1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 381
Also, a bill (H. R. 2990) to authorize the Secretary of War to By Mr. MOODY: Resolution of citizens of Haverhill, Mass., remove the charge of desertion as to William Rodamer-to the approvingtheaction of the UnitedStates Government in demand Committee on Military Affairs. ing of Turkey protection of the life and interests of American res Also, a bill (H. R. 2991) for the relief of Tobias E. Lamb-to idents in that Empire, and urging the establishment of United the Committee on Claims. States consulates in the Armenian centers-to the Committee on Also, a bill (H. R. 2992) to authorize the Secretary of the Navy Foreign Affairs. to remove the charp;e of desertion as to Thomas Dunn-to the By Mr. RUSK: Petition for increase of pension for Mrs. Jane Committee on Naval Affairs. Dulaney-to the Committ-ee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. CALDERHEAD: A bill (H. R. 2993) for the relief of By Mr. SORG: Papers to accompany bill for relief of C. W. John Kircher-to the Committee on Military Affairs. McGeehan-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 2994) granting a penpion to Martha M. Ker- By Mr. TAFT: Resolutions adopted by the Cincinnati Chamber sey-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. . · of Commerce, approving the course of the President as expressed Also, a bill (H. R. 2995) to remove the charge of desertion from in his message and of Congress on the Venezuelan question-to the military record of John Willoughby, of Washington, Kans., the Committee on Foreign Affairs. and grant him an honorable discharge-to the Committee on Mil Also, memorandum in regard to the military record of Cyrenus itary Affairs. P. Bratt-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 2996) granting a pension to Mrs. M. C. Gur By Mr. STEELE: Petition of David Whisler and 50 others, of ney, of Palmer, Kans.-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. North Manchester, Ind., for tariff on draft horses-to the Com Also, a bill (H. R. 2997) for the relief of George W. Warren, of mittee on Wavs and Means. Vermillion, Kans.-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. TYLER: Paperstoaccompanybillfor therelief of Jane Also, a bill (H. R. 2998) for the relief of Margaret Theirer, widow Elizabeth Owen~to the Committee on Military Affairs. of Jacob Theirer-to the Committee on Claims. By Mr. WATSON of Ohio: Papers relating to the cla1m of By Mr. FARIS: A bill (H. R. 2999) for the relief of Willis Ben Francis A. Field, late captain Eleventh United States Infantry field-to the Committee on Claims. to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. FOSS: A bill (H. R. 3000) for the relief of George !sen stein-to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. MILLIKEN: A bill (H. R. 3001) granting a pension to Cynthia A. Lapham, widow of William B. Lapham-to the Com HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. mittee on Invalid Pensions. SATURDAY, December 28,1895. Also, a bill (H. R. 3002) to remove the charge of desertion against Louis B. Weymouth-to the Committee on Military Affairs. The House met at 12 o'clock m. Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. Also, a bill (H. R. 3003) for the relief of Walter R. Gray-to the H. M. COUDEN. Committee on Claims. The Journal of the proceedings of Friday was read and ap Also, a bill (H. R. 3004) for the relief of Edwin 0. Sargent-to proved. the Committee on Military Affairs. RONDS AND CERTIFICATES OF INDEBTEDNESS. By Mr. RUSK: A bill (H. R. 3005) for the relief of Nicholas Ganster-to the Committee on Military Affairs. The House~ under the order adopted yesterday, resumed the By Mr. STEELE: A bill (H. R. 3006) granting a pension to Mrs. con!3ideration of the bill (H. R. 2904) to maintain and protect the Ann P. · Slack, widow of the late Brig. Gen. James · R. Slack, coin redemption fund, and to authorize the issue of certificates of United States Volunteers, deceased-to the Committee on Invalid indebtedness to meet temporary deficiencies of revenue. Pensions. The SPEAKER. The Chair desires to say to the House that in Also, a bill (H. R. 3007) granting an increase of pension to the allotment of time thus far those in opposition to the bill have Michael Pettis-to the Committee on Pensions. · consumed so much that of their time there is remaining one hour, Also, a bill (H. R. 3008) granting a pension to Martha M. Claw and to the other side there remain two hours; but the Chair thinks son-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. there has been some misapprehension with regard to it~ and per haps, if there is no objection on the part of the House, a fair division of the time would be an hour and forty minutes in favor PETITIONS, ETC. of the bill, and the remainder to the other side, if that is satis factory. The Chair would be very glad if the gentleman from Under clause 1 of Rule XXII, the following petitions and papers Georgia [Mr. CR;iSP] would assume control of the time in opposi were laid on the Clerk's desk and referred as follows: tion, as the Chair understands some arrangements have been By Mr. CANNON of illinois: Petition of W. W. Smith, Samuel made of that sort. Or if the gentleman from Georgia will make McAdams, and others, citizens of Illinois, favoring the payment some indication to the Chair, the Chair will give recognition of French spoliation claims-to the Committee on Claims. accordingly. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsyl By Mr. DAYTON: Petition of Clarence L. Smith and 253 other vania rMr. DALZELL l. citizens of West Virginia, praying that the navigation of the Mo Mr. "DALZELL. 1 yield ten minutes to my colleague [Mr. nongahela River be made free-to the Committee on Rivers and BROSIUSl. Harbors. Mr. BROSIUS. Mr. Speaker, our present situation is full of By Mr. GROSVENOR: Memorial and evidence to support House difficulty. The Treasury of the United States is in d1stress. The bill for the relief of James and Emma S. Cameron-to the Com white flag is out. This Congress can not afford to pass by on the mittee on War Claims. other side like the priest and Levite. We must render help, and Also, preamble and resolutions of the Logan (Ohio) Bushnell do it speedily. It doesn't matter what misadventure caused the Club, upholding the · Mom·oe doctrine, extending sympathy to dilemma or by what route we arrived in the Dismal Swamp of our Cuban patriots, and deprecating the failure of the current Admin distress. It is our plain duty to get out of it as speedily as pos istration to apply the principles of the Monroe doctrine to Cuba and sible. Such a situation must make every member of this House other struggling peoples-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. sensible of the claims his country has upon him to assist-at least By Mr. HICKS: P etition of W. S. Davis, G. E. Conrad, Fred. not to hinder-legislation calculated to afford 1·elief. Miller, John D. Landis, and a large number of other honorably Two propositions relating to the measure before the House seem discharged soldiers and sailors of "Johnstown, Pa., asking for an to me to be fundamental and indisputable. We must maintain amendment of the act of June 27, 1890, reducing the limit of service our gold reserve and we must provide the means of meeting the from ninety days to sixty and thirty days-to the Committee on current expenses of the Government. On these two propositions Invalid Pensions. there can be no controversy on this floor. We only arrive on the By Mr. KEM: Papers to accompany bill for relief of William field of contention when we come to consider the mode of carry Cromie-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. ing out these propositions. In respect to the gold resenre, it may Also, papers to accospany bill to pension Emily Grove-to the be .said that the situation of the Treasm·y of the United States un Committee on Invalid-.t'ensions. der our system is singularly unique. I thin;k it is the only place By Mr. LACEY: Petition of George W. D. Wade, for increase where gold redemption is absolutely compulsory without qualifi of pension-to the Committee on Pensions. cation or limitation. It is the only custodian of gold on the face Also, evidence in support of the bill to pension M. D. Box-to the of the earth, that I know of, which is without the means of resist Comm1ttee on Invalid Pensions. ing incursions from foreign claimants or domestic speculators or By Mr. MAHON: Two petitions of citizens of Huntingdon hoarders. Its necessities compel it to surrender its gold on de County, Pa., praying for the passage of House bill No. 5246 of the mand without means of replenishing the supply. As the stock Fifty-third Congress, to restrict immigration, and known as the diminishes the rush increases to get what remains, for a shrinkage W. A. Stone bill-to the Committee on Immigration and Natural in the reserve below what we are educated to regard as the appre ization. hensive limit, namely, $100,000,000, clouds the credit of the notes By Mr. McEWAN: Resolutions asking relief for Armenians and that rest upon it and causes doubt and distrust in the public Kurd~-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. mind. 382 CONGRESSIO~AL · RECORD-HOUS~. DECEMBER 28;
Now, Mr. Speaker, it is obvious to every reflecting mind that President Buchanan, in his annual message to Congress December we must replenish the gold reserve or suspend gold payments. 8, 1857, said: There are but two ways known to any hones·t Government of ob We have possessed all the elements of national wealth in rich abundance, taining gold or any other form of money-namely, by some form and yet, notwithstanding all these advnntages, our country, in its monetary interests, is at the present moment in a deplorable condition. In the midst of of taxation or by employing the credit of the Government to ob 1msurpassed plenty in all the productions of agriculture and in all the ele· tain money by boiTowing. We have already availed ourselves of ments of natiOnal wealth, we find our manufactures suspended, our public the former-the usual and ordinary method of obtaining revenue works retarded, our private enterprises of different kinds abandoned, and by the passage of the emergency revenue measure the other day; thousands of useful laborers thrown out of employment and reduced to want. and, if our expectations of the success of that measure are not dis In the same message, after describing the distTess and want to appointed, it may be that we will not be required to have recourse which·the people had been reduced, President Buchanan enlarged to any considerable extent to any other measure; for it is the de upon the inability of the people to purchase manufactul'ed articles liberate conviction of a large majority of this House and of the for lack of means, and that goods therefore ceased to be produced. :people of the United States whom we represent that the deficiency The decay of our own industries so lessened the people's means of m the revenue of the Government is the chief sinner in the com purchasing imported goods that imports fell off to such an extent edy of errors which has brought this counb·y to its present un that the revenue declined so that it was inadequate to meet the happy condition. It is our conviction that the revenue deficit and necessary expenses of the Government. To supply this deficiency the gold depletion are twin mischiefs. More than that, they are Congress, by act of December 23, 1857, authorized the issue of Siamese twins. One will live as long as the other survives. Kill $20,000,000 of Treasury notes. This proving inadequate, in June, the deficit, and gold depletion will instantly expire. [Applause.] 1858, a loan of $20,000,000 was authorized to meet the expenditures Nor is this the opinion of Republicans alone. Distinguished of the Government. Democratic organs have declared t}le same view. The New York The conditions progressed from bad to worse until March 3, World of November 23 last said editorially: 1859, when the situation was so appalling that the President issued a special message to Congress, appealing in tones of touching pa The simple truth is that the gold reserve runs down as often as it is replen ished because the revenues of the Government are not equal to its expendi thos to preserve the credit of the country. tures. The Treasury is paying out more than it receives, and is forced. to The Treasury was banJrrupt, the credit of the nation was re malm good the deficiency by borrowing. That is the fundamental fact in the duced to its lowest terms, and no provision was made for the nec case. The only permanent remedy is to be found in making the revenues equal to the demands upon the Treasury. essary expenses of the Government. Thus- On December 4 the same paper said editorially: Says the message- There remains, however, the experience of fifteen years to suggest that if the country, which is full of resources, will be dishonored before the worlt4 revenues were adequate the gold reserve would take care of itself. From and the .American people, who are a debt-paying people, will be disgraced by 1879 to 1892 it did so. the omission on our part to do our duty. And on December 7 it said: This statement of the character of our distresses and the condi The World has-shown from the President's own figures that the repeated depletions of the gold reserve were compelled by a lack of adequate revenue; tion of our counrty in the Administration of James Buchanan that more than a hundred millions of the gold got by the sale of bonds was could be truthfully applied to the Administration of Grover Cleve used in paying current expenses, and that if the bonds had not been sold the land without change save that of date. But the conditions of Government would not have had money enough to meet its bills. We add the country in the two periods are not more identical than are now that the Secretary of the Treasury has himself borne witness to all this. the causes which produced them. Now, Mr. Speaker, just at this point it occurs to me to allude to Under this Administration another onslaught was made upon a singular omission in the discussion the other day on the emer customs duties, and history has repeated itself. The deficit has gency revenue measure. We could not fail to note that none of already reached the alarming sum of $133,000,000, with a prospect the debaters appealed to the lamp of experience; no one turned on of continuance. the light of history to illumine our path way. This was a distinct But we have not relied wholly on the revenue measure already loss to the discussion, for in this instance that light possesses a enacted. We propose a recourse to other means of relieving the very high illuminating power. The history of deficits in the difficulty. Someone says we already have the power to borrow United States is very interesting and exceedingly instructive. I money. Yes, but we want the power to borrow in a suitable can not now allude to it with a view of forming the conviction fashion, conformably to the interests of the people. I do not which impelled the passage of the act the other day, though I may think it a suitable way to borrow money to farm out the Treasury refer to it for the purpose of increasing the satisfaction with which of the United States to European gold jockeys. It is not a suita we contemplate that action. ble way, in my judgment, to employ the sleuthhounds of a joint This is the third notable revenue deficit in this country in time foreign and American syndicate to hunt down gold to replenish of peace, and every one of them was produced by the same cause our reserves. There is one suitable means, and that is to borrow that is. the ill-advised reduction of customs duties. And, singu what we need from our own people at the lowest rate obtainable. larly enough, every one of them was followed by similar conse The popular character of this measure is one of its most attract quences in one or another degree, and in every instance the situa ive features. The people of the United States, in iny judgment, tion was relieved by the enactment of a tarill bill. Let us look ought to have the first opportunity to take every obligation of for a moment at the history of our revenue deficits. this Government in the negotiation of loans. If our people held Under the operation of the compromise tariff act of 1833, which to-day all of our indebtedness I doubt if the country would be in provided for the scaling down of import duties, there was such the trough of the financial sea as we are to-day. The interest that falling off of revenue that by 1840 the Treasury was empty. A we are compelled to pay to the holders of our bonds abroad con deficit existed for the first time in our history in time of peace, and stitutes a foreign liability which is ~burden upon the people when it brought financial disaster, as it always does. To meet the diffi ever there is an adverse balance of trade that we must meet culty a special session of Congress was convened in June, 1841, and whether om· gold is in the vaults of the Treasury of the United President Tyler, in his message, said that by March 4, 1842, there States or in those of the banks. France, with her fabulous debt would be a deficit of $11,406,132, and a further deficit by Septem of $4,000,000,000, finds no inconvenience in handling that debt, ber, 184.2, of $4,845,000. In his message of December, 1841, here because it is owned and held by her own people. ported a still further shortage, and declared that these accumrtlated So that if there was nothing else in this measure to commend deficits were the results of the great reduction of import duties it, the fact that it secured twQ distinct advantages not possessed by the legislation of 1833. by the present law-the low rate of interest and the giving to our In 1842 an act was passed entitled "An act to provide revenue for own people the right to hold this indebtedness-pleads, it seems the Government." That was the tariff act of 1842. Under this to me, tr1111?-pet-tongued in favor of the pending measure. act revenues revived. In a short time a surplus reappeared and I have heard some apprehension expressed that this bill would financial troubles were conspicuous by their absence until the ne:x-t operate to contract the cun·ency by retaining the greenbacks in revenue deficit occurred,which was in Buchanan's Administration. the Treasury. This does not seem to me a practical difficulty. I From 1843 to 1857 the revenue was adequate to meet expenditures, am quite willing that a limited amount of our greenback cm·rency but in the latter year an act was passed so reducing the duties on should be retained in the Treasm·y temporarily if it will afford imports that the revenue became totally inadequate to meet current relief in the present situation. Any contraction of the cmTency expenses, and the second deficit in our history in time of peace arising therefrom would be immediately supplied by the national occurred and contin ned increasing until the beginning of Lincoln's banks, and when the relief measures have done their work and Administration. The growth of this deficit is an interesting study. . our financial ship is righted the accumulated greenbacks could be The student of American finance will find by perusing the records used in payment of any Government indebtedness, and they of that Administration that on July 1, 1857, the public debt, less would then be as incapable of harm as they were for fifteen years cash in the Treasury, was $11,350,270. On July 1, 1860, it was aftel' the resumption of specie payment. $61,140,497, showing a deficit of $50,000,000 in three years. By the It is obvious to everyone that to go on borrowing gold to meet time Lincoln was inaugurated the debt reached $90,000,000, and the an endless drain would be as vain a task as that of the daughters deficit amounted to $70,000,000. N9w, what was the condition of of Danaus, doomed to draw water from a well and pour it eter tho country at that time in respect to finances and business? nally into a perforated cask. Such a process of redeeming notes 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 383
