left rem~n tinued to preserve their credit, when a demand for the payment of one-seventh mg. The local banks (all but those of New En~land), af_ter a bnef resumptiOn of their immediate liabilities would have driven them into insolvency. And of specie payments, again sank into a state of susp~nswn . The Bank of the this is the condition of the banks, notwiths~nding that four hundred millions United States, created as a remedy for all those evils now at ~he ~ead of the evil, prostrate and helpless, with no po~er lef~ but th~t of sumg I~s debt?rs of gold from California have flowed in upon us within the last eight years, and the tide still continues to flow. Indeed, such has been the extrava~anceof and selling their property, and purchasmgfor1tself at Its oW? nonnnalpnce. bank credits that the banks now hold a considerably less amount or specie, No price for property or produce. No purchasers at ex~cution sales but the either in proportion to their capital or to their circulation and deposits com creditor or some hoarder of money. No employment formdustry, no demand bined, than they did before the discovery of gold in California. While in the for labor no sale for the product of the farm, no sound of the hammer but year 1848 their specie, in proportion to their capital, wa.s more than equal to that of the auctioneer knocking down property. Stop l.aws, propertY: laws, one dollar for four and a half, in 1857 it· does not amount to $1 for every $6.33 replevin laws, stay laws, loan-office laws:-the mterveJ?.tion of the.le~lat?r between the creditor and the debtor-thiS was the busmess of legislation m of their capital. In the year 1848 the specie was equal within a very small three-fourths of the States of the Union, requiring for interest $150,000,000 a year, what would have been menced. That valuable fund for the immediate extinction of our debt will, I fear, be suffered to Sli.J?throughourfingers. Every delayexposesittoevents your condition? Entering the war without any debt, before you which no human foresight can guard against.-Letter to James Madison, June had been in it three years your promissory notes had gone to 38 ~o . 1787, volume 2, page 153. · cents on the dollar, with all the resources of the country unpledged. The question whether one generation of men has a right to bind another seems never to have been started either on this or our side of the water. Yet But suppose you had had to borrow money and that you were al it is a question of such consequences as not only to merit decision, but place ready in debt to the extent of two and a half billion dollars, re also among- the fundamental principles of every government. The course of quiring an enormous taxation to meet its interest. Your paper refl_ection ill which we ar~ imme;rsed here, o_n the elementary principles of would have gone to nothing, as the continental paper did. In a soCiety, has presented thiS questiOn to my mmd; and that no such" obligation can bE> translnitt~d I think very capable of proot I set out on this ground, year or two it would have gone from 1 to 10, in the next year to a which I suppose to be self-evident, that the earth belongs in usufruct to the hundred, and finally, as the continental money did, it would have livingi. that the dead have neither powers nor rights over it. The portion oc gone out. In spite of all your power, and all your soldiers, and cupiea by any individual ceases to be his when himself ceases to be, and re verts to the society. If the society has formed no rules for the appropriation all your patriotism, and your access to the whole world for sup of its lands in severalty, it will be taken by the first occupants, and these plies you would have met with ignominious defeat. will generally be the wife and children of the decedent. If they have formed If we have the teme1ity to load down our people with debt and rules of appropriation those rules may give it to the wife and children, or to some one of them, or ~o the legatee of the de~ased. S9, they may give it to its go on and exhaust them by taxation, and it then becomes neces creditor. But the child, the legatee or creditor, takes It, not by natural right, sary in the course of events for us to measure arms with one, two, but by a law of the society of which he is a member, and to which he is sub or three of the most powerful nations on the globe, you will see ject. Then, no man can, by natural right, oblige the lands he occupied, or the persons who succeed him in that occupation, to the payment of debts con· how our credit will be shattered. tracted by him. For if he could he !night during his own life eat up the I wish to show what General Washington thought of public usufruct of the lands for several generations to come; and then the lands debts. He was not a Democrat. He could hardly be called a w'!ulq_ belong to the dead and not to the living, which is the reverse of our prmCiple. Federalist. He was elected by the whole nation, and by distinc What is true of every member of the society individually is true of them tion he may be called the Patriot President. All his successors all collectively, since the rights of the whole can be no more than the sum of were elected by parties. He stood halfway between the Demo the rights of the individuals. To keep our ideas clear when applying them to a multitude, let us suppose a whole generation of men to oo born on the crats and Federalists. His Administration was controlled in a same day, to attain mature age on the same day, and to die on the same day, great measure by the two powerful intellects of Jefferson and leaving a succeeding generation in the moment of attaining their mature age1 Hamilton, both of whom were in his Cabinet, and both urging a:ll tog~ther. Let the ripe age be s~pposed of 21 years, and. their period or life thirty-four years more that bemg the average term given by the bills opposing ideas. He pursued the middle course. Here is what he ?f m<:>rta.lity to persons of 2i years of age. Each successive generation would, said in his messages: ill this way, come and go off the stage at a fixed moment, as individuals do· Allow me, moreover, to hope that it will be a favorite policy with you not now. Then, I say, the earth belongs to each of these generations during its merely to secure a payment of the interest of the debt funded, but as far and course, fully and in its own right. The second generation receives it clear as fast as the ~owing resources of the country will permit to exonerate it of of the debts and incumbrances of the first, the third of the second, and so on. the principal Itself. The appropriations you have made of the Western lands For if the first could charge it with a. debt, then the earth would belong to the explain your disposition on this subject, and I am persuaded that the sooner dead and not to the living generation. Then, no generation c.an cont1·act that valuable fund can be made to contribute, along with other means, to the debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence. actual reduction of the public debt, the more salutary will the measure be to .Letter written from Paris to James Madison, September 6, 1789, volume 3, page every public interest, as well as the more satisfactory to our constituents. 103. . Washington 's second annual address to Congress, December 8, 1790. (Williams's The earth belongs also to the living generation; the¥ may manage it, then, Presidents' Messages, volume 1, page 38.) and what proceeds from it, as they please, during their usufruct. They are No pecuniary consideration is more urgent than the regular redemption masters, too, of their own persons, and consequen.tly may govern them as they and discharge of the public debt. On none can delay be more injurious or an please. But persons and property make the sum of the objects of govern economy of time be more valuable.-Washington's fifth annual address to Con- ment. The constitution and the laws of their predecessors are extinguished, then, in their natural course, with those whose will gave them being.-.Letter gr{J~;..~e;r::~r ~F 1~~ ~!~~~a~;·s~e::::;~fl~:%:esTh~1tJ!~ 1~~~~ t~ to James Mad·ison, September 6, 1789, volume 3, page 106. . elapsed since the commencement of our fiscal measures has developed our Then the contracts, constitutions, and laws of every society become void in pecuniary resources so as to open the way for a definitive plan for the re nineteen years from their date.-.Letter to Dr. Gem,---,--, volume 3, demption of the public debt. It is believed that the result IS such as to en page 109. courage Congress to consummate this work without delay. Nothing can more As the doctrine is that a public debt is a public blessing, so they think a promote the permanent welfare of the nation and nothing would be more perpetual one is a perpetual blessing, and therefore wish to make it so large grateful to our constituents. Indeed, whatever is unfinished of our system that we can never pay it off.-Lette1· to Col. N. Lewis, Ap1"il12, 1792. , volume of public credit can not be benefited by procrastination; and as far as may 3, page 348. be practicable we ought to place that credit on grounds which can not be My whole correspondence while in France, and every word, letter, and act disturbed and to prevent that progressive accumulation of debt which must on the subject since my return, prove that no man is more ardently intent ultimately endanger all Governments.-Washington's sixth annual address to see the public debt soon and sacredly paid off than I am. This ex~tly to Congress, November 19,1794. (Williams's Presidents' l-fessages, volume 1, marks the difference between Colonel Hamilton's views and mine, that! would page 59.) wish the debt paid to-morrow; he wishes it never to be paid, but always to be Whether measures may not be advisable to reenforce the provision for the a thing wherewith to corrupt and manage the Legislature.-Letter to the· redemption of the public. debt will naturally engage your examination. Con President of the United States, September 9, 1792, volume 3, page 4.Q4. gress have demonstrated their sense to be, and it was superfluous to repeat I consider the fortuneRof our Republic as depending, in an eminent degree, mine, that whatsoever will tend to accelerate the honorable extinction of our on the extinguishment of the public debt before we engage in any war, because. public debt accords as much with the true interests of our country as with that done, we shall have revenue enough to improve our country in time of the general sense of our constituents.-Washington's seventh annual add1·ess pea~ and defend it in war, without recurring either to new taxes or loans. to Congress, December 8, 1795. (Williams's Presidents' Messages, volume 1, But if the debt should once more be swelled to a formidable size its entire page 63.) discharge will be despaired of and we shall be committed to tho English A reenforcement of4the existing provisions for discharging our public debt career of debt, corruption, and rottenness, closing with revolution. The was mentioned in my address at the OJ>ening of the last session. Some pre discharge of the debt, therefore, is vital to the destinies of our Government, liminary steps were taken toward it, the maturing of which will no doubt and ~t hangs on Mr. Madison and yourself alone. We shall never see another engage your zealous attention during the present session. I will only add President and Secretary of the Treasury making all other objects subor that it will afford me heartfelt satisfaction to concur in such further meas dinate to this.-.Lette1· to M1·. Albert Gallatin, October 11, 1809, volume 5, page ures as will ascertain to our country the prospect of a speedy extinguishment 477. of our debt. Posterity may have cause to regret if, from any motive, inter I keep up my hopes that if war be avoided Mr. Madison will be able to com vals of tranquility are left unimproved for accelerating this valuable end. plete the payment of the national debt within his term, after which one-third Washington's Eighth Annual Address, December 7, 1796. (Williams's Presi of the present revenue would support the Government.-Letter toM. Dupont dents' MessG,fles, volume 1, page 68.) De Nemours, April15, 1811, volume 5, page 583. As a veryrmportant source of strength and security, cherish public credit. Having seen the people of all other nations bowed down to the earth under the One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding oc wars and prodi~alities of their rulers, I have cherished their opposites-peace, ~sions of expense by cultivating peace, but r emembering, also, that timely economy, and nddance of the public debt-believing that these were the high disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater dis road to public as well as to private prosperity and happiness.-.Letter to Hem-y bursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only Middleton, esq., January 8, 1818, volume 6, page 90. by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace It if; a ~se rule, and should be fundamental in a government disyosed to to discharge the debts which unavoidable wars have occasioned, not ungen cheriSh Its credit, and at the same time to restrain the use of it Within the erously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourseh·es ought to limits of its faculties, "never to borrow a dollar without laying a tax in the bear.-Washington's Farewell Address, September 17, 1796. (Williams's P.re&i same instant for J!aying the interest annually and the principal within a given dents' Messages, volume 1, page 75.) term; and to consider that tax as pledged to the creditors on the public faith." * * * But the term of redemption must be moderate, and at any rate \ The following words are from his successors: within the limits of their rightful powers. But what limits, it will be asked, t, does this prescribe to their powers? What is to hinder them from creating The consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts 3: p_erpetua.l debt? The laws of nature. I answer. The earth belongs to the in other countries oug-ht to admonish us to be careful to prevent their growth livillg, not to the dead. The will and the power of man expire with his life in our own. The natiOnal defense must be provided for as well as the sup by nature's law.-;-Letter t(} John W. ~PP.f!S, June ~4i 1818, volume 6. page 136. • por.t of Go.vernment, but 1J?th should _be accomplished as much as possible There have eXIsted natiOns, and civilized and earned nations, who have by rmmediatetaxes and as little as possible byloans.-P.resident John Adams's thought that a father had a right to sell his child as a slave, in perpetuity; message, 1797. ~hat he could alienate his body and industry conjointly, and a fortiori his When effects so salutary result from the plan you have already sanctioned, illdustryse-pa.rately, and oonsumeits fruits himself. A nation asserting this when merely by avoiding false objects of expense we are able, without a di fratricide right !night well suppose they could burden with public as well as r ect tax, without internal taxes, and without borrowing, to make large and private debt their "nati nat01·um, et qui nascentur at illis." But we, this age, effectual payments toward the discha1·ge of our J.>Ublic debt and the emanci and in this country especially, are advanced beyond those notions of natural pation of our posterity from that moral canker. It1s an encoura~ement, fellow law. We acknowledge that our children are born free; that that freedom is citizens, of the highest order, to proceed as we have begun, m substituting the gift of nature, and not of him who begot them; that though under our economy for taxation, and in pursuing what is useful for a nation placed as care during infancy, and therefore of necessity under a duly tempered.au we are, rather than what is practiced by others under different circum thority, that care is confided to us to be exercised for the preservation and stances. And whensoever we are destined to meet events which ~:shall call good of the child only, and his labors during youth are given as a retribution forth ~11 the energies of our countrymen, we have the firmest reliance on those for the charges of infancy. As he was never the propert¥ of his father, so energres; and the comfort ofleavingfor calls like these the extraordinary re when adult he is sui jU1-is, entitled himself to the use of his own limbs and sources of loans and internal taxes.-Jefferson's second annual message to Con the frttits of his own exertions. So far we are advanced, without min(l - gress, December 15, 1B&J. (Williants's P,·esidents' Messages, volume1, page 160.) enough, it seems, to take the whole step. We believe, or act as if we believed, I am uneasy at seeing that the sale of our western lands is not yet com- that although an individual father can not alienate the labor of his son, t he 698 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. JANUARY 15, aggregate body of fathers may alienate the labor of all their sons, of their present Administration has devoted to it all the means which its flourishing :{)OSterity, in the aggregate, and oblige them to pay for all the enterprises, commerce has. supplied and a prudent economy preserved for the puouc ;~ust or unjust, profitable or ruinous, into which our vices, our passions, or Treasury. Withiri the four years for which the people have confided the our personal interests may lead us. But I trust that this proposition needs executive power to my charge, $58,000,000 will have been applied to the pay only to be looked at by an American to be seen in its true point of view, and ment of the public debt. that we shall all consider ourselves unauthorized tosaddleourposterity with * • • * * * * our debts, and morally bound to 'Pay them ourselves, and consequently The final removal of this great burden from our resources affords the means within what may be deemed the period of a generation or the life of the ma. of further provision for all the objects of general welfare and public defense jority.-Letter to Mr. Eppes, September 11 181~, volume 6, page 196. which the Constitution authorizes and prevents the occasion for such further In see~, then, for an ultimate term for the redemption of our debts, let reduction in the revenue as may not be required for them.-President Jack us rally to this principle, and provide for their payment within the term of son's annual tlteS:;age, 18~ . nineteenalearsat the farthest.-Letter to John W. Eppes, June f4,181~, volume It is one of the serious evils of our present system of banking that it enables 6 one class of society-and that by no means a numerous one-by its control ' ~~~~ortune is that in the meantime we shall plung~ ourselves in unex over the currency to act injuriously upon the interests of all the others tin~shaule debt and entail on our posterity an inheritance of eternal taxes, and to exercise more than its just proportion of influence in political affairs. which will bring our Government and the people into the condition of those The ag_ricul~, th_e mechanical, and the laboring classes have little or no of England, a. nation of pikes and gudgeons, the latter bred merely as food share m the direction of the great moneyed corporations, and from their for the former.-Letter to Colonel Monroe, January 1, 1815, volume 6, page 409. habits and the nature of their pursuits they are incapable of forming exten The multiplication of public offices, increase of expense beyond income, sive combinations to a<:t together with united force. Such concert of action growth and entailment of a public debt are indications soliciting the employ may sometimes be produced in a single city or in a small district of country ment of the pruning knife; and I doubt not it will be employed, good prin by means of personal communications with each other; but they have no ciples being as yet prevalent enough for that.-Letter to JtJA!,ge Roane, March re~ or active correspondeuce with those who are engaged in similar pur 9, 1821, volume 7, page 212. - smts in distant places; they have but little patronage to give to the press That our Creator made the earth for the use of the living and not of the and exercise but a small share of influence over it; they have no crowd of dead; that those who exist not can have no use nor right in it, no authority or dependents about them who hope to grow rich 'vitnout labor by their coun power over it; that one generation of men can not foreclose or burthen its use tenance and favor, and who are, therefore, always ready to execute their to another, which comes to it in its own right and by the same divine benefi wishes. The planter, the farmer, the mechanic and the laborer all know cence; that a preceding generation can not bind a succeeding one by its laws that their success depends upon their own industry and economy, and that or contracts; these deriving their obligation from the will of the existing they must not expect to become suddenly rich by the fruits of their toil.. majority, and that majority being removed by death, another comes in its Yet these classes of society form the great body of the people of the United -place with a will eg:ually free to make its own laws and contracts; these are States; they are the bone and sinew of the country; men who love liberty axioms so self-evident that no explanation can make them plainer.-Lettet·to and desire nothing but equal rights and equal laws, and who, moreover, hold Mr. Tlwmas Ea?·le, September ~4, 18t3, ·volume 7, page 310. the great mass of our national wealth, although it is distributed in moderate Can one generation bind another, and all others in succession, forever? I amounts among the millions of freemen whopo sess it. Butwithoverwhelm think not. The Ct·eator has made the earth for the living, not the dead. ing numbers and wealth on their side they are in constant danger of losing Rights and powers can only- belong to persons, not to things, not to mere their fair influence in the Government, and with difficulty maintain their matter, unendowed with will. The dead are not even things. The particles just rights a~ainst the incessant efforts daily made to encroach upon them. of matter which composed their bodies make part now of the bodies of other The mischief springs from the power which the moneyed interest derives animals. vegetables or minerals, of a thousand forms. To what, then, are at from a paper currency which they are able to control, from the multitude of tached the rights and powers they held while in the form of men? A genera corporations with exclusive privileges which they have succeeded in obtain tion may bind itself as long as its majority continues in life· when that has ing in the different States, and which are employed altogether for their bene disappea1·ed another majority is in place, holds all the rigbts and powers fit, and unless you become more watchful in your States, and check this spirit their predecessors once held, and may change their laws and institutions to of monopoly and thirst for exclusive privileges you will, in the end, find that suit themselves. Nothing, then, is unchangeable but the inherent and unalien the most important powers of government have been given or bartered away able rights of man.-Letter to Maj. John Cartwright, June 5, 18Z4, volume 7, and the control over your dearest interests has pas.'led into the hands of page 359. these corporations. THE UNION-WHO ARE ITS REAL FRIENDS. The paper-money system, and its natural associates, monopoly and exclu Not those who promote unnecessary accumulations of the debt of the Union, sive privileges, have already struck their roots deep in the soil; and it will re instead of the best means of discharging it as fast as possible, thereby in quire all your efforts to check its further &-rowth and to eradicate the evil. creasing the causes of corruption in the Government and the pretext for The men who profit by the abuses and des1re to perpetuate them will con new taxes under its authority; the former undermining the confidence, the tinue to besiege the halls of legislation in the General Government as well as latter alienating the affections of the people. in the States, and will seek, by every artifice, to mislead and deceive the pub The real friends of the Union are those who are friends to the authority of lic servants. It is to yourselves that you must look for safety and the means the people. the sole foundation on which the Union rests; of guarding and perpetuating lour free institutions. In. your hands is right Who are friends to liberty, the great end for which the Union was formed; fully placed the sovereignty o the country, and to you, everyone placed in Who are friends to the limited and republican system of government, the authority is ultimately responsible. It is always in your power to see that means provided by that authority for the attainment of that end; the wishes of the people are carried into faithful execution, and th.eir will, Who, considering a public debt as injurious to the interests of the people when once made known, must sooner or later be obeyed. And while the peo and baneful to the virtue of the Government, are enemies to every contri ple remain, as I trust they ever will, uncorrupted and incorruptible, and con vance for unnecessan:ly increasin.gits amount, or protra<:ting its duration, or tinue watchful and jealous of their rights, the Government lS safe, and the extending its influence. cause of freedom will continue to triumph over all its enemies. In a word, those are the real friends of the Union who are friends to that But it will reguire steady and persevering exertions on your part to rid republican policy throughout which is the only cement for the union of a yourself of the miquities and mischiefs of the paper system, and to cheek the republican people, in opposition to a spirit of usurpation and monarchy, spirit of monopoly and other abuses which have sprung up with it, and of whichisthemenstruummostcapableofdissolvingit.-No.15, Writingsof Madi which it iS the main support. So many interests are united to resist all re son, Ma1·ch 31 179B, page 480. form on this subject that you must not hope the conflict will be a short one, The deep sohcitude felt by our citizens of all classes throughout the Union for nor success easy. My humble efforts have not been spared during my ad the total discharge of the public debt will apologize for the earnestness with ministration of the Government, to restore the constitutional currency of which I deem it my duty to urge this topic upon the consideration of Con gold and silver; and something, I trust, has been done toward the accom· gres.c;-of recommending to them again the observance of the strictest econ pli hment of this most desirable object. But enol1gh yet remains to require omy in the public funds.-PresidentJohtn Quincy Adams's message, 1827. all your energy and perseverance. The power however, is in your hands, Free from public debt, at peace with all the world, and with no complicated and the remedy must and will be applied if youdetermineuponit.--Jackson's interest to consult in our intercourse with foreign powers, the present may Fa1·ewell Address. be hailed as that epoch in our history the most favorable for the settlement The creation, in time of peace, of a debt likely to become J>ermanent, is an of those P.rinciples in our domestic policy which shall be best calculated to evil fo1· which there is no equivalent. The rapidity with which many of the give stability to our Republic and secure the blessings of freedom to our citi States are apparently approaching to this conditwn admonishes us of our zens. Among thes{:j principles, from our past experience, it can not be doubted own duties in a manner too impressive to be disregarded. One, not the least that simplicity in the character of the Fed{:jral Government and a rigid econ important, is to keep the Federal Government always in a condition to dis omy in its administration should be regarded as fundamental and sacred. All charge with ease ana vigor its highest functions, should their exercise be re must be sensible that the existence of the public debt,_by renderin~ taxation quired by any sudden conjuncture of public affairs--a condition to which we necessary for its extinguishment, has increased the di.tlieulties which are in are always exposed, and which may occur when least expected. To this end separable from every exercise of the taxing power, and that it was, in this it is indispensable that its finances should be untrammeled and its resources, respect, a remote agent in .producing those rusturbing questions which grew so far as pz-acticable, unincumbered. No circumstance should present out of the discussions relating to the tariff. If such has been the tendency of greater obstacles to the accomplishment of these vitally important objects a debt incurred in the acquisition and maintenance of our national rights and than the creation of an onerous national debt. Our own experience, and also liberties, the obligations of which all portions of the Union cheerfully ac that of other nations, has demonstrated the unavoidable andfearful rapidity knowledged, it must be obvious that whatever is calculated to increase the with which a public debt is increased when the government has once sur burdens of ~overnment without necessity must be fatal to all our hopes of rendered itself to the ruinous practice of supplying its supposed necessities preserving 1ts true <:haracter. While we are felicitating ourselves, there by new loans. The struggle, therefore, on our part, to be successful, must foi·e, upon the extinguishment of the national debt and the prosperous state be made at the threshold. To make our efforts effective, severe economy is of our finances let us not be tempted to depart from those sound maxims of necessary. This is the surest provir.ion for the national welfare, and it is, at public policy which enjoin a just adaptation of the revenue to the expendi the same time, the best preservative of the principles on which our institu tu.res that are consistent with a. riJrid economy and an entire abstinence from tions rest. Simplicity and economy in the affairs of state have never failed all topics of legislation that are not clearly w1thin the constitutional powers to chasten and invigorate republican principles, while these have been as surely subverted by national prodigality under whatever specious pretext it I of the Government and suggested bdj~~ wants of the country. Properly re l garded. under such a. policy every · · ution of the public burdens ansing may have been introduced or fostered.-Van Buren's third annua 1nessage. I from taxation gives to individual enterprise increased power and furnishes (Statesman's Manual, volume 2, ;page 1121.) to all the members of our happy confederacynew motives for patriotic affec A few years ago our whole nationhl debt growing out of the Revolution and tion and support. But, above all, its most important effect will be found in the war of 1812 with Great Britain was extinguished and we presented to its influence upon the <:haracter of the Government by confining its action to the world the rare and noble spectacle of a great and growing people who those objects which will be sure to secure to it the attachment and support of had fully discharged every obligation. Since that time the existing debt has our fellow-citizens.--Jackson's message, 1834. been C-Ontracted; and, small as it is in comparison with the similar burdens If Providence permits m.e to meet you at another session, I shall have the of most other nations, it should oo extinguished at the earliest practicable lrigh gratification of announcing to you that the national debt is extinguished. period. Should the state of the country permit, and, especially if our foreign I <:an not refrain from expressing the pleasure I feel at the near approach of 1·elations interpose no obstacle, it is contemplated to apply all the moneys m that desirable event. The short period of time within which the public debt the Treasury as they- accrue beyond what is required for the appropriations will have been discharged is strong evidence of the abundant resources of by Congress to its liquidation. I cherish the hope of soon being able to con the country and of the prudence and economy with which the Government P."atulate the country on its recovering once more the lofty position which has heretofore been administered.-.President Jackson's message, 1833. 1t so recently occupied. Our country, which exhibits to the world the bene I can not too cordially eongratulate Congress and my fellow-citizens on the fits of self-government in developing all the sources of national pros~rity, near approach of that memorable and happy event, the extinction of the owes to ma.ilkin.d the permanent example of a nation free from the blighting pnblic debt of this great and free nation. Faithful to the wise and J?&triotic influence of a public debt.-Polk's first annual Tll-e88age, Dece:m.ber 1, 184S. policy, marked out by the legislation of the country for this .ob~~ct, the · (Statesman.'• Man.ual, volume'- page 14fl2.) j 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE." 699 The amount of the public debt to be contracted should be limited to the When Mr. Jefferson came into the .Presidencyin1801, after haVing lowest practicable sum, and should be extinguis_hed as ~ly after the conclu in the first year opened all the prison doors in which men were sion of the war as the means of the Treasury will pernnt. With this view it is recommended that as soon as the war shall be over all incarcerated for the free expression of their opinions about polit the surplus in the Treasury, not needed for other indispensable objects, shall ical subjects, he addressed himself to the question of emancipating constitute a sinking fund and be applied to the purchase of the funded debt, the people from this devouring moral canker, as he characterized and that authority be conferred by law for thatpurpose.-Polk'sthi,-d annual fll,€8Sage, December 7, 181.7. (Statesman's Manual, volume{, page 1704.) it. Under his · influence Congress passed a law setting apart Besides making the necessary legislative provisions for the execution of the $7,300,000 of the revenues of the Government to be paid toward the treaty and the establishment of territorial governments in the ceded coun extinction of the debt. In 1803 it was increased to $8,000,000 a try we have, upon the restoration of peace, other important duties to per fo~. Among these I regard none as more important than the adoption of year, and from 1803 to 1817 that law was enforced and $8,000,000 proper measures ~or the speedy e~tinguishm.ent _of ~lie national deb~. It is as a sinking fund was appropriated every year toward the extinc against sound ~olicy and the gemus of our mstitutions that a public debt tion of thelittle debtwhich was$75,000,000 under PresidentWash should be permitted a day longer than the means of the Treasury will enable the Government to_pay it off. We should adhere to the wise Folley laid ington. In 1817 it was increased to $10,000,000, and during that down by President Wa~gton, of" avoiding th~ accum.ulatio.n o . de~t, not year over $20,000,000 was paid toward the extinction of the public only by shunning occasiOns of e~ense, but.by Vlgorous exertiOns~ time of debt. peace, to discharge the debts which unavmdable wars have occasiOned, not These are the footprints of our Democratic fath~rs on the ques ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden we ourselves ought to bear. "-Polk's special message, J·uly 6, 1848. (Statesman's Manual, volume 4, tion of the payment and the extinction of the public debt. When page 174.3.) we got out of the war and had alargedebtourRepublicanfriends In my message of the 6th of July last, transmitting to Congress the ratified acted very wisely. They went to work and established a sinking treaty of peace with Mexico, I recommended the adoption of measures for the speedy payment of the public debt. In reiterating that reco1nmendation, I fund, and an enormous amount was paid by the generation that r efer you to the considerations presented in that message in its support. fought the war. There was a reduction of some twelve hundred * * $ * * * * million dollars in the principal of the debt, besides paying annu The public expenditures should be economical and be confined to such nec- ally fi·om one hundred to one hundred and fifty million dollars for essary objects as are clearly within the powe1-s of Congress. All such as are not absolutely demanded should be postponed and the payment of the public interest. debt at the earliest practicable period should be a cardinal principle of our That, Mr. President, was then and is now the established policy public policy.-Polk's fottrth annual ·message, December 5. (Statesman's Man of the people of the United States-all of them. ual, volume 4, page 1774.) Why is it that we are to stop now? Why is it that our sinking The following are from Clay, Calhoun, Crawford, and Benton: fund is to-day hollow when we touch the vault? It got down Mr. Clay said, in 1816, he would- to two or three hundred tho"Q.sand dollars, I believe, year before Lay down a general rule. from which there ought never to'be a departure last, and $1,000,000, I am informed, has been paid this year. But without absolute necessity; that the expense of the year onght to be met by there ought to be fifty or sixty or seventy million dollars paid an the revenue of the year. lf in time of war it were impossible to observe this rule we ought in time of peace to provide for as speedy a discharge of the debt nually into the sinking fund toward the extinction of the debt. cxmtracted in the preced'I:TI,g war as possible. Why have we stopped paying into the sinking fund and keeping And in 1824 he said: uu the reduction of the debt? Simply because within the last The payment of that debt and the consequent liberation of the public re year or two the great moneyed corporations of the country have sources from the charge of it is extremelv desirable. determined to make another death struggle to stop the extinction The moral value of the payment of a mitional debt consists in the demon of the debt, to enlarge and perpetuate it, and to drive all rivals stration which it affords of the ability of a country to meet and its integrity out of the field that they may have the power to issue all of the in fulfilling all its engagements. * * * Whoever may be entitled to the credit of the payment of the public debt, I congratulate you, sir, and the coun paper currency of the country. They are trying to control the try most cordially that it is so near at hand. politics of both the Republican and Democratic parties. The I shall oppose strenuously all attempts to originate a new debt; to create a national bank; to reunite the political and money power-more dangerous business men have come out, it is said. I saw last year the utter than that of church and state-in any form or shape.-Oalhoun on the bill for ance of some of the business men. They said they had reproached the issue of Treasury notes~ United States Senate, Septe-mber 18, 1837. (Abridg themselves for not having taken a proper interest in public meas numt Debates Congress, vomme 13. page 363.) · ures and that then, which was last year, they intended to make An attentive examination of the rise and fall of public debts in other coun tries can not fail to impress the American Republic with the necessity of their influence felt in the politics of the country. It has been felt, making suitable exertions in periods of peace to release the national revenue and felt to the great injury of the people of the United Stat€s. from so heavy an incumbrance.-W.H. Crawf01·d, December 16, 1816. We have reached the point when we must decide whether we will What more unwise and more unjust than to contract debts on long time, as some of the States have done, thereby invading the rights and mortgaging go on or turn back. Shall we go forward and pay the debt and the resources of posterity, and loading unborn generations with debts not keep our currency system, or shall we turn around, retrace our their own? What more unwise than all this, which several of the States have st€ps, and build up the debt, establish and fortify and keep an done, and which the effort now is to make all do? Besides the ultimate bur den, in the shape of final payment, which is intended to fall upon posterity, aristocracy to control the Government, and stop the vain pursuit the present burden is incessant in the shape of annual interest, and, falling of maintaining free institutions and transmitting them unim upon each generation, equals the princiual in every periodical return of ten paired to our children? or a dozen years. Few have calculated the devourmg effect of annual inter est on public debts and considered how soon it exceeds the principal.-Ben Mr. Jefferson said a long time ago that parties were the product . ton's speech on assumption of State debts: Thirty Years' View, volume 2, of natm·al laws; that parties depended in a great measure upon page 173. the condition of men's minds; that the parties we have to-day Mr. Jefferson, as I have shown, held that one generation had no were the parties that existed two or three hund!·ed years ago. right to bind another generation. He took the actuaries' tables of They were called Whig and Tory in Great Britain during the life insurance and demonstrated that the life of a generation is revolutionary times of 1688, when the great strug-gles were made between nineteen and twenty years, and he held that we had no for English liberty. They are now called the Liberal and the moral right to impose debts upon the generation that came after Conservative parties. In the organization of our Government it us. Every generation that succeeded had a. right, he said, to the was Republican and Federalist. It is now Republican and Demo enjoyment of the earth without any incumbrance upon it. That crat. He said the proper designation of parties all the time would is what he held. He demonstrated it over and over again. He be Democrat on one side and Aristocrat on the other; that the condemned the increase of the public debt throughout his whole principles contended for by the Liberals and the Whigs in Eng public life, beginning in 1787, and on page after page of our his land, the Republicans in the early day, and the Democrats of to tory he has written it, down to 1824. day were personal liberty, secured by local self-government, the Though in retirement, at 81 years of age he uttered a warning creation of a national government for foreign purposes and to to the people of the United States to pay the little debt they had regulate questions at issue between the different States of the which was a danger to them. At 83 years of age, from the little Union, but holding the great mass of powers close to the people, Mount of Monticello, his spirit ascended to heaven. There was a for the reason that they could control the administration of those man coming after him whom he did not well understand He powers toward securing their liberty. feared General Jackson because of his military ambition. Jeffer We all have re::!.d the history of the great struggle which was son dreaded a military chieftain. He. loved the civilian. He made when the Constitution was formed and when it had n 1 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. 701 lio provide for fortifications and other seacoast defenses. The and unable to attend to-morrow, and they requested me to let the amendment proposes to authorize a lban, the proceeds of the loan resolution lie over until Monday, which I will do, and then ask to be used exclusively for the purpose of seacoast defense. In for a vote upon it. printing the amendment a misprint was made, which omits the Mr. PEFFER addressed the Senate. After having spoken for , rate of interest, which was fixed in the amendment as I offered it more than two hours-- at 3 per cent per annum. I should like to have that correction Mr. CHANDLER. Mr. President-- made and the amendment reprinted. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. PLATT in the chair). Does The PRESIDING OFFICER. The correction will be made, if the Senator from Kansa-s yield to the Senator from New Hamp there be no objection. The Chair hears none. Does the Senator shire? from Massachusetts wish to have the amendment referred? Mr. PEFFER. Certainly. Mr. LODGE. I should like to have it referred to the Commit Mr. CHANDLER. Unless the Senator from Kansas is nearly tee on Coast Defenses, as it relates to a bill which that committee through, I desire to move that the Senate proceed to the considera has under consideration. tion of executive business. . The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment will be so re . Mr. PEFFER. . I am not nearly through; and if it suits the ferred. convenience of the Senate I shouldprefertocontinue my remarks MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE. to-morrow, as I am getting somewhat fatigued. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. W. J. [Mr. PEFFER's speech will be published entire after it shall have BROWNING, its Chief Clerk, announced that the House had passed been concluded.] without amendment the following bills: A bill (~. 43) to amend an act entitled "An act to amend an act Mr. WOLCOTT. BeforetheSenatorfromNewHampshiresub entitled 'An act to forfeit certain lands heretofore granted for the mits a motion to proceed· to the consideration of executive busi· purpose of aiding in the construction of railroads, and for other ness, I hope he will yield to me, that I may make a motion. purposes,' approved September 29, 1890, and the several acts Mr. CHANDLER. I yield to the Senator from Colorado for amendatory thereof"; and that purpose. A bill (S. 628) to provide an American register for the steamer ADJOURNMENT FROM THURSDAY TO MONDAY, Miami. Mr. WOLCOTT. I move that when the Senate adjourn to-mor· SILVER COINAGE AND COIN REDEMPTION. row it be to meet on Monday next. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The hour of 2 o'clock having Mr. CALL. I hope the Senator from Colorado will not insist arrived, the Chair lays before the Senate the unfinished business on his motion. There are a good many resolutions that we want of yesterday. to have considere·d. The Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, resumed the consid The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to eration of the bill (H. R. 2904) to maintain and protect the coin the motion of the Senator from Colorado [Mr. WoLCOTT], that redemption fund, and to authorize the issue of certificates of in when the Senate adjourn to-moiTOW it be to meet on Monday next. debtedness to meet temporary deficiencies of revenue. - The motion was agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pending question is on the EXECUTIVE SESSION. amendment proposed by the Senator from North Carolina [.Mr. Mr. CHANDLER. I move that the Senate proceed to the con BuTLER] to the amendment reported by the Committee on Fi sideration of executive business. nance, on which the Senator from Kansa-s [Mr. PEFFER] is enti- The motion was a~eed to; and the Senate proceeded to the con tled to the floor. . sideration of executive business. After ten minutes spent in ex Mr. PEFFER. Mr. President-- ecutive session the doors were reopened, and (at 4 o'clock and 23 Mr. PUGH. Will the Senator from Kansas allow me to intro minutes p. m.) the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, Thursday, duce a resolution and have it read, merely giving a notice regarding January 16, 1896, at 12 o'clock meridian. . the disposition of it? Mr. PEFFER. Certainly. NOMINATIONS. Mr. PUGH. I send to the desk a concurrent resolution, and Executive nominations received by the Senate January 15,1896. ask that it be read. The concurrent resolution was read, as follows: PROMOTION IN THE NAVY. Chief Engineer George W. Melville, United States Navy, to be Whereas by the act entitled "An act to strengthen the public credit," ap P!'OVed March 18,1869, it was provided and ·deClared that the faith of the Engineer in Chief and Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering, United States was thereby solemnly pledged to the_ _payment, in coin or its with the relative rank of commodore, in the Department of the equivalent, of all interest-bearing obligations of the United States, except in Navy, from the 16th day of January, 1896. cases where the law authorizing the issue of such obligations had expressly provided that the same might be paid in lawful money or other currency PROMOTION IN THE ARMY. than gold and silver; and . . Whereas all the bonds of the United States authorized to be issued by the Caval1-y arm. act entitled "An act to authorize the refunding of the national debt," ap Second Lieut. Robert Lee Howze, Sixth Cavalry, to be first lieu proved July 14,1870, by the terms of said act were declared to be redeemable m coin of the then present standard value, bearing interest payable semian tenant, January 9, 1896, vice Swift, Ninth Cavalry, deceased. nually in such coin; and POSTMASTERS. Whereas all bonds of the United States authorized to be issued under the a<:t entitled "An act to provide for the resumption of specie payments," ap Charles R. Brandon, to be postmaster at Litchfield, in the proved January 14,1875~ are required to be of the descrjption of bonds of the county of Montgomery and State of illinois, in the place of Edwin United States describea in the said act of Congress approved July 14,1870, en titled "An act to authorize the refunding of the natiOnal debt"; and C. Thorp, resigned. Whereas at. the date of the pa.ssage of said act of Congress last aforesaid to Wilbert W. Lewis, to be postmaster at Hudson, in the county wit, the 14th day of July,1870, the coin of the United States of standard vilue of Summit and State of Ohio, in the place of Isaiah B. Jones, of that date included silver dollars of the weight of 412t grains each, declared by the act approved January 18, 1837, entitled "An act supplementary to the act whose commission expired December 17, 1895, this nomination entitled 'An act establishing a mint and regulating the coins of the United being made to correct an error in name, Webster W. Lewis hav States,' " to be a legal tender of payment, according to the nominal value, for ing been confirmed for postmaster at this office January 7, 1896. any sums whatever: Therefore, Resolved by theSenute (the House of Representatives concu1-ring therein), That all the bonds of the United States issued, or authorized to be issued, under CONFIRMATIONS. the said acts of Congress hereinbefore recited, are payable, principal and interest, at the option of the Government of the United States, in silver dol Executive nominations confirmed by the Senate January 15, 1896. lars of the coinage of the United States containing 412t grains each of standard CONSUL. silver; and that to restore to its coinage such silver coms as a legal tender in payment of said bonds, principal and interest, is not in violation of the public Albert E. Morlan, of Louisiana, to be consul of the United States faith, nor in deroga~ion of the rights of the public creditor. at Belize, British Honduras. Mr. PUGH. The concurrent resolution I have introduced is DISTRICT JUDGE. an exact copy of what is known as the Stanley Matthews resolu Arthur K. Delaney, of Alaska, to be United States district judge tion, which passed both Houses of Congress in 1878 by a two for the District of Alaska. thirds vote. I ask that the concurrent resolution lie over under the rule until to-morrow morning, when I shall ask for a vote on UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS. it without debate. Charles B. Simonton, of Tennessee, to be attorney of the United The PRESIDING OFFICER. The resolution will lie over as States for the western district of Tennessee. requested. Burton E. Bennett, of Washington, to be attorney of the United Mr. PUGH subsequently said: I gave notice a short time ago States for the District of Alaska. . that to-morrow morning without debate I should ask for a vote APPOINTMENT IN THE REVENUE-CUTTER SERVICE. on the resolution I introduced. Since that time I have been in Daniel W. Blake, of Mississippi; to be a second assistant engi formed by several Senators that they will necessarially be absent neer in the Revenue-Cutter Service of the United States. 702 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. J .ANU.ARY 15, PROMOTIONS IN THE REVENUE-CUTTER SERVICE. Bright B. Nunnally, to he postmaster at Marianna, in the county of Lee and State of Arkansas. Third Lieut. Walker W. Joynes, of South Carolina, to be a sec Lucas Rowntree, to be postmaster at Bartlett, in the county of ond lieutenant in the Revenue-Cutter Service of the United StateR. Williamson and State of Texas. Second Lieut. John C. Cantwell, of North Carolina, to be a first Andy J. Chessher, to be postmaster at Jacksonville, in the county lieutenant in the Revenue-Cutter Service of the United States. of Cherokee and State of Texas. POSTM.A.STERS. Edward M. Scott, to be postmaster at Rosedale, in the county of Bolivar and State of Mississippi. Patrick H. McCarthy, to be postmaster at North Bennington, in Milton P. Tribble, to be postmaster at Anderson, in the county the county of Bennington and State of Vermont. of Anderson and State of South Carolina. Willis E. Fuller, to be postmaster at Enosburg Falls, in the Edward G. Winston, to be postmaster at Smithville, in the county of Franklin and State of Vermont. county of Bastrop and State of Texas. John M. Winslow, to be postmaster at Nantucket, in the county Louis T. Walker, to be postmaster at Commerce, in the county of Nantucket and State of Massachusetts. of Hunt and State of Texas. J. J. Eichar, to be postmaster at Clarksville, in the county of Joseph F. Gregory, to be postmaster at Lancaster, in the county Butler and State of Iowa. of Lancaster and State of South Carolina. Soren P. Sorenson, to be postmaster at Albert Lea, in the county E. Ransford Clinkscales, to be postmaster at Fort Brook. in the of Freeborn and State -of Minnesota. county of Hillsboro and State of Florida. · Thomas C. Tracy, to be postmaster at Island Pond, in the Joseph F. Appling, to be postmaster at Jasper, in the county of county of Essex and State of Vermont. Walker and State of Alabama. George W. Blair, to be postmaster at Lamoni, in the county of Mary M. Connell, to be postmaster at Springfield, in the county Decatur and State of Iowa. of Robertson and State of Tennessee. Peter Stephany, to be postmaster at Manning, in the county of E. E. Poag, to be postmaster at Rockhill, in the county of York Carroll and State of Iowa. and State of South Carolina. Edward McCoy, to be postmaster at Rock Rapids, in the county John P. Little, to be postmaster at Clinton, in the county of of Lyon and State of Iowa. Laurens and State of South Carolina. William R. Flemming, to ·be postmaster at An:nstrong, in the Fred W. Brush, to be postmaster at Salida, in the county of county of Emmet and State of Iowa. Chaffee and State of Colorado. John B. Connrardy, to be postmaster at Exira, in the county of Angus J. McPhee, to be postmaster at Eureka, in the county of Audubon and State of Iowa. Jaub and Territory of Utah. Julius F. Kerberg, to be postmaster at Sanborn, in the county Caleb R. Barratt, to be postmaster at Salt Lake City, in the of O'Brien and State of Iowa. county of Salt Lake and Territory of Utah. John Selby, to be postmaster at Prairie City, in the county of H. S. McDowell, to be postmaster at Highlands, in the county Jasper and State of Iowa. of Arapahoe and State of Colorado. William U. Sulser, to be postmaster at Ireton, in the county of Charles H. Holt, to be postmaster at Buena Vista, in the county Sioux and State of Iowa. of Chaffee and State of Colorado. Edward M. Han-ington, to be postmaster at Story City, in the Charles A. Crane, to be postmaster at Colorado City, in the county of Story and State of Iowa. county of El Paso and State of Colorado. Jacob Burns, to be postmaster at Humansville, in the county of Jacob Weil, to be postmaster at Las Animas, in the county of Polk and State of Missouri. Bent and State of Colorado. Orvin J. RBa, to be postmaster at Tracy, in the county of Lyon Adelbert Van Deusen, to be postmaster at Lamar, in the county and State of Minnesota. of Prowers and State of Colorado. Hugh H. Gilday, to be postmaster at Janesville, in the county H. A. N oeckel, to be postmaster at Lansdowne, in the county of of Waseca and State of Minnesota. Delaware and State of Pennsylvania. Charles T. Hamilton, to be postmaster at Montgomery City, in Robert W. Hutchins, to be postmaster at Wyoming, in the the county of Montgomery and State of Missouri. county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania. James H. Fleming, to be postmaster at Dexter, in the county of William H. Dengler, to be postmaster at Quakertown, in the Stoddard and State of Missomi. county of Bucks and State of Pennsylvania. Weston Dawson, to be postmaster at New Madrid, in the county Collins Dean, to be postmaster at Annville, in the county of of New Madlid and State of Missouri. Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania. Katharine Du Bois, to be postmaster at Ashland, in the county Edward A. Mellon, to be postmaster at Patton, in county of of Saunders and State of Nebraska. Cambria and State of Pennsylvania. John F. Bradshaw, to be postmaster at Superior, in the county Dora M. McElhany, to be postmaster at B1·ockwayville, in the of Nuckolls and State of Nebraska. county of Jefferson and State of Pennsylvania. George W. Bishop, to be postmaster at Wonewoc, in the county Hugh H. McClellan, to be postmaster at Marionville, in the of Juneau and State of Wisconsin. county of Forest and State of Pennsylvania. Ida B. Morse, to be postmaster at Atkinson, in the county of George F. Stearns, to be postmaster at Chester, in the county of Holt and State-of Nebraska. Middlesex and State of Connecticut. Michael M. Huck, to be postmaster at Schuyler, in the county George H. Ford, to be postmaster at Waterville, in the county of of Colfax and State of Nebraska. New Haven and State of Connecticut. John F. Early, to be postmaster at Wilber, in the county of Asaph W. Shurtleff, to be postmaster at Weedsport, in the Saline and State of Nebraska. county of Cayuga and State of New York. Joseph D. Baker, to be postmaster at Edgar, in the county of John NeafieJohnson, to be postmaster at Freehold, in the county Clay and State of Nebraska. of Monmouth and State of New Jersey. James D. Robertson, to be postmaster at Grafton, in the county Timothy Barrett, to be postmaster at South-Orange, in the of Walsh and State of North Dakota. county of Essex and State of New Jersey. Orlando S. Parmelee, to be postmaster at Tekamah, in the county Samuel E. Phelps, to be postmaster at Windsor, in the county of Burt and State of Nebraska. of Hartford and State of Connecticut. Charles P. Livingston, to be postmaster at Whittier, in the A. Winthrop Williams, to be postmaster at Highland, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California. county of Ulster and State of New York. Virgil 0. Harter, to be postmaster at South Riverside, in the Hiram Steele, to be postmaster at Arcade, in the county of county of Riverside and State of California. ' Wyoming and State of New York. Thomas J. Wylie, to be postmaster at Nogales, in the county of John Kimmel, to be postmaster at Wayland, in the county of Pima and Territory of Arizona. Steuben and State of New York. / Thomas A. Fleming, to be postmaster at Williams, in the county Edward B. Bm-r, to be postmaster at Brewer, in the county of of Coconino and Territory of Arizon::r. Penobscot and State of Maine. Robert M. Griffin, to be postmaster at Lonoke, in the county of George W. Beal, to be postmaster at Lisbon Falls, in the county Lonoke and State of Arkansas. of Androscoggin and State of Maine. Howard B. Dudley, to be postmaster at Stuttgart, in the county Herbert M. Bates, to be postmaster at Calais, in the county of of Arkansas and State of Arkansas. Washington and State of Maine. Orlando Streshly, to be postmaster at Azusa, in the county of James A. Snow, to be postmaster at Medway, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California.. - Norfolk and State of Massachusetts. RobertJ.Collins, to be postmasterat Hattiesburg, inthecounty George L. Beals, to be postmaster at Florence, in the county of of Perry and State of Mississippi. Hampshire and State of Massachusetts. Frank W. Barnes, to be postmaster at Wagoner, in the Cieek John L. Cummings, to be postmaster at Livermore Falls, in the Nation, Ind. T. county o( Androscoggin and State of Maine. 1896. OONGRESSION.A.L - RECORD-HOUSE~ 703 . HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. opment of electric power for lighting towns, -for machinery, and various other purposes. I hope there will be no objection to it WEDNESDAY, January 15, 1896. whatever. Mr. McMILLIN. Does the bill apply only to the State of Cali- . The House met at 12 o'clock m. Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. fornia? HENRY M. COUDEN. :M..r. BOWERS. No; it applies generally to reservations. The Journal of the proceedings of yesterday was read and ap- . Mr. McMILLIN. Does it include the National Park also, with proved. all the other reservations of the Government? COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT. :Mr. BOWERS. It applies only to reservations under the con trol of the Secretary of the Interior. It simply amends the law, The SPEAKER. The Chair detgires to announce that the gen extending the same right and giving no further right than is now tleman from Kansas, 1\Ir. CURTIS, asks to be excused from service possessed by ditches carrying water for irrigation. on the Committee on Public Lands. Without objection, his re Mr. McMILLIN. Has this bill been recommended by any com quest will be granted, and the Chair will appoint the gentleman mittee of this House? from Utah, Mr. ALLEN. Mr. BOWERS. It ha-s been unanimously reported by the Com There was no objection, and it was so ordered. mittee on Public Lands of this House-by the full committee. Mr. McRAE. Mr. Speaker, if my colleague on the committee RIGHT OF WAY ACROSS PUBLIC LANDS FOR RESERVOIR AND CANAL will allow me, I will state that this bill does not grant or authorize PURPOSES. the grant of any land. It only authorizes the Department to issue 1\Ir. BOWERS. Mr. Speaker, I desire to ask unanimous con permits for the use of these lands for the purposes stated. It does sent for the present consideration of the bill which I send to the not apply to the National Yellowstone Park, nor to military res desk. I ask that it be read. ervations, but only to lands reserved for forestry purposes. The Clerk read as follows: Mr. Mcl\-IILLIN. Does the bill provide that these grants may The bill (H. R. 3018) to amend the act approved March 3, 1891, gra.n.ting the be revoked? right of way upon the public lands for reservoil· and canal purposes. l!r. McRAE. The bill makes no grant. Be it enacted, etc., That the act entitled "An act to permit the use of the Mr. McMILLIN. Well, these privileges. right of way through the public lands for tramroads, canals, and reservoirs, Mr. McRAE. They are issued by and are all under control of and for other purposes." approved January 21, 1895, be, and the same is heT'eby, amended by adding thereto the following: the Secretary of the Interior. The bill makes no grant and vests • SEO. 2. That the Secretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized and no title to any lands. empowered, under general regulations to be fixed by him, to permit the use Mr. McMILLIN. I observe that the matter is under the con of right of way to the extent of 25 feet, together with the use of necessary ground, not exceeding 40 acres, upon the public lands and forest reserva trol of the Secretary so far as giving permission is concerned, but tions of the United States, by any citizen or association of citizens of the does the bill provide that he may revoke a permit if it should be United States, for the purposes of generating, manufacturing, or distribut abused or if it should become to the interest of the Government ing electric power." to have it revoked? The SPEAKER. The question is upon granting unanimous Mr. McRAE. He has the power to do that. But, Mr. Speaker, consent. what I rose to say was that this bill does not make any grant or Mr. CRISP. It is to be hoped that an explanation will be made authorize the making of any grant, and that no person under it of the bill before consent is given. can acquire title to any land. No person can get anything but a permit to use for the purpose indicated in the bill. The SPEAKER. Reserving the right to object, an explanation can be made if the House desires. Mr. McMILLIN. I was anxious, Mr. Speaker, to see that t~ere should not be granted any plivileges which would be beyond the Mr. BOWERS. Mr. Speaker, this bill is identical with the bill control of the Government. I think that the interests of those that was reported favorably to the House during the last Congress, who are to receive benefits from this action indirectly demand that but could not be taken up until late in the session. The bill has the power of revocation should exist somewhere, so that privi passed the Senate. The bill was drawn in the office of the Secre leges given to corporations furnishing light or power shall not be tary of the Interior and of the Commissioner of the General Land abused. I am glad to learn that that is provided for. Office. It is approved and indorsed by both of them, as will be There being no objection, the bill wa-s considered, and ordered to seen in the report made to the last Congress. That bill was a sub be engrossed and read a third time; and being engrossed, it wa.s stitute for the Caminetti bill. accordingly read the third time, and passed. It is my opinion that this bill- On motion of Mr. BOWERS, a motion to reconsider the vote by The Cam.inetti bill- which the bill was pa.ssed was laid on the table. should not become a law. I would recommend, however, legislation by way MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE. of amendment of the a.ct of January 21, 1895, before mentioned, in effect as follow , viz: A message from the Senate, by Mr. PLATT, one of its clerks, an •· 'rhat the act entitled 'An act to permit the use of the right of way through nounced that the Senate had passed bills of the following titles; the public lands for tramroads, canals, and reservoirs, and for other Eurposes,' in which the concurrence of the House was requested: :KE:~~e~!