that are never redeemed is not consonant with reason, and if there by reason of difficulties we have not the power to overcome, our was to be no. end to it it would be necessary to dispose of the effort to perform will be accepted as performance, and we will be greenbacks at once by redemption and cancellation and thus kill acquitted by the people of the United States, and the responsibility what has been termed the auriferous tapeworm that wriggles back will be placed where it rightfully belongs. and forth between Wall street or London and the Treasury of When our supremacy in the Government is complete and onr the United States. power unhindered by Executive obstruction, it will be our duty I am now, as I always have been, and as I declared on this floor to repeal or materially modify that destructive piece of legisla in the debate on the bond bill in the Fifty-third Congress, opposed tion from which the President withheld his signature because it to the cancellation of the greenbacks, excepting in so far as it may was not bad enough to escape the imputation of " perfidy and be absolutely necessary to afford relief from present distress. dishonor," to reorganize our monetary system as rapidly as time The people of the United States will not consent that five hundred and experience reveal defects until we have as perfect a financial millions of noninterest-bearing shall be converted into an equal system as the wisdom of man can devise, to formulate and main amount of interest-bearing debt. tain a foreign policy which shall be as broad-ganged as our nation The last section in this bill will hardly admit of anything being ality, with a firmness equal to our national self-respect, with a said in its favor, because it is so manifestly in the line of public dignity commensurate with our preeminence among nations, and interest and public economy. Every Government, I suppose, on with a contempt for bluster, bravado, and jingoism as profound the face of the earth has lodged with it the power, when exigen as our country is great. This salutary work in the fullness of cies arise, to replenish its funds by a temporary loan by certificates time will be done, and wisely done, by that great party which en of indebtedness or consols or something of that character, and we joys the preeminence of never having betrayed a trust or broken would have conferred this authority long ago upon the 8ecretary a pledge or deceived the people or denied its master from the day of the Treasury if we had ever anticipated the need of such a re it followed the leadership of the glorious old Pathfinder to honor course. But in the plenitude of our ready money we never an able defeat, through all its years of devotion and toil and vic ticipated the possibility of needing to resort to temporary means tory down to this auspicious hour, when the people, recovering the of meeting emergencies of this kind. dominion of reason and rejudging the judgment of 1892, call it But now the situation is changed and new occasions bring new again into confidence and favor, place the laurel upon its brow, duties. Our calamities are now onr teachers and admonish us of the reins of power in its hands, and bid it guide the Republic the wisdom of no longer ne~lecting in health the sanitary precau through wise government into the pathway that leads to the sweet; tions that may serve us in sickness. pastures of prosperity and the still waters ·of peace and plenty. I see no other way to succor the distressed Treasury than by the [Loud applause on the Republican side.l measures proposed, and this Congress is pledged to afford relief. What has been said in the course of this debate in advocacy of It holds a commission which commands this duty. It was sum the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 does not seem to moned distinctly for this purpose. It was elected to guard the bear a very close relation to the subject of "bonds" and "reve Republic against further injury, to restore duties improperly taken nue"; yet it may have a remote connection with it. As the free off, to reinstate the specific basis of duties, and save the many mil coinage of silver under existing conditions, by the United States lions of revenue lost by undervaluation under the ad valorem sys alone, would lead directly to silver monometallism, I desire to tem. This is the mandate of the people of the United States and submit for the consideration of the gentleman from Colorado [1\fr. it must be obeyed. It can not qe disobeyed without dishonor_ BELL] and others of his way of thinking who are interested in That we are surrounded with difficulties which obstruct us in our the inquiry, whether our money unit under the act of 1792 was duty will not excuse us for omitting proper effort to acquit our based upon one or both metals, the results of a study of that sub selves of the obligations laid upon us. That other branches of the ject from its historical side; with a review of the arguillents of Government may fail to suitably meet their responsibilities will the fathers who laid the foundations of our monetary system and not absolve us from the obligation to meet ours. who did not favor the idea of silver monometallism. I could not~ 1 do not doubt that the circumstances in which a divided Gov of course, do this in the time at my command, but it will answer ernment has placed us may to some extent limit our obligations the same purpose to extend my remarks under the rule, and I will and relieve us from duties which under other circumstances avail myself of the p1ivilege. would lay heavily upon us. Legislation clearly within the com Whetherthemoneynnitcontemplated by the coinage act of 1792 mission we hold, and, had we a united Government, would be as was based on bothmetals or on one onlymaynot be of great prac clearly mthin our duty, must be postponed for the present. The tical importance to-day, yet as a link in the chain of our monetary inutility of attempting what can not succeed will be our warrant history, and as a subject of historical research commanding no for inaction when action could not avail. But measures which inconsiderable attention at this time, it has value enough to war are obviously necessary, that are imperiously demanded to relieve rant a desire to be right in our conclusions concerning it. In the necessities which are pressing with extreme urgency and which interest of historic truth, therefore, and for no other purpose, I the Constitution requires shall originate in this Honse, must be desire to bring into distinct review the acts and the arguments of considered and passed at the earliest day practicable. In other the fathers of that daywho had most to do with the establishment words, the necessities of the hour measure our duty. of our monetary system relating to the vexed question of our Now, let me say, Mr. Speaker, that there is no politics whatever money unit. The data which such a review will supply may be in this measure. The motive of this legislation contains but useful in guarding against error, and in aiding those who are pur two ingredients-patriotism and business. The President of the suing the inquiry to arrive at conclusions upon which an honest United States has appealed to this House for succor to a distressed mind can rest with satisfaction. Treasury. It does not matter, it seems to me, that he has blun dered in the diagnosis of the case and recommends a wrong rem WHAT IS .A "MONEY UNIT"? edy. Let us give the patient the right one. The doctor who It may be desirable at the outset to try to have an intelligent would withhold a suitable· prescription from a suffering patient notion of the meaning of the expression " money unit," about because a quaclr had recommended a wrong one would hardly which much may be said without making it clear; and, indeed, be worthy of his profession. Neither is there any occasion to when we come to define it, the less we say the less we are likely to canvass and dispute about the delinquencies of the Democratic obscnre it. Some of the difficulty would no doubt vanish if we party and their relation to the distresses of the country. I admit avoided confounding the abstract and the concrete contents of the that they are great, that they are colossal-monumental. But expression. A numerical unit is a pure abstraction. It is ex what has that to do with the question of our duty to the country pressed by a figure. we manipulate figures without respect to in the exigency that confronts us? The surgeon in diagnosing a commodities of any kind. We can say three times three· are nine gunshot wound does not need to know whether the gun was dis without considering the concrete denotement of the numbers. It charged by accident or design; the treatment is the same in either may be one or more of anything you choose, as one dollar or one case. There ai'e some things I am sure we can not afford to do apple. A numerical unit is not a creature of the law, but of the merely for a party advantage. We can not afford to harm the mind. A single thing is one bynature and not by legal enactment. country to help the party. We must be pahiots before we are So we can not reach the legal contents of the expression "money partisans. unit" from the merely numerical side. There is but one word to-day that can express the supreme and When we advance a step toward the reality and add to the nn overruling inspil·ation of this hour, and that word is '' patriotism." melical abstraction the word" dollar," we have a concrete unit. There is -but one word that can denote the action which that over Every unit of measure or weight or value must be a concrete unit; ruling inspiration commands, and that word is''duty." Ifweare a unit expressed by a determinate amount or quantity or weight insensible to the one or disobedient to the other, we are sure to of the thing to be measured or weighed or estimated, to be taken convict ourselves of recreancy to a great public duty, and we can as a standard of comparison for other determinate amounts, quan not expect to escape the sentence of dishonor. tities, or weight of like kind, and without which no kind of ex Let us, therefore, legislate up to date. Let us pass this measure change but primitive barter could take pla~e. and afford suitable relief as far as·we can under the circumstances A money unit then contains this group of ideas, nan:i.ely: in which we are nlaced by the misfortune of a divided Government. First. A numerical abstraction-a symbol for purposes of no~ .Aiter we have done w.nat we can to effect this purpose and fail tion. · 384 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. DECEMBER 28,
Second. A determinate weight of pre~ions metal or metals, as The argument that led up to this conclusion was that the scale the case may be, which is fixed by law. by which everything is to be measured ought to be fixed as the Third. The denomination" dollar," also a creature of the law, nature of things will permit of. And a money standard affixed which expresses the value of the predetermined weight of precious to both metals would not afford a fixed and certain scale, because metal which constitutes the unit. if affixed to both it would in reality be affixed to,neither- The value inheres in the metal and not in the form of it. A cer For tain number of grains of gold or silver in the form of a cube are just Resays- as effectually a unit of value as if in the form of a disk, for value the demand which commerce might make for either of the precious metals resides in substance and not in form. in preference to the other would vary this r eal standard from time to time, The struck coin is a thing apart. It is not the "money unit," and in every payment a man would get more or less of r eal value for his debt, but a thing of convenience in exchange, a certificate of weight according as he was paid in the coin of greater or less value in relation to and fineness. H it coincides with the unit in value, that is an the real standard. · incident which gives it no character different from other coins Mr. Morris next considers what the "money unit" should be. excepting in denomination. The unit, as a mere symbol, is only He says: the money of the mind. The struck coin is the piece for pay The purposes of commerce require that the lowest divisible point of money, ment, and contains the value which its name expresses. The or what is more properly called the "money unit," should be very small, but there is no necessity that the unit be exactly represented in coin. It is suffi former is in view when a contract of sale is made; the latter cient that its value be precisely known. only comes into , requisition when it is executed. One is for the arithmetic of exchange, to afford terms in which values can be This makes it quite clear that in his mind there was a distinction expressed; the other is to effect exchanges of commodities whose between the "money unit" and the sensible object which was to ' value has been reduced to expression in the terms of the unit. represent it. We have thus arrived at our definition of "moneyunit,"namely, Advancing his argument on this line, Mr. Morris says: a given number of grains of precious metal possessing a determi The money unit will be equal to a quarter of a grain of fine silver in coined money. Proceeding, then, in a decimal ratio, 100 would be the lowest silver nate value, named "dollar" or "unit," by comparison with which coin, and wght be called a cent, while the dollar, which contains about 373 the denominations of money are regulated, and in the terms of grains of fine silver at the mint price, would be 1,440 units. which, or the fractions or multiples thereof, general values are He does not propose the coinage of any piece of that name, but expressed. all current coins are to be rated to silver at a mint price, estab THE FIELD OF DISCUSSION. lished at 22,237 units per pound. The great merit he claimed for The field over which the discussion of the fathers ranged em- his unit was that all the currencies of the States were reducible braces several distinct inquiries: to it without a remainder. First. "What should be the unit of value?" MORRIS'S CONCLUSIONS. Second. ''Whether it should be based on one metal or both?" The points distinctly made by Mr. Morris and to be canied with Third. "Whether it should be represented by a coin of corre- us in the further progress of the discussion are: First, that a sponding value?" money unit affixed to both metals could not be stable and certain; Fourth. "What coins should be struck to express values in the second, that the money unit should be attached to silver alone; uses to which money was to be put?" third, that no coin need be struck to correspond with the money Each of these questions had distinct consideration and decision. unit. The difficulties encountered by the Colonies and the Confederation, THOMAS JEFFERSON'S VIEWS. on account of the confused state of their money, were distinctly The next important contribution to the discussion is ''Thomas before the minds of the fathers when, under the Federal regime, Jefferson's notes on the establishment of a money unit and of a they took up the subject of our money for deliberate and deter coinage for the United States." These notes, it appears, were minate treatment. Foreign coins of gold and silver were current communicated to Cong1·ess simultaneously with