~~~~~l; 1895, be, and the same is hereby, amended y adding A bill (S. 1) granting a pension to Mrs. Eva Davis Cogswell, · "SEa. 2. That the %ecretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized widow of Brig. Gen. William Cogswell; and and emJ?OWered, under general regulations to be fixed by him, to permit the A bill (S. 941) granting to the Atchison and Nebraska Railroad use of right of way to the extent of 25 feet, together with the use of necessary ground, not exceeding 4D acres, upon the public lands and forest reservations Company and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Com of the United States by any citizen or association of citizens of the United pany, its lessee in perpetuity, the right of way over a part of the States, for the purposes of generating, manufacturing, or distributing elec Sac and Fox and Iowa Indian Reservation in the States of Kan tric power." Very respectfully, S. W. LAMOREUX, Commissioner. sas and Nebraska. The SECRETARY OF THE l!!."'TERIOR. CONTESTED-ELECTION CA.SE-CHESEBROUGH VS. M'CLELLAN. Mr. McMILLIN. What amount of land do the Secretary of Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am instructed by the Interior and the Commissioner of the General Land Office thB Committee on Elections to pre,sent to the House its report in recommend be given? Do they make a recommendation as to the contested-election case of Robert A. Chesebrough vs. George the quantum of land. B. McClellan, Twelfth Congressional district of the State of New \ Mr. BOWERS. They do. They make this recommendation: York, and to ask for the present consideration of the report. \ The report wa.s read, as follows: \ Permit the use of right of way to the extent of 25 feet, together with the use of necessary ground, not exceeding 40 acres. The Committee on Elections No. 2 to whom was referred the contested election case of Robert A. Chesebrough against George B. McClellan, from That is all under the restrictions and regulations of the Secre the-Twelfth Congressional district of the State of New York, respectfully report to the House that they have duly considered said case, and find the tary of the Interior. The existing law admits a right of way facts therein ~ to be as follows: across public lands and reservations for ditches for irrigating The contestant was the Republican candidate and the contestee was the purposes. This simply extends the right to construct that ditch Democratic candidate for Representative to the Fifty-fourth Congress from said district at the regular election held therein on the 6th day of Novem for the purpose of conveying water ·to provide electric power ber, 1894; that at a meeting of the State board of canvassers of the State of across the public lands and reservations; and the bill, as I have New York, held at the city of Albany on the 14th day of December follow said, if the gentleman from Tennessee will give me his attention, in~, contestee was declared the legally elected Representative from the dis triCt, and that thereafter the secretary of state of New York duly issued to was drawn in the office of the Secretary of the Interior, and in him a certificate of his election, all in conformity to the laws of the State; dorsed by him to the House. There can be no objection to it. I that afterwards, such certificate having been transmitted to the Clerk of the will say that about 6,000,000 acres of land have been given, includ House of Representatives, hi.s name was, by that official, placed upon its roll, and he now occupies the seat in the House; that after the election of con ing the crest of the SierraNevadas, for reservations, the source of testee had been so declared, and within the time prescribed by statute, the all those streams, and our people want to get water for the devel- contestant served upon him notice of contest of said election. alleging as J .ANU.ARY 15, 704 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. / grounds for contest the casting of illegal votes thereat, and that during the There being no objection, the bill was read, as follows: political canvass which preceded the election contestee had instigated the Metropolitan Association of Cycling Clubs to issue and distribute among Be it enacted, etc., That "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to forfeit the electors of the district a. cJ.rcular which falsely charged him with hav certain lands heretofore granted for the purpose of aiding in the construc ing op:posed the passage of a law in the State of New York which granted tion of railroads, and for other purposes,' approved September 29, 1890, and to cyclists equal rights with the users of all other kinds of vehicles in the the several acts amendatory thereof," approved December 12, 1893, be, and public highways in the city and State of New York and in the :public parks the same is hereby, amended so as to read as follows: of said city, and which falsely char~ed that he had signed a petition opposing " That section 3 of an act entitled 'An act to forfeit ce:rtain lands heretofore the passage of said law; that in this circular the users of cycles in said dis granted for the purpose of aiding in the construction of railroads, and for trict and their friends were called upon to vote for contestee and against other purposes,' approved September 29, 1890, and the several acts amendatory contestant, and that, because of and influenced by the false statements con thereof, be, and the same is, amended so as to extend the time within which tained in this circular, many electors in sai.d district who were cyclers were persons entitled to purchase lands forfeited by said act shall be permitted to prejudiced against him and induced to vote for contestee who would but for purchase the same, in the quantities and upon the terms provided in said such false charges have cast their ballots for him; that after the serving of section, at any time prior to January 1,1897: Pl·ovided, That actual residence said notice upon the contestee, and within the time fixed by law, the con upon the lands by persons claiming the right to purchase the same shall not testee served upon contestant his answer to the notice of contest, in which be required where such lands have been fenced, cultivated, or otherwise im he denied the casting or counting of any illegal votes at such election, and proved by such claimants, and such persons shall be permitted to purchase also denied that he had instigated the issuing or circulation of a circular con two or more tracts of such lands by legal Aubdivisions, whether contiguous taining false charges against contestant, or that he had falsely charged him or not, but not exceeding 320 acres m the aggregate." with having signed a petition against the passage of said law, or that such circular had advised cyclers and their friends to vote for him, but. in said The SPEAKER.· Is there objection to the present consideration answer, he alleged it to be the fact that in May, 1887, the contestant had signed his name to a petition protesting against the passage of a bill by the of the bill just read? legislature of the State of New York commonly known as the "wheelrilan's Mr. DOCKERY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I liberty bill," which bill subsequently passed the le~lature and became a think it is proper that the gentleman from Oregon should make law on the Z'Tth day of June, 1887; that after the servmg of the notice of con test, the contestant addressed a letter to the contestee in which he stated some explanation of this bill. that he had observed that contestee had been quoted in a newspaper as saying Mr. ELLIS. Mr. Speaker, this is a bill which was passed dur- . that a petition signed by contestant remonstratin~ against the passage of the ing the closing hours of the last Congress, but it did not get to "wheelman's liberty bill" was in existence, and m which letter he further the Senate until the 2d or 3d day of March, and it met the fate of declared that if the contestee could :procure and exhibit to him without delay such a petition he would agree to withdraw from his contest of the electioni some forty-five or fifty other bills which did not reach the Presi notwithstanding he had been advised that he could maintain a successfu dent in time to be considered by him. contest upon the other grounds set forth in his notice. In this letter he also This bill does not enlarge the rights of settlers in anyway. The informed the contestee that before serving notice of contest upon him he had made unsuccessful inquiry for such a petition as he had been alleged to have first ruling of the Department when the settlers first went upon signed of parties claimed to have know ledge or possession of the same, and these lands was that those who had settled upon the forfeited rail that he had also demanded of the authors of said circular the evidence of his road lands should have the right to purchase not exceeding 320 having signed such a petition, and that he had been informed by them that they had no personal knowledge of the existence of such evidence, but had acres, without regard to the question whether the lands lay con signed such circular upon the statements and at the request of others, and tiguous or not. Therefore some persons, wanting to get a water that, believing that a wrong had been done him by the wheelmen in the in privilege, selected small tracts of land down in the canyon, where terest of contestee, and havin~ been unable to obtain any evidence of his having ever signed such a petitiOn, he had instituted the contest. land would be comparatively worthless for tillage, and took the And your eommittee further show that, after the delivery of the said let remainder of their tracts upon the plateau, on which, during ter, the parties to this contest had a personal interview at the place of busi favorable seasons, they could raise something of a crop. By a ness ofihe contestant; that thereafter the latter addressed to the contestee a letter in which, after making reference to the conversation which had oc subsequent ruling of the Department of the Interior it was held curred between them at such interview, and admitting that the contestee that settlers must reside upon the land and that the different por had then and there exhibited to him a certain petition against the use by bi tions of the tract purchased must lie contiguous. Under this cyclers of the driveways in Central Park, in the city of New Yor.lr signed by ruling ~ersons who had segregated their selections in the manner contestant and 100 other persons.., ~early eight years before, notified contestee that he withdrew entirely from nis contest of the election to Congress from I have Just stated in order to get a water privilege were denied said Twelfth Congressional district, and requested him to return to him the the opportunity to receive the maximum amount of land allowed notice of contest previously served upon him in the case; that in this letter under the law as originally passed. contestant declared that he was unable to recall the circumstances under which he had signed his name to said petition, and that he could not admit Now, during the closing hours of the last Congress an act was that the signing of the same by him justified the vindictive attack made· passed granting to such persons the right to make up the quantity upon him by the wheelmen. . of land they had thus lost; but that bill did not get through the Your committee still further show that afterwards, to wit, on the 26th day of February, 1895, the notice of contest and answer in said cause were filed Senate in time to reach the President and secure his signature. with the Clerk of the House of Representatives together with the affidavit The present bill bas been unanimously passed in this Congress by of contestee; that no testimony had been taken m1 the case; that the said let the Senate and has received a unani,mous report in its favor from ters addressed as aforesaid to the contestee by contestant were before your committee while they were considering the case; and that the contestant has the Committee on Public Lands. never appeared before your committee, either in person or by attorney\ and Mr. McMILLIN. Has this bill been recommended by the Sec that no testimony has, as the committee is informed aild believes, ever oeen retary of the Interior? taken by either of the parties to the case, but that the contestant has in good It faith withdrawn from his contest. Mr. ELLIS. has been recommended by the Commissioner of In view of the matters and facts hereinbefore recited, your committee do the General Land Office in a long letter, which is embodied in the recommend to the House the adoption of the following resolution, to wit: report of the Committee on Public Lands. "Resolved, That Robert A. Chesebrough was not elected a Representative from the Twelfth Congressional district of the State of New York to the Mr. McMILLIN. Does this bill extend thetimeforthecompl&o Fifty-fourth Congress, and is not entitled to the seat. tion of purchases? "Resolved, That George B. McClellan was duly elected a Representative Mr. ELLIS. No, sir; it makes no extension whatever. from the Twelfth Congressional district of the State of New York to the :Mr. McMILLIN. It grants nothing beyond what was granted Fifty-fourth Congress. and that he is entitled to the seat." by the bill passed in the last Congress? Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move the adoption Mr. ELLIS. None whatever. of the resolutions reported by the committee. :Mr. McMILLIN. What amount of land is involved? The SPEAKER. The Clerk will again read the resolutions. Mr. ELLIS. The bill does not increase in any respect the rights The Clerk read as follows: of the settlers; they will not be able under this bill to pm·chase Resolved, That Robert A. Chesebrou~h was not elected a Representative any greater amount of land than they could under the original law. from the Twelfth Congressional distriCt of the State of New York to the Mr. McMILLIN. But what is the amount of land involved? Fifty-fourth Congress, and is not entitled to the seat. Resolved, That George B. McClellan was duly elected a Representative from Mr. ELLIS. The maximum which can be obtained by any the Twelfth Congressional district of the State of New York to the Fifty person is 320 acres, where a contract to that extent was made fourth Congress, and that he is entitled to the seat. with the railroad company prior to the ruling of the Department. The resolutions were adopted unanimously. Mr: McMILLIN. The gentleman does not understand my On motion of Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana, a motion to recon question. I mean to ask what is the aggregate amount of land I sider the vote by which the resolutions were adopted was laid on which will be affected by this legislation-not the amount which J the table. any one individual may purchase? · ! FORFEITURE OF LAND GRANTS. Mr. ELLIS. I am unable to answer the gentleman accurately . Mr. ELLIS. Mr. Speaker, there is on theSpeaker'stablea Sen on that point. For a considerable portion of the land purchased ate bill (S. 43) precisely similar in character to one reported this patents were obtained. This bill will not affect probably more morning from the House Committee on Public Lands, and I ask than one-fourth of the amount covered by the original grant. that it remain for the present on the Speaker's table. There bein~ no objection, the House proceeded to the considera The SPEAKER. For what purpose? tion of the bill, which was ordered to a third reading, read the Mr. ELLIS. In order that I may call it up later. It is similar third time, and passed. to a bill which has just been reported from the Committee on Pub On motion of Mr. ELLIS, a tnotion to reconsider the last vote lic Lands. was laid on the table. The SPEAK~R. The gentleman from Oregon asks unanimous Mr. LACEY. I suggest that the B;ouse bill of similar purport consent that Senate bill No. 43, now on the Speaker's table to the Senate bill just passed be laid on the table. Mr. ELLIS. Mr. Speaker, I believe I will ask unanimous con 'J;he SPEAKER. In the absence of objection, that order will sent that the bill be considered at this time. be made. . 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 705 AMERICAN REGISTER FOR STEAMER MIAMI. the attitude of this Governiilent with reference to the Armenian Mr. PAYNE. I ask unanimous consent for the present consid outrages. eration of Senate bill No. 628, which is identical in-language with First, I desire most heartily to indorse the amendment offered House bill No. 1713, which the Committee on Merchant Marine by the gentleman from illinois [Mr. GRAFF] on Monday and sup and Fisheries have unanimously reported with a favorable rec ported by that gentleman with an eloquent defense. ommendation. There are not far from 900,000 soldiers and soldiers' widows on The bill (S. 628) to provide an Americanregister for the steamer the pension roll of the country. That security in possession of Miami was read, as follows: this bounty of the Government, granted them by a generous na Be it enacted, etc., That the Commissioner of Navigation is hereby author· tion, whose life they helped to save, which is necessary to peace ized and directed to cause the foreign-built steamer Nerito, owned by Charles of mind, security, and comfort in its possession, is denied them by W. Hogan, a citizen of the United States, to be registered BB a vessel of the the present Commissioner of Pensions. . United States under the name of Miarni. SEC. 2. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and di· I think it is safe to say that scarcely one of the 900,000 soldiers rected to cause the inspection of said vessel, steam boilers, steam pipes, and and soldiers' widows whose names are borne upon the pension roll the::X appurtenances, and cause to be granted the usual certifieate issued to of the country but what is in constant fear that their pension will steam vessels of the merchant marine without reference to the fact that said steam boilers, steam pipes, and appurtenances were not constructed pursuant be reduced or stopped altogether. And they have good ground for to the laws of the United States, and were not constructed of iron stamped solicitude and fear, because hundreds and thousands of such pursuant to said laws; and the tests in the inspection of said boilers, steam worthy pensioners have either had their pension reduced or taken pipes, and appurtenances shall be the same. in all respects as to strength and away altogether by the unwarranted, and I believe illegal and un safety as are required in the inspection of_boilers constructed in the lJnited States for marine purposes. just, conduct of the Pension Bureau as now administered. ·Mr. PAYNE. I ask unanimous consent that the report of the I think, in view of all that has been said upon this floor during House committee be read for information. this debate, I am justified in saying that the Secretary of the Inte There being no objection, the report of the Committee on the Mer rior and the Commissioner of Pensions have overridden the acts chant Marine and Fisheries (by Mr. PAYNE) was read, as follows: of Congress and have assumed legislative as well as judicial functions. The Committee on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was re ferred the bill (H. R. 1713) entitled "A bill to provide an American register There are a number of instances of men 80 years of age who for the steamer Miarni," having had the same under consideration, submit have had their pensions reduced or discontinued on the ground the following report: that they were not incapacitated from manual labor in a pension It appears from the evidence before the committee that the owner of the vessel m question is an American citizen; that in September, 1894:, while bear able degree. ing the name of Nerito and sailing under British ownership, the vessel was It has been held by the present Commissioner that a man who wrecked off Sable Island, Nova Scotia, where she lay on the sand, high in lost an eye or who was deaf in one ear was not pensionable under shore, and abandoned by her owners for ten months; that after several expe ditions had been sent out by the Merritt Wrecking Company to save her, she the act of June 27, 1890, such soldiers not being incapacitated was finally floated, brought to New York, and sold as a wreck by the agent from manual labor under that law. of the foreign underwriters to the present owner, named in the bill for the Could there be anything more foreign to the spirit and letter of sum of $10,229.28; that the contract between the present owner and the John N. Robbins Compan:y, American shipbuilders, provides for repairs to the the law, or the intention of the Fifty-first Congress, which passed amount of $36,450, which were, by the terms of the contract, to be completed this act, than these illustrations which I have mentioned. on or before January 15,1896, and which, your committee are informed, are Why, Mr. Chairman, the thermometer is 20° below zero over at completed already; that this amount is in excess of the amount required by section 4136 of the Revised Statutes, viz, more than equal to three-fourths of the Pension Bureau for Union soldiers and loyal men. the cost of the vessel when so repaired. Mr. Chairman, I denounce the use of the post-office officials as fa~~:~~h~;a!0w~~{;t~~;'i~! !~ ~~S:~~~efh~~af:~e~~1 t~ewU~~~ spies upon the pensioners. [Applause.] I go further than that, States. and I denounce the present general spy system as a whole, under '!'he committee is of the opinion that the case comes within the spirit of the the name of "pension examiners," as conducted at present by the law, and that the bill ought to pass. Pension Bureau. I have somehow got the notion that these "ex There being no objection, the House proceeded to the considera aminers" believe that their continuance in their position is de tion of the bill; which was ordered to a third reading, read the pendent upon their ability to find pretexts to take away the little third time, and passed. stipends the soldiers are receiving from the Government. On motion of Mr. PAYNE, a motion to reconsider the last vote In some instances that have come under my knowledge, the pen was laid on the table. sioner is approached by these examiners in the guise of a friend. The SPEAKER. In the absence of objection, House bill No. The old soldier puts his best foot forward, he makes the best pos 1713, similar in its provisions to the Senate bill just passed, will sible showing of his circumstances and his worldly condition to be laid on the table. his new-found friend, and this information obtained in this way is There was no objection. used against him to reduce his pension or to take it away alto PENSION APPROPRIATION BILL. gether. Mr. KIEFER. That is un-American, too. Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. I move that the House resolve it Mr. MORSE. Yes; as my friend says, it is an un-American self into Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union for the policy. consideration of general appropriation bills. It was never the intention of Congress, and is not the wish of The motion was agreed to. the people of our country, that the pension laws should be admin The SPEAKER. The gentleman from illinois [Mr. HOPKINS] istered in such a narrow, niggardly, contemptible manner; but it being absent, the gentleman from Maine [Mr. DINGLEY] will oc was the intention of Congress and the people who sent us here to cupy the chair in Committee of the Whole. legislate that these laws should have a liberal construction, and The House accordingly resolved itself into Committee of the that the defender of his country and his country's flag, in his de Whole on the state of the Union (Mr. DINGLEY in the chair), and clining years, should be given the benefit of a liberal construction resumed the consideration of the bill (H. R. 3537) making appro and a generous application of these laws. priation for payment of invalid and ·other pensions of the United As a justification of the conduct of the Pension Bureau, whole States for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897, and for other pur sale charges of fraud and dishonesty have been made against the poses. Union soldiers by the highest officers of this Government~ includ The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. ing the President of the United States, and when we demand speci MoRsE] is recognized. fications, and that they should tell us when and where these frauds Mr. MORSE. Mr. Chairman, I desire to send to the desk and have been committed, they are not forthcoming, and at any rate have read for the information of the House an amendment which the number is insignificant and unimportant as compared to the I propose to offer to the pending bill at the proper time. whole number of pensioners borne upon the rolls. The Clerk read as follows: I throw these charges back to the men who make them, and I Amend the bill on page 3, in line 5, after the words "per annum," by a.dd say that the Union soldiers who periled their all that the country in!f the following: • Provided further, That widows of pensioners under the general law shall might live, and who took their lives in their hands to save us, a be allowed $12 per month, notwithstanding the evidence may show that the nation among the nations of the earth, are honorable, honest, and husband died of diseases not contracted in the service, and for which he was truthful men, and that these charges of fraud and dishonesty are pensioned." • unjust and untrue, and are a vile slander upon the brave defenders The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman from Massachusetts of the Union. desire to have this read simply as pa1·t of his remarks, because And now I come to the amendment which I have offered, and I it would not be in order to offer it as an amendment to the bill at offer this amendment to meet another unfair and unjust ruling of the present time? the Pension Bureau. ¥r· MORSE. I do, sir. I desire to offer it and have it read as The motto of the Pension Bureau seems to be ''how not to do a part of my remarks. it." Every possible pretext is used to delay action. The appli Mr. Chairman, I will ask the House to indulge me for a few cant is sent back again and again for "more evidence," and not moments in some remarks leading up to this amendment and infrequently the poor fellow gives up in despair and says, ''It is na argue the necessity for its adoption, and also some remarks upon use; I can't get _a pension." :XXVIII-45 \ \ ) 706 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. J.ANU.A.RY 15, Not infrequently during this Administration has the poor sol~ is appalled at the-supineness of the Administration on the subject dier been driven to suicide by the obstacles thrown in his way, of-the Armenian butchery and outrages. by the reduction of his pension, or by the taking it away alto On yeste1·day I introduced in the House of Representatives the gether. I know of a case of a man over 80 years old who had following resolution on the subject, which was read from the his pension stopped by the present Commissioner of Pensions who Clerk's desk and referred to the Committee on For-eign Affairs, died within thirty days of a broken heart. He never spoke one and the chairman has advised me that his committee is likely to pleasant word after his pension was stopped. Do you suppose, take some action shortly in the matter: Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen of the House of Representatives, Whereas the most mournful tragedy of the nineteenth century has been that Congress ever contemplated any such administration as this and is now being enacted, under the apparent sanction of the Sultan of Tur of the Pension Bureau or any such construction of the pension key, by which hundreds of thousan-ds of Armenians are being ruthlessly laws as this? slaughtered in cold blood, women are being driven into a captivity worse than death, and inhabitants who have fled to the mountains are dying of cold I come now, I say, to speak of my amendment. In the line of and starvation; the general policy of the present administration of the office, it is Whereas the blood of these martyred dead cry to Heaven for justice: the practice in all cases of soldiers' widows whose husbands were ReBolved, That the Committee on Foreign Affairs considm- the expediency of reporting forthwith some expre-ssion by this Government in d enunciation pensioners under the old law, and who are entitled to $12 per of these atrocities, and if they find we, as a. na.tion are powerless to act, that month in all cases where the attending physiairu:: fails to certify we invoke the cooperation of the allied powers to wipe the Turkish Govern that death resulted from the disease or wound for which the sol =~· the face of the earth and secure the freedom and independence; of dier was pensioned-! saywherethephysician certifies some other cause of death the Pension Bureau assumes that the pension was Congress and the country, I am sure, have been expecting some fraudulent and the widow is not entitled to a pension under the special message to Congress from the President upon this tr~ old law. . mendous subject. The President sent us a message on the Ven Could there be anything more outrageous than this? If a sol ezuela boundary dispute, a comparatively trivial and unimportant dier is pensioned for heart failure and dies of pneumonia he is a matter, and I think the House voted a commission, whi-ch is now fraud. If he is pensioned for rheumatism or hernia and dies of in session, and I think made the mistake of a.cting upon his rec~ consumption he is a fraud. ommendation too hastily and without due consideration as to The Apostle Paul undoubtedly did not know as much about the whether there had been any violation of the Monroe doctrine. relations of the different organs of the body as the present Com But be that as it may, I have been pained and disappointed that missioner of Pensions, but he knew enough by way of illustration we have not had some official utterance from the Administration, to say "that when one member suffers all suffer." at least in denunciation, if nothing more, of this awful, appalling And who is authorized to say that the pensionable disease or dis crimeofthe nineteenth century. The cry of these distressed pe~ ability did not cause or aggravate the other disease which caused ple appears to be unheard by mortal ear that w..ll help, and is the soldier's death? The physician is not infallible; he may have heard only by the pitying ear of Heaven. made a mistake as to the cause of death. And this morning's paper brings the intelligence, through the . True, the widow may apply for a pension under the disability Turkish minister, that the Sultan's Government will not allow act now, but she gets S8 instead of $12. It cheered the old soldier the Red Cross Society to enter his dominion to distribute the when he was dying to think that his wife and loved ones would have charity of om· countrymen, to succor the starving, the wounded, $12 per month when he was gone, and this trick by which the Pen and confirming the general belief that the present massacres are sion Bureau would beat her out of $4 per month did not occur to a part of a systematic plan on the part of the Turkish Govern·· him. ment to exterminate all the Christians in that Empire. Such unfair, unjust treatment of the soldier's widow is un Oh, for a month of Ben Harrison and James G. Blaine. [ Ap worthy of a great and generous Government like ours. plause.] But I bid my comrades to be of good cheer; "weeping may en In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I desire to read, as bearing upon dure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Cheer up, com this subject, some letters, among many, received in my mail this rades; cheer up, soldiers' widows; there are only four hundred and morning. fourteen days more of Grover Cleveland, Hoke Smith, and William ROCKFORD ILL., January 14, 1896. Lochren, when the places that knew them will know them no more, MY DEAR Sm: .May God bless you and yours for the resolution which you and when the Republicans will have control of every Department introduced in the House on yesterday regarding the Armenian qu-estion. Your scheme has the right ring to it, and I sincerely hope it may go through of this Government, and when the pension laws will be adminis without delay. tered in an honest, liberal~ and generous manner. Respectfully, yours, A. W. BANKS. Once more I say, Comrades, be of good cheer. Hon. ELIJAH A. MORSE, House of Representatives. I feel like singing the Doxology, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," over the fact that this unpatriotic Administration S.ALEX, MAss., January 14, 1896. MY DEAR Srn: I wish to thank you for introducing in the House the is drawing to a close. resolution in regard to the poor outraged Armenians. Mr. SULLOWAY. And I would like to sing Watts's hymn: God and humanity will highly esteem the action you have taken to help this unfortunate class of people, which is of far greater importance than Believing, we rejoice questionable boundary lines. To see the curse removed. I have Armenians in my employ, and the heartbreakin&' letters they are [Laughter.] receiving from dear ones at home is enough to arouse this Government to take a. hand in.wiping the 'rurkish Government off the face of the earth. Mr. MORSE. I repeat, Mr. Chairman, that we may all rejoice Thousands doubtless are to-night pra.yin&' to God to give you power to that this unpatriotic Administration is drawing to a close, this move this Government, that some dear one m that wicked country may be bond-issuing, debt-increasing, factory-closing, wage-reducing, spared to them. · prosperity-killing Democratic Administration. [Laughter and Very sincerely, yours, JONATHAN BROWN. applause.] POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., Ja.nua17114, 1896. MEMBER. A And you might add in that connection this queen DEAR Srn: I wish to thank you warmly for the resolution introduced by restoring Administration. you in the House and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs with Mr. MORSE. Yes; queen-restoring Administration, as my · reference to the barbarities perpetrated in Armenia by the abominable and '' unspeakable" Turk. friend suggests, and a profligate heathen queen at that, that Presi Every word of your resolution went to my heart, and I trust that you will dent Cleveland proposed to restore to the throne of the Sandwich not allow it to sleep in the committee room. · Islands after she had threatened to kill and behead all of the Chris I have been wondering if our Government would not do something, and it tian white inhabitants on the island and confiscate their property. it can not actively interfere, let it at least give such expression as your resolution calls for. _ Like Belshazzar of old, it has seen the handwriting on the wall I especially like your invocation to the allied powers to wipe this hellish over against the candlestick, on the plaster of the King's palace; travesty on government, the Turkish Empire, from the face of the earth. and it reads, "Thou art weighed in the balances and thou art May we live to see Armenia independent and autonomous. Again I thank you. found wanting." Respectfully, yours, G. E. STROBRIDGE, There is every indication that the solid South is broken. West Pastor. Trinity Methodist Episcopal Chut-ch.. Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, Tennessee are already Hon. ELIJAH A. MoRSE. in the Republican columns, and I think we can safely add several House of Representatives, Washington, D. 0. other Southern States next year. BOSTON, MASS., January 14, 1896. The shibboleth "Do you want your sister to marry a nigger?" DE.A.R Sm: Although a most humhle citizen of this Commonwealth and one has lost its force. Mr. Chairman, there is no argument like the whose opinions may not, therefore~, ~rry much weight, I desh·e to express my bread and butter and business argument. Under the Republican unqualified approval of the preamrue and resolution offered by you yester policy of protection the Southern products commanded good prices daa, and would take this occasion to thank yon for the clear--cut phraseology and the South shared the prosperity of the country. an Pf~~ee.Jh~rf:g~~~tohib! ;~!~~~ ~~~f! ~~~e- This condition has been reversed under the present Administra GEORGE HOWARD STREET. Hon. ELIJAH A. MOBSE. tion. DovER, DEL., January 14, 1896 • . Mr. Chairman, to digress from the subject of the pension bill MY DEAR Sm: I notice your resolutions asking that if the Foreign Affair& for a few moments. I am sure that the country and the world Conunittoo deem it inexpedient to act in resentment of Turkey's w.holesa.le 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 707 butchery of Armenians that the powers of the Christian world should unite fe1·ed greatly, but they did not suffer alone. What moment of and exterminate in toto the Turkish Empire. And this is the feeling pre vailing throughout Christendom-the feeling of millions of bleeding hearts our lives is spent where the sympathy of woman does not find us? for these whose opprassion and sufferings have never been excelled in all the We live in it, we are moved by it; and, though we think we are brutality of history. I am glad to see your stand. the masters, we are subject to it. Who can say to-day that the Very respectfully, HENRY CLAY COLLISON. gentle spirit we debate about pensioning did not inspire the patriot Bon. ELIJAH A. MORSE, ism that met its untimely end on the battlefield? Ah, men of the House of Representatives. South, if I have read your history right, you have not been and you are not now strangers to this sublime influence. RESOLUTIONS .ADOPTED AT MASS MEETING IN HADDONFIELD, N.J., Jil"'UARY Our WOmen did not feel the Warm bullets whizzing to their vitaJB, 15,1896. but they felt the pangs. They shuddered not at the chill steel Whereas the Government of the Sultan of Turby has systematically de- which was to warm itself in our hearts' blood, but they washed prived the Armenian people of its inalienable rights, including those of life, the sword with their tears. They felt not the deadening tramp liberty, and pursuit of happiness; f h hl 1r t Gett b h 1 Whereashehasrefusedtocarryouthisoft-repeatedpromisestoreformsaid 0 t e rut ess cava Y a ys urg, butt ey ived a death at evils, but has rather increased them. by giving his assent for quartering lar~e the very recital of the details of that awful battle, and they tell bodies oftroops amongthem; forprotectingthesetroopsbyamocktrial from the story of all these things to inspire a new generation with the punishmenttrade of Armenia for any with murders all parts which of thethey world; should for commit; imposing for taxescutting on off them the patriotism of the old. Honor the men of North and South·, honor without their consent; for transporting them to different places to be tried the pure, devoted, sympathetic women of North and South; bless fo~~~~::Sd£geo:~~shas practically abdicated government in Armenia by them for their sufferings, their fortitude, their patience, their declaring the Armenians out of his protection and wa~P.ng war against them; sweet charity. Whereas he has plundered their country, burned therrtowns, and destroyed Let us assuage as far as possible their present sufferings. the lives of their peol?le; Let our approval of this bill for their relief be emphatic. Whereas he is at thiS timetransportinglargearmiesof mercenaries to com- I appeal to all in this side of the House to vote for this bill, and plete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny already begun, with circum- stances of cruelty and perfidy not paralleled in the most barbarous ages and to my friends of the South, whose chivalry was never appealed to totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation; in vain, I especially appeal to help, by passing this bill, the sur- has brought into their country the merciless Kurdish savages, · · d h f th h t · bl h whoseWhereas known he rule of warfare is an indiscriminating destruction of all ages, VIVlllg WI·a ows an orp ans o ose w o me you m no e, onor- sexes, and conditions; and . able battle. rApplause.] Whereas in every sta~e of these oppressions the Armenian I?eople have pe- The CHAII:1MAN. The gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Mc- titioned for redress in tne most humhle terms, but their petitions have been C ] · · d f fifte · t answered only by repeated injury; and a prince whose character is thus ALL IS recogruze or en nnnu es. marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I was delighted people; yesterday afternoon with the speech of my friend from New York Whereas the representative of the Imperial Government of Turkey at [M C INGS] W h db d f t d · th dis WashingtonhasofficiallynotifiedourGovernmentthatitwillnotpermitany r. UMM • e a eenengage or WO aysm e - distribution among its subjects in its own territory, by any foreign society cussion of pension matters, and no voice had come from the Dem or individuals, however respectable the same may be (as, for mstance, the Red cratic side in support of pensioners or in condemnation of the 0~i:o~~j~1;[.6~~~~.0~lf:e:n~f~~~~~ilW.rf,0f: mass meeting assem- present administration of the Pension Department. So his speech bled. solemnly declare that, in our opinion, the Sultan of Turkey has for- was like an oasis in the desert. It reminded us that there is yet feited all right to rule over the Armenian people; that we respectfully urge hope that this great country, without regard to party, may reach our Government to make every possible effort to induce the governments of the day when we can join hands and say trnthfully together that ~~;e:b1~~~~:~~s!ff~~ms;~;~ ~~~~~:r.;y:;~::~k"~tfo~ e~o~~~j; we are all in favor of honest, Uberal, just, pension laws, and the upon thousands of innocent fellow-Christians; that we urge upon our Gov- proper administration thereof. I should perhaps have said noth ernment,a.lso, todoeverythinginitspowertopreservethefruitsofAmerican ing, being content with voting upon this measure, but the gentle- missionary toil; that we express our ardent sympathy with the unutterable fr llli - rM G ] · · h h "ll · suffering of this persecuted race; that we call upon all the peoples of Chris- man om noiS ~..~~r. RAFF gives notice t at e WI Introduce tendom to insist that these unutterable sufferings shall cease, and that we an amendinent which he thinks is a remedy for the ills we have. heartill indorse the resolutions introduced by Senator HoAR in the United As a Republican, as a friend of the pensioner, I beg to differ from States :::3enate and by Representative MoRsE in the House of Congress. my friend upon that question, and as to the propriety of his pro- Mr. Chairman, Patrick Henry, of Virginia, said in his immortal posed amendinent. I ask the attention of this committee while I speech: "Why stand we idle?" The country and the world is cry- submit my objections to the amendment. I do not question the ing out for some action or expression on the part of this Govern- motives that inspire it. They are pure; but in my opinion the ment in denunciation of this monstrous crime of the nineteenth result will be disastrous, if the administration of the judicial de centw-y. We can at least denounce the Turkish Gov-ernment and partment of this Government is in unison with the administration the outrages and express our sympathy for the poor suffering of the Pension Department, for it places in the hands of the United Armenians. That, Mr. Chairman, is all I desired to say on the States marshals and district attorneys of this country the power question at this time. to cut off many pensions and pensioners from the bounty of the Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I avail myself of.the courtesy of Government. the gentleman from Pennsylvania because I fear that some re- These men can be notified by process issued from the Federal marks made on this side of the House may have created a false courts to appear at a term of court that is held perhaps 100, 150, impression as to the attitude toward this bill of the Democratic or 200 miles from their homes. They are poor people. It 'will party of the Empire State and Empire City, part of which I have cost more to make the trip and employ lawyers to defend their the honor to represent in this House. I have not had sufficient cases than a year's pensjon amounts to. It is absolutely impossi experience in dealing 'vith the Pension Bureau to say whether the ble for them to go. What would be the result? An order pro attacks made on its adininistration can be justified, nor do I deem confesso will be taken against them because they fail to appear this a material consideration upon the subject before us. The to make the defense, and they will be dropped from the rolls and plain question seems to be whether we shall make it easier or their pensions cease because they have not the means to go into a more difficult for those who are entitled to pensions to get them. lawsuit with the Government about their right to draw pensions. There can be no just cause of complaint at the limitation pre- Mr. GRAFF. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him agnes scribed in this bill in the case of a widow of a soldier who has a tion? net income of $500, because the additional pittance this Govern- Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. Certainly. ment allows would not inspire her with an exalted idea of this Mr. GRAFF. Can not the district attorney at the present time, Government's generosity, and would add but little to the store under the general jurisdiction of the Federal courts, have in with which she had been favored by fortune. But to compel a dictments found-against pensioners for having obtained the same widow of a soldier to show that she has no other means of support by fraud in the same manner that he could under this amend than her daily labor before she is entitled to a pension is extend- ment, and has not this been done? And is it not true that during \ ing the limitation to a parsimonious degree, nor can the consider- the past year all they could find on which there could be any ation as to whether a pension is oris nota vested right havemuch hope of obtaining a verdict of guilty was about 300 cases, with to do with the question; the Supreme Court of the United States the assistance of the Commissioner back of them, sending informa has said that it was in the nature of a reward or bounty. But the tion and letters to these district attorneys? And is it not true that spirit which underlies our pension law, the sentiment which is at out of that 300, in a total of some 12,000 criminal cases that were the foundation of the law which giv-es preference to veterans in brought before the Federal courts, there were onl:9" about 110 that our civil service, the gratitude which dictates like provisions in were guilty, and of the 110 not more than half were pensioners many States of the Union extends to individnals, and the patri- who had fraudulently obtained pensions? oticandgenerousneighbor, the overworkedandoverburdenedson, Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. What my friend says has some the daughter who has sacrificed many social advantages, or the force; but when he remembers that there have been 103,000 cases life savings of a venerable father may check the conscience of the dropped from the pension rolls or refused in this last fiscal year, widow who would apply under the act of 1890 and prevent her he may begin to appreciate the fact that if you give this power to from swearing that she had no other means of support than her the Federal courts of the country, all this machinery will be trans daily labor. ferred to their hands, and instead of having the number of cases My friends, the men who went to the front for the Union suf- · that there were last year in the courts, the number will go up 708 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. JANUARY 15, . by the fifties and hundreds, and these men will be dropped, not husband was shot through seven times during the war. He died, because they are not entitled to pensions, but because they are of course. His widow applied for a pension. These spies were. unable to go to court and enter their defense. Orders will be taken sent out by the Department. One of them went to this widow's against them pro confesso, and they will thereby admit upon the home. He was there for dinner, and during the forenoon she face of the record that what has been charged in the indictment slipped out to her neighbors and borrowed enough stuff to give or declaration of the district attorneys in the several cases is true, the man a decent dinner, and she set him down to a decent din whereas it may be false in ninety-nine cases out of one hundred. ner obtained from her neighbors. That man reported the fact Mr. GRAFF. May I ask the gentleman a question? that that woman had set him down to an excellent dinner, as an Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. I do not wish it to be taken out of evidence of her ability to gain a livelihood. [Laughter and ap my time. Your questions are rather long. plause.] Mr. GRAFF. This is a short question. I desire to ask him Mr. BARTHOLDT. Where does she live? whether, in this amendment that I have offered as to the power of Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. At Berryman, Mo. the district and circuit Federal courts to try pensioners under in Mr. BARTHOLDT. In whose district? dictment, there is any new power given by my amendment that Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. I do not know. is not in the law? Mr. PICKLER. Have you the name of that agent? Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. No, sir; but it transfers the en Mr. McCALL of Tennes-see. I have not. tire detective agency of the Interior Department to the hands of Mr. PICKLER. We ought to have the name, and I hope the the judicial department. It not only transfers the great swarm gentleman will ascertain it. of detectives that is going up and down throughout the length Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. I received another letter yesterday and breadth of the land, nosing into every old soldier's condition bythesamemail thatbroughtmethis. Itwasinregard to a claim in life and that of his widow, but adds thereto the United States of Mr. James E. Carden, of my own county, a man that I have marshals, and thus intimidates the people of the country. I am known since I was a boy. He went to the war, fought gallantly, in favor of such legislation as will afford to the pensioners, when fell into the hands of the enemy in some battle, and was taken to their pensions are once passed upon and allowed, security therein, Andersonville. You all know what that meant. I have seen that and not to be disturbed again without grave consideration. Not man moving along the streets in my town day after day, dragging withstandingmy disapproval of the action of the Commissioner, yet himself on his crutches, with a wound upon his leg, a putrirl sore I believe that the proposed plan is dangerous, and that we had that had been made possible by the suffering and exposure that better stick ''to the ills we have than fly to those we know not of." he had incurred at Anderson ville, a place where a man suffered Now, Mr. Chairman, I said that I should not perhaps have ad death every day, if the accoun~s which I have heard and read are dressed myself to this question except for some mail I received correct. He had been receiving a pension of $6 a month, and the yesterday. I have here a case in which I have taken some interest. Pension Office proposed to cut it down $2 a month, and he wrote It is the case of Mrs. Neely, of Tennessee, the widow of a brave to me and asked me to find out what was the matter. I wrote soldier who died four years ago; and that widow has been striv to the Commissicmer and here is his reply: ing for four long years to have her name placed upon the pension [Southern Div. C. L. H., Ex'r. Inv. Ctf. No. 537693. James E. Carden, Co. rolls to draw pension as the widow of that deceased soldier. I E, 7th Reg't Tenn. Cav.] have-written to the Department and I have been to the Depart Address your reply to the Commissioner of Pensions. ment in regard to this claimant, and I have here the last letter DEPARTME~"'T OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PE SIONS, that I wrote to the Department. Washington, D. C., January 11 , 1896. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UNITED STATES, Srn: In reply to your recent inquiry" as to why this pensioner was rf'duced ~."I have the honor to advise you that the reasons for such reduction were Washington, D. C., January 8, 1896. fully set forth in a notice received by him on May 12, 1894, the substance of DEAR SIR: In answer to an inquiry from me in regard to the claim of Mrs. which was that the evidence in his ca.o;;e showed that he was not ~nti tl ed to a Rachel H. Neely for widow pension No. 513944,as widow of John B. Neely, rating under the act of June "%/, 1890, but that he was entitled to his former late Company B, First West Tennessee Regiment, I had the honor to receive rate of $4 under the generallaws. from you in reply that three things were necessary t o complete the claim- In response to such notice sundry affidavits were filed, but these on exam After four years he says there are three things yet necessary ination were held not to change the aspect of the case. Before final action was taken, however, the act of March 2, 1895, making the namely, certified copy of record of marriage, affidavit from her stating that minimum rate of pension $6 had gone into effect; otherwise the r eduction she did not apply for pension prior to February·2, 1892,and affidavit showing would have been $4 instead of $2. that Osc.ar J. M. was the only child of soldier and widow under 16 years of There is nothing pending in connection with this case. age at soldier's death. I send herewith the required copy and affidavits, and Very respectfully, trust they will complete the file. · WM. LOCHREN, Commissioner. This lady is a most deserving one and is greatly in need of assistance. Her Hon. JOHN E. McCALL, husband's estate was almost if not quite insolvent, and she has had very little House of R epresentatives. to go on, and now that little is gone. Her claim has been waiting since 1892, and if at all consistent wit h your rules I should esteem it a personal-favor if That is the reply of the Commissioner with regard to the case you will settle it at the earliest possible moment. I know all the facts in the of a man on crutches, a man with a sore upon his leg that would case and know she is entitled to the pension, whether her proof comes up to the strict requirement of the law or not. almost nauseate you if you looked at it, a man unable to walk Very truly, JNO. E. McCALL. without crutches, a man who can not hoe or plow or do any kind Hon. WM. LOCHREN, of manual labor. He applied for a pension and got a pittance of · Commissioner of Pensions, City. $6 a month, and the Pension Office proposed to take part of that Now, here is the reply I received yesterday: away. An inquiry was made and affidavits were presented, but [Southern Div. J. C. B., Ex'r. No. 543944. Widow John B. Neely, Co. B, 1st it was helrl that they did not change the status of the case. Be Reg't W. Tenn. Inf.] fore action was taken, however, the act of 1895 making $6 the min DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS, imum rate had gone into effect. But for that the reduction Washington , D. C., January 13,1896. would probably have been $4 instead of $2. Srn: In response to your personal inquiry of recent date for information as Now, I say to this House that I see no way by legislation to to the status of widow 's claim for p ension above cited, you are advised that it awaits replies to letters of inquiry addressed by this Bureau to parties sup remedy these great evils, these great wrongs that are being per posed to have per sonal knowledge of facts touching the m erits of the claim. petrated upon the old soldiers. The only effectual remedy is to Upon receipt of the same the claim will receive further at tention. put a man at the head of the Pension Bureau to enforce the laws Very respectfully, WM. LOCHREN, Comm issioner. who believes in a liberal and just pension system. I care but lit Hon. JoHN E . McCALL, tle who makes the laws; if you will permit me to execute them I House of Rep1·esentatives, City. will see that they are executed as I desire. That is the trouble Mr. MORSE. They will not be received before resurrection with this pension business. That is the difficulty that the pen day. sioners are in. The laws are all right. What we need is a man Mr. McCALL of Tennessee. In the name of all that is good and who will enforce them in the spirit in which they were enacted, a holy, I ask how long, and what else will be required? He told me man who is not opposed to pensions, a man who will not indorse I plainly there were but three things necessary, to wit, a certified statements which describe the old soldiers as "coffee coolers" I copy of the marriage, an affidavit from her stating that she had and as the "rag tag of the Army." not applied for pension prior to February ~2, 1892, and a~ affidavit Mr. Chairman, I do not wish to close my remarks without add showing that Oscar J. M. was the only child of the soldier under ing that so far as any personal interest in the pension laws is 16 years of age. I furnished these, and yet he says his agency is. concerned I have none. I came into the world too late to re at work, that is, parties have been written to who are supposed to member the war. I had relatives upon both sides of that great know facts material to the investigation, and when these are heard conflict. My mother's people fought for the South, my father's from he will let me know. The poor old widow will have crossed people for the Union. I would not unjustly criticise the Con the silent stream probably, as the gentleman here remarks, before federate soldier, because he was as brave, as courageous, as any they are hea.rd from in that regard. man, and he dared to do all that mortal man dare do. But he Now Mr. Chairman, one other matter. I hold here in my hand was wrong. I am opposed to the system which the Democratic a state{nent from a friend from Missouri. Listen to this case. It party is exhibiting to the country through its administration, out-Herods Herod, if I may be permitted that expression. Here which makes it absolutely impossible fur men who are entitled to is the case of Mrs. Elizabeth Sanders, of Berryman,•Mo., whose pensions to get them without the greatest possible delay, a sys- 1896~ CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 709 accuser and Judge, which ought not to be in cases involving_ the reputation tern which instead of enforcing the perision laws, denies p~nsions and honor of the accused. Amendment protects honest pensiOns and affords to men wh~se right to them is establi~hed .bY proof suffim~nt. to Government every opportunity to yroceed against the w~wBet.. BAKER. hang an accused person, a system which, mstead of permittmg the veterans of the war to draw their pensions, throws obstacle Mr. HANLY. As I now see on the floor the gentleman from after obstacle in their way, as has been sho.wn in the Neely case, Michigan rMr. SPALDING] to whom that message was sent, !will to which I have called attention. These thmgs clearly show that ask him to-state Mr. Baker's standing as a lawyer. -· there is" something rotten in the State of D~nmark," and the Mr. SPALDING. Mr. Fred A. Baker is a gentleman of _emi Administration ought to be held to account for It. [Applause on nent ability-recognized as one of the great lawyers of theNorth the Republican side.] . . west,fnot only on legal but, a~o on constitutional q.ues~ions~ · He Mr. HANLY. Mr. Chairman, in entering upon my duties m this is of ~unsel for Judge Long In the case now pendmg m the Su Chamber I have felt that a proper degree of modesty required that I preme Court. should begin as a listener, not as a speaker, and I would have Mr. HANLY. Mr. Chairman, I am in favor of the amendment; remained a listener for a longer period but for the most remark but in my jud1ro1ent it does not go-far enough to cure the whole able utterance of the gentleman from New York [Mr. BART evil. The dependent pension act of 1890 was ''An act to ~rant LETTl the day before yesterday. If. sir, I can claim but little f?r pensions to such soldiers and sailors of the war of the rebellion as foT myself I may claim much the peo:t>le that I have the honor m served at least ninety days and were honorably discharged, a~d from part to' represent; the people of one of the five. States of ~he old disabilities of a permanent character, not the result of their own Northwest Territory, within the borders of which there ~ now vicious habits, became unable to earn a support from manual one-fifth of the population of this Republic, one-fourth of Its ag labor." gregate wealth; a Territory, sir, which, as the five S~a;tes. carved Now, during the administration defend ~heir claims; t~;ta;t plause.J Mr. Chairman, thereisinmytownaman whocameo11tof it' would occasion long journeys; that It would mvolve expensive the Umon Army a captain. Somehow-! do not know h~w-.the litigation, the cost of which they would be unable to bear. tide of adversity has risen strong and high against that man. He I believe it is the practice of the Federal courts to pay the ex is now in the trenches, and must continue there during this Ad penses-at least the witness fees-of th_ose. wpo, being called on to ministration unless God in his mercy gives ~ a furloug11-. defen·d their rights in those courts, are mdigent and unable to pay Under the last Administration that man received a pension of $12 such expenses. a month; it has now been reduced to $6. I have known him from ·n· has been urged that this amendment ought to be so worded my childhood; I know his present condition, and I have promised as to refer these cases to the State courts-a thing which, in my him that if my voice and my vote can restore such as he to-th~ opinion as a lawyer, we have not the power to do. We could pension rolls it shall be done. And that is another purpose of my not take from the Federal courts the jurisdiction which they standing here and occupying the attention of this committee. In already have of these matters. It is already the la~ that the keeping with that promise;! shall at the proper time offer the attorneys for the United States may, and th~y do, ?egm prosect: amendment which I now send to the desk to be read as part of tions under the existing laws whenever an 1nfract10n of them IS my remarks-an amendment which, in my judgment, will supply brought to their attention. the cure for the disea£e that has afflicted the Pension Office. It has been urged that the amendment would open wide the door The Clerk read as follows: · to much vexatious litigation. But, gentlemen, the report of the After the last line in the pending bill add the words: chosen officers of the Government for the last year does not bear "That no pension that has heretofore ·or may be hereafter granted under out that contention. I find that during the year ended June 1, any law of the United States shall be .dropped or suspended or reduced on 1895 there were 12,495 criminal prosecutions in the courts of the the ground of any ruling. or construction of the law or evidence different United States. Of these, 149 were for violations of customs laws; from that found and applied to the case at the time of the