Mr. Morris's re in the country; their value varied in different States, and to know port in 1782. Mr. Jefferson objected to Mr. Morris's money unit the meaning of ''a pound" or ''a shilling" you had to know what because it was too small, holding that the one thousand four hun State you were in. · · dred and fortieth part of a dollar as a unit would be inconvenient The Spanish silver dollar had, it is said, at least five different in commerce. He says: values in as many sections of the country. McMaster tells us it It is inconvenient in its application to ordinary money transactions. The was not unusual for a traveler to pay bills with silver dollars in price of a loaf of bread, one-twentieth of a dollar, would be 72units. A pound Boston at 6s. the dollar; the next week in New York at 8s.; some of butter, one·fifth of a dollar, would be 288 units. Ten thousand dollars days later in Philadelphla at 7s. 6d., and still later at 32s. 6d. at would reqire eight figures, to wit, 14,400,000. A horse or bullock of $80 value (.,"h.arleston. Gold, it seems, was not subject to so much varia would require a notation of six figures, to wit, 115,200 uuits. tion. The value of the gold pieces expressed in dollars was pretty Nowhere in his notes does Mr. Jefferson make any objection to much the same the country over, and 24! grains of gold corre the plan of Mr. Morris on the ground of there being no coined sponded very nearly with the nominal value of the Spanish silver piece to correspond with the unit of value. He assented, also, to dollar in all the States. the suggestion that it was not essential that a coin be struck to Another cause of confusion was the clipping of the coin, which correspond with the money unit. The decimal ratio, he thought, had been carried to such an extent that Washington suggested was ingenious and admirable. that before long every man would have to travel with a pair of In considering the unit of money he says: balances in his pocket, or run the risk of being cheated. In such Three circumstances are of principal importance: "First. That it be of a convenient size to be applied as a measure to the a state of monetary chaos it is little wonder that the people began common money transactions of life. to look to Congress for succor and that committees were ap "Second. That its parts and multiples be an easy proportion to each other, pointed to consider and report upon suitable means of unifying so as to facilitate the money arithmetic. "Third. That the 'unit' and its parts or divisions be so nearly of the value the money of the country. of some of the known coins as that they may be of easy adoption for the ROBERT MORRIS ON THE UNIT. people." It will be seen that in this enumeration of the important req Confronted by the necessity thus presented of a suitable mone uisites of a ''money unit" no mention is made of the metal in tary system for the new Government, and ins?"ncte?- by the expe which the "unit" is to be represented. Gold would answer all rience of the past, the fathers came to the consideratiOn of the sub the requirements equally with silver. He, however, goes on to ject. The report of Robert Morris to Cong1·es~ on~ coinage scheme, say, ''The Spanish dollar seems to fulfill all these conditions." made on' January 15,1782, was the firstcontnbutionof ~eatvalue His reasoning in support of this observation may be summarized to the discussion of that day. . That report, though It bore the as follows: name of Robert, is believed to have been wrought out chiefly by 1. As a common measure it is of convenient size. Gouverneur Morris. By way of preliminary, he observed the hap 2. The value of any amount up to $10,000 is easily estimated bfthe m ind, so piness we derived from unity in our system of weights and meas also that of the tenth or hundredth of a dollar; and few transactions are above ures throughout America, and noted the advantages we enjoyed or below these limits. 3. It coincides in value with some of the known coins so nearly that the peo from having throughout the Union the same ideas of a mile a?d ple can quickly estimate their value. an inch, a hogshead and a quart, a pound and an ounce. But With 4. The dollar is a known coin and the most familiar of all to the mind of the respect to our money he lamented that the case was widely differ people. ent, and that the ideas annexed to a pound, shilling, and penny It will be observed that none of these reasons turn upon the were as various as the States themselves, rendering calculation a metal out of which the unit is to. be coined, and no preference is prerequisite to every commercial exchange. He then takes up the indicated on the ground of any intrinsic or even sentimental su chief inquiry which concerns us in this paper, namely, ''Whether periority of silver over gold. There is no suggestion that silver the money unit should be affixed to both metals or to one only?" was the money of the poor and gold the money of the rich; no After comparing the merits of the metals and the arguments for suggestion of a conflict of interests between Wall street and the and against each, he says: rural districts, between the banker and the farmer; no thought There can be no doubt, therefore, that our money standard ought to be expressed of favoring one metal by attaching the unit to it, or that a1lixed to silver. men "desiring to injure business by making money scarce could 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-· HOUSE. ~ 385
not so easily get hold of all the sUver and .hide it away as-they could standard value according to weight or fineness, whiie gold, on the gold." The era of the demagogue had not yet come in. other hand, had a fixed price lJy weight and fineness. He says: JEFFERSON' S RECOMMENDATIONS. The ~eater stability of value of the gold coins is an argument of force' for ·regardmg the money unit as having been hitherto virtually attached to gold In concluding his notes Mr. Jefferson submits the following rather than to silver. recommendations: That the money unit of these States shall be equal in value to a Spanish Then, again, he suggested that the variety of " dollars" then milled dollar; that it shall be divided into tenths and hundredths; that there current, containing unequal amounts of fine silver, presented a shall be a coin of silver of the value of the unit, another of the same metal of difficulty in defining the particular '' dollar " to which the ''money the value of one-tenth of a unit, one other of copper of the value of one-hun unit" was to be applied, supposing it to be most applicable to dredth of a unit; that there shall be a coin of gold of the value of ten units. that species of coin. Nor did he omit to point out the importance In a supplementary paper he says: of applying the unit to a coin that would be comformable to the My proposition, then, is that our notation of money shall be decimal;_ that existing proportion between the two metals in this country as the unit of this notation shall be a dollar; that coin shall be accommoaated well as to that which obtains in the commercial world generally. to it from $10 to the hundredth of a dollar. NO PREFERENCE FOR EITHER METAL. JEFFERSON'S CONCLUSIONS. Remembering, for the purpose of corp.parison, the conclusions He next applies his mind to the inquiry whether or not the of Mr. Morris, those of Mr. Jefferson may be summed up thus: money unit ought to be peculiarly attached to either of the metals in preference to the other, and if to either, to which of them. The First. That the minuteness of Mr. Morris's money unit was not desirable, though the decimal ratio was admirable. argument in this part of the report advances with so firtn and sure ' Second. That the unit should be of the value of the Spanish milled dollar, a foot that I must, at the risk of tediousness, reproduce a portion and that a piece should be coined to correspond with it. of it in Mr. Hamilton's own words. Third. That the money unit should be based on both metals. . After indicating that the resolutions of Congress of 1785 and In view of the foregoing, it seems difficult to conceive how any 1786, declaring the money unit to be a dollar, and providing for other conclusion is deducible from Jefferson's notes than that he both gold and silver coins, were not clear in their meaning, since believed that the money unit should be based on both metals. they did not explain whether either of the two species of coins of But happily he did not leave the matter there. In his letter to gold or silver had any greater legality in payments than the other, Hamilton of February, 1792, he says: and sugge-sting that a preference in the matter of payment was I will return you the report on the unit, which I have read over with a necessary to carry out the idea of attaching the unit exclusively great' deal of satisfaction. I concur with you in thinking that the unit must to one metal, he says: stand on both metals. , Morris found grave objections to Jefferson's recommendations. nJl ~~o~ ~e,:h~ ~:~t~~as~~: ~~i~~::: t~~~cea.~~~:~!:ft~~~~~eis unit rather than the other. If the general declaration that the dollar sh:fi He thought they provided a money unsuitable to the wants of be the money unit of the United St-ates could be understood to give it a su the people; that the dollar was more nearly related to the British perior legality in payments the institution of coins of gold and the declara money than to our own currency; emphasizing his objection by tion that each of them sha.li be equal to a certain number of dollars would appear to destroy that inference. And the circumstance of making the dol the suggestion that you might as well select for American farm lar the unit in the money of account seems to be rather a matter of form ers a scythe used among the Alps instead of one suitable to our than of substance. own fields. Contrary to the ideas which have heretofore prevailed in the suggestions concerning a coinage for the United States, though not without much hesita VIEWS OF THE GRA~"'D COMMITTEE. tion, arising from a deference for those ideas, the Secretary is, upon the whole, · The next contribution to the discussion in consecutive order st rongly inclined to the opinion that a preference ought to be given to neither of the metals for the money unit. Perhaps if either were to be preferred it was the report to Congress of what was called the " Grand Com ought to be gold rather than silver. · mittee on the Money Unit," in 1785. In this report the divergent But upon the whole it seems to be most advisable, a-s has been observed, ·views were considered and the conclusions of Ur. Jefferson not to attach the unit exclusive!~ to either of the metals, because this can ·adopted. They recommend the '' dollar " as the money unit on not be done effectually without destroying the office and character of one of them as money and reducing it to the situation of a. mere merchandise the distinct grounds that the people were familiar with the value which, accordingly, at different times, has been proposed from different and ·of a "dollar"; that·it had been in general use and would conform very respectable quarters, but which would probably be a greater evil than to the national mode of keeping accounts. occasional variations in the unit frGm the fluctuations in the relative value of the metals, especially if care be taken to regulate the proportion between On July 6,1785, Congress received the report of the grand com them, with an eye to their average commercial value. mittee, and on the resolution "That the money unit of the United States of America be one dollar," the yeas and nays were called, Later on in this report Mr. Hamilton recurs to the question of and every member answered "yea." the '' money unit," and concludes the discussion as follows: The conclusion to be drawn from the observations which have been made BOARD OF TREASURY REPORT. on the subject is this: '.rhat the unit in the coins of the United States ought to correspond with 24t grains of pure gold and with 371t grains of pure silver, On the 8th of April, 1786, the Board of Treasury reported to Con each answering to a dollar in the money of account. The former is exactly gress their conclusions on the expediency of a mint for the coin agreeable to the present value of gold. and the latter is within a small fraction of the mean of the two last emissions of dollars, the only ones which are now age of American money. found in common circulation and of which the newest is in the greatest In their report they recommended a ''silver dollar" as the money abundance. The alloy in each case to be one-twelfth of the total weight, unit. In August, 1786, Congress adopted the following resolution: which will make the unit Z1 grains of standard gold and 405 grains of stand- ard silver_ · · Resolved, That the money unit of the United States, being by the resolve of Each of these, it has been remarked, will answer to a dollar in the money Congress of the 6th of July, 1785, a. dollar, shall contain of fine silver 375.64 of account. It is conceived that nothing better can be done in relation to grains. this than to pursue the track marked out by the resohttion of the 8th of Au gust, 1786. This bas been approved abroad as well as at home, and it is After providing for the coinage of the dollar as the highest sil certain that nothing can be more simple or convenient than the decimal sub ver coin, and the divisions thereof, halves, double dimes, and half divisions. There is every reason to expect that the method will speedily _dimes, it provides- grow into general use when it shall be seconded by corresponding coins. On this plan the unit in the money of account will continue to be, as established That there shall be two gold coins, one containin~ 246.268 grains of fine gold by that resolution, a. dollar and its multiples, dimes, cents, and mills, or equal to $10, and to be called an eagle. One containing 123.134 grains of fine tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. , gold equal to $5, and to be called a half eagle- HOW H~TON DETERJ\IINED THE WEIGHT OF THE SILVER DOLLAR. HAMILTON'S REPORT. It is worth noting in this connection how Hamilton determined To this point had the evolution of our ''money unit" arrived upon 371t grains of fine silver as the most suitable amount for the when Hamilton entered the debate with his celebrated report on silver dollar. He found that the Spanish milled dollars of differ the establishment of a mint. This was presented to Congress in ent dat.es varied in the amount of silver they contained, one con April, 1791, andas the views therein expressed were subsequently taining 374 and another 368 grains, and that neither one sustained embodied in the coinage act of 1792, he may be said to have given to 24! .P"ains of fine gold the ratio of 15 to 1, which coincided with the subject its final form and finish and his views to have received the ditterence in the coined metals as established by custom in our the honor of acceptance by the American people. Mr. Hamilton, market and in our currency. Taking the mean of the two Spanish in this report, covers the entire ground of the previous discussion, pieces, however, he found that the proportion conformed very and treats the subject with a firmness of grasp and clearness of nearly to the ratio of 15 to 1, so that he had only to multiply 23! insight into the principles of monetary science only possible to his by 15 to obtain 371i as the proper weight in grains for the silver amplitude of understanding and intellectual penetration. · The dollar. first inquiry to which he addresses himself is, "What ought to be He then gives the. following schedule of coins which he thinks the nature of the money unit of the United States?" By way of would be advisable until experience demonstrates the necessity preliminary he alludes to the then existing "unit" in the money for others: of account, which he maintained was the" pound sterling," though One gold piece, equal in weight and value to ten units or dollars. it could not be said to be the "unit in the coins." In the absence One gold piece, equal to a tenth part of the former, and which shall be • of legislation, usage and practi.ce, he _thought, .ha,d given that unit or dolla.r. · . One silver-piece, which shall also be a unit br dollar. character to the Spanish mille4 dollar. He, however, saw objec One silver piece, which shall be in weight and value a. tenth part of tbe tions to the'' dollar," because it had never had any settled or silver unit or dollar. XXVIII-25 386 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. DECEl\fBER 28,
One copper piece, which shall be of the value of a. hundredth part of a. dollar of 'l?oth. No two V
388 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE: DECEMBER 28,