adjudication and granting of such P.ension; and the Secretary~fthe Interior be, and is hereby, 5 720 for violations of internal-revenue laws; 866 for violations of directed and reqmred to restore to the penswn roll all perso~. whose p~n the post-office·laws; 58 for violations of the election laws; 34 cases sions have been dropped or susJ;>ended and restore the or1gmal pensiOn arose under the natm·alization laws; 201 under the intercdurse lawa; granted to all persons whose pensions have been reduced upon the grounds prohibited by the provisions of this act." and only 356, all told, under the pensio~ la~s. In those 356 ca~es there were only 235 convictions; and be It said to the eternal honor Mr ..HANLY .' Now, Mr. Chairman, I wish to advert for a few and glory of the men who are receiving the benefits of our pension moments to what I pronounced a short time ago as the very re laws only 127 of the 235 persons convicted were pensioners. [ Ap markable speech delivered on. this floor by the gentleman from pla~e.] In the face of. these statistics, do not teiJ. me .tJ;lat ~his New York [Mr. BARTLETT], who professes so much love and friend amendment will open Wide the door to muc~ v~xatious litiga~on. ship for the Union soldiers, but who, with these professions on his The prosecuting attorneys in the several districts ?f t~e Umted lips, rises in his place in this Chamber and uses language concern States are no more fond than other lawyers of gomg mto court ing pension legislation and pension laws of the following char with a hopeless case-a case in which they know they will receive acter: "Pernicious and iniquitous legislation," "the Treasury no compensation if they can not win it. should not be .looted, pillaged, and further depleted," "the Dem \ But, gentlemen, I do not .believe that this amendme~~ will have ocratic party does not believe in a carnival of pillage upon the I, the effect predicted. It Will protect the honest pensi<~ners upon National Treasury," and so on. . . the roll, while it will in no wise preven~ the prosecution of any Speaking of a man who had gone years Without applymg for criminal by the Government of the Umted States. I have had a pension, he said: handed to me within the last few minutes a telegram from Fred He did not discover his disability until about 1886. A. Baker, a distinguished lawyer of the State of Michigan-a gen Again: tleman who has been one of· the counsel in the case of Judge liet me remind you that in other countries where there have been great Long who sought to have his pension restored. I send that tele wars-in Russia, and in Germany, and in France-there are to-day but t.wo gram' to the Clerk's desk to be read, for in my judgment it states classes of claims for pensions; one based on long service in the army, extending what may honestly be ~xpected from this amendmen.t. Before over a period of from ten to twenty-five years, and the other based on the fact that the disability was actually incurred in the line of duty. , the Clerk reads, I will simply say that th~ sender of thiS message is not only a distinguished lawyer, but a Democrat. Let me say to the gentleman that there can be no comparison be The Clerk read as follows: tween the German soldiers and the volunteer soldiers who served in the civil war. Let me say to him that he is mistaken when, he DETROIT, MICH., Janua1-y 14, 1896. says, as he did in his most remarkable speech, that the cost of·the To Gen. GEORGE SPALDING, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: maintenance of any standing army in Europe is no more than Graff's' amendment sending fraudulent cases to courts ought to pass. Pres equal to the amount appropriated for pensions in this country. I ent system is objectionable because Commissioner makes charges and is both can show to the gentleman that the great Empire of Russia, in 1891, I ------, 710 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. JANUARY 15, appropriated· 226,652,168 rubles for the support of its army,. and you can measure in full the value of these, let me, if you please, for the support of its navy about 43,000,000 more, making a total commend to you the conduct of your compatriots on that side of in round numbers of 5270,000,000. France, in the same year, ap the Chamber, and ask that hereafter you remain silent and dumb propriated for war purposes a sum in excess of what we ask in when patriotism is mentioned on this floor. [Applause.] this appropriation bill. The CHAIRMAN·. The gentleman from Indiana [l\Ir. HARDY] Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Will the gentleman allow a sug is recognized for fifteen minutes. gestion? Mr. HARDY. Mr. Chairman, when I was informed yesterday Mr. HANLY. Certainly. that if I chose I might have a few minutes of time in the discussion Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. I merely wish to suggest if the gen of this measure now before the committee, I thought I would oc tleman does not think that it is much to the honor and credit of the cupy that time in paying my respects to the gentleman from the United States that it has pa-ssed these just and equitable laws and Seventh district of the city of New York [Mr. BARTLETTl. But, appropriated such an amount of moneyforthesupportof the men happily, sir, on yesterday evening the distinguished soldier and who saved the life of the nation? [Applause.] great journalist, the gentleman from the Tenth district of New Mr. HANLY. I thank the gentleman very much for the inter York [Mr. CUMMINGS], rebuked the gentleman from the Seventh ruption. Instead of rebuking the Government the gentleman district, and repudiated, on behalf of the soldiers of New York, from New York should be among the first to heap encomiums of every word that had fallen from his lips. Therefore I would not praise on the patriotism and devotion of a people who have been this morning drive the searing iron farther into the soul of the willing to do so much for these veterans. [Applause.] gentleman from the Seventh district. However, I de ire to call The gentleman says he is the'' friend of the Union soldier," but the attention of the committee for a moment. and the attention of Mr. Chairman, when I express my love or my friendship for those the gentleman himself, to one remark that f find in his speech as who are close or dear to me in affection, I do not use such terms revised and published in the RECORD of this mOTning: as I find in the speech of the gentleman from New York. [Ap It would seem to me, Mr. Chairman, that the true test in pension cases, plause.l He may be a friend of the Union soldier, but, sir, his is which no lOnger obtains in this country, should be whether the injury or the kind of friendship that stabbed Cresar and crucified Christ. wound received or the disease contracted was received or contracted in the rApplause.] He may be the friend of the Union soldier, but un service or in the line of duty. fortunately the gentleman's language on the floor of this Honse That rule, if adopted by the Pension Office, would work most does not support the assertion. admirably for a man who was wounded in the service, who had a Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Will the gentleman pardon me for hospital record, or for the soldier who contracted disease in the another suggestion, merely to ask if he does not think that that service and had a hospital record; but it does not work well for would be a very peculiar kind of wooing on the part of the gentle that brave youth who went out in 1861, who suffered all the hor man from New York if he should undertake to make love in that rors of war, who went int.o battle and was not wounded, but;. who way? rLaughter.] went into the hell hole of Andersonville and there, with the 35,000 Mr. IlANLY. I thank the gentleman again for the interrup Union soldiers, slept in the mud and starved for months, and whose tion. I know what would happen under such circumstances-I parched lips were paralyzed with thirst until the great God who .know what ha-s happened-that the Democratic party has wooed rules the destiny of nations and watches over the welfare of men and has been repulsed. (Laughter and applause.] It has wooed struck the dry earth and the miraculous spring of living water and not won. burst forth from the ground in the prison pen, where water had There were none who heard the gentleman from New York- never been known before. Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, That man's comrades died about him on the field of battle; they And without sneering, teach the rest to sneer- went down to death, to starvation, and horror in the pen of Ander who did not feel that he was not the friend of the soldier, but sonville; but he went home, and now, thirty years after the war, an enemy, ''willing to wound yet afraid to strike." When p1·essed he finds that he suffers from rheumatism or from other diseases and plied with inquiries asking him to state his position on the which he is unable to prove by comrades or by hospital record to questions pending, he each time sought refuge in evasion. have been contracted in the Army. Yet my friend from New York I have no criticism, Mr. Chairman, for those who sit on that [Mr. BARTLETT] would say that that man should not be entitled side of the Chamber and who but a few years ago were in armed to a pension. Why, in my own district in the State of Indiana rebellion against the Government. I have no criticism, because I there is the Faith family of five brothers. The three youngest know the men who followed the banners of the South were brave, brothers went into the war, the two eldest remained at home. sincere men: and I would not, if I could, tarnish their fame, and One of the younger brothers was killed in battle, the other two I could not if I would. They suffered together with those who died of disease since their return, and without pensions, while the wore the blue, and their sufferings and their bravery have become two elder brothers are to-day hale and hearty men of 70 and 73 · a part of the imperishable heritage of the Republic. They were years of age. I declare, Mr. Chairman, in this presence, that it is brave, for they were our countrymen. They were brave-how a burning shame and a disgrace to this great nation of ours that brave only those who met them in the storm of battle can know. any soldier who fought in that war or the widow of any soldier I know how hard it seemed to them, as they found themselves who died should to-day be suffering for the necessaries of life. r ApplaUl:!e.} And yet the Pension Office sends me letters every compelled to care for their unfortunate ones by State appropria day, in response to calls I have made, that "the case is awaiting tions; and I honor them that during the discussion of this question final disposition." I go to the Pension Office and ask one of the they have maintained a discreet silence. deputies, ''How far behind is your board of review?" ''Six weeks "Oh,but," saysthegentlemanfromNewYork [Mr. BARTLETT], behind only." "Then how is it, Mr. Deputy Commissioner, that "this bill carries too much. It opens too great possibilities. The I hold in my hand now a case I called up eight months ago, which cost is too much." Let me read; he said in conclusion: you said wa-s ready for final disposition and would be immediately Let us pass the present bill, containing $14.0,000,000, and then stop, and avoid disposed of, and yesterday you sent me-eight months afterwards the throwing of any more unnecessary money into a bottomless pit. another statement that it is still ready for final disposition, and That is the language. Too much, is it? Gentlemen, there was you are only six weeks behind?" It is the policy of this Pension a time, as back from Bull Run can1e the shattered fragments of Office, as organized to-day, to see how few pensions it can allow the Federal armies, when men stood in this Chamber and in an and not how many it can allow. . swer to Lincoln's request for an appropriation of $500,000,000 to Why, Mr. Chairman, when God called his servant Lincoln to prosecute the war said it was too much. There was a time when, become the herald of American liberty, the savior of a nation, the after the great carnival of death at Gettysburg, some men in the emancipator of a ra~e, he declared to those who gathered around North said, "It is too much." There were times, sir, during the him to perpetuate the Union and uphold the flag that this Gov / ·war when more men were asked, when more funds were demanded, ernnient would not see a soldier forsaken nor his children begging that a few of the people of theNorth stood up and said, "It is too bread. And you men who marched up this Avenue with the much." But history has vindicated those who fought to a suc weary, tattered ranks of Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan on that cessful conclusion that great struggle. Too much, was it? Thirty summer day in 1865 saw stretched across this Capitol a great ban years of the best history that the world ha-s seen-thirty years of ner. Upon that banner was ~scrib_ed these words: "The only stupendous achievement, of marvelous development, of a reunited debt this nation owes that it can never pay is the great O.ebt it land have said to you that it was not too much. Too much! Why, owes to the soldiers and sailors who saved the Republic." That sir, when you have traveled over the battlefields of the South, debt has not been paid. The soldiers and sailors of the Republic when you have counted the bleaching bones, when you have num will forgive the Government the principal of that debt if it will bered the tears of those who wept for those who fell, when you only pay the interest. [Applause.l have counted the agony of those who in fevered dreams, in Ander · Now, Mr. Chairman, as an humbfememberof this Ho11se I stand eonville and in Libby, saw the faces of loved ones at home; when here to-day to vote for the protection of the American soldier, for you have weighed in the balance of an apothecary's scale, as you the protection of the soldier's widow, for the protection of Ameri would these pensions, and have found the weight and mea-sure .can credit, for the protection of American labor~ for the protec and value of human liberty. and of freedom, then, sir, you may tion of American industry. and for the protection of the Ameri- say it is too much, butnotuntH then. Until you can do that, until can flag. [Loud applause.] . 1896. CONGR.ESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 711 The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. McCLURE] bitter cup of military supremacy and inexorable military law; I is recognized for twenty minutes. would not select, especially after the noble speech delivered here · Mr. McCLURE. :M:r. Chairman, I had no purpose when this yesterday by the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. WALKER] the city debate opened to engage in it, for I believed that the policy of the of Richmond, although the Union Army for months drew around bill would receive the sanction of this House almost without di that city a circle of blood and desolationl3nd it was for years the ·vision, and certainly without hostile criticisms. We are now in goal for the possession of which the milltary ambition of the nation the fourth decade since the las t shot was :fired in the civil war. I chiefly aspired; I wo]lld not select even the city of Charleston, believed that it was the settled policy of the American people, en although within its municipal limits the first mad shot against forced both by the Republican and the Democratic parties, from the flag was :fired. But, Mr. Chail·man, I would select the city of whose ranksthemightyarmyof the Union was recruited, toextend New York, and I will tell you why. a liberality, a princely liberality, to the disabled veterans of the In 1863, early in July, the United States of America were in Union. I believed that that was the ripe and deliberate judgment great jeopardy. General L ee, with the Army of Northern Virginia, of 70,000,000 American people; but it seems I was mistaken. I turning his back upon Richmond, ventured upon a dangerous heard from the lips of the gentleman from New York rMr. BART irruption north of the Potomac. As he gathered his forces around LETT] that there was a growing opinion inNew York City, shared Gettysburg, preparing, as he hoped, to strike a decisive blow, the by the best Democrats and Republicans, that any further liberal most critical period in the war had arrived. The safety of Balti ity toward the pensioner was inadmissible. I heard him in tones more, the safety of Phila-delphia, the safety of New York City, the of rasping criticism inveigh against the enormity of the expen~i safety of this capital depended upon the valor of our soldiers ture under existing law and compare it to the expenses of mam massed at Round. Top and Cemetery Hill. And yet, at the.very taining the naval and military establishments of Europe. time when Longstreet was delivering his order to Pickett to make Why, Mr. Chairman, the very expenditure he decries I am proud his charge upon the Federal position at Gettysburg, handbills of. I extol it; I laud it; I glorify it; I ci.te it as the proudest evi were being distributed in the city of New York to stir up the dence that the Republic of the Uuited States, having mustered dangerous classes in that great city to rebellious violence, and for under its flag the volunteer soldiers to defend the honor and t~e three days a mob held possession of the city, overpowered its police, integrity of the nation, is now able and eager to take care of 1ts overpowered the State militia, and obliged the Federal authorities diEabled veterans and their dependents, when the war has long to detail three brigades from the Army of the Potomac to quell since ended, the flag been vindicated, and the victory won. Why, that rebellion in the rear. Now, the survivors and successors of that expenditure is a notification to Great Britain and all the the men who inspired and engaged in that riot doubtless live in world that the American people have been so generous to the sol the district which the gentleman from New York so fitly repre diers of 1847 and 1861 that they may now summon their descend sents, and they have poured into his unwilling ear revengeful in ants under the flag with a serene confidence that they will respond vectives against all pension legislation , and thereby corrupted and at the tap of the drum or at t he bugle's call. The fact that we contaminated his otherwise patriotic nature. (Laughter.l expend $141,000,000 every year so that no soldier who fought But to return to the episode of Gettysburg. Every drop of in the war with Mexico or in the war with the South shall ever blood that trickled from the sides of Pickett's slaughtered division darken the door of a poorhouse proclaims the exalted national and crimsoned the wheat fields of Pennsylvania was a contribu character of the American people, announces their magnanimity, tion to the nation's common stock of valor. Misguided and misdi and is a sounder element of national strength than standing armies rected as it was, it glorified our common ancestry. And it will or ironclad navies. A nation so generous to its disabled veterans occur to the philosophic mind that the Confederate valor which will fight at the dropping of a hat or the click of a trigger. signalized itself in the carnage of Gettysburg and the Union valor Why, Mr. Chairman, the liberality of the Congress of the United which planted our flag among the clouds on Lookout Mountain States, vindicated by the deliberate judgment of the American now make it possible to enforce the Monroe doctrine in the West- people, has filled this District with monuments in bronze and -ern Hemisphere without the expenditure of blood or treasure. marble to commemorate the merits and services of your departed [Applause.] heroes and statesmen. While these visible symbols of patriotism But reverting to the gentleman from New York, who is the speak loudly, your pension roll and pension expenditure in real, object, and the legitimate object, of my forensic affection [laugh substantial, unmixed patriotism speak with far louder and more ter], when that bloody drama was being enacted, when great ·significant eloquence. problems of constitutional liberty were being solved on a hundred The gentleman from New York made an unguarded admission. battlefields by brave men from North and South, the gentle He declared in substance that the time was inopportune for any man from New York was engaged in academic halls, in reading fresh exhibition of liberalty on the part of Congress toward the Cresar's Commentaries, the Third Georgic.of Virgil, and Livy's pensioners, because the Treasury was in a state of depletion. graphic description of Hannibal's descent into Italy. rLaughter.] Why, sir, I thought the Treasury was overflowing with unex The only bridge the gentleman ever crossed during the civil war pended revenue. During the disenssion upon the emergency tariff was the pons asinorum. [Laughter.] On the other hand, the bill I heard the distinguished gentleman from Georgia [Mr. CRISP], fiery and nomadic gentleman from Alabama rMr. WHEELER), now of whom I speak with the utmost respect, for we are, or at least a member of this House, on the one side, ana myself on the other, ought to be, attached by the ties of bimetallic friendship [laugh if we could have gotten at each other at any time from 1861 to ter]-! heard that distinguished gentleman say, with warmth and 1865, would hav~ fought a bloodless battle for the light-weight emphasis, that there was $70,000,000 of unexpended revenue in championship of North America. [Laughter.] the Treasury. I heard his distinguished colleague from Georgia But, to be serious, I think the assertion will not be challenged [Mr. TURNER], with sledge-hammer argument and caustic rhet that the exhibition of valor on both. sides of the line in that un oric, reenforce him, and I heard the able gentleman from Tennes fortunate struggle furnishes the best guaranty that there will be see rMr. McMILLIN] throw his weight into the scale, and from all no breach of international peace over the Venezuelan question, this 1 concluded that the revenues of the Government were ample and that Great Britain will consent to submit her line-fence con to discharge all its current obligations, and that the Treasury was troversy to the adjudication of an impartial tribunal. But before fortified against possible depletion. I conclude I desire to put myself right with Manhattan Island. I Mr. Chairman, I suspect that the gentleman from New York fear that I may have offended the sensitive pride of the opulent meant that the Treasury was depleted in respect to the particular denizens of that hive of human industry and of lucrative com kind of money that he worships. [Laughter.] I will be entirely merce; and I am induced to say what I do by the impassioned frank with the gentleman from New York. I am not acquainted eloquence of the gentleman from New York [Mr. CUMMINGS], who with the composition of the First or Fifth assembly districts of addressed the committee yesterday at the close of the session. New York, which he represents, but I am acquainted with the Why, sir, I reside in a rural not an urban district, and am Democracy of the State of Ohio. If the gentleman should assert therefore likely to imbibe erroneous impressions as to metropoli of the Democracy of Ohio what he has asserted of the Democracy tan affairs. I confess that I was somewhat poisoned against Tam of Manhattan Island I would resent it as an imputation upon many Hall by the animadversions of a person named Lexow. But their patriotism. Why, sir, I know that the Democratic masses I now see how easy it is to become an object of groundless asper in Ohio resented with sharp resentment the appearance of unfair sion; and after listening to the indignant eloquence of the gentle dealing with pensioners which characterized the executive au man from New York [Mr. CUMML~Gs] yesterday, which came thorities of the nation, and they thundered that resentment at the from his heart I know, my opinions of Tammany Hall have un ballot box in 1893, 1894, and 1895, and are likely to add to the dergone a radical reformation. [Laughter.] I now and here thunder in 1896. renounce and disown my rustic antipathy to that famous organi Now, sir, if I were called upon to select a city in any part of the zation, and shake hands with him in the name of American pa Union in which we might reasonably expect some show at least triotism in support of the pending bill, including the amendment of aversion to any manifestation of magnanimity to the pensioners offered by my friend from illinois. of this country, I would not select the city of Atlanta, which felt Mr. Chairman, I know, as every member in this Chamber knows, the mailed hand of William T. Sherman and, amidst its blackened that there are thousands and tens of thousands of patriotic men chimneys, realized the horrors of war; I would not select the city and women inNew York; and coming as I do from the great West, of New Orleans, although that city drunk to the very dregs the I would vote to expend-aye to lavish-any sum of money to make 712 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. JANUARY 15; · that great commercial emporium impregnable agains~ foreign chancery or to a criminal court. One hundred and four thousand aggression and to make it impossible for any line-of-battle ship claims, m round numbers, were rejected last year. Thousands that :floats upon the ocean to exact unwilling tribute from it. how many I do not now recall-have been reduced, while other Mr. CUMMINGS. Will the gentleman excuse me if I call his thousands have been increased. But what I claim is that the attention to the fact that at the outbreak of the war of the rebel power of review must rest somewhere. Let us not mistake the lion the city of New York appropriated out of the municipal treas remedy, and while we are sending these cases to a Federal court, ury 1,000,000 to equip its troops, and has never received a cent in so as to have a judicial determination of them, let us understand return from the General Government, and its people to-day are exactly what we are doing. This proposition places it out of the paying the interest on the bonds that were issued at that time? power of any Commissioner, no matter how meritorious a claim Mr. McCLURE. I rejoice to hear from the gentleman of this may be, to reconsider it in future. It can only be done by the ac creditable act of municipal loyalty on the partof·New York City, tion of the court. We would therefore indirectly, by this action, because it softens my criticism and somewhat kindles my languid confirm the rulings in these 104,000 cases which have been adju affection for Manhattan Island; and I have this to say, that the dicated, and no subsequent Secretary of the Interior can review or Government of the United States ought to recognize such op look over the evidence in the c&ses or restore those whose rights portune generosity and reimburse the city of New York for this have been denied to them. The mistake is this: With a broad, patriotic outlay. No section of the Union should bear a dispro liberal, and comprehensive pension law, a hostile Administration portionate share of the war burden justly chargeable to the com has come into power, and in seeking for somebody to administer mon defense. As I was saying, there are thousands and tens of the law adversely to the pensioner the present Secretary of the thousands of patriotic men and women in the city of New York, Interior was chosen. Let me suggest that the only possible rem and I would vote to protect that great city from foreign invasion, edy to meet the evils will be to change the Secretary of the Inte or the menace of it, as readily as I would vote to protect an rior; and let ns be thankful that we do not have to wait long for Ohio city. This country is too great and too grand for the mani that. festation of a narrow provincial spirit on the part of any person On March 4, 1897, we will get rid of him, and then, with some who has the honor to hold a seat in this Chamber. But if the one in that Department who has the interests of the veterans at city of New York should ever become an object of foreign naval heart, these 104,000 claims can be reexamined without injustice attack, its citizens, including the gentleman who represents the to anyone and restorations ordered in all proper cases without tak First and the Fifth assembly district, will then learn and acknowl ing the claims into a forum 100 or 200 miles away. They will be edge that it is bad policy for a great and a free people to be nig considered before a liberal and enlightened Pension Bureau, con gardly to its veterans in time of peace. [Applause.] trolled and administered under the direction of a Secretary of the The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Iowa [Mr. LACEY] is Interior who will have sympathy for the old soldiers and their recognized for ten minutes. widows. Mr. LACEY. Mr. Ohairman, the debate thus far upon this bill Mr. GRAFF. I would like to ask the gentleman n·om Iowa has taken a wide range. I desire to discuss only a single proposition. whether he thinks it is better to base the security of the veterans The gentleman from illinois [Mr. GRAFFl has had read an amend in their pensions upon the accidental friendliness of the Adminis ment which he proposes to move to the bill at the proper time, and tration that happens to be in power-to base them on the favor of which has given rise to a good deal of discussion. I wish to say that a man who happens to be the Commissioner-or to base them upon the pm·pose he has in view meets my hearty approval and that the well-established principles of law? remarks he has made in support of his proposition do honor to his Mr. LACEY. I shall come to that in a moment. For twenty patriotism and to his affection for the old soldiers. But, Mr. Chair five years we have had no such trouble as this. It was not until man, I fear that the practical operation of this proposed amend Secretary Hoke Smith entered upon the administration of the De ment would prove very disappointing indeed. The proposition in partment that the mischief commenced. After the present ad a nutshell is simply this: The Commissioner of Pensions, or some ministration is ended no such mistake will again be made while other authority, must have the power to change pensions-either the present generation exists. to increase or diminish them-depending upon the circumstances But let us look at the proposition ina cool and judicial frame of that may arise after they are granted. For instance, there now mind. I have in my neighborhood, for instance, a pensioner that comes to my mind the case of a comrade of my own, who was at the Secretary of the Interior concludes ought not to be receiving one time broken down with inflammatory rheumatism, confined to his $8 or $10 or$12a month, as the case maybe, althoughhisclaim his bed, and who made an application for the increase of his pen has been supported by much evidence. The Secretary of the In sion from $16 a month, which he was then drawing. He secured terior professes a belief that the evidenc~ is fraudulent. Instead an increase to $72 a month, because at the time he was lying on of taking charge and trial of the case in the office, it will be re his back, and had been for several months, requiring the personal ferred under this provision to a Federal court. attendance of a nurse all the time. Subsequently he got much Mr. BOATNER. Will my friend yield just therefor a question? better; and to-day, instead of being entitled to $72 a month, a rate Mr. LACEY. Yes, sir. . of $16 or $14 would be ample for his present disability. I grant Mr. BOATNER. Does the gentleman think that in the consid that this is an exceptional ·case; but exceptional cases must be eration of pension cases by the Commissioner of Pensions and by taken into consideration when we enact sweeping and general the force employed in the office a spirit of unfriendliness to the changes in the pension laws. pensioners ~as controlled the action of the Department? Mr. GRAFF. Let me ask the gentleman whether anything in Mr. LACEY. I have no doubt of it whatever. the amendment which I propose would prevent the Oommissioner Mr. BOATNER. Is not the present Commissioner of Pensions of Pensions from increasing the rate? a veteran himself? Mr. LACEY. Well, I was discussing the question of the reduc Mr. LACEY. Unquestionably, and a good soldier. tion of the rate. I think there is nothing in the proposed amend