the Treasury. Yes, Mr. President, and a deficiency remains, and unpopular in this House for a member to avow that he is a mono increases at the same time. But what are you Democrats doing? metallist, but I have been, and am to-day, and always shall be Why, you criticise, butoffernothing. Youdidnotofferanything until that vague, impossible international agreement which is in the last Congress. Even when we proposed to give you some hinted at shall be consummated-in favorofasinglegoldstandard; thing, you said "No." Now a Republican House-and, gentle that is, in favor of a standard in variable in nature, approaching men, that is all that is Republican in this Government to-day most nearly the ideal of immutability or unchangeableness; and . the Republican House of Representatives refused to adjourn over you will all agree with me that the precious metal, which has been the holidays, and said, "We are chosen the doctors; we will give a dominant in the world as the standard of value for centuries past, remedy, so far as the House can give a remedy, that will reach the is the only safe single standard. root of the disease." fApplause on the Republican side.] But passing by that question, I may in the limited time accorded What was the first tning to be done? It was to pass a bill which to me be enabled only to indicate the objections to this special would make the revenues of this Government sufficient to meet measure. The views which I expresg on monometallism are my the expenditures of this Government, and carrying with it inci own views, but I think it is safe for me to assert that the sound dental protection. And relief under that bill, if enacted, so far money Demecrats are opposed to this bill for substantially the as deficiency and resumption are concerned, will come as surely same reasons which I shall adduce. as the water came when the rock was struck by Moses in the desert. The Republican party will bear the responsibility for the char But what have you gentlemen done on the other side? You have acter of relief now offered to the country. The failure of this struck, fought against, criticised-God Almighty never made a measure of relief-so called, but in reality no measure of relief set of men who could better tear down and criticise-while you will not lie upon the shoulders of the Democratic party. The are without an atom of power to build up, preserve, or increase. gentlemen upon that side, the Republican side of the House, will fLaughter and applause on the Republican side.] We passed om· be responsible for the further depletion of the gold reserve and for oill, and passed it at once. We knew that the President was not in the failure to maintain public confidence in the integrity of our good faith, yet we wanted to do what we could, whether he was financial system. In the first bill, the taTiff bill, which was of in good faith or bad faith, to give the proper relief that we knew fered the other day, if you intended to give us relief, why did you was required. We applied the remedy that was necessary. We not bring in a measure based on revenue lines only? Why did you acted, and acted promptly. Yet yon Democrats complain of our not offer us a bill imposing duties on the great Tevenue-producing speed. Why, my God! one of you gentlemen would have been articles, such as tea and coffee, and imposing a stamp duty? Why talking on that side for a week if we had given you an oppor did you offer us a bill protective in its nature and a bill which it tunity. fLaughter and applause on the Republican side.] would be impossible for any Democratic Executive ever to affix Now, tliis ·bill is pending. What is there to do? Gold going his signature to? out; deficiency increasing. We come with this bill and say we What are the objections to this measure? In the first place, have here the condition brought about by Cleveland and Democ you avoid the issue. The gold reserve fund was never created by racy. There can be no return of prosperity until in the White positive law, and it is mentioned for the first time in the act of House, until in the Senate, and in this House, the Republican 1882 in the following words: party is in the ascendancy to write on the statute books our policy. The Secretary of the Treasury shall suspend the issue of such gold certifi [Applause on the Republican side.] When that condition comes, cates whenever the amount of g_old coin and gold bullion in the Treasury as come it will, Mr. Speaker, we will establish that policy which reserved for the redemption of United States notes falls below $100,000,000. will bring relief and prosperity to the country. [Applause on the Republican side.] At present we can only do the best we can Why do you not call this a gold bullion and gold coin redemp under existing circumstances. tion fund in the title of your bill? Because you dare not take In the meantime we will take no proper power from the Secre that issue; because you know that the members of your party on tary of the Treasury. He ought to have all the power that is nec that side of the House will not pass a bill providing for a bond essary, and if he abuses it a just public sentiment will hold him payable specifically in gold. You deny the Secretary of the responsible. We will authorize, in addition to the 4 and 5 per Treasury the only relief be asks for. cent bonds, which he can now issue, a 3 per cent, short-time, The second section of this bill is comparatively unobjectionable, popular bond. We will make him offer these bonds-the fours, because that provides for certificates of indebtedness running a the fives, and the threes-to the American people first. We short time, in lieu of the short-time bonds asked by the Secretary, say by this act, if enacted into law, Mr. Grover Cleveland, you and the only objection to that section is that the amount is lim shall not in the secret hours of the night, without the knowledge ited to $50,000,000. But the salient measure of relief demanded of the people of the United States, assemble a syndicate of men by the Secretary of the Treasury is that you issue what? Bonds and place the obligations of our Government,_our public securities, payable in the first place in gold. In the second place, that those in their hands at a profit to the syndicate of ten to twenty millions bonds be long-time bonds. What do ~ou give him? You give of dollars. We say our people, in our opinion, stand ready and him a coin bond, a bond which can not be floated. You give him able to give the relief, and should have the first opportunity. a bond running for five years, then redeemable at the pleasure of Mr. BOWERS. Does not it look as if he were going to get the the United States ·in coin; and at most payable in fifteen years. start of us? Then you deny him the great measure of relief which is impera Mr. CANNON of illinois. Now, gentlemen, what are we Re tively demanded by the interests of this country. What is that? publicans doing? We are proposing a measure of relief. What That the greenbacks shall be gradually retired and canceled. are you Democrats doing'? You say, ''No." Let me tell you how Why;a measure of this kind is absolutely futile. You are proba it looks to me: That already, before the last Cleveland message bly_aware that it will not pass even In this House. It certainly was sent to Congress, an agreement was made by him with the can never receive the signature of a Democratic Executive. Now, syndicate for another issue of bonds at a rate fa,r below their what is to be done? What is the country entitled to? If the value. Look here, my Democratic friends, you voted solidly revenue is not to be increased on revenue lines, what other meas against this proposition last winter when you could have had it, ure of relief should be granted? In the first place, a gold bullion and you will vote solidly againstit now. You free silver coinage and a gold coin redemption fund should be created expressly by Democrats, 16 to 1, are against it because you want to impair the statute. In the second place, that fund should be made to con value of the cun·ency. You cuckoo Democrats are against it be sist of either $100,000,000 or $200,000,000, and should be sacredly cause the President bas sent down his order for you to be against set aside for the redemption and eventual cancellation and retire it. But as an evidence of Republican wisdom and patriotism, in ment of the legal-tender notes. And then the provision of the my judgment, on this side of the House we stand ready to pass it. act of May 31, 1878, requiring the reissu~ of the redeemed green If the Senate passes it and the President signs it, it is well. If the backs should be repealed. Senate and President object we at least cast our mite, so far as A further objection to this bill is found in the provision as to we can, toward reassuring the people of the United States that ~dvertising. Qf the first loan that was issued, of $50,000,000, only we will protect the public credit and prevent improper contracts some $745,000 were taken by individuals. Of the second loan of with syndicates. ' (Applause on the Republican side.] $50,000,000 only $1,533,000 were taken by individuals, and these Mr. CRISP. I yield ten minutes to the gentleman from New large loans must be taken in the main by institutions and by York fMr. BARTLETT]. banks, and the advertising is futile, unnecessary, and undesirable Mr. "BARTLETT of New York. Mr. Speaker, I_rise to oppose from every commercial and financial standpoint. this bill, for reasons different from many of the reasons which The specific demand of the Secretary of the Treasury is con will be advocated by members of the Democratic 'party. I am tained in these words: That be shall have authority to issue from opposed to the passage of this bill because I believe that its pas time to time bonds, payable in gold, bearing interest at a rate not sage, instead of strengthening confidence in the fuiancial ability exceeding 3 per cent per annum, and having a long time to run, and integrity of the Government, will shake public confidence and and to exchange the bonds for United States notes and Treasury lead to panic or to financial depression. If I believed this were notes upon such terms as may be most advantageous to the Gov an !J.one.st ~easnre of )."eJief I sho~ld c~t my vote in its !!J!vor, put ernment, o:r to sell them abroad for gold whenever in his jndg- . I am opposed to it because it is .not a gold measure, because the ment it is advisable to do so, and use the gold thus obtained in re bond provided for is not a gold bond. I know that it is· somewhat deeming the outstanding notes. 1895. CONGRESSIONAL -RECORD-HOUSE.
So, if we were allowed to offer amendments, I should offer the the conclusion, long since arrived at by the people, that the pri following amendments: mary cause of our difficulty was a deficiencyinrevenue,producing I should alter the title so that it should read: "A bill to main ·absolute insolvency. Thereupon the committee decided that the tain and protect the gold coin and gold bullion redemption fund." only adequate remedy was such legislation as would increase the Gentlemen, you must remember that of the gold reserve fund revenue of the Government, making it equal to our expenditures. now nearly one-half, or $31,000,000, consists of gold bullion, and That bill passed this House Thursday of this week, and if it be the balance, some $35,000,000, consists of gold coin. . comes a law will so increase the duties on imports as to net the I should provide that authority should be given to issue, sell, Government in revenue $40,000,000 per year in excess of what we and dispose of the bonds at not less than par in gold coin, insert are to-day receiving. ing the word "gold;" and I should further provide that these To accomplish this on the line of the principles of the Republican bonds should be redeemable by the Treasury of the United States party and in time to meet the existing emergency was out of the ·in gold coin, and should be payable in gold coin, and I should in question for two reasons: First, because of the time and labor neo sert a section repealing the provision of the act of 1878 whic.h esl:lary to a just and equitable revision of our present tru·iff laws; requires the reissue of the redeemed greenbacks. and, second, that with a political mongrel at the other end of the So that there could not be any doubt in the minds of the public Capitol,·and a free-trade President at the other end of Pennsylvania as to our intention to preserve the integrity of our financial avenue, no general revision of the tariff on the line of protection system. is possible. Under these circumstances it was thought the Repub The SPEAKER. The time of the gentleman from New York licans in this House would, for the time being, waive the principle has expired. of protection in the·hope that thereby temporary legislation might Mr. TAWNEY. Mr. Speaker, I have listened to this debate be secured, notwithstanding the conflicting political views of the with much interest and some astonishment. Some gentlemen on legislative and executive branches of our Government, that would that side oppose the passage of this bill because the bonds author at least enable the Government to save itself from absolute bank ized are not made payable in gold. Others oppose it because it ruptcy until1897, when we all hope to see our Government again does not expressly provide thatthe bonds shall be payable in gold tmder the complete control of the Republican party, a party that and silver instead of "coin." From these differences among the has given to the American people a higher degree of prosperity Democratic members of this House it .would seem their party has and a more general diffusion of the comforts of life than any lost that admirable quality of harmonious cohesion which it has political organization that has ever controlled their affairs. [ Ap always displayed when playing the role of a national "kicker," a plause.l role in which it has exhibited its greatest usefulness and won its The bill which was presented by the committee for that pur chief renown. pose, and which has passed this House, was not drawn with any On this side a few Republicans have expressed their disapproval intention of em bodying in it the principle of protection, nor could of the measure for the reason that, as they .claim, it is contrary to we hope in the time allowed to attempt to correct what Mr. Cleve · the policy of the Republican party, and further because the peo land designated as the "outrageous discriminations" of the present . ple are opposed to issuing bonds in times-of peace, and that they law. To have done so would have involved so much time and fear the passage of the bill will authorize the retirement of green created so much contention between conflicting interests that, backs. metaphorically speaking, Rome would have burned while we were Before discussing these several propositions on which gentle fiddling. I sincerely regret, Mr. Speaker, that one of the princi men are trying to justify their votes against the bill, and in order pal discriminations in our present tariff law could not have been that we may know whether or not the Coiilrilittee on Ways and corrected. I refer now to the injustice done to the farmers of our Means acted wisely in reporting this bill to a Republican House country in the framing and passage of that law. These great as a means of tiding over the existing emergency, I desire to briefly producers have suffered materially in consequence of that dis call attention to a few facts that preceded the action of the com crimination. There is abundant evidence in that section of the mittee. country which I have the honor to represent to 8how the hardships On Friday of last week the financial condition of our Govern imposed upon those men whose chief products are barley, dairy ment became so alarming that the President deemed it necessary products, and live animals, and I hope before the bill becomes a to address Congress on the subject, and in a special message he law, if it ever does, that it may be so amended that these several took occasion to ask that we take immediate steps to relieve a situ items may be relieved from the unjust discriminations to which ation that threatened financial disaster and ruin to American they are subjected by the Wilson-Gorman tariff law. interests. In that message, after refening to his last annual In explanation of why these inequalities could not be removed message, he describes the situation as follows: in respect to the agricultural schedule, permit me to say that had a · The contingency then feared ~ reached us, and the withdrawals of gold different course been pursued in respect to that schedule from that since the communication referred to, and· others that appear inevitable, followed in respect to other schedules, it would have subjected the . threaten such a depletion in our Government gold reserve as brings us face bill to the criticism of discriminating in favor of one interest as to face to the necessity of further action for its protection. against other interests equally entitled to our favorable considera He then expressed the hope that the members of this House tion, and thereby seriously jeopardized the speedy passage of the would forego the pleasure of spending the usual holiday recess at measure, a result more essential to the Government under the their homes, and by legislative enactment or declaration" do some existing circumstances than the correction of the evils from which thing not only to remind those apprehensive among our own peo private individuals are now suffering in consequence of theine ple that the resources of their Government and a scrupulous qualities and discriminations imposed by a Democratic Congress. \ regard for honest dealing afford a sure guarantee of unquestioned To emphasize the fact that this was purely an emergency measure safety and soundness, but to reassure the _world that, with these not intended by the Republicans of this House as the settled policy ·factors and the patriotism of our citizens, the ability and deter of their party, it was expressly provided that the bill, if it becomes mination of our nation to meet, in any circumstance, every obli a law, shall ~ontinue in force only until August, 1897, when it is gation it incurs, do not admit of question." to be hoped we may have on our statute books a tariff law framed Appreciating the gravity of the situation, and in obedience to in accordance with the principles and policy of our party. It is our sense of duty, and thewish of the people as expressed through not alone, therefore, the incongruous political situation of the the public press, this House complied with that part of the Presi Government that makes it impossible at this time for the Repub dent's request by remaining in session. Almost immediately after licans to legislate upon the line of protection to American indus . that message was -read at the Clerk's desk, one week ago to-day, the try and American labor, but also the fact that the exigency of our Committee on Ways and Means organized, and immediately ad national Treasury is so urgent, and the delay incident to such dressed itself assiduously arid in good faith to the remaining por action so inevitable, that our present dangerous financial condition tion of his request by endeavoring to formulate such legislation would be aggravated rather than improved thereby. · as would meet the existing emergency and preserve our national But, Mr. Speaker, assuming that the emergency bill which has credit. · passed becomes a law, delay is certain before it will be effective Before deciding what could be done "to remind thoseapprehen- as a revenue-producing law. In the meantime the daily state . sive among our own people" of the financial -soundness of their ments from the Treasury Department will continue to show, as Government, and "reassure the world of the ability and determi they have shown during the past two years, a deplorable. con nation of our nation to meet, in any circumstance, every obliga dition of insolvency. Apprehension among the people will. be tion it incurs," it was necessary to ascertain the cause of our quickly followed by universal alarm, resulting in financial distress present unfortunate financial situation. With the Treasurer's re and ruin. Under these circumstances our duty in the premises port before us, showing that from July 1, 1893, to December 1, is plain. The gold redemption fund must be replenished and 1895, our Government expended almost $133,000,000 more than it maintained. At present this can be done only by borrowing received, and expended about $3,000,000 in the month of December money. The daily deficiency in revenue must be supplied from in excess of its receipts, and that iii addition to this enormous de- some source other than existing laws. .ficiency in revenue there was a deficiency in the gold reserve of No one pretends that our present unfortunate condition is per about $40,000,000, making a ·_ total deficiency·since· July 1, 1893, of manent. All admit that it is only temporary, or, at most, can about $176,000,000, the majority of the committee soon reached continue no longer than until the people have an opportunity to ,390 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. DECEl\ffiER 28,
remove their present incompetent Democratic rulers. Until then. ury. to offer the bonds issued under this act to the American peo the ore.dit and good faith of the nation mus.t oo maintamed. AI- ple, but it will also prevent the sale of any bonds. whether issued ready this Administration has borrowed $162!31~400. About one~ under this act or under th.e act of 1875, by private. contl'act to a third of this loan can not mature before ten years,. and draws 5 domestic Ol' foreign syndicate until the people have had an oppor :peT cent interest, while the remaining twa--thirds draws 4 per cent tunity to purchase them. mterest and will nat mature. before thirty years. No man with There is another objection ur~ against the passage of this abundant assets whose finance were only temporarily deranged bill by members on this side that deserve attention. It is claimed would for one moment entertain a proposition to. mortgage those that this measure, if it becomes a, law, will autho~ the retire assets for a period of thirty years at a high rate of interest merely ment of greenbacks and therefore should not pass.. In answer to for the pu:rpose of meeting a temporary emergency. A short-time this let me say that there is absolutely no foundation for a claim loan bearing low interest is what he wo.uld aim to. secure simply of this kind. The bill 1mder consideration expressly provides as a matter of business. According- to the. morning papers. and that "nothing in this act shall be construed to repeal or modify judging from the amendments proposed by the gentleman who has an act entitled 'An act to forbid the furthar retirement of United just taken his seat rMr. BART~T], the Administration propo~s. States notes,' approved May 8.1, 1878~, This proviso will continue and no one doubts that the President now contemplat-es,. making in full force and effQQt the act which makes it unlawful for the a large loan, probably S100,000,000J to :run fol" a period af thirty Seel'Eltary of the Tre~ or any official undm: him to cancel or years. at4 per-cent interest. There is. no. llll\n on this. iioor who retire any more of the Umted States legal-tender notes, and which believes it necessary to impose upon the American people this al8o requires him when such notes are redeemed or received into
enormous interest cha:rge of $120,()()().,000- to tide over the-present the Treasury, under any law from anysourcewhatever1 tQ ~issue
emergency~ and yet we all know it will ~ done unless we pass and pay them out again1 and thus keep them in circulation. this bill and give the President authority to issue a five-year bond Another objection urged by some is that the people are op:pQsed drawing only 3 per cent inteTest. A five--year loanl such as is to issuing Government oonda in times of peace, and that to an authorized by this bill, will be as effective in meeting the. emer- thorize their issue at suoh times is -contxary to the policy of the gency as a thirty-year loan would be. Republican party. That the peo~e dUia.pprove of any increase of By passing this bill~ therefore~ w~a:ffm:d the. President-an oppor- our public debt, in times of peace1sundoubte.dly true. This senti tanity to save t() the people in interest alone on the money he, mentis only natural; but when they know, as every man in this dooms nooessary and proposes to borrow the sum of $105)000,000. House does, that bQnds will be issued in the near future, on the Surely no Republican can consistently vote against a proposition theory that it is necessary to replenish. the gold reserve and main- . of that kind. Having passed a bill to increase our revenue, if we tain our public. e1·edit, then I say it is our duty to require uoh now pass the pending measure and thereby provide for the imme· bonds to be issued on the most favorable terms possible, and afford diate necessity of the gold-redemption funa and for the daily deft- to the people. an OJ?p<>rtunity to take them, if they s.o desire, in ciency in revenue. the Republican party will have discharged its · stead of first tendenng them to a. foreign or domestio syndicate. duty to the cormtry in so far as it is now possible for, the repre- In reporting this measure the committee, therefore, have not vio sentatives of that party in this House to -accomplish that end. lated the sentiment af the people nuerred to nor have they trans Then if th-e President wants. the opportunity to make the contem- grassed the policy of the Republican party. It was in deference plated loan on sho:rt time at a low rate he ean~ by the aid of his to that sentiment, as well as in deference to the individual judg friends in the. Senate, secure its passa~e- a.s be. seomed the passa~e mentof the majority of the committee, that they 1•eport.ed a. bill in of another measure on 3 similar occasion. If he. does not w-ant 1t, line. with the policy oi th.e Republican party in the last Hol'lSe. or does not exert his influence to secure its passage, and issues a The bill nowundex consideration is inform and substance almost long-time, high-interes~hearing bond, the. resp
1895. CONGRESS! ON .A.L RECORD-HOUSE. 391
Now, Ml·. Speaker, the gentleman from New York [Mr. BART bought one metal to be stored as bullion and paid for it in the LETT] and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. PATTERSON], who coin of another metal. The coinao-e of that silver is a logical are the special representatives of the Administration on this floor, sequence to the ad repealing the lau under which it was pur have told us that the bonds to be authorized by this act could not chased. How else will we dispose of it, if we do not coin it? Shall be sold if they were offered as a. popular loan, for the reason that it lie in the Treasury as a dead investment, or shall it be sold as a there is no gold in the country with which the people could pur mere commodity in the open market, and thus still further de- chase them. In answer to this let· me read from another letter press the price of silver? Not a single word can be said in favor just received from a constituent, Mr. C. F. Greening, a reliable of selling it, or in favor of retaining it in idleness, while its use merchant residing in the village of Grand Meadow. Minn., a. man would prove a twofold good-economizing interest and enlarging -who is abundantly able to caTI'y out any proposition to the Gov the circulation. ernment or to a. private individual which he might make. This The most uncompromising advocate of gold monometallism gentleman says: could consent to the passage of our substitute without in the It is plainly evident that something must be done to keep the gold reserve slightest degree sacrificing his convictions. It does not involve up, and there are two ways to do it. Either tariff, to act at once, or another the question of a standard; it does not attempt to restore silver to bond issue. If bonds, make them a short-time coin bond, in small denomina tions-say $10 and up, a popular loan, 2 per cent. interest, redeemable after its former and proper privilege; it merely adds a ceTtain amount two years, at the pleasure of the Government, and a legal tender for any of silver to what is already in circulation, and gradually converts amount. Sell them at par and give the poor. people a chance to invest, the coin notes, which have been issued in payment for silver bul as the French Government does. I want some $20,000of them now, and could lion, into certificates calling for silver dollars. We could concede sell $50,000 in a week and furnish the gold for them. For God 'a sake, and the sake of the American people\ do not let the syndicates have them. * * • the claim of our opponents that silver is a cheap money without "Them's my sentiments," briefly expressed. mjury to our case here, because the only point to be considered Yours, for the war, either with a gun or a ballot. m passing on this question is the extent to which a discredited fLoud applause on the Republican side.] medium can be safely employed. No man who possesses any tf the little village of Grand Meadow can furnish $50,000 in gold knowledge oi the subject will pretend that this is susceptible of_ in exchange for short-time low-interest-bearing bonds, it is safe an exact definition or demonstration. The only infallible test is, to say that the State of Minnesota alone could furnish $50,000,000, that when it depreciates it is too abundant; but it is equally true or one-half the amount which the President contemplates borrow- that it can not be considered too abtmdant until it does begin to ina for the purpose of maintaining the public credit. · depreciate. This talk, therefore, about the people not being able to take a A great statesman-a leader of the Senate in the golden age of loan of their own Government and furnish the gold therefor is un American statesmanship and a Senator who thought more pro just and unpatriotic and deserves the severest reproach from the foundly and more clearly on financial questions than any of his people who are thus misrepresented on this floor. contemporaries-recorded it as his belief that this Government In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I desiretosaythatin myjudgment could carry a paper circulation eq nal to twice its annual revenue this bill should pass, because itwill enable Mr. Cleveland to make without promising to redeem it in anything, by simply making the loan we are assured he intends to make for a period of five it receivable for public dues. I am inclined, myself, to think years instead of thirty, at 3 percent interest instead of 4, and thereby that he was safely within the truth when expressing that opinion; • save to the people about 5105,000,000; because it will prevent the but I fully realize that the question is too delicate in its nature future sale of Government bonds to a syndicate of any kind and and too far reaching in its consequences to justify us in blindly require the Secretary of the Treasury to first offer our bonds to following the opinion of any man, however wise we may know him our own people; because it will require him t.o keep the proceeds to have been. It is a question upon which Congress can not afford of the sale of bonds in the gold redemption fund and separate from to try any rash experiment. But, sir, with the experience of this the cash in the Treasury, to be applied to the redemption of the and other countries before us, we ought to find no insurmountable United States legal-tender notes, and to no other purpose; because difficulty in judgin~ how much of a less favored coin can be cir· it will enable the Secretary of the Treasury to immediately sup culated on an equality with a more favored one. No conservative ply the daily deficiency in revenue caused by the free-trade legis legislator would be willing to proceed contrary to this experience, lation of the Fifty-third. Cong1:ess, and, whether necessary or not, but it would be an inexcusable timidity which would shrink from it will thereby assure ''those apprehensive among our own people" following a path that it points out as both safe and plain. of the financial soundness of their Government and ''reassure the Look:ing first to our own count1·y, it is found that we have to world" of our ability and determination to meet in any emergency day, in round numbers, four hundred and twenty-three millions every obligation we, as a nation, incur. in silver dollars and silver certificates. That they cil'culate on a And, further, I believe we should :pass this bill because it will perfect parity with gold no man has yet been bold enough to again demonstrate to the world that the Republican party, born deny. For a time, it is true, the more ignorant advocates of a sin as it was out of the highest aspirations of a great people, is to-day, gle standard a-sserted that this paFity was maintained because the as it has always been, equal to any emergency the GoveTnment Government was pled;;ed to redeem silver ·dollars and silver cer may be placed in, whether caused by disloyalty or by Democratic tificates in gold; but well-informed men, of course, have under incompetency. stood all the time that there is not the ]east semblance of an au It therefore becomes us as the representatives of that party, thority in the law for redeeming silver dollars in anything, or for and as the representatives of a great people, to discard our per redeeming silver certificates in anything but silver dollars. Per sonal and political prejudices and bring to bear upon the vote we haps th~ uninformed ones will agree ~vith us when they learn that are about to cast our highest intelHgence and the most sterling the Secretary of the Treasury himself supports this view and has qualities of the most pure and lofty patriotism. [Loud applause declared in an official communication that the practice o:fhis De on the Republican side.] partment has conformed tothelawin this particular. In response Mr. CRISP. I now yield thirty minutes to the gentleman from to a resolution of inquiry addressed to him by the Senate, Mr. Texa-s fMr. BAILEY]. Carlisle says: · Mr. BAILEY. Mr. Speaker, the bill which has been reported by The law providing for the redemption or exchange of silver certificates, the Committee on Ways and Means is intended to provide for the which requires that such certificates shall be redeemed or exchanged, in kind. for standard silver dollars has, so fa1· as this Department hru; information. redemption of United States legal-tende1· notes and to supply a de been strictly complied with by the Treasury of the United States and the ficiency in our revenues. For one purpose it permits the sale of various subtreasury offices, and no gold coin has been given in exchange for bonds, and for the other it authorizes the issuance of certificates of such certificates or standard silver dollars. · ind3btedness; but for both purposes it :ibcreases our interest-bear~ The Secretary of the Treasury, in the extract which I have just injSdebt. Exceptforthe specialrulewhichprevents us, wewould read, makes it perfectly plain that om· silver circulation is not sup oner as a sub3titute for this measure a bill which we think would ported by gold, but that it supports itself. render it unnecessary to sell bonds to redeem these notes, and which Our adversaries rejoin, however, that even if it is true that four would utilize our profit on the silver bullion now in the Treasury to hundred and twenty-three millions of silver can be maintained at meet any deficiency which might occur. No prudent man, in the parity it does not follow that one hundred and seventy-seven mil management of his private affairs, would hesitate long in his choice lions more can be safely added to it. On this point we have no between these two propositions. Certainly none of us, if acting experience of our own to guide us, but the experience of a country for ourselves, would incur a debt to defray our ordinary expenses similarly, though less favorably, situated is both valuable and in when we could employ assets which would otherwise remain idle; structive. France, with only 39,000,000 people, maintains a silv~ and as the representatives of the people it is our plain duty to circulation equal to 5()50,000,000, every dollar of which is a full use what we have instead of borrowing money and paying interest legal tender, and no dollar of which is redeemable in gold, and \ on it. there is never the slightest disparity between.their gold and silver I Besides, Mr. Speaker, the savin~ of interest is not the only, nor, coin. If the French Refublic can circulate $650,000,000 w.orth of perhaps, the greatest advantage m coining that silver. It would silver as a money of fina payment at a ratio of 15t to 1, certainly, add $53,000,000 to the circulating medium of the country, thus with almost double her population, with four times her volume of giving some stimulus to commerce and industrial entreprise. business, and with more than twenty times her resources, we could · .Again, sir, it is a very sensible way-indeed, it is the most sensi circulate even a greater amount at a ratio of 16 to 1. And yet, ble way-to forever obliterate all trace. of that evil policy which .sir, if every ounce of silver bullion in the Treasw·y were coined 392 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HO USE~ . DECEMBER 28, ~