Mr. BOATNER. Was he not an officer of high rank in the ment which prevents the Commissioner from increasing the rate. Federal Army? But why should a man 50 years of age, who has been drawing a Mr: LACEY. Not of high rank; he was alieutenantandagood pension of $72 a month, but whose disability changes so that he and brave soldier. But let me say that these sweeeping proceed is entitled to only $14 or $16 a month, continue to draw $72 a ings, such as we have had in the Bureau under the administration month for the balance of his life because at one time he happened of the present Commissioner of Pensions, is only the result of an to suffer this increased disability? exercise of the power and the influence of the Administration it Mr. MEREDITH. Will the gentleman allow me a suggestion self. It is simply carrying out, on the part of the Secretary of the right there? The man whom he mentions ought to be turned over Interior, the views of the President himself; and in criticising the to Barnum, because I think he would be considered the greatest action of that Bureau I want to go back to the true fountain head~ curiosity of this century. and that is the President, who inspires it. Mr. LACEY. That is no doubt a very am using suggestion to the Policies are not formulated by heads of bureaus. The Execu gentleman from Virginia, but it often occurs that pensioners have tive and Cabinet define the policy of the Administration! and heads had their disabilities changed. I remember one old comrade of of bureaus must carry out the policy that is adopted, or must give mine who came to me and said that he had become entirely well way to others who are in a-ccord with the views of the rulers for and he wanted to know what he should do with his pension cer the time being. tificate. He had been shot through the leg and at the time of Anything short of a change of administration will be found obtaining the pension was goinl$ around on crutches. His pension ineffective, and fortunately we do not have long to wait. But was granted: but-at a later penod he got well and wanted to sur the question that I am discussing now is a practical one, to which render it. My friend from Virginia has an entirely erroneous I wish to call the attention of the committee. A soldier is draw impression of the old soldier. He has been looking at the ques ing a pension, we will say, of $10 or $12 a month. A question tion too much from the Manassas side of the river, and not, I think, arises as to whether that pension was rightfully allowed. The from this side of the Potomac. Commissioner, under the present rules of the office, reexamines What is the present proposition? It is to turn the old soldiers the case and perhaps determines that the soldier ought to be and their pension claims over to the tender mercies of a court of dropped. A second Commissioner can consider new affidavits, : 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 713 open the matter up again, and restore him to the rolls, and it has The Commissioner says: been done in thousands, yes, tens of thousands of cases in the last The board of revision, organized in pursuance of your order, upon the de thirty-odd years during which the pension law has been adminis cision of the Bennett case and abrogation of Order No. 164, to examine and tered in this way. But now take that man to the United States reconsider pensions allowed under that order contrary to the purport of said act, had so nearly completed its work that the board itself was dissolved at district court, we will say, one or two hundred miles away. He the end of the last fiscal year and the slight remnant of its work transferred goes into the court and fights his battle before the court and jury to the board of review. The work is substantially completed. During the and wins his ca,ge, if you please. He is like Pyuhus after his last fiscal year 10!,160 cases were acted on by the board of revision. victory over the Roman army. With the illustrious Greek, he The Commissioner informs us that the mischief has been sub may well say, ''One more such victory and I am undone." In stantially done. fact, the soldier is undone before his victory, and he would hav~:; to live to be as old as Methuselah in order to draw pension enough Mr. GRAFF. How many were dropped or decreased of the to pay the expenses and attorney fees incurred in defending his 104,000? rights in such a contest in the Federal courts. This proposition, Mr. LACEY. A very considerable number. while it is made in the utmost good faith and sincerity and for Mr. GRAFF. About 30,000 under existing law. the most laudable purpose, is, in my judgment, a mistaken one, Mr. LACEY. But these men have already been reduced, and and we must view all these questions a,g practical ones. This this proposed law does not restore them. Any practical le~~l& situation can only last a little over a year longer, and if at the tion to restore them I should be glad to support. The propoSition end of that time we should find upon the statute books perma now before the committee does not meet the difficulty in the case nent laws, enacted simply to carry us over a temporary difficulty, at all. There are thousands, perhaps nearly a hundred thousand, these laws would embarrass the subsequent administration of cases to which legislation ought to be directed to undo the con that office. struction adopted in administering the pension law and to make it It seems to me, Mr. Chairman, that the soldiers, having got thus conform t.o the intention of the framers of the law. It is imprac far along, would do better to wait a few months longor than to be ticable to refer these cases to the Federal courts. embarrassed by legislation intended in the most friendly spirit, The gentleman from Tennessee fMr. McCALL] tells us that at which would result in giving them trouble, involving them in ex least some of these courts are hostile to the pensioners. We know pense and annoyance, and some of them possibly in financial ruin. that in many localities the deputy marshal who has been making Take the case that was suggested here-that of Judge Long. aliving out of the '' bootlegger "is finding business dull. He would Judge Long is a lawyer, and an able and skillful one, a member of turn his attention to the pensioners under this proposed law, and the supreme court of the State of Michigan. He is able, perhaps, the courts would be filled up with business in that way. He would because of. his ability as a lawyer, to make his contest in the courts be found a more dangerous enemy than any that the pensioner has of the land; but I will venture to say to-day that Judge Long has yet encountered. The Secretary would regard the passage of this spent more money in vindicating his rights, and in vindicating amendment as a direction and authority to him to turn every the rights of other pensio~ers, in h!s struggle with the Secretar_y case over to the Federal courts where he suspected there was some of the Interior than he will draw m a good many years, even If fraud. · he should have his pension restored. I honor him for it. Ire Mr. GRAFF. Does he not·do that now? spect him for it. He is fighting a grand and good fight, and has a Mr. LACEY. He does not do it now. The number of cases good purpose in view. against pensioners in the courts is comparatively small. The num :Mr. GRAFF. I will ask the gentleman whether the Commis ber of convictions of those who have received pensions has been sioner of Pensions, under the operations of my amendment, would very trifling. The effort heretofore has been to convict attorneys. have been per!fiitted to cu_t off the pension of Judg~Long~tho~t When there was a pension case allowed where there was fraud; having first hrmself subrmtted the case to the verdict of a Jury m they have endeavored to indict the attorney rather than the pen the Federal courts? sioner. Hereafter if we send these claims.directly, under the pr~ Mr. LACEY. Judge Long's case was decided long ago. The posed amendment, to the Federal courts for examination l?ension gentleman seeks to lock the stable door after the horse is stolen, ers will simply be burdened by that action with a load too grievous and he must be careful not to lock out a good many pensioners to be borne. while doing it. [Here the hammer fell.l The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Michigan is recog:. Mr. GRAFF. What remedy does the gentleman propose? nized for ten minutes. Mr. LACEY. The remedy that I propose is a very simple one. Mr. MILNES. Mr. Chairman, I shall attempt to occupy the Mr. GRAFF. Do you propose any remedy that shall operate attention of this committee for but a few moments. I desire, right now? however, to say a few words in favor of the bill which is now Mr. LACEY. No, not now, as to these rejected cases. We can pending, and especially that portion of the bill which grants to not do anything under the present Secretary. We can not hope the widows of the war more liberal support. for a friendly administration of that office during the time that The gentleman from New York [Mr. BARTLETT], who addressed he continues to rule over it; but, as I have remarked, the time is this House day before yesterday in opposition to the pending bill, not long, and we should not, because of a temporary difficulty, re stated in his opening remarks that it was not a pleasant duty he model the pension laws and make them so burdensome and so in had to perform. I am sure that this House and-a vast major convenient and so heavy upon the soldiers that when the time ity of the people of this country fully agree with him in that comes for these questions to be brought up again the Commissioner statement. and the officers of the Pension Office will be embarrassed in their He further said that his duty to his constituents compelled him anjustment. to oppose any further looting or pillaging of the United States The proposition of the gentleman from lllinois is worthy of Treasury by increasing the pension list. grave consideration. Many gentlemen have spoken in favor of If the constituency of the gentleman from New York are in this proposition, and very few of the~ against it. I rememb~r sympathy with him, I venture the assertion that it is the only con seeing one gentleman [Mr. POOLE] With an empty sleeve whom stituency in the United States of America, East or West, North or his remarks before the House referred to the proposed plan as of South, that would indorse the statements he made upon this floor. doubtful pronriety. I heard also from my friend from Tennessee The patriotic citizens of this the grandest nation in all the [Mr. McCciJ, who takes the place of Mr. Enloe. And upon this world are now and ever have been in favor of dealing liberally pension question there can be no more striking object lesson than with the men who saved this nation, and to provide for their to find upon the Republican side of the House the successor to widows and orphans. that brilliant Congressman, because you will remember that Mr. In no other Congressional district in the great North would it Enloe made much of his entire reputation in his daily contest be considered as looting and pillaging the Treasury to provide against pensions on the floor of this House and by his attacks upon for the widows of deceased soldiers. The gentleman from New the Pension Bureau under the administration of Mr. Harrison. York was very emphatic in the statement that he was the friend But the people of Tennessee have spoken in favor of the veteran of the soldier. God defend us from such defenders. He said of the late war. We have the evidence from all parts of the coun that he was satisfied with the pension legislation of Congress up try that the people are friendly to the soldiers. Nothing has done to 1890, and then he paused. He did not dare to say he wa,g in more to make this House so nearly unanimously Republican than favor of the repeal of the act of 1890. Yet he found much fault the hostile action of the Interior Department in the last two years with its provisions, and yet that act of 1890 wa£ one of the wisest and a half. measures, the most just legislative act ever passed by any Con:. We have heard from the people on that question, and it is en gress. . tirely safe to leave to a fair-minded administration the protection It did justice, Mr. Chairman, to a class of men who could not .of the pensioners of this country without any such radical change get a pension in any other way, and yet who were just as worthy, as that proposed. I call attention to page 7 of the Commissioner's justashonest, and just as deserving as any other class of men that report. This very wrong that my friend wants to prevent has ever drew a pension. They could not draw a pension simply for been done. · the reason that the comrades with whom they served had either 714 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. JANUAR~- 15, moved into distant States and Territories or were dead and laid Sin idea. A pension is a reward for patriotism, and by that process back tp this House a report that will enlighten and make-plain to we are building up a bulwark, a living bulwark, of strong arms us all the mode of procedure and rulings of th~ Pension Depart and willing hearts that can always be called upon in defense of ment. this nation and its flag. A pension is the expression of a nation's 1\Ir. Chairman, if a veteran is incapacitated and unable to earn patriotic gratitude-the geneTous offering of a grateful people to a living, that fact duly authenticated ~hould be sufficient for the the men who saved the Government. Mr. Chairman, the volun granting of a pension; and, Mr. Chairman, this is the law, but the teer soldier of America is one of the grandest figures in our his obstruction that surrounds the present law is such as to make it tory, and when that history shall be fairly written that remark almost impossible for a veteran, though he be incapacitated, to able character, the volunteer soldier, will stand out in letters of obtain a pension. Previous to the coming into power of the pres silver upon pages of gold.. The patriotism of the American volun ent Administration, the Pension Office was conducted under the teer soldier is one of the most wonderful things in our annals. spirit and intent of the liberal pension laws of the United States. Mr. Chairman, I do not care to take up the time of this commit There was a disposition and feeling that the old soldier was worthy tee; but I do say that I am thoroughly in favor of this bill and all of a pension, and more, that the laws which were on the statute ~the provisos with but a single amendment. When the amend book shonld be executed. ment of the gentleman from illinois [Mr. GRAFF] shall come be General Black, the former Commissioner, and Secretaries Lamar fore this committee I want to see it amended so that these cases, if and Vilas all agreed with this. The same class of evidence, the they are to go into the courts at all, shall go into the courts of the same liberal intent, the same basis of adjudication that had ob States; not into the Federal couTts. This will enable every citi tained up to their "reign" was adhered to, but when the present zen who is affected to r each the place of final adjudication without Commissioner came into office the whole matter changed, and rad enormous expense and waste of time. ically so. New rules and regulations were made, new consti·nc In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, permit me to say that this entire tions were put on the laws, and every impediJnent and obstacle question of pensions as it appears to me is reduced to a nutshell. that seeming hatred for and disgust with the pension law has been Our Democratic friends must bear the responsibility. Upon their put into action, with the result that, in fact and· in truth, the pen shoulders the buTden of this action of the Pension Bureau in the sion laws area nullity. Unheard-of requirements, impossibleand last three years must fall. Enough evidence from all sections of impracticable calls for evidence are made. Soon after the preeent the country has been presented here to indicate what has been Commissioner came into office no less than 50,000 cases that had done under Democratic rule. It was never done under the Re been partly prepared for allowance were turned back from the publican adminjstration of the Pension Office. Judas Iscariot be files, and were sent to the adjudication divisions to await addi trayed the Son of God; Benedict Arnold attempted to betray the tional evidence. And, Mr. Chairman, in invalid claims. new exam nation that had respected and honored him; and here comes along inations were ordered, thus depriving the claimants of their pen a Democratic Administration, the first in thirty-two years, that is sions. Thousands of pensions have been rejected in the face of attempting to betray the men who made it possible for a Demo the best medical evidence and that of friends and neighbors. cratic Administration to be elected. [Applause.] Mr. Chairman, I call your attention to the case of John E. Mar fHere the hammer fell.] ren, of Brooklyn, N . Y ., who is one of my constituents. This :Mr. LOW. Mr. Chairman, I did not intend to discuss the merits man was rejected where it was conclusively shown and admitted of the bill now pending before the House until New York was that he"was totally incapa.citated to do manual labor. I sent a drawn into the vortex of debate. It is patent to evecy person hav letter to the honorable .Secretary of the Department of the Interior, ing a particle of regard for the rights of the veteran that some asking him to look the evidence over anew, and see if a mistake change is absolutely necessary in the laws goveTning the present had not been made. I told him that he was incapacitated for administTation of the Pension Department. The interpretation~ manual labor. I appealed to him to see to it that injustice be not of existing law and the rulings by the present officials administering done to this worn-out soldier, a man who was sustained from day that great Department ostracic:;e a class of poor and indigent men to day by daily portions of morl>hine. to whom the country is indebted for its perpetuity. That office Mr. Chairman, that letter was returned to me in a most ungra by its rulings has ostracised the very men who in their early life cious manner, and I now read the letter that the members of this were the donors of a national gift to the people of these United Honse may more fully understand the contempt in which they are States. The nation to-day is the pensioner; and it has been draw held by the present Secretary. ing itslion's share of em oluments every day, yes, every hom·, since I addressed the following letter to the Secretary of the Interior: the great historical events enaded at Appomattox. [Applause.] . I havelistened to the remarks of variousgentlemenon this floor; BROOKLYN, N. Y., July 30, 1895. but my attention was especially challenged by those of my dis MY DEAR Sm: I desire to call your attention to the case of Mr. John E. ~rren, who is an applicant for a pension, the application h aving been re tinguished friend from New York fl\fr. BARTLETT] when he spoke Ject ed on the ground that h e is not disabled from manual labor in a " pension about ' ' looting " the Treasury, and added that the district which able degree." Allow me to state that I have known Mr. Marren per sonally he represented did not want any change in the present pension f?r many years, and can speak in the highest t erms as t o his veracity, integ rity, and scholarly att ainments. I know of my own knowledge of his dis laws. ability during the past two years, and that his nervous system and bodily Mr. Chah·man, I do not trespass upon the delicate principle of strength have been k ept up by daily portions of morphine. I fear the r ejec modesty when I state that I, too, am rrom New York, and the dis tion is contrary to the evidence in the case. I believe you want to do the right t hing in your Department, and will only be too quick to r ectify a mis trict which I have the honor to represent is double the size nu take made by t he Bureau of Pensions. merically of the Seventh district, represented by my distinguished I would r espectfully ask you personally to look over t h ') evidence in tho friend. Myconstituentsdonotwant to see any law on the statute case. Very respectfully, yours, JAS. R. HOWE, M. C., books that deprives the old soldier of onepennyof his just dues. Sixth District of New York. I think my friend must have been hasty when he spoke about Hon. HoKE SMITH, ''looting" the Trea..c:;ucy,elsehewouldhaveescaped that dangerous Secreta171 of the Interior. shoal. It was not the old soldier, nor the· pension to the old sol dier, that depleted our Treasury, but the-Democratic party, which This is the reply which I received to the communication: the gentleman represents; they, by enacting and upholding laws DEPA.RTMENT OF THE h" They have another cute saying in the Pension Department, "not Mr. BARTLETT of New York. I want to ask you about my disabled within the meaning of the act." They put their own con remarks, and about their revision. struction upon the meaning and intent of acts of Congress, and Mr. S.P ALDING. I am satisfied that the gentleman did not override, upset, and annul all previous decisions. represent New York City in his speech here on this floor. I know Mr. Chairman, this bill and amendments now pending before something of New York City myself, and I know that during the the House should pass. They will stop the nullification of the war old Commodore Vanderbilt poured his money out like water laws of Congress, and will cause the Pension Commissioner to for_the salvation of this Government. I believe the gentleman understand that a law of Congress is entitled to departmental re from New York [Mr. BARTLETT] may represent himself and a spect. choice few, or a certain number of gentlemen in New York, but Mr. Chairman, in conclusion let me say that the men who seek he does not represent the constituency which sent him here to a pittance at our hands were heroes in war. Let us by our actions Congress in his position on the pension question. prove ourselves worthy of their heroism by voting for this bill It seems that no other gentleman from the South, the West, the and the amendments. [Applause.] East, or the North has stood up here aud taken the position which Mr. SPALDING. Mr. Chairman, I had made up my mind not the gentleman from New York [Mr. BARTLETT] has taken. He to say anything upon the pending bill, but the latitude given in the is the only man, notwithstanding there are many gentlemen from discussion has been broad, and as there have been some views ex Georgia, from Tennessee, from Alabama, and all over the South pressed here about a pension being a gratuity, a gift, or a bounty, who carried the old Confederate flag. I honor them for it, and I I feel compelled on this floor and in this august body to declare that am here ready to clasp hands with them over any bloody chasm Congress by solemn enactment in 1893 decreed that a pension was a that there may have been, and I say to them they fought well1tnd vested right, and being a vested right, it can not be taken away by bravely. I recognize here on this floor a gentleman from Alabama. the sweet will of the Commissioner of Pensions, the Secretary of the They say his seat is the storm center now. It was a storm center Interior, or the Bureau of Pensions. Believing that it follows along during the war, Mr. Chairman, for wherever General WHEELER the line of the title to land given by the United States Government, and his troops went, there you might eipect to find trouble. I it is as thoroughly a gift within the rights and province of the law was confronted by that gentleman several times myself, and I as is the patent to a piece of Unit.ed States land after settlement recognize in him a brave soldier and a gallant gentleman. I have or homestead entry. It seems to me that the language of the been in the South, and in the New South, and I have come to the statute is plain and can not be controverted. It makes every pen conclusion from my experience with these gentlemen, and talking sion hereafter or heretofore granted as secure as a vested right and with them, that the only ones who never were satisfied with the guarantees to that extent the payment thereof, and provides that outcome of that conflict were the noncombatants of the North the pension shall not be suspended without due notice. It is ob and the South. rApplause.] vious that Congress intended to make a pension a vested right or Mr. TRACEmLL. Mr. Chairman, I have no apology to offer it never would have passed such legislation. The homestead law to this House for taking up the few minutes of time allotted me recognizes the service of the pensioner, and it seems to me that be for the discussion of the pending appropriation bill and the vari yond question the language there used covers this ground. ous amendments proposed to the same. In the discussion of this question during the short time I shall I want it understood that in any place, at any time and under occupy I shall not attempt to -f"ake over the embers of the war, all circumstances, when the rights or interests of the old soldier because I find that the gentlemen on the other side who followed are at stake, I desire to lift up my voice in his behalf and to speak the flag of the lost cause until it went down in defeat have not a word in season or out of season in the interest of him, his widow raised one word against this pension legislation. But we are aston or his orphan. is!:ed here to find that the opposition comes from the great city of I must say that I admire the courage, if I can not agree with New York, the metropolis of this nation, and I want to say to this the sentiments, uttered on this floor the other day by the distin House that when the gentleman from New York [Mr. BARTLETT] guished gentleman from New York [Mr. BARTLETT], who bravely, was making his speech there was a grand scene on this floor. Sit if not wisely, came to the support of the present Administration ting on this side there was a gentleman who bore the brunt at the and essayed a defense of its pension policy. battle of Gettysburg, who bears. upon his body the wounds in When the honorable gentleman goes back to his constituency flicted there. He was and is the personification of a hero, with in the approa.ching springtime, when Democratic conventions do the front of Jove, and wa.<:J one of the grand heroes of that bloody most abound, and assumes a prominent part in them, as he doubt field. I refer to Gen. Daniel E. Sickles. That gentleman, listen less will, and they each and all with great enthusiasm indorse the ing to the voice-not of the greater New York, but of the lesser Administration of Grover Cleveland, as they all undoubtedly will, New York, thank God-during the speech of the gentleman from he at least will be consistent, though far from right. [Applause.] New York [Mr. BARTLETT], said it was mere rot that he was I have been surprised, yea, amazed, to sit here for the last three talking and he ought to know better. I wish I could say it a.s days durjng the progress of this debate, and witness the painful emphatically as my grand old soldier friend from New York did. silence of our friends on the other side of this Chamber, although But when my Democratic friend from New York fMr. CUMMINGS] the present administration of the Pension Department has been arose and in emphatic tone and gesture said that "Mr. BARTLETT's on all sides attacked, and its brutal and inhuman treatment of speech was not a fair representation of the sentiment of New York the applicants for pensions shown up in its true light. City, I felt that all further discussion was useless. Aside from the gentleman from New York, not a soul on that There can be no more question in my mind as to a pension being side of the House has lifted a voice in an attempted defense of a vested right than· there is a question about the patent to your the present outrageous Democratic methods and policies preva land or the deed to the house in which you live, if you own it, lent in the Pension Bureau; and yet we will find every mother's giving you a vested right. I am told, and I believe it to be true, son of them voting in the very first Democratic convention he that the gentleman to whom I referred [Mr. Sickles], when a Rep can set his foot for an indorsement of Grover Cleveland and his resentative in this House in 1893, proved to the satisf&ction_of Administration. every lawyer and every member in the House that it was a vested If Mr. Cleveland does not inspire the present methods, which right. The very certificate of the pension itself pledges the faith have in the last few years stricken thousands of worthy pen of this Government to the payment of the pension. The Govern sioners from the rolls and materially reduced the pensions of ment does no more than that with reference to the payment of a other thousands of worthy men and women, he is responsible for bond. The bond and the pension go hand in hand, and· damned them, and the Democratic party, together with a contingent of be he who says they ever shall be repudiated. mugwumps, are responsible for him. Mr. BARTLETT of New York. Mr. Chairman, will the gen I take it the remarks of the gentleman from New York, not tleman allow me one question? withstanding the silence of the other side of this Chamber, is an Mr. SPALDING. My friend from New York regrets that he echo of the true Democratic heart of the nation and that he voices was not of sufficient age when the war broke out; in other words, their true sentiments, which on this floor they dare not utter. that he was not of the age of consent [laughter], and yet near my I prefer to judge this party by its acts rather than its words, and seat I can put my hand on two or three old soldiers who are of the voters of this country have at last awakened to the fact that the same age as the gentleman, or somewhat younger, who helped the Democratic party is long on promises and short on perform to bear the flag to victory on many a hard-fought field for three ances. years during that war. I am sorry, too, that the gentleman from The remarks of the only Democrat who has dared to come out New York [Mr. BARTLETT] was not of sufficient age, because if from under the cover are, when boiled down, a covert attack upon he had enlisted under that banner I am satisfied he never would the pension act of June 27, 1890. have made the memorable speech which he did make the other The force of the amendments proposed to the bill reported by day. our committee is an effort on the part of this Congress to compel Mr. BARTLETT of New York. Will the gentleman allow me the pension authorities that be to respect in their administration one question? of this law its plain and evident intent. Mr. SPALDING. The gentleman objected to being interrupted We have been twitted with the remark by the eminent gentle in his speech, and I have only ten minutes, and I dec:Une. man from New York that the effect of these amendments, in .. 1896. CONGRESSIONAL -RECORD-HOUSE. 