into silver dollars we would then have less than $602,000,000 as view of the law if it were not, that the one which I now· enter against $650,000,000 for France. With an almost unlimited
1895.- CONGRESS! ON AL RECORD-HOUSE. · 393
1869, entitled "An act to strengthen the public credit," in which With only $346,000,000 of these notes in circulation, and with an it was written- annual demand on the part of· the· Federal Government against· the that the faith of the United States is solemnly pled~ed to the payment in taxpayers of the country of almost $500,000,000; it is utterly impos coin, o:r its equivalent, of all the obligations of the Uruted States not bearing sible that they should depreciate~ · These gentlemen seem to fear interest, known as United States notes. our proposition to redeem in silver much as a child fears the dark There was a formal, distinct, and unequivocal promise of the not because they know there is any danger in it, but simply because Government, coupled with a great disparity between our currency they do not know enough about it to know whether it is'dangerous which was to be redeemed and the coin in which it was to be re or not. We do not fear it, because we do not think that the result deemed, but it never entered the brain of any living man to sup is a matter of conjecture. We know what has been the result pose that under that law the Secretary of the Treasury had the where our plan has been tried under less favorable circumstances, power to sell bonds. !twas a promise which Congress had made and we do not fear to test it under our more favorable circum and which Congress was expected to keep, but until Congress de stances. We know that the notes of the •Bank of France are re vised some suitable means the Treasury was powerless to act, deemable in coin, as our United States notes are, and that the option and those notes continued at a discount for ten long years. is with the bank there, as it is with the Treasury here, to pay in But, sir, the history of the Republican party is not more at va gold or silver coin as its convenience may suggest. We know, too, riance with this claim than the utterances of the present Secretary that the Bank of France never surrenders its option, and that in of the Treasury. - In the same speech from which I quoted a few exercising it note holders are frequently refused gold and paid in moments ago, and while discussing the same phase of the same silver; but notwithstanding this fact the credit of the Bank of que~tion, he announced this opinion. France is superior to that of any similar institution on earth. This measure is not an amendment to the resumption act. It is entirely Twice within the last sixty years it has rescued the Bank of new and independent legislation upon a different subject and for a different England from perilous situations. In the great panic of 1837, purpose. The power of the Secretary of the Treasury to issue and sell bonds for any purpose whatever is neither diminished nor enlarged by it, and to say when the credit of the world was tottering, the Bank of France that he will attempt to substitute the obligation ot the Government for a was able to spare to the Bank of England much needed assist plain appropriation of money is simply to assert that he will deliberately vio ance, and again in 1890, when the disash·ous financial storm, late his official oath and subJect himself to impeachment and removal. originating in South America and sweeping across the seas to The Bland law, which was under discussion when Secretary Car the four quarters of the globe, had wrecked in its mighty and lisle used this vigorous language, provided for the monthly purchase resistless course the greatest private banking institution in the of not less than $2,000,000 nor more than $4,000,000 worth of silver, world, and was threatening to engulf all lands in bankruptcy and appropriated "a sum sufficient,to carry out that provision and ruin, the Bank of France stayed the rising tide, and France out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated." herself passed unharmed thr_ough the terrible catastrophe. Cer The act of July 14, 1890, directed the Secretary of the Treasury tainly, Mr. Speaker, American Representatives will not doubt to buy 4,500,000 ounces of silver each month, and to pay for the that this Government can ea-sily sustain 'its credit under ·the same in Treasury notes, and appropriated ; ' a sum sufficient to same system which sustains and strengthens the credit of the carry into effect the provisions of that act out of any money in Bank of France. Not only does the Bank of France protect its the Treasury not otherwise appropriated." The principle of the reserve against depletion, but I undertake to say there is not a two laws was the same, but there was this important difference well-managed ba.nk in any civilized country on the earth which in their detail-under the Bland law the silver was pa.id for with would encourage a run upon it by paying out one kind of money money already in the Treasury, while under the Sherman law it when it could terminate the run bypayingout another kind. For was paid for by the issuance of Treasury notes redeemable on two years there has been a persistent and systematic raid upon demand in coin; but the appropriation to buy under one act and our Treasury, instituted and prosecuted for the sole purpose of to redeem under the other was precisely the same, being ''out of compelling Congress to agree to the retirement of these notes. any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated." In That this is true the Treasury reports leave no room for doubt. other words, the appropriation for the redemption of the Sherman From July 1, 1879, up to January 1, 1894, the Treasury had re:. notes is identical with the appropriation for the purchase of silver deemed, in round numbers, $95,000,000 of United States notes, ;' under the Bland law, and if it is true, as Mr. Carlisle has so and from January 1, 1894, up to this time more than $247,000,000 solemnly affirmed, that a Secretary of the Treasury would have de have been redeemed. This statement of itself is sufficient to es liberately violated his oath of office by usin~ the money derived from tablish what I say, but it is not the whole proof. There are $346,- the sale of bonds in buying silver under the Bland Act, he would 681,016 of United States notes and $137,771,280 of Treasury notes be just as guilty if he used the proceeds of bonds to redeem the issued under the Sherman Act; and though there are nearly half notes- issued under the Sherman Act; for his authority in both in as many of the Sherman notes as of the United States notes out stances is conferred in the same words. standing, since January 1,1894, only about $18,000,000 of Sherman Mr. Carlisle declares that the Government is obligated by good notes and S-247,000,000 of United States notes have been presented faith to redeem these notes in gold; but Mr. Carlisle has also de for redemption. During this fiscal year the redemptions have clared that a Secretary of the Treasury who will treat the obliga been over $69,000,000 of United States notes and less than $2,500,- tion of the Government as an authority to issue bonds, or to use 000 of Treasury notes. This discrimination is not accidental. ·· It the proceeds of bonds, "deliberately violates his official oath." I clearly discloses a concerted effort to force the retirement of the am a ware, of course, that since he delivered the speech from which United States notes by"first making Congress believe that they these quotations are taken the Secretary's economic views have are distrusted, and then making the people believe that they can undergone a change; but this question of law is independent of not be retained in circulation without frequent increases of the the question of policy, and a change in reference to one does not public debt. I have no respect for the patriotism or the honesty involve any modification as to the other. Secretary Carlisle may of men who will· enter into a conspiracy of this kind, but it is cer honestly believe that this Government ought to pay every one of tain that they have chosen very effective means to accomplish its creditors in gold; but we have his own warrant for saying their end, and it is also certain that they will succeed, unless we that in .the present state of the law a Secretary of the Treasury can· compel the redemption of these notes in silver. I repeat the who would use the goldreceivedforbondssold under the resump statement for the sake of emphasizing it: Nothing is more cer tion act for any purposes other than those specified in that act tain than that either we must force the redemption of these·notes "deliberately violates his official oath." in silver or else the advocates of a gold standard will ultimately UNITED STATES NOTES. force their retirement. Not only have we insisted, Mr. Speaker, that the seigniorage Gentlemen of the majority, your party might as well face this should be used instead of certificates of indebtedness to cover cur question and our party might as well face it. Indeed, all men of rent deficiencies, and that the Treasury notes issued in the pur all parties might as well-face it here and now, for they must do so chase of silver bullion should be converted as rapidly as possible sooner or later, and the longer it is postponed the more perplexing into certificates representing sHver dollars, but we believe it un it will become. No intelligent man believes that the United States necessary to sell bonds for the redemption of the United States ought to become a gold banker for the world, and yet, sir, the dull notes. Our friends on the other side admit that the sale of bonds est man can perceive that if we commit ourselves to the policy of can be avoided by redeeming these notes in silver; but they assert redeeming our currency in gold alone we simply say to all of the that whenever we refuse to pay gold to our note holders who de nations of the earth that we will maintain a gold reserve from which mand it, our currency and our silver will instantly go to a discount. they may draw at their pleasure. Whenever a silver-using country - If this assertion were well founded, it might be conclusive; but it is desires to establish a gold basis, or a'gold-using country desires to not well founded. There is not in my mind the shadow of a doubt replenish its stock, it can contract ·with the great banks of New that the mere receivability of these notes would preserve their York to furnish the amount which they require. The New York parity, and in expressing this opinion I express no sympathy with banks will then present our paper for redemption ingold which they -the pernicious doctrine of fiatism; for it is entirely consistent to will ship to their foreign correspondent. No country can endure affirm that the quality of legal tender in public dues can add an this drain and no country but our own would attempt it. unlimited value to a limited volume of paper, and at the same time Another and, as recent events have shown, a very serious danger to deny that it can add even a limited value to an unlimited vol is that when the great financial institutions of our trade centers ume of the same kind of paper. combine to coerce the Government, the Treasury is utterly defens~ - ---
394 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD--HOUSE. DEOEl\ffiER 28, less under its presentpolicy. As anlllustration,letussupposethat but they are actually inviting additional sales by making it easier the bankers unite to compel an·issue of bonds. They begin at once and more convenient to sell. There is no man on that side of the to exchange their currency for gold, and when the Treasury stock Chamber who values his reputation for intelligence and candor falls below what they are pleased to call the "danger line," they who would be willing to record it as his deliberate opinion that straightway- appeal to the Secretary to "restore confidence" by the sale of bonds could have been avoided under a policy of excln~ strengthenmg the gold reserve. The Secretary then announces a sive gold payments. During the last two years gold has consti sale of bonds, for which he exacts gold, and the bonds are taken tuted but a fraction of the Government's ordinary collections, and by the bankers, who pay for them with the same gold which they yet, since January 1, 1894, more than $247,000,000 ingold have been have already taken from the Treasury for that very purpose. paid out in redeeming greenbacks. It was simply an impossibil Thus when the transaction is closed our non-interest-bearing ity for these redemptions to have been made without selling bonds, .notes have been converted into interest-bea1ing bonds. These and yon deceive yourselves if you think yon can deceive the conn notes are then covered into the Treasury, and when paid out again try about it. The people well understand that these notes must are ready to repeat the operation. · It is no answer to say that be redeemed in silver; or theymnst be retired; or our bonded indebt this illustration is unfair because it supposes a deliberate·consph· edness must continue to be increased. Yon have refused to require acy on the part of certain citizens against their Government, for their redemption in silver. Yon do not dare to retire them, and you we all know that it supposes nothing more than what has actually therefore must share the responsibility for future bond sales. transpired twice within the last three years and what is transpir Your plea that the Secretary of the 'l!reasury already has the in 0' this ery hour. power to sell bonds, and that yon are merely permitting him to But in order to obviate this criticism let us go a step farther and sell bonds bearing a lower rate of interest, is either a mere sub take a case in which there is no combination or agreement. Let terfuge or else you are strangely igri.orant about transactions of ns suppose that the gold reserve has been depleted in the settle this character. If our securities had a fixed price, then undoubt ment of international balances, and that the Secretary has decided edly it would be important to stipulate the lowest possible rate . to repair it by a sale of bonds. Accordingly he advertises a pro of interest, but it is well known that, assuming the securities to posal to sell fifty millions, for which he demands gold, and imme be good, the premium or the discount, as the case may be, is re$11- diately the men who expect to become bidders for those bonds lated bytheintere~which they bear. A Government bond calling begi.n to present their currency for redemption, and while the for 5 per cent interest will fetch a considerable premium, while Secretary is preparing to sell bonds to put gold into the Treasury, one calling for 3 per cent would probably fetch no premium at intending purchasers are taking gold out of it in order to buy all, and the difference in the premium would about equalize the his bonds. And so he might stand there, in endless repetition, difference in the rate of interest. It is easily within the memory receiving gold from the sale of bonds and paying it out in the of us all that when the ten-year bonds bearing 5 per cent interest redemption of currency. In this way our bonded debt could be w:ere sold the premium which they commanded reduced the in increased jndefinitely, or until the people, alarmed at its rapid and terest to less than 3 per cent, while the 4 per cent bonds, which enormous growth, would consent to the retirementof all Govern run for thirty years, commanded only such a premium as made ment paper. Many men believethis is the real object of the policy the interest on them about 3-! per cent, showing that our best which is now being pursued. As for my part, I am thoroughly trade was with the short-time and high-rate bonds. persuaded that it is, and I think that the proof is such as to con Mr. Speaker, it is fortunate for the framers of this bill that it vince any reasonable mind. Mr. Manning, a Secretary of the can never become a law. If it were tried, it would signally fail Treasury under Mr. Cleveland's former Administration, urged to a-ccomplish the object at which they aim, and would add an upon Congress the redemption and cancellation_ of the greenbacks. other to the long list of mistakes which have been made in deal Mr. Carlisle, the present Secretary of the Treasury, in his report ing with this important question. And still, sir, their failure of 1893, renewed that recommendation, though he was somewhat would bring its compensations. It would serve to further demon less direct about it. He then said: strate to our constituents the insufficiency of a single monetary So long as the Government continues the unwise policy of keeping its own standard. It would help to convince them that we must re-lay the notes outstanding to circulate as currencx and undertakes to provide for foundations of our financial system, building, as our fathers theil· redemption in coin on presentation It will be, in my opinion, essential builded, upon both gold and silver, which together constitute the for the Secretary of the Treasury to possess the means or to have the clear and undoubted::mthority to secure the means which may, from time to time, be only basis broad enough and strong enough to support the vast comE' necessttry to enable him to meet such emergencies as the one which has superstructure of credit which the genius and enterprise of the recently occurred in our financial affairs. American people will rear upon it. No ration&! person understood Mr. Carlisle to mean that the Mr. HOPKINS. Mr. Speaker- Government ought not to redeem its paper on presentation. The SPEAKER. The gentleman from illinois [Mr. HoPKINS] Everybody who knew anythingknewthat what he reprobated as is recognized for twenty minutes. an "unwi,se policy" was the Government ·keeping its own notes Mr. HOPKINS. I yield five minutes to my colleague [Mr. outstanding to circulate as currency; and this opinion was con MARSH]. firmed when in his annual report for 1894 he unqualifiedly ad [Mr. MARSH withholds his remarks for revision. See Appen vised the destruction of the greenbacks. The Secretary, however, dix.] adyises us to do openly what the Republicans are attempting to accomplish by indirection; for it is certain that the effect of the Mr. HOPKINS. I yield five minutes of my time to the gentle pending bill will be to accumulate the United States notes in the man from Missouri ['}tir. BURTON]. Treasury, and thus withdraw them from circulation as completely Mr. BURTON of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely regret that as if they were canceled and destroyed. The Secretary proposes I am unable to accept the views of the gentlemen on this side of to g-et them into the Treasury and burn them up, while this bill the House whoseknowledge,experience,and judgmenthavejnsti ~ will get them in and keep them there, and the one method as fied their assignment upon the Committee on Ways and Means. effectually retires them from circulation as the other. In a matter of so much importance, affecting the financial integ Not only do I feel certain that this would be the effect of the rity of the nation and every taxpayer therein, I am compelled to pending bill, but I am constrained to believe that this is its pur determine my action thereon in the forum of my own judgment pose. Upon no other reasonable hypothesis can its authors ex and the court of my own conscience. plain that provision whic,h empowers the Secretary of the Treas The limited time granted me by the courtesy of the gentleman ury to issue new evidences of debt to cover the difference between from illinois fMr. HOPKINSl will hardly permit me to state my our receipts and expenditures. It could not have been intended objections to the pending bill, much less to discuss the questions as a mere precaution, because as such it was totally unnecessary. involved. The reserve fund created. by the resumption act of The Treasury statement issued this morning shows a balance, 1875 for the purpose of maintaining the greenba-ck has fallen below ·over and above the gold reserve, of $109,000,000; and no man on the danger line, and the President asks Congress to authorize him this floor supposes that the deficiencies of the next three years will to issue and sell gold bonds in such quantity as shall enable him absorb this surplus. This fact, considered in connection with the to cancel and retire the greenbacks. In keeping with this policy further fact that these United States notes when once redeemed of the President, it has been charged upon the other side of the can only be put back into circulation when required to satisfy Honse that many if not all of the financial ills from which the conn appropriations, induces me to believe that the real object of em try is now suffering are due to the creation and maintenance of powering the Secretary to use certificates of indebtedness is to the greenback currency. It is enough to answer that armies enable him to keep the redeemed United States notes in the Treas marched, that navies rode the sea, and that the integrity of the ury, and thus evade the act of May 31, 1878, which forbids their Union was preserved through the instrumentality of the green cancellation and directs their reissue. backs, and that twenty-five years of unexampled development and It is not my habit to impugn the motives of men, but I feel j~- prosperity testify to the wisdom and courage of the Republican ·tified in saying that the Republican leaders have not been candid party in the enactment of the legal-tender greenback law. [Ap in theil· treatment of this question. For months they have bitterly plause on the Republican side.] denounced the President for selling bonds in time of peace, and I stand for the integrity of the ~eenback. The friends of this now, although they have the powexto do so, theyrefusetoreverse bill claim that its virtue consists m this: First, that it authorizes the policy which has necessitated the sale of bonds. Not only so, the issue of bonds bearing a lower rate of interest and running l895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. ~ 395
.for a shorter time; second, that it compels the Secretary of the morning said that it was necessary to insert the word "gold" in Treasury to advertise for bids instead of secretly contracting with the bond in order to flo<. t it in foreign countries. I say to him some syndicate, and, third, that it prohibits the use of the proceeds that the experience of th ·.a country since bonds· were issued in of such bonds for any other purpose than the redemption of the February last shows that the position which was taken by the greenbacl\s. They further claim that it prevents the retirement members of this House in the last Congress who opposed the issue of the greenbacks so purchased. It may do so by implication, but of a gold bond was and is correct. Of the $62,400,000 of 4 per .I am one of those who believe that in expressed terms, and in cent bonds that were sold to the Rothschilds-Morgan-Belmont words that can not be misunderstood, it should comma.Iid the syndicate, the majority of them have come back to America, and Secretary of the Treasury to so use such redeemed greenbacks are held and owned in the United States. The Secretary of the that the people shall not be deprived of their use as a circulating Tl·easuryin his last report to Congress says that the contract which medium. What have we to expect from an Administration has required that one-half of the money received for the sale of the . tile to the greenback currency? Again, there should be no occa- bonds should come from abroad was modified and the gold was sion for the i&sue of an interest-bearing bond in time of peace. taken from the vaults of capitalists in this country to repJeni.sh the . Our financial system is based upon suoh a revenue law as shall Treasury instead of bringing it all from abroad. amply provide for the current expenses of the Government. The Mr. Speaker, time has demonstrated that not only the patriotism present ~eplorable condition is due to the financial policy which, of the country is. sufficient, but that we have gold here enou~h to beginning with the enactment of the so-called Wilson-Brice-Gor float any amount of coin bonds at 3 per cent instead of 4, ana can man bill, culminated in the disreputable sale of our bonds to the maintain this reserve by an appeal to American patriotism instead Wall street and English s:rndicate. I am unwilling by my voice of making a secret contract and employing the aid of a foreign or vote to add approval to any part or parcel of that financial syndicate. fLoud applause on the Republican side.] .policy. fApplause on the Republican side.] Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speake.r, this is simply a business proposition. rnere the hammer fell.l The gold reserve of the Treasury to-day, according to the reports Mr. HOPKINS. I yie1d five minutes to my colleague [Mr. in the newspapers, after the withdrawals that will be made CoNNOLLYl. for this date for export, is less than $60,000,000. The President Mr. CO:NNOLL Y. Mr. Speaker, this bill is not to my liking. and the Secretary of the Treasury, according to the same report, Had I been making it, instead of saying "in addition to the are now engaged in negotiating a loan with a syndicate repre authority now confeTl'ed upon the Secretary of the Treasury," I senting foreign capitalists to add $100,000,000 to the bonded in ahould have said "in lieu of the authority now confel.Ted upon debtedness of this country. The only authority of law with which the Secretary of th~ Treasury." [Applause.] they are invested now to make this loan is contained in the act of But, sir, in the progress of this debate, I have observed upon 1875, under which they can issue no bonds at a lower rate of inter .one side of this Chamber such a. spirit manifested upon this im- . est than 4 per cent, and these 4 per cent bonds to run _for thirty portant question as leads me to believe that if this side of the years. We had an exhibition la-st winter of what the Secretary .House had presented a bill enacting that for all futu-re time the thought as. to the price of those bonds, and it would appear from gold dollar, the greenback dollar, and the silver do11ar should be his long-delayed report, presented a · few days ago to the House, at par and equal with each other, those gentlemen would have that he still believes that a no more advantageous sale of these been just as ready to oppose that as they are to oppose this. bonds could be made now than was made then, or, in other words, I do not forget what my friend from Missouri [Mr. BuRTON] said that we must pay a commission of $10,000,000 forevery860,000,000 about the greenback, a kind of money consecrated by the bloodof of bonds which he offers for sale. This is the present emergency .the people of this great land. They love it still. But the greenback which is presented to this Republican House. The question is, how to-day is like the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. shall we deal with it? We have presented thisbill, which only changes It has faJ.len among thieves. [Laughter.] And as a Republican existing law in two particulars. Fii·st, it adds another description and a friend of that greenback, when the Secretary of the Treas of bonds, a coin bond, with interest at the rate of 3 per cent and ury comes to me and to the people an.d says, "I want the authority the bond payable in five years and due in fifteen years from date. to issue a lower rate bond to prot-ect your Republican greenback In the second place, it prescribes that all bonds issued for the gold and enable it to maintain its standard with the gold dollar," I reserve shall be sold by the Secretary of the Treasury after adver think I am recreant to my trust, recreant to all the traditions of tisement and aftet they are offered to our own people. Some gen my party, if I refuse to give that power, to extend that helping tlemen have had fears-- hand. Mr. LINNEY. Will the gentleman allowme to ask him a ques But I am not willing to say, ''You shall have it in a gold bond." tion? I want to say that the bond that was good enough in 1875 to enable Mr. PAYNE. I will, if you will be very brief. the Republican party of this country to make the greenback and Mr. LINNEY. I will be very brief. Here, on page 21 of the the gold dollar stand equal, the one with the other, is good enough President's message, it is stated that $155,000,000 in silver certifi to-day, after thirty years of growth and prosperity under Repub cates were issued for the purchase of silver bullion, that are now lican rule have made the nation able to do it. It was able all the an obligation of the Government. Why did not the Committee time until the last two years. No trouble was heard about the on Ways and Means provide for their redemption by the coinage greenbacks, gold or silver. They we1·e all equal. The people of ~f the silver bullion we have p:trchased? this great land were content. Noone sought to rob the Treasury. Mr. PAYNE. I understand that can be done under existing There was a reserve fund. I want to have that maintained. I law to-day. We are taking care of one thing at a time. We a:re want to have that consecrated greenback which my friend from looking out now for the gold t·eserve. Missouri [Mr. BURTON] and his people love; I want it to maintain Mr. LINNEY. Yes, sir. its honor, its integrity, its respectability among the money of the Mr. PAYNE. We propose to see that every legal-tender note world. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I shall, as a. Republican, vote for issued by the Government of the United States shall be redeemed this bill, although I believed at first I would not do it. [Applause in gold whenever it is presented to the United States to redeem. on the Republican side.l • [Applause on the Republican side.] And after we get through fHeTe the hammer feU.] with that we will take up the other questions as they come along. :Mr. HOPKINS. Mr. Speaker, in presenting legislation to this Mr. LINNEY rose. · House we must t..ake the condition of affairs of the country as we Mr. PAYNE. I have answered your question, and can not yield :find them. There is not a man in this House, nor a. citizen in this any more time. broad land, who does not beE eve that it is important and necessary Some gentlemen are afraid that this bill will tie up greenbacks. fol' the President and his Secretary of the 11:easu:ry to keep one Have those gentlemen examined this bill? Have they examined hundred millions of gold reserve in the Treasury of the United the .amendment that has been placed on this bill, or have not they States. We know that that reserve has already been reduced to sufficient intelligence, after reading the bill and reading the less than sixty-five millions, and that in ordm: to restore the one amendment, to know that we leave the law p1·eoisely·where it has hundred millions the Administration is now contemplating the been since 1875, and that it is just as impossible to tie up a dollar issuing of new bonds. · of the greenbacks in the Treasury of the United States under this . In this emergency we simply give him the power to issue a 3 law as it was under the law of 1875? peT cent bond in addition to the authority of the Secreta:ry to issue Mr. BAKER of New Hampshire. Will the gentleman allow a 4 per cent bond running thirty years and a 5 per cent bond run me a question? ning ten years. We propose something in th~ pending bill that in Mr. PAYNE. I can not yield·to a question now. my judgment will meet the approval of every Republican in the Some ~entlemen think the bill introduced by Mr. BAKER of New country. We provide that whether this proposed issue of bonds Hampshire, requiring certain importers to pay duties in gold, be 3 per cent, 4 per cent, Ol' 5 per cent bonds, the sale of them can would cure the difficulty. But this bill is an idle and empty de not be made in secret with a foreign syndicate. If this bill be lusion. Suppose -this bill were a law, and I owed the Govern comes law and the President issues any bonds for the purpo&e of ment $1,000 in duties. I providemy~elf with $1,000 in greenbacks, maintaining the gold reserve, he must take the American people as now, go to the subtreasury and demand gold for my green into his confidence, he must gi,ve to American capitalists an oppor backs, and then pay the duties with the same gold. The Treru;. tunity to bid for the?e ponds. There will be n.o more secret sales. ury would then have the same-gold and also the $1,000 in green Now, the gentleman from New York [Mr. BARTLETT] this backs, precisely as it would have under the present law. 396 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. DECEMBER 28,