717 other words, the enforcement of the provisions of thiS law, would 1 think I can speak for a majority of the soldiers in my district loot the Treasury; and our attention has been directed to the fact and say they will not stand on the question of whether it is coined that we have a depleted Treasury. Of this latter fact we can at the ratio of 15t to 1 or 16! to 1. make no successful denial, but we retort the present barren con It will not go into the hands or coffers of foreign syndicates or dition of the Treasury is the result of Democratic mismanage bankers; there will be no semiannual interest to be paid and en.. ment if not imbecility. danger our gold reserve, or more strictly spe-aking, our gold hum But this House has passed and promulgated such measures as bug, but it will flow out among the people and find its way back will remedy this deplorable condition of affairs; and, in any event; through the channels of trade and commerce into the Treasury of the sins of the Democracy should be no further visited upon the the Government. heads of the nation's defenders. We must either support_a standing army in times of peace or When millions of dollars are given to a foreign syndicate to float adopt and honestly enforce a pension policy that will guarantee a loan of Government bonds, you men on the other side of the to the volunteer soldier a competence to him and his dependents House call it protecting the public credit; when this side of the when he is no longer able to earn the same. House asks for a reasonable appropriation, hedged about by such A standing army not only has to be fed, paid, and clothed, but regulations as will prevent Hoke Smith from diverting it from its its members are taken out of the ranks of the producers of the beneficiaries, the old soldier, his widow and orphan, you say it is country. a scheme to loot a depleted Treasury. They are the drones of Em·ope and are eating up the substance Your depleted numbers are an evidence of the ground swell of of all the first-class powers of the Old World. _ 1894, and in 1896 an aroused and an indignant people will finish My choice of the two systems is already made. It is dictated by the work they so nobly began, and you will find out that these prudence, charity, and the common instincts of humanity, in men, maligned, traduced, and slandered by the hired spies of the stincts common to all the human kind except the modern Demo Pension Department, know as well how to vote as they knew how crat. to shoot. The act of 1890 is justified, supported, and fortified by all the ThP. pension act of 1890, known as the dependent pension act, above considerations, and yet it has been practically nullified, if is either right or it is wrong. If this act is based upon correct the words and cases cited by honorable members of this House principles, is laid down upon just lines, it should be fairly and during the progress of this debate have a semblance of truth. liberally administered. If it is inherently wrong, is laid upon un We have listened for three days to case after case, the name of just lines, its fair and consistent administration would demon the claimant and the number of his claim in most instances being strateits weakness and vice, and I believe the people of this coun given, of how the Pension Department, under the present manage try would, in common justice to themselves, demand its repeal in ment, does not grant a pension, and the flimsy excuses and subter such tones as would not admit of its further enforcement, and fuges resorted to by it in order to reject the same, or if this is im it would be stricken from the laws of the land. In order, then, to possible, to hold it up, probably with the hope that while his claim ascertain the fact as to whether it is a fair and just act it is neces is thus in chancery the old soldier will pay his last debt to nature sary to inquire what gave rise to the apparent necessity for its instead of having the Government pay him his long overdue debt; passage by Congress. how this Bureau exacts of him, and especially his widow, all Under prior pension acts, having been fairly, justly, and liberally kinds of impossible and frivolous proofs; how the sworn evidence administered by the Republican party, the greater number of all of himself and his neighbor is, without warrant of law and con those soldiers who were sorely wounded in battle or in the line of trary to all the known rules of evidence, cast aside, and the un duty, or for disabilities resultant from injuries or disease received sworn statement of a sneak, a spy, and often his bitter personal or contracted while in the military service of the Government, or enemy, gathered and collected by persons called special pension directly traceable to the same, these worthy persons are, now en examiners under circumstances of fraud and false pretenses, is joying, where this Administration has not taken away from them, used and accepted by this Department and relied upon, and his pensions somewhat commensurate with their just deserts. But evidence cast aside as unworthy of belief; how from the very these.laws, although wise and beneficent in their nature, left wholly moment his application is filed he is looked upon and his every act unprovided for a large number of men, their widows and orphans, and declaration is treated as an attempt by a dishonest person to who, while they were not seriously or permanently wounded or wrong, injure, and cheat the Government he had fought to save. injured during their period of service, and who perhaps never I could cite to you many acts of cruelty, perfidy, and dishonor· suffered a day's sickness during the long and weary years of the practiced by the agents of this Bureau upon the soldiers of my war, men who fought from Bull Run to Appomattox-the men district that have come under my personal observation, and I as who in reality fought the battles of the war, for wounded men sure you I am not, nor ever have been, a pension attorney. I never and men who succumbed to the hardships of army life, while they prosecuted or assisted in the prosecution of a single claim in my are deserving. of all credit and should be liberally compensated life-but of examples we have had enough. for their sacrifices, were not under the nature of things the men But I can not refrain n·om reverting to the history of one pen who bore the brunt of battles. The cases of these men who really sion claim and the peculiar methods of this Department, as evi did the fighting and saved the Union are only reached and cov denced by its action in the premises. ered by the provisions of this act of 1890, which by its terms pro One of like kind, I believe, has not been mentioned in the long vides for the payment of pensions to this class of men, their wid list referred to by the many speakers. I refer to the case of David ows, orphans, and dependents, regardless of the time when the B. Salts, a resident of my home town. I know this man well, and soldier became disabled, or whether he died from disease con know him to be a brave and an honest man, though poor and tracted in the military service, or if, living, he be disabled from broken down in health. He is one of the men who had his eyes earning a livelihood by manual labor, providing his disability is opened in 1894, and this may have had something to do-I do not not the result of his own vicious habits. know, and will make no accusation-with his having been dropped If our pension system is founded upon natm·al justice and from the pension rolls. I do know he was dropped in 1895. He equity, who will contend that the men who did the fighting, when was grant-ed a pension in 1893 under the act of 1890 at the rate of they become old, broken down, and worn out, should not share in $8 per month, as I now recall it, and dropped from the rolls in the bounty bestowed upon its defenders by a grateful people. July, 1895. He holds an honorable discharge from the military These are the men who were as proud as they were brave, and service of the United States, having served in the First Tennessee while possessing the strength and vigor to battle with the world Light Artillery from July, 1863, to the close of the war. scorned to ask as a bounty what was justly due them as a right. I wish I had this man, in his present physical condition and in It may not be a vested right, as contended on this floor by the the condition he was in when he was dropped from the rolls, here friend of the soldier, the gentleman from New York, but God save in Washington, so I could file him as a living exhibit with and the old soldier from such friendship, for it is such friendship as in this Bureau; and his disabilities have not arisen from any this and from the same source that is compelling him to spend vicious habits. the remainder of his days in some poorhouse on account of a pen And what excuse do you imagine this Department offers for sion withheld, while these same friends are sending out letters to striking his name from the pension rolls? They informed him all the petty postmasters in the country trying to find some pre that he was dropped from the rolls because of disloyalty to the text for withholding his pension, or dropping him from the rolls, Union. It is true he served up to near the capture of Vicksburg or materially reducing his pension already granted, and in most in the Confederate army; and the records of the War Department instances when this Department of the Government was in the show he deserted the Confederate army and at once joined the hands of his true n·iends. Union Army and made a good soldier to the end of the war. They publish this latter feat to the world as a reissue of pen What I do not understand is, that to have been a Confederate sions. soldier, or the son of one, was an open passport to obtain employ They have coined a new word, but it would be a deadly stab at ment in this Bureau, and the same fact deprives a man of a pen the credit of the country to coin the silver bullion rusting in the sion who deserted the Confederacy and made as good a Union vaults of the Treasury, and upon it issue silver certificat-es, and soldier as ever wore a uniform or pointed a cannon. with these certificates, if short of other funds, pay to these brave I infer his desertion of the Confederate Army is the only reason· defenders of our common country liberal pensions. able conclusion to be drawn from the facts. \ \ 718 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- _HOUSE. J.A.NU.A.RY·15, The truth is, this man was living in Greeneville, Tenn., and was The bill was read, as follows: notified that if he did not join the Confederate Army he would be A "!Jill to prevent discontinuance of pensions, to r est01·e pensions discon conscripted, and you know that some people in those days were a tmued, to establish uniform rates of pension, to facilitate the allowance little peculiar, and either did not want to hii·e a substitute or did of pensions in matt-ers of proof, and for other purposes. not have the money to hire one, nor did they like to serve in the Be it enacted, etc., f'hat no -person otherwise entitled to a pension by virtue of any law of the Umted States shall be disqualified from receiving the same army as a drafted man. In fact, .substitutes did not go in the by r eason of any prior service of such_ person in the so-called Confederate Confederacy-they took them all, old and young, as recruits if army or navy duri_ng the war for the Union, :nor shall t~e widow, childxen, they would, and if they would not, as drafted men. ~~~~~e~l:,_~;;::~-:~ of such person be deprived of a nght to pension by Mr. Salts was one of these peculiar men, and being a stanch ~r:c. 2. ~hat hereafter:, when proof of 11?-arriage shall be r equired in the ad Union man deserted at the first opportunity and joined our forces ~Istra twn of t~e penswn laws of the Um ted States, marriage may be proved in front of Vicksburg, and made a gallant soldier. ~thout.other eVIdence than satisfactory proof that th:e parties were joined m marpage by some ceremony deemed by them obligatory, or habitually Some people in high pla-ces are not so peculiar in this particular, recogniZed each other as husband and wife and were so recognized by their and hii·ed a substitute and did their fighting at long range and en neighbors and lived together as such up to the date of enlistment when such tirely by proxy. Substitutes could be had in New York, and it is soldier or sailor died in the service, or, if otherwise, to date of death; and the said certain person.s availed themselves of the opportunity. ~~i~~~~ ~11~~~t ~~~ili:r~a[:il~~ ~roved shall be deemed and held to be lawful I do not believe there is a Confederate soldier on earth who would SEC. 3. That. from and after the passage of this act no pension heretofore construe our pension laws so as to take away this man's pension. granted or which may h ereafter be granted under the pension laws of the But the inspiration comes from other sources and from men who United States shall be discontinued or reduced except for fraud. SEc. 4. That all p~rsons whose pensions have been reduced or discontinued, only fought by proxy. except for fraud, Slllce March 4, 1893, shall be -restored to the pension rolls . In conclusion,! give this bill my hearty support, and only wish at the rate the pensioner was receiving at the date of such reduction or dis it went further and granted a pension to ·every man who had an continuance; said restoration to take effect as of said date, unless such pen sioner .shall at the time of the passag~ of this act be receiving a pension equal honorable discharge from the Union Army, according to his neces to or m excess of the amount received at the date of such reduction or sities, and to this at last we will all come, and God speed the day. discontinuance: Provided, That in case of the death of any such pensioner Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. If nobody else on our side of the subsequently to thexeduction or discontinuance of his ;Pension, the accrued pension under this act shall be paid to his widow or heirs, in like manner as Hall desires to speak and no gentleman on the other side desires the same would have been paid had no reduction or discontinuance been to speak, I will move that the committee l'ise, because a number made. of gentlemen who desired to take part in the debate have left the SEC. 5. That the common-law presumption of deathafterthe lapse of seven years without news or tidings of the missing person shall obtain and be of Hall. They understood that the debate would continue during force in the administration of the pension laws: P1·ovided, That if such -per the balance of the day. There are a number of members who son shall afterwards be discovered to be alive, any pension that may have have expressed their desire to address the committee, but as they been granted on account of his death shall thereupon cease. SEc. 6. That in all claims for pension or increase of pension wherein the are not in the Hall I will move that the comm.ittee·rise. person on whose service the claim was based was present with his proper The CHAIRMAN. the gentleman from Pennsylvania moves command at the time when disabilities claimed for were incurred, the soldier, that the coiD.IJlittee do now rise. · sailor, or marine shall be presumed to have been in line of duty, but such presumption may be rebutted: Provided, however, That the records of the Mr. PICKLER. Mr. Chairman, is this to continue to-morrow? War or Navy Department showing disabilities to have been incurred or con The CHAIRMAN. What was the inquiry? tracted in line of duty shall be conclusive. Mr. PICKLER. Is the debate to continue to-morrow? SEC. 7. That in all notifications from the Bureau of Pensions to the claim Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. We will take up the bill by para ant, his attorney, or other person entitled to be informed of the status of a case, such notification shall set forth each and every fact upon which further graphs to-morrow if there are no other members who desire to evidence is required to complete the same and the character of evidence address the committee. neCE>.ssary to establish such fact. .Mr. PICKLER. If no one is ready I would like to have from SEC. 8. 'rhat every claimant for pension or increase under the :pension laws shall have the right, in person or by attorney, to examine and 1nspect each five to ten minutes now on this matter. and every paper, memorandum, writing, or thing, in any Department, bureau, , Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. . I withdraw my motion. division, court, or office of the United States, which has or may contain any The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman withdl·aws his motion that reference, allusion to, or bearing upon the claim of such claimant. SEC. 9. That in all applications for pension or increase, and evidence sub the committee do now rise, and the Chair will recognize the gentle mitted in su-pport of any claim under the pension laws of the United States, man from South Dakota [Mr. PICKLER]. the oath of a person who has served as a private or noncommissioned officer Mr. PICKLER. Mr.Chairm.an.Idonotwish to detain thecom shall not have any less weight than if such ap1;1licant or witness had served as a commissioned officer: Provided, That nothmg herein contained shall be inittee to make a speech upon this bill. The two propositions con.stl·ued to require a greater number of witnesses than heretofore for the reported by the committee have been before the Committee on In establishment of any fact in relation to such claim. valid Pensions and discussed in an informal way. The proposi SEc. 10. That in considering the claim for pension of any soldier or sailor un der the act entitled "An act granting pensions to soldiers and sailors who are tion of the committee doesnotgofarenough to suit us of the Com incapacitated for the performanc-e of manual labor, and providing for pen mittee on Invalid Pensions. We want that to be a permanent law, sions to widows, minor children, and C.ependent parents,'' approved June / 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE. 719 least, will be covered, and any other propositions that may occur provisions reported by the Committee on Appropriations refer to members as tending to improve the bill and to facilitate the only to the appropriations made for the coming fiscal year. Now, allowance of pensions should be brought before the committee and what we want is that the two questions embraced in those amend the House, so that we may have a general consideration of this ments of the Committee on Appropriations, together with twenty whole subject; that every member who desires to be heard may other questions of similar importance, shall be put into a general have an opportunity to be heard and an opportunity to offer bill which shall become a law for all time. Now, I wish to ask amendments, so that when the bill is passed it may be one that the gentleman from Pennsylvania whether, if I move that the will give substantial aid in administering the pension laws of the provisions incorporated in his bill be made permanent in their country. application, he will accept the amendment? Mr. BARTLETT of New York. I would like to ask the gentle Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. If the gentleman will first make man whether, in his opinion, the proper way to legislate on these sure that the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole will sus pension questions is not to bring in a bill from the Committee on tain the provisions against any point of order which may be raised, Invalid Pensions, rather than to put "riders" upon appropriation I would be glad to accept the gentleman's suggestion. bills? ~Ir. PICKLER. I understand that the gentleman from Penn Mr. PICKLER. I do not care to answer that question. sylvania is not sure that these amendments of his committee will Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. I would like to ask the gentleman stay in the bill. from South Dakota if he has any expectation that the bill which Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. We are sure of nothing in this he has had read here in his time will ever come before the House world. rLaughter.] . in such shape as to give members an opportunity to vote upon it? Mr. STEWART of New Jersey. I observe that in the bill just Mr. PICKLER. I certainly do. sent to the desk by the gentleman from South Dakota [Mr. PICK Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. Under the rules of the House is it LER] there is in the twelfth section a provision that- not true that it will be almost impossible to reach that result un In all claims for pension or increase of pension under said act of 1890 the less the Committee on Rules will bring in a special rule? presumption sha.Il be that the disabilities alleged are not the result of vicious Mr. PICKLER. No, sir. This bill does not appropriate any habits; but such presumption may be rebutted. money, and the Committee on Invalid Pensions is a privileged Now, I wish to ask the gentleman why in the latter part of the committee, so I do not see how it would be possible to cut us off section there should be a provision for reviving a presumption from having our bills considered. Besides, I do not doubt that if which the anterior portion wipes out and expunges? necessary the Committee on Rules would be very glad to give the M.r. PICKLER. The record might show evidence of the exist House an opportunity to discuss such a bill. ence of such habits. The effect of this provision is that the ex Mr. DALZELL. There is no doubt of it. istence of the "vicious habits" must appear affirmatively in Mr. PICKLER. One of the members of the Committee on Rules evidence. · sitting near me says there is no doubt of it. :J'Ylr. STEWART of New Jersey. But in the first part of the Mr. WILLIAM A . STON"E. Do you think that the gentleman section you provide that the presumption now raised against the who sits at the other end of the Avenue would like to sign that applicant shall be done away with, and then the section proceeds bill? fLaughter.] further to enact that" such presumption may be rebutted." If · Mr. PICKLER. Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether he would the former portion of the section takes effect there is no such pre or not. It is presumed that every public officer will do his duty, sumption in existence. but, however that may be, we certainly ought to do our duty Mr. PICKLER. All those matters will come up for discussion whether he does his or not. [Applause.] I am in favor of pass.: when this measure is regularly considered. I am very glad the ing such a bill as will meet the views of this House to remedy the gentleman raises the question. I wish to say in this connection evils that have been set forth here, if we possibly can pass it, and that we want to secure such a change of ruling over in the Pen I am glad of the debate that has been provoked by these amend sion Office that the excessive use of tobacco shall not be construed ments on the appropriation bill. I am glad of this discussion, be as a "vicious habit." I have before me a decision where that oause it shows that there is a growing need for some legislation ground has been taken. that will deal properly with this question of granting pensions. Mr. GROW. Mr. Chairman, I do not propose to detain the Mr. STEELE. I want to ask the gentleman from South Dakota Committee of the Whole with any discussion at this time upon the [Mr. PICKLER] whether he does not think that the safe and wise pending bill; but a suggestion of my colleague [Mr. WILLIAM A. thing for us to do is to pass the amendments that have been re STONE] has raised a question upon whieh I have had some little ported on this appropriation bill? feeling since I have been a member of this Congress and the last. :MI. PICKLER. Oh, yes. I always vote for pension legisla I refer to my colleague's allusion just now to what might be the tion, I do not. care what kind of a bill it is on. · [Laughter.] I views of the President of the United States. Sir, under the long do not think there has ever been an appropriation bill brought in established parliamentary law it has always been regarded as an here carrying an appropriation for pensions to which I have not invasion of the prerogatives of Parliament for anyone to refer in offered amendments myself. its discussions to the opinion of the King upon any question pend Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. I want to say to the gentleman ing before it. from South Dakota that my purpose in asking him these questions A MEMBER. Is Mr. Cleveland '' the king"? was, if possible, to demonstrate the fact that we had better adopt Mr. GROW. In reference to matters of this kind he occupies these amendments reported on this appropriation bill and make the same relation to the Houses of Congress that the sovereign in sure of something when we can get it instead of taking our chances Great Britain does to Parliament. The President exercises the on an uncertainty. I approve the provisions of the bill which the veto power; and if we do not have on any given measure the two gentleman has had read from the desk, but at the same time I thirds necessary to overcome his veto, he is so far the king. think we ought to pass these amendments now. In the last Congress we had before us on one occasion a -bill Mr. PICKLER. If the amendments stand in your bill against headed "The bill of the Secretary of the Treasury." What has the point of order, if any point should be raised-and it certainly that officer todowithpresentinganybill tothjsHouse? We have will not be raised on this side-I shall cheerfully vote for them, had here attempts by the Secretaries of the different Departments although they are not strong enough. Those provisions ought to to influence legislation. They have sent in here letters to be read apply not only to the appropriations made in this bill, but they with reference to pending measures; and in one case a letter was ought to be the law for all time. read here from the President of the United States having refer Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. I concede that they are not strong ence to a measure then pending in the House and just about to be enough, but they are better than the rulings of the Pension Office. voted on. I trust such practices will be discontinued. They are an improvement on the present order of things. This House owes it to itself to make the President understand . Mr. PICKLER. Yes; they touch two points. The first ques that he has nothing to do with the action of this legislative body tion they deal with is the widow question, whichis a very im until a bill formally passed is presented to him for his approval. portant one; yet I think there are other pension questions deserving [Applause.] Only in that contingency has he the right to express of as much consideration. his approval or disapproval of our action. Nor has any one of the Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. There is no controversy between heads of Departments, except the Secretary of the Treasury, the the gentleman from South Dakota and myself. I approve of right to communicate his views uninvited to this House. That every part of his bill, but I think there would be grave danger in officer may report to this body on important questions affecting letting these amendments go and waiting for action on the bill the revenues; but when he sends here a bill headed "The bill of which the gentleman proposes to bring up. I think we had bet the Secretary of the Treasury" the House owes it to itself to re ter take what we can while waiting for a better and more com turn that bill to him and inform him that he can not invade in prehensive bill. that way the prerogatives of this body any more than can the Mr. PICKLER. Now, Mr. Chairman, I do not want it to be President of the United States by having a letter read here j ust inferred that I am not in favor of these amendments in the.pend on the eve of a vote on an important measure. ing bill. The Committee on Appropriations are '' stealing the I am well aware that the majority of this House to-day would thunder" of the Committee on Invalid Pensions [laughterj, but it take no orders from the present Executive; it is not in that view is all right. It will be observed, however, that the amendatory that I am raising this question. I simply submit that the legisla- \ \ 720 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. JANUARY 15, tive department of this Government owes it to itself to resent to the Clerk, and referred to the Committee of the Whole House, any attempt on the part of the Executive or his clerks to influ as follows: ence the vote of this House on pending legislation. [Applause.] By Mr. WOOD: A bill (H. R.1141) granting a pension to Miss Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE. Mr. Chairman, before moving Mary E. Hull, sister of John A. Hull, deceased, late of Company that the committee rise I wish to state that unless there are other F, Eighty-first Regiment oflllinois Infantry. (Report No. 49.) members who desire to speak in the general debate on this bill we By Mr. POOLE: A bill (H. R.147) granting a pension to George shall in the morning take it up by paragraphs, and a vote will be W. Case. (Report No. 53.) reached as soon tbereafter as practicable. I make this announce Also, a bill (H. R. 925) granting a pension to Annie J. Corbett, ment so that members may understand that probably the vote of Providence, R. I. (Report No. 44.) may be reached to-morrow, and in view of that possibility I hope By Mr. SULLOWA Y: A bill (H. R.1605) granting a pension to to see more members in their seats than there are now. Anna Kelley. (Report No. 45.) Mr. STEELE. There will be no attempt to prevent members · By Mr. BAKER of Kansas: A bill (H.R.1020) granting an in· from discussing the bill under the five-minute rule? - crease of pension to Gilman Williams. (Report No. 46.) Mr. "WILLIAM A. STONE. Not if there is anybody who wants By Mr. KERR: A bill (H. R. 994) granting an increase of pen· to ~peak. I understand that there are gentlemen wishing to speak sion to Andrew B. Keith. (Report No. 47.) who are not here now, but who will be here in the morning. I move that the committee rise. The motion was agreed to. PUBLIC BILLS, MEMORIALS, AND RESOLUTIONS. The committee accordingly rose; and the Speaker having re Under clause 3 of Rule XXII, bills, resolutions, and memorials sumed the chan·, Mr. DINGLEY reported that the Committee of the of the following titles were introduced and severally referred as Whole House on the state of the Union, having had under consid fol1ows: eration the bill (H. R. 3537) making appropriation for payment of By Mr. MILLER of Kansas: A bill (H. R. 4044) to amend an invalid and other pensions of the United States for the fi"scal year act entitled "An act to provide for the adjudication and payment endingJune 30, 1897, and for other purposes, had come to no reso of claims arising from Indian depredations," approved ~!larch 3, lution thereon. 1891, and for other purposes-to the Committee on Claims. And then, on motion of Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE (at 4 o'clock By Mr. HILBORN: A bill (H. R. 4045) providing for a model tank and 3 minutes p. m.), the House adjourned. for the United States Navy-to the Committee on Naval Affairs. By Mr. JOHNSON of California: A bill (H. R. 4046) to amend section 56 of an act entitled '• An act to provide for the collection EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS. of internal revenue, and for other purposes," approved August 28, Under clause 2 of Rule XXIV, the following Executive commu 1894, so as to allow l.oss in transportation of spirits in certain cases nications were taken from the Speaker's table and referred by the to the Committee on Ways and Means. Speaker, as follows: Also, a bill (H. R. 4047) to amend section 3328, Revised Statutes, A letter from the president of the Commissioners of the Dis imposing a tax on imitation wines-to the Committee on Ways and trict of Columbia, reporting on the payment of certain certificates Means. issued for street improvements on Conneticut avenue extended Also, a bill (H. R. 4048) to amend section 8 of an act entitled and transmitting a draft_of a bill for the enforcement of the pay "An act to amend the laws in relation to internal revenue," ap ment of certain costs in connection therewith-to the Committee proved May 28, 1880, so as to extend its provisions to fruit distil· on the District of Columbia, and ordered to be printed. lers-to the Committee on Ways and Means. A letter from the president of the Commissioners of the District By Mr. SWANSON: A bill (H. R. 4049) relating tothe compen of Columbia, transmitting a report of the Brightwood Railway sation and duties of United States attorneys, clerks, marshals, dep Company for the year ended December 31, 1895-to the Commit uty marshals, commissioners, and other court officials, and for tee on the District of Columbia, and ordered to be printed. other purposes-to the Committee on the Judiciary. A letter from the president of the Commissioners of the District By Mr. LOW: A bill (H. R. 4050) to supplement and amend an of Columbia, transmitting the reports of the receipts and dis act entitled "An act for the erection of a new custom-house in the bursements of the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Com city of New York, and for other purposes," approved March 3, pany from January 1 to September 21, 1895, and of the Capital 1891-to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. Tra-ction Company from September 21, 1895, to December 31, 1895, By :Mr. SKINNER: A bill (H. R. 4051) to protect lumber-to together with a list·of the stockholders of the latter company-to the Committee on Ways and Means. the Committee on the District of Columbia, and ordered to be By Mr. CATRON: A bill (H. R. 4052) approving certain acts of printed. the legislative assembly of the Territory of New Mexico author· A letter from the Assistant Secretary of War, transmitting a izing the issue of certain bonds cf said Territory-to the Commit draft of a bill amending the act of Congress establishing a sum tee on the Territories. mary court-martial, and for other purposes, together with a com By Mr. McCALL of Tennessee: A bill (H. R. 4053) repealing munication from the Judge-Ad vocate-General of the Army in rela chapter 148 of the Supplement of the Revised Statutes of the tion thereto-to the Committee on-Military Affairs, and ordered United States-to the Committee on the Judiciary. to be printed. By Mr. BLACK of New York: A bill (H. R. 4054) to increase the pay of letter carriers-to the Committee on the Post-Office and REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PUBLIC BILLS. Post-Roads. Mr. ELLIS, from the Committee on the Public Lands, to which By Mr. CATRON: A bill (H. R. 4055) to enable the people of was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 793) to amend an act New Mexico to form a constitution and State government, and to entitled " An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to forfeit cer be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original tain lands heretofore granted for the purpose of aiding in the con States-to the Committee on the Territories. strp.ction of railroads, and for other purposes,' approved Septem By Mr. HENRY of Indiana: A bill (H. R.4056) authorizing the ber 29, 1890, and the several acts amendatory thereof," reported persons herein named to accept of certain decorations and testimo the same without amendment, accompanied by a report (No. 52) nials from the late Hawaiian Government-to the Committee on in writing thereon; which said bill and report were referred to the Foreign Affairs. Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. Also, a bill (H. R. 4057) in relation to cigarettes, and to limit the Mr. WILSON of Idaho, from the Committee on the Public effect of the regulation of commerce between the several States Lands, to which was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 3558) and with foreign countries in certain cases-to the Committee on to aid the States of California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, the Judiciary. Idaho, Nevada, W yarning, Colorado, and South Dakota to support By Mr. DOOLITTLE: A bill (H. R. 4058) to set apart certain schools of mines, reported the same without amendment, aucom lands now known as the Pacific Forest Reserve as a public pa1·k, panied by a report (No. 50) in writing thereon; which said bill to be known as the Washington National Park-to the Committee and report were referred to the Committee of the Whole House on on the Public Lands. the state of the Union. Also, a bill (H. R. 4059) to provide for the establishment and Mr. POOLE, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, to which maintenance of national patriotic memorial universities in the was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 162) amending section United States, and for other purposes-to the Committee on Education. 3 of the act of June 27, 1890, relating to invalid pensions, re By Mr." BROSIUS: A bill (H. R. 4060) to amend section 1754 of ported the same without amendment, accompanied by a report the Revised Statutes of the United States, giving preference to (No. 51) in writing thereon; which said bill and report were re soldiers and soldiers' widows for civil offices-to the Committee ferred to the House Calendar. on Reform in the Civil Service. By Mr. STOKE8: A bill (H. R. 4061) to amend section 546 of REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PRIVATE BILLS. the Revised Statutes of the United States, relating to the United Under clause 2 of Rule XIII, private bills and resolutions were States court for South Carolina, and providing for the same-to severally reported from Committee on Invalid Pensions, delivered the Committee on the Judiciary. \ ,I / 1896. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 721' By Mr. SETTLE: A bill (H. R. 4062) to provide for the enlarge .Also, a bill (H. R. 4081) to remove the charge of desertion from ment of the Federal building at Greensboro, N. C.-to the Com the record of John K. McPherson-to the Committee on Military mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds. Affairs. _ By Mr. ROBINSON of Pennsylvania: A bill (H. R. 4063) to By Mr. CANNON: A bill (H. R. 4082) for the relief gf Jacob equalize the rank and payof certain officers of the Navy who have A. Henry-to the Committee on Claims. served full terms as chiefs of bureaus in the Navy Department By Mr. COFFIN: A bill (H. R. 4083) for the relief of James W. to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Allen-to the Committee on War Claims. By Mr. WILSON of Ohio: A bill (H. R. 4064) to extend the ju Also, a bill (H. R. 4084) for the relief of Gotlieb Feldmeyer, of risdiction of the circuit courts of the United States and of the Annapolis, Md.-to the Committeeon War Claims. supreme courts of the Territories to all cases, civil and criminal, Also, a bill (H. R. 4085) for the relief of Henry Hubbard, of arising on Indian reservations or between Indians and white men Baltimore, Md.-to the Committee on Claims. in the respective judicial districts and Territories in which the By Mr. COOK of Wisconsin: A bill (H. R. 4086) for the relief reservations are located-to the Committee on the Judiciary. of John M. Park-to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. TOWNE: A bill (H. R. 4065) for the relief of applicants By Mr. CULBERSON: A bill (H. R. 4087) for the relief of to purchase public lands under the timber and stone act-to the C. W. Reid and Sam Daube-to the Committee on Claims. Committee on the Public Lands. By Mr. CURTIS of Kansas: A bill (H. R. 4088) for the relief of .Also, a bill (H. R. 4066) for the relief of claimants to public the heirs of Matthew J. J. Cagle-to the Committee on War lands under the homestead laws-to the Committee on the Public Claims. Lands. By Mr. ELLIS: A bill (H. R. 4089) for the relief of W. L. Also, a bill (H. R. 4067) to amend an act entitled "An act for Adams, of Oregon-to the Committee on Claims. the sale of timber lands in the States of California, Oregon, Ne By Mr. EVANS: A bill (H. R. 4090) granting an increase ofpen vada, and in Washington Territory," approved June 3, 1878-to sion to Mrs. F. E. Marshall-to the Committee on Pensions. the Committee on the Public Lands. By Mr. FLYNN: A bill (H. R. 4091) for the relief of Peter A. By Mr. MURPHY of Arizona: A bill (H. R. 4068) to enable the city Becker-to the Committee on Claims. of Tucson, in the Territory of Arizona, to issue bonds to construct Also, a bill (H. R. 4092) for the relief of J. A. Courtney-to the a water and sewer system-to the Committee on the Territories. Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. MOSES: A bill (H. R. 4069) to repeal section 4716, Re By Mr. GRIFFIN: A bill (H.R.4093) for the relief of Samuel vised Statutes of the United States-to the Committee on Pensions. D. Hubbard-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Also,·a bill (H. R. 4070) amending section 3480, Revised Statutes By Mr. GROSVENOR: A bill (H. R. 4094) for the relief of of the United States-to the Committee on the Public Lands. Charles Candy-to the Committee on War Claims. By Mr. SETTLE: A bill (H. R. 4071) to provi,de for the coinage By Mr. HADLEY: A bill (H. R. 4095) to remove from the rolls of the American product of silver, and for other purposes-to the and records the record of dishonorable discharge now standing Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. against Edward L. Friday-to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. WILSON of New York: A bill (H. R. 4072) to amend Also, a bill (H. R. 4096) to remove the charge of desertion from section 5 of an act to relieve certain appointed or enlisted men the record of Andrew Edgar-to the Committee on Military Af of theNavy and Marine Corps from the charge of desertion, passed fairs. ' August 14, 1888-to the Committee on Naval Affairs. By Mr. HENRY of Indiana: A bill (H. R. 4097) appropriating By Mr. FLYNN: A bill (H. R. 4073) amending paragraph 10 of money to pay the claim of James C. Wheat for expenses incurred section 238 of the Revised Statutes of the United States-to the as adjutant of the Forty-ninth Indiana Volunteers, war of the re Committee on the Public Lands. bellion-to the Committee on Claims. Also~ a bill (H. R. 4074) for the relief of settlers on certain lands Also, a bill (H. R. 4098) for relief of Thomas F. Ryan-to the in Oklahoma-to the Committee on the Public Lands. Committee on Claims. By Mr. SIMPKINS: A joint resolution (H. Res. 84) authorizing By Mr. HICKS: A bill (H. R. 4099) granting a pension to Mary the Secretary of War to deliver condemned cannon to the Veteran S. Higgins, widow of Col. Jacob Higgins, late of Johnstown, Pa. Association of Fairhaven, Mass.-to the Committee on Military to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Affairs. By Mr. RULING: A bill (H. R. 4100) to pay the claim of James By Mr. CUMMINGS: A joint resolution (H. Res. 85) relative to H. Sentz-to the Committee on Claims. the medal of honor authorized by the acts of July 12, 1862, and By Mr. KERR: A bill (H. R. 4101) for the relief of FrankS. March 3, 1863-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Sowers-to the Committee on War Cl~ims. By Mr. HOWARD: A resolution (House Res. No.115) for the Also, a bill (H. R. 4102) granting a pension to David Miller-to appointment of a committee of five to investigate the last bond the Committee on Invalid Pensions. sale-to the Committee on Ways and Means. By Mr. LINNEY: A bill (H. R. 4103) for the relief of Calvin J. By Mr. DANIELS: A memorial of the legislature of the State Cowles and George B. Hanna-to the Committee on Claims. of New York for an act directing the Treasurer of the United By Mr. LONG: A bill (H. R.4104) granting a pension to Samuel States to pay to the comptroller of the State of New York annu Johnson-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. ally a sum equivalent to three-fourths of ~ll sums expended by By Mr. McCLEARY of Minnesota: A bill (H. R. 4105) to re the State of New York in the maintenance of its canal system move the charge of desertion against the name of Martin Van during the year last preceding-to the Committee on Railways Buren Day...... ,....to the Committee on Military Affairs. and Canals. By Mr. McCALL of Tennessee: A bill (H. R. 4106) for relief of By Mr. LINTON: A memorial of the legislature of the State of I. N. Cunningham, administrator-to the Committee on Claims. Michigan for the muster and pay allowance to Michael Sheehy Also, a bill (H. R. 4107) for the relief of Monroe Stephens-tG to the Committee on War Cla,ims. the Committee on Invalid Pensions. - Also, a bill (H. R. 4108) for relief of J. F. Holladay-to the Com CHANGE OF REFERENCE. mittee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 4109) to muster William H. Brown-to the Under clause 2 of Rule XXII, the Committee on Naval Affairs Committee on Military Affairs. was discharged from the consideration of the bill (H. R. 1485) for Also, a bill (H. R. 4110) for relief of William Cole-to the Com the relief of the heirs of Joseph B. Hull, late commodore, United mittee on Claims. States Navy, retired, and it was referred to the Committee on Also, a bill (H. R.4111) for the relief of H. S. Simmons's estate Claims. to the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 4112) for relief of Mollie B. O'Qallaghan PRIVATE BILLS, ETC. to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Under clause 1 of Rule XXII, private bills of the following titles Also, a bill (H. R. 4113) for relief of Joseph W. Wilson and were presented and referred as follows: David R. Wilson-to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. ABBOTT: A bill (H. R. 4075) for the relief of HenryM. By Mr. MEREDITH: A bill (H. R. 4114) for the relief of W. E. Swann-to the Committee on Claims. Judkins, executor of Lewis McKenzie-to the Committee on By_ Mr. BARTLETT of Georgia: A bill (H. R. 4076) for the re Claims. lief of Abner Abercrombie-to the Committee on Pensions. By Mr. MILLER of West Virginia: A bill (H. R. 4115) tore By Mr. BERRY: A bill (H. R. 4077) for the relief of W. R. store the name of Adam J. Brannan to the pension roll and to Miller, of Covington, Ky.-to the Committee on Claims. allow him a pension-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. BROWN: A bill (H. R. 4078) for the relief of Thomas Also, a bill (H. R. 4116) to pension Willoughby M. Park for P. A. Leonard, of Sweetwater, Tenn,.:.._to the Committee on In services rendered and disabilities contracted in the late war-to valid Pensions. the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. BURRELL: A bill (H. R. 4079) to increase the pension By Mr. MOSES: A bill (H. R. 4117) granting a pension to Eason of McDonald Kincade-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Stamps-to the Committee on Pensions . .Also, a bill (H. R. 4080) to remove the charge-of desertion from the · Also, a bill (H. R. 4118) .to grant a pension to Mitchell Pearce, record of Michael Fitzgerald-to the Committee on Military Affairs. a soldier of the war of 1812--to the Committee on Pensions. XXVTII-46 722 CONGRESSIONAL· RECORD-HOUSE. J.ANU.ARY 15, Also, a bill (H. R. 4119) granting a pension to Mary L. John By Mr. GILLETT of Massachusetts: Resolutions adopted by the son-to the Committee on Pensions. First Baptist Church of Springfield, Mass., in behalf of Armenia Also, a bill (H. R. 4120) granting increase of pension to Wil and arbitration-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. liam M. Shipp-to the Committee on Pensions. By Mr. GROSVENOR: Two memorials, respectively, of James Also, a bill (H. R. 4121) granting a pension to Bailey R. Gill V. Wolf and August Varian, of Meigs County, Ohio, in favor of to the Committee on Pensions. the Stone immigration bill-to the Committee on Immigration Also, a bill (H. R. 4122) granting an increase of pension to and Naturalization. James H. Jones-to the Committee on Pensions. By :Mr. HENRY of Indiana: Papers to accompany House bill Also, a bill (H. R. 4123) granting a pension to Tenderson No. 3575 for the relief of William 0. Eagle-to the Committee on Smith-to the Committee on Pensions. Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 4124) granting a pension to Samuel Burns By Mr. IDTT: Memorial of representatives of the Religious to the Committee on Pensions. Society of Friends for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware Also, a bill (H. R. 4125) ~anting increase of pension to Daniel to the President and CongTess of the United States, on the dispute P. Copeland-to the Comnuttee on Pensions. between Great Britain and Venezuela relative to the boundary of Also, a bill (H. R. 4126) granting a pension to Nancy Piper-to the latter and the intervention of the United States-to the Com· the Uommittee on Pensions. mittee on Foreign Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 4127) granting a pension to Nancy H. Coats ByMr.HULING: PetitionofcitizensofUpshurCounty, W.Va., to the Committee on P ensions. requesting Congress to pass laws relative to immigration into the By Mr. OWENS: A bill (H. R. 4128) granting a pension to United States-to the Committee on Immigration and N aturaliza Sallie B. Carter, of Woodford County, Ky.-to the Committee on tion. Invalid Pensions. By Mr. KULP: Petition of the citizens of Shamokin, Pa., and By Mr. SETTLE: A bill (H. R. 4129) for the relief of W. R. vicinity, praying for the passage of the Stone bill-to the Commit Albright, of Alamance County, N. C.-to the Committee on War tee on the Judiciary. Claims. . By Mr. LEONARD: Two petitions, respectively, of citizens of By Mr. STEWART of Wisconsin: A bill (H. R. 4130) for the Lycoming County and citizens of Tioga and Potter counties, Pa., relief of John F eltis-to the Committee on Military Affairs. praying for legislation restricting immigration-to the Committee By Mr. TAYLER: A bill (H. R. 4131) granting an honorable on Immigration and Naturalization. discharge to James Ammerman-to the Committee on Military By Mr. McCALL of Massachusetts: Resolutions of the Massa Affairs. chusetts Wholesale Lumber Association, in favor of widening and By Mr. TRACEWELL: A bill (H. R. 4132) for the relief of deepening BDston Harbor-to the Committee on Rivers and Har John Johnson-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. bors. By Mr. WILLIAMS: A bill (H. R. 4133) for relief of estate of Also, resolutions of the Massachusetts Lumber Association, in Wright A. Moore, of Scott County, Miss.-to the Committee on favor of the Torrey bankruptcy bill-to the Committee on the War Claims. Judiciary. Also, a bill (H. R. 4134) for relief of estate of Samuel Heard, of By Mr. MILLER of West Virginia: Petition of Adam J. Bran Scott County, Miss.-to the Committee on War Claims. nan, praying to be restored to the pension roll, and to be allowed Also, a bill (H. R. 4135) for relief of estate of Ira A. Sprouse, of a pension; to accompany his bill-to the Committee on Invalid Scott County! Miss.-to the Committee on War Claims. - Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 4136) for relief of estate of Evans S. Gilbert, Also, petition of Willoughby M. Park, with exhibits, praying of Scott County, Miss.-to the Committee on War Claims. for pension, to accompany bill-to the Committee on Invalid Pen· Also, a bill (H. R. 4137} for relief of George C. Harper, of Scott sions. County, Miss.-to the Committee on Wax Claims. By Mr. MORSE: Memorial of the representatives of the Reli Also, a bill (H. R. 4138) for relief of James H. Owen, of Scott gious Society of Friends for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Dela County, Miss.-to the Committee on War Claims. ware to the President and Co11gress of the United States, on the Also, a bill (H. R. 4139) for the relief of Susan V. Hedderman, dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela relative to the administratrix R. P. Chambers, of Scott County, Miss.-to the boundary of the latter and the intervention of the United States Committee on War Claims. to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. , By Mr. KNOX: A bill (H. R. 4140) to remove the charge of de By Mr. MOZLEY (by request): Petition of members of Steven sertion now standing against the record of Henry C. Bliss-to the son Post, No. 488, Grand Army of the Republic, of Pocahontas, Committee on Military Affairs. Mo., asking certain pension legislation-to the Committee on In· valid Pensions. PETITIONS, ETC. By Mr. NORTHWAY: Petition of E. T. Baker and 95 other Under clause 1 of Rule XXII, the following petitions and papers citizens of Andover, Ohio, and vicinity, praying for the passage were laid on the Clerk's desk and referred as follows: of the Stone bill providing for a better grade of immigrants-to By Mr. ACHESON: Three petitions, respectively, of 460 citizens the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. of Canonsburg, 89 citizens of Midway, and 45 citizens of Inde By Mr. OTJEN: Petition of the Business Men's Association of. pendence, Washington County, Pa., praying for the passage of South Milwaukee, askin~ that the harbor of South Milwaukee be the Stone immigration bill-to the Committee on Immigration improved-to the Comnnttee on Rivers and Harbors. and Naturalization. By Mr. RICHARDSON: Petition of J.D. Neilson, H. E. Palmer, Also, resolution of the Presbyterian Ministers' Meeting of Pitts H. H. Norman, and other citizens of Rutherford County, Tenn., burg and Allegheny, Pa., with reference to the sufferers in Ar in favor of allowance of the claim of the book agents of the Meth menia-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. odist Episcopal Church South-to the Committee on War Claims. By Mr. BULL: Memorial of the representatives of the Reli By Mr. ROBINSON of Pennsylvania: Memorial of citizens of gious Society of Friends for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Dela Delaware County, Pa., praying for the passage of the Stone bill to ware, to the President and Congress of the United States, on the restrict immigration-to the Committee on Immigration and Nat dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela, relative to the uralization. boundary of the latter and the intervention of the United States Also, memorial of the Parkmount Mills Company, Limited, to the Committee on Forei~ Affairs. Lenni, Delaware Cormty, Pa., from the Manufacturers' Club of By 1\Ir. CANNON: Petition of Josephus VickToy and others, of Philadelphia, praying for an adequate duty on wool-to the Com Long View, ill., in favor of a service pension-to the Committee mittee on Ways and Means. on Invalid Pensions. Also, memorial of the Grocers and Importers' Exchange, favor By Mr. CLARDY: Petition of 190 citizens of Owensboro and ing a ship canal-to the Committee on Railways and Canals. Daviess County, Ky., praying for the passage of the Stone bill on Also, memorial of representatives of the Religious Society of immigration-totheCommitteeonimmigrationandNaturalization. Friends for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware to the Presi By Mr. COBB of Missoul'i: Petition of W. L. Thompson and dent and Congress of the United States, on the dispute between others, citizens of St. Louis, Mo., favoring an act to secure a bet Great Britain and Venezuela, relative to the boundary of the lat ter grade of immigration-to the Committee on Immigration and ter and the intervention of the United States-to the Committee Naturalization. on Foreign Affairs. By Mr. COUSINS: Petition and resolutions of mass meeting of Also, four petitions of citizens of Media County, Pa., praying citizens of Des Moines, Iowa, expressing sympathy for Cuba-to for the passage of the Stone bill restricting immigration-to the the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. Also, petition of 65 railway postal clerks on lines centering at By Mr. SHERMAN: Petition from citizens of Utica, N.Y., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, favoring the Linton bill to reclassify and pre behalf of Armenia-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. _ scribe the salaries of railway postal clerks-to the Committee on By Mr. SIMPKINS: Petition of James F. Tripp, B. W. Kemp the Post-Office and Post-Roads. ton, and Fred M. Tabor, a committee of the Veteran Association, By Mr. EVANS: Petition of Phillip L. Stickel and others, favor Grand Army of the Republic, of Fairhaven, Mass., for cannon to ing the passage of a bill_for a better class of immigrants-to the be placed on the soldiers' lot in Riverside Cemetery in that town Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. to the Committee on Military Affairs. 1896 .. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE.. 723 'I By Mr. STRONG: Two petitions, respectively, of F. R. Stewart The VICE-PRESIDENT. If there be no objection, the vote by and F. H. Gibens, of Fostoria, Ohio, for the removal of the charge which the bill was indefinitely postponed will be reconsidered, of desertion against Theodore Werner-to the Committee on Mili and the bill will be placed on the Calendar with the adverse re tary Affairs. port of the committee. The Chair hears no objection, and it is so Also, petition of T. E. Hunter and 53 others, praying for the ordered. passage of a bill to secure a better grade of immigrants-to the STATE WAR CLAIMS. Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communication By Mr. TRACEWELL: Petition and papers in support of from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting, in response to House bill No. 3520, for the relief of Allen W. Philips-to the Com a resolution of January 28, 1895, a report from the Auditor for the mittee on Claims. War Department as to the amounts due the several States, from Also, petition and papers in support of House bill No. 3524, for the claims now on file in the Treasm·y Department under act of the relief of James McGowan from the charge of desertion-to the July 27, 1861, for expenses incurred in raising troops, as provided Committee on Military Affairs. for by the order of the Secretary of the Treasury of February 8, Also, petition and papers in support of the following House 1893; which, with the accompanying papers, was referred to the bills: No. 3516, granting an increase in the pension of Sarah J. Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed. Paynter; No. 3517, for the relief of George Heishman; No. 3518, MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE. for the relief of David Melton; No. 3519, for the relief of John R. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. W. J. Watson; No. 3522, granting a pension to Handy Deputy; No. 3533, BROWNING, its Chief Clerk, announced that the House had passed granting a pension to Catharine Pee-to the Committee on Pen a bill (H. R. 3018) to amend the act approved March 3, 1891, grant sions. ing the right of way upon the public lands for reservoir and canal Also, petition and papers in support of the following House purposes; in which it requested the concm·rence of the Senate. bills: No. 3521, granting a pension to Mrs. Ellen Quinn; No. 3523, for the relief of Sarah L. Smith; No. 3525, granting a pension to PETITIONS .AND MEMORIALS. Mrs. Nancy Thurman; No. 3526, granting a pension to :Mary J. Mr. PEFFER. !present thepetitionof Rev. A.M. Campbell, of Tm·ner; No. 3528, granting a pension to David B. Salts; No. 3530, Catasauqua, Pa., representing an association known as the Ameri granting a pension to Peter Wendell; No. 3531, granting a pension can Anti-Usm·y Association, suggesting a means to abolish usury. to Dennis Sheedy; No. 3532, granting a pension to Lucy Nichols I move that the petition be referred to the Committee on Finance. to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. The motion was agreed to. · Also, petition and papers in support of House bill No. 3534, to Mr. ALLEN presented sundry affidavits and petitions of mem remove the charge of desertion from John Dickson-to the Com bers of the Santee Sioux tribe of Indians, of Nebraska, praying for mittee on Military Affairs . . the payment of annuities withheld from them by reason of aHeged participation in the outbreak at Redwood Agency in the year 1862; which were referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. SENATE. Mr. SEWELL presented petitions of Monroe Lane and 18 other citizens of New Bedford; of ThomasW. Ross and 53 other citizens THURSD.A.YJ January 16, 1896. of Vincentown; of Charles A. Morris and 18 other citizens of Ham Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. W. H. MILBURN, D. D. ilton; of E. C. White and 33 other citizens of Glendola; of A. A. The .Journal of yesterday's proceedings was read and approved. Tilton and 75other citizens of Monmouth, andofL. L. Hansell and TITLES OF NOBILITY. 44 other citizens of Jersey City, all in the State of New Jersey, Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I wish to call attention to a mat- praying for the passage of the so-called William A. Stone immigra- . th t ,.. . d st d Th h ir n f the Committee on tion bill; which were referred to the Committee on Immigration. t ei . a ocvur~e ye er ay. e c a !lla 0 . . He also presented a petition of the Society of the United States .Foreign Relations reported back the bill (S. 654.) to prevent Clti- . . . C .. he zens of the United States from soliciting or receiving and accept- ~ilita.ry Telegraph orps, pr!1:png that .t Y. ~ g~anted by the ing titles, patents of nobility, or degrees of honor from foreign · Goyel'?ment the sam~ recogmtwn for. their seiVlces m the late ~ar nations and for other purposes, with -a recommendation that it be as IS g:tven to the soldiers ~ho served . 1~ the Reg~ar Army; which indefinitely postponed, which was agreed to. I wa.s in the Cham- was referred to the Comnuttee on Milita_r~ Affairs: . ber dm·ing the entire morning hour, but owing to the confusion .Mr. SHERMAN pres~nted sundry p~titiOns of Citizens _of Han which usually characterizes the transaction of business in the ~Ibal, Andover, and Middletown, all.~ the State of. Ohi?, pr~y Senate i did not hear the report submitted by the Senator from ~g for tp.e passage of the so-called Willjam A. Stone.Imm_Igration Ohio, and did not know of it until I read the paper last evening. bill; which were referred.~ the Comm1~e~ on ~mmigra~IO~. It is my desire to have the bill placed upon the Calendar, so that it He also. presenf:ed a petitiOn of the MmiSt~nal. As~oCiati?n of rna come up and be discussed and acted upon by the full Senate, Troy, OhiO, .Pr~ym~ for the enactment of leg1slat1?n m the mter and not by the committee alone. The Senater from Ohio in e~t of morality, which was referred to the Committee on Educa- inaking the report said: twn and Labor. . . . The committee a.re of opinion that it is hardly worth while to dignify with He al~o presented a peti~on of qwen Post, Grand Army of t~e the form of legislation the fact that some American citizens receive titles Republic~ o~ Wooste!, 0~10, praY:ng for the ena:c~ent of le_giS from a foreign government; that ~hey ought to be laughed at rather than lation granting pensiOns m certam cases to families or relatives be sent to the penitentiary for a crune. of pensioners instead of to the pensioners themselves; which was I do not believe that the American people think that way. I referred to the Committee on Pensions. believe the patriotic people, the true American citizens of this Mr. GRAY presented a memorial of the Delaware Peace So country want to see a law passed by Congress that will punish as eiety, remonstrating against the enactment of any legislation a crime any man who may accept a title or patent of nobility from which is designed or is liable to encourage wars and warlike move a foreign government. I hope the Senator who had charge of ments, whether internal or foreign; which was referred to the this measure will permit an order to be made this morning plac- Committee on Foreign Relations. ing the bill upon the Calendar for consideration. I call the atten- Mr. SQUIRE. I present a petition of the Pastors' Union of tion of the Senator from Ohio to the matter. the city of Snohomish, Wash., comprising the resident pastors :Mr. SHERMAN. I have not the slightest objection to the of the Evangelical churches in that city, urging upon Congress com·se suggested. If the Senator desires, he has a right to move the passage of the resolution relative to giving relief to the to reconsider the vote by which the bill was indefinitely postponed. Armenian people of Asiatic Turkey. The petitioners go on to So far as I am concerned, I ani perfectly willing that it shall be 1·ecite that the massacre of guiltless thousands, the outraging of placed upon the Calendar. It was the opinion of the committee helpless women, selling into slavery innocent girls, the total de uttered by me, and I am surprised that the Senator did not hear struction of the homes and the necessities of life of vast multi- my statement. tudes can not find a parallel short of the darkest days of the Middle Mr. ALLEN. I did not hear the Senator. Ages. They urge that the great Governments should unite for Mr. SHERMAN. I spoke loud enough to call the attention of their suppression, and if diplomatic methods can not avail that the Senate to the bill. I saw the Senator from Nebraska in his they then invoke the arbitrament of force. place and looking at me, and I supposed as a matter of course he I call attention to the following passages in the petition pro heard what I said. However, I have no objection to the vote by ceeding, as it does, from the churches of Snohomish: These pas which the bill was indefinitely postponed being reconsidered and tors ask that Congress insist that the Executive protect our having it placed on the Calendar with the adverse report of the American missionaries in Turkey, and the property which they committee. hold for mission and educational work, and for personal comfort Mr. ALLEN. I was surprised That the Senator did not call my and good. They also ask that the Government extend to Cubans, attention to the bill. struggling for liberty, the rights of belligerents and recognition Mr. SHERMAN. I thought the Senator heard me. at the earliest molll€nt when their achievements shall show that Mr. ALLEN. I have no doubt the Senator thought so; but in they are entitled to it. consequence of the confusion in the Chamber I did not hear the I move that the petition be referred to the Committee on For- Senator. I should like to have an order ;made placing the bill on eign Relations. tha Calendar. The motion was agreed to. \.
Congressional Record-Senate