If a Secretary of the Treasury can tie up the greenbacks under term of its continuance may inflict upon the country. [Applause this bill, he can tie them up under the existing law; for we have on the Republican side.] · • taken the pains, after having expressed in the first bill our pur Mr. Speaker, as has been well said, the greenback is the child pose, to meet every objection, and the law itself expressly makes of the Republican party. It was born out of the throes of the applicable the law of 1878 to this issue of bonds. civil war; it was nurtured and cared for by that party. Finally, My friend from California [Mr. JOHNSON] yesterday, in that it was crowned by that party with a crown of gold. And in these speech of his which seemed toevokesomuchapplause and laughter days of peace-thirty years after the war-when the gree~back has from our enemy on the other side of the Chamber, says this bill is worn that crown so proudly that anywhere on the face of God's "un-Republican ;" and why? Because he says he stumped his dis earth it is worth 100 cents on the dollar-when the greenback is trict a year ago last fall and said the Republican party were forever worth its face value wherever the five-pound note of the Bank of opposed to issuing bonds in time of peace. Did he forget, or did England is worth its face value-the greenback, having reached his people forget, that in 1875 the Republican party enacted this this state of perfection and when it is going on to accomplish its law to issue bonds in time of peace; that in 1878 the Republican mission, some hand is extended to take away that crown of gold Administration borrowed $95,000,000, yes, $100,000,000, to create and trail it in the dust. Republicans to-day are asked to vote this reserve fund in time of peace, and that we have preserved on against this bill, and thereby to approve a Democratic Adminis the statute book all the time this law of 1875 for the express purpose tration that has brought such destruction and ruin upon the busi of borrowing money to make good this gold reserve, whether it is ness of the country that it would seem they are obliged to deal needed in time of peace or in time of war? I thought, as I listened with foreign syndicates at a more than 10 per cent shave in order to the gentleman's talk and heard theapplausefrom the other side, to sell Government securities. [Applause on the Republican side.] "God forbid that he should ever write a Republican platform for f}Iere the hammer fell.] me to stand upon." [Applause on the Republican side.] They 'l'he SPEAKER. The gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Rus say it is unnecessary, and still we have to-day this depletion of the SELL] is recognized for three minutes. Treasury. Still we have the Administration appealing to us for Mr. RUSSELL of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, the President of our aid; still we have this condition of the Treasury that must be the United States ha.s called upon Congress for aid. The call was met, and met at once. no mere recommendation. It caine in the form of a special mes Now, to-day we get another message from the White House. It sage and came at an unusual time. It had the character of an comes in a roundabout way, in the form of an interview with the imperative demand for relief. It bore all the punctuation marks Secretary of the Treasury and his criticism upon the measure now of an Administration which was overcome with difficulties and being debated and about to be voted upon in the House of Repre weighted down with troubles grievous to bear. The Republican sentatives. The Secretary of the Treasury, who wants to retire House of Representatives heeded the call of the President and the greenba.cks, says he does not want this bill and he wants to see promptly set to work to furnish the relief. It accepted the state it defeated in this House. Why, sir,lastFebruary, when the ques ment of the President that an emergency was upon the country, tion of a gold bond was before the House, and this bill substan and it hastened to meet the emergency in the quickest and most tially was offered in the form of a substitute by the gentleman practical manner possible. But the Republican House of Repre from Maine, now our Speaker, the Republicans unitedly voted sentatives stood positively and unequivocally on the position which for that substitute, and it met the approval of the Cleveland Dem the Republicans have all along held. It declared that the basis of ocrats on the other side of the Chamber. It would have passed all the difficulties which had beset this Administration in its finan this House by a majority vote if telephonic connection had been cial career was the lack of sufficient revenue-a lack which the discontinued for a few minutes between this end of the Avenue Administration itself produced by its unfortunate and un-Ameri and the other. The Administration did not want this bill and can tariff policy. does not want it now. The Ways and Means Committee maintained this position when Republican members get up here now and tell us that we are the revenue bill was reported to the House. The Republican ma following in the wake of this Administration. Now, since you have jority in the House emphasized that position when they with so found out where the Administration is, gentlemen, you who have great unanimity and enthusiasm passed the revenue bill two days proposed to vote against this measure and who now find that the ago. Thus the Republican House of Representatives, represent Administration is against it, will you follow :in the wake of the ing the great Republican party of this country, answered the ap Administration? [Laughter and applause.] peal of the President so piteously made, and it occurs to me to-day They do not want this bill, and why? If they have not already that possibly the President is questioning with himself whether he negotiated another $100,000,000 loan, made in a secret corner, was not too hasty and too submissive in his appeal. But it made without advertisement, made without offering a bond to answered the Administration's call for relief by providing relief the people of the United States, they are about to do it; and they according to its own method and in the direct line of a Republican want this House to vote down this measure, so that they can say policy. It met the emergency in a practical way. These alterna to the people of the United States," We have appealed to Con tives were presented: First, should we indulge in a big bluster gress and Congress gives us no relief, and so we are obliged to go about what we might do if we were possessed of complete power on and pass out the money of the people of the United States to a in both branches of Congress and in the Executive to carry out our foreign syndicate in order to float a loan." They want this meas revenue and tariff policies to their completion; second, should ure defeated as a cover to this transaction, that they may put the we promptly do business in a way which should furnish relief by responsibility on this Republican House. an increased revenue obtained from customs duties on imported Mr. GROSVENOR. If this bill, with its limitations upon the articles which a Democratic tariff had placed on the free list or Administration in the matters referre11, should be voted down, reduced in tariff rate. Business is always better than bluster. may not that be claimed as being, to some extent, an approval of An accomplishment to an extent which is possible and practical is the system which has been pursued? often better than a profession which is impractical and impossible Mr. PAYNE. Why, sir, the Administration say they_can not to carry out so promptly as to meet a certain condition. borrow money under the law as it now exists without paying this Already the Republican press and the Republican masses are immense premium. They ask us for relief; and if we vote down expressing approval of the prompt and businesslike way in which the measure of relief offered here, we in so far approve what they the Republican majority in this House in its action on Thursday say and make ourselves responsible for this outrageous swindle met the emergency which the President had called to our attention. that the syndicates are imposing on the country. The Republican party has a wood pile of its own, and it has se The question has been asked-it was one that troubled.the gen lected a pole from its own pile in extending relief· to the sinking tleman from lllinois-why not make these 3 per cent bonds a Administration. A fisherman hysterically :floundering on a quag substitute for the bonds provided for in the law of 1875? Sir, we mire with his feet unsteady on the quivering underpinning of the believe that 3 per cent bonds can be floated among the people of marsh may not have so clear a conception of the proper method of this country. The Secretary of the Treasury professes to believe his release from the situation which threatens to engulf him as that they can not be. We want the opportunity given for the some one standing on :firm ground above the mire, who, for a long people to subscribe. We believe there is a spirit of patriotism time, has been watching with interest and with solicitation the per among the people of this country, and that notwithstanding the formances of the fisherman. So this Republican House of Repre blight that has come upon business in the la.st few years, so that sentatives has extended relief in the form of additional revenue to their savings have in many cases been withdrawn from the savings this piscatorial Administration, and I want to say right here, the banks, we .believe they still have money enough to take care of President and the Secretary of the Treasury to the contrary not these loans of the Government. But suppose there should be a withstanding, that the prev~en t belief in the conn try to-day is that panic. Suppose that after we have confined the Administration the deficiency of revenue is the cause of our trouble. _The labor to a simple 3 per cent bond they should not be able to float it. ing men, the business men, and the bankers outside of the Ad What would the Treasury Department do then if the provision ministration's syndicate hold that belief. for a 4 per cent or 5 per cent bond had been stricken out? Mr. This Republican House of Representatives, having thus furnished Speaker, I want a law upon the statute book which will provide the relief which, in its judgment, was first of all necessary, and for this gold reserve under any emergency and in spite of any having passed a revenue bill which insures rev~nue to meet our calamity which the Democratic Administration during the brief Treasury deficit, and as well brings benefit all along the line to 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 397
American industry, might have stopped there. The Ways and ernment, to which class I belong, will vote against it, because they Means Committee; however, thought proper to present to this Re think there is no necessity for it. Thus.we unite in our opposi publican House of Representatives the bill which is now under tion. How is it on that side of the House? A number of gentle discussion. It thought proper to do so for these two principal rea men there support this bill and yet say the obligations of the sons. First, the passage of this measure would permit, or rather Government should be paid in gold. Those who so believe owe it I should say would direct, the Secretary of the Treasury, in case of to their country, to their _Treasury, and to themselves to vote to further bond issue made necessary by the failure or delay of our obtain gold with which to redeem and to pay. Last year the Presi revenue measure, to place those bonds at a lower rate of interest dent negotiated a sale of bonds to obtain gold. Under existing law and on shorter time than the authority of existing law now per he can only sell coin bonds. He sent a message to Congress say mits him to do. Can anyone object to such a provision? It is ing that if within ten days that body would authorize him to issue businesslike, economical, and in the interest of the people. Second, bonds payable in gold instead of coin, there would be a saving to the bill under consideration directs that any future bond issues the Government on that single transaction of some $16,000,000. shall be so advertised and negotiated as to afford the opportunity The House refused to authorize the issue of gold bonds. Those of to American citizens to invest in them as a popular loan. The us who believe the bonds and obligations of the Government are failure by a Republican House to pass a measure with such a pro redeemable in either gold or silver voted against it because we be vision as this would in effect be an approval of the Administra lieved the Government ·should pay according to contl:act in the tion's syndicate performances in the former issues of bonds. metal most convenient, but how can one who says our obligations I would have the country understand the political division which should be paid in gold justify a vote against it? . exists in the legislative and executive branches of the Government. I ask these gentlemen who say all of our coin obligations must I believe they understand the situation. Here is a Republican be paid in gold, How do you justify voting against that proposi House of Representatives. strongly disposed to the enactment of a tion? How does the gentleman from Iowa, Mr. DoLLIVER, justify protective-tariff law which shall fully and equitably protect every voting against that proposition? And the gentleman from Ohio, branch of industry and every form of labor in these United States, Mr. GROSVENOR? How do they justify voting against a proposi and this Republican House of Representatives is impatiently wait tion whreh, from their standpoint, without changing the liability ing the time when the enactment of such a law shall be made pos of the Government, would yet _save to the taxpayers of the coun sible; here is a United States Senate, rather strongly disposed try $16,000,000? How does the gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. toward the enactment of a measure for the free coinage of silver; TAWNEY, justify it? Or the gentleman from lllinois, Mr. HOPKINS; and here is a President, pretty thoroughly imbued with the free the gentleman from North Dakota, Mr. JOHNSON; the gentleman trade idea. Such a situation confronted this Republican House of from Dlinois, Mr. CANNON; and the gentleman from Iowa, Mr. Representatives, and if the present emergency shall be met by the HENDERSON? All of these gentlemen have discussed the pending Senate and the Executive in the same spirit and with the same proposition, and insist that the obligations of the Government are regard for practical and patriotic results as the Republican House payable in gold. I ask them how can they justify their refusal has met it, the emergency will be relieved and the difficulties of to insert the word gold in those bonds, when by doing it they our Treasury situation temporarily, at least, bridged over. would have saved to the taxpayers $16,000,000? They say our coin [Here the hammer fell.] obligations are payable in gold alone, and yet refuse to express it The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Georgia [Mr. CRISP] is in the bond, when by so doing they could have saved this large recognized for eighteen minutes. amount to the people. "· Mr. CRISP. Mr. Speaker, in the short time at my command I I opposed the proposition last year because I did not believe as ~hall endeavor to recall to the House the real issue presented in the they did, that all of our obligations were payable in gold. Had I situation before us. The President of the United States has sent so believed and refused to support it, I should have felt myself in a special message directing attention to our diminishing gold unworthy longer to represent an intelligent constituency. On reserve and urging as a remedy for existing evils the issuance of the proposition last year to issue gold bonds you will find recorded bonds payable in gold and the retirement o! the Sherman notes in the affirmative the gentleman from Maine, Mr. DINGLEY, now and Treasury notes now in circulation. He asks that Congress the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; the gentle forego its usual holiday recess and legislate in the line indicated. man from Maine, Mr. REED, now the Speaker of the House; the These are plain propositions. Either you agree with the President gentleman from New York, Mr. PAYNE; the gentleman from Con or you do not agree with him. If his theory as to our obligations necticut, Mr. RussELL, and yet to-day all but one of these gentle being payable in gold is correct, then we are confronted with an men have addressed the House in favor of the pending proposi emergency, and prompt action should be had. If you do not tion, which is to issue coin bonds. Last year they voted with a agree with him in that respect, then no great haste is necessary. number of Democrats to insert the word''gold." This year, You should, a..'! business men, adopt one theory or the other and act when in the majority, they refuse to prepare and support a bill upon it. You should not play politics. You· should not in hot containing the word ''gold," but report and support a measure haste do that which he has not asked and at the same time pretend providing for the continuance of coin bonds. that you are doing it in 1·esponse to his message. Mr. DINGLEY. Will the gentleman from Georgia pardon a The President says there is plenty of money in the Treasury. suggestion? The official statement published yesterday shows $175,470,249, in Mr. CRISP. The gentleman knows that I have but a very few cluding the gold reserve. He does not ask increased revenue. He moments. The gentleman has his own time remaining. does not ask authority to sell coin bonds. He asks to sell gold Mr. DINGLEY. As the gentleman has referred to a fa.ct, it bonds, to retire the Sherman notes and the greenbacks outstand seems to be only just that an explanation should go with it. ing, and to confer additional privileges upon the national banks. Mr. CRISP. The gentleman from Maine will have his own Either you favor these propositions or you oppose them. time in conclusion. Mr. BOUTELLE. Is the gentleman from Georgia in favor of Mr. DINGLEY. Verywell. them? Mr. CRISP. Mr. Speaker, I ask again if this proposition is to Mr. CRISP. I am not. [Laughter on the Republican side.] be treated as a business one? Why will you not so treat it? I ask But whether you favor or oppose them you ought to act with can if the position you have taken is not simply a political one? What dor and frankness. The Secretary of the Treasury says he is not is to be a-ccomplished by the issuance of these bonds? Authority in want of revenue and that he has on hand a surplus of funds is granted by existing law to sell coin bonds to maintain specie amply sufficient to cover any deficiency for years to come. On the payments. The pending bill does not change the character of the 5th of February last the gentleman from Maine [Mr. REED], now money in which the bonds are to be made payable. It authorizes the Speaker, in discussing a bond issue then proposed, used this bonds at lower rates, when the Secretary of the Treasury tells us language: they could not probably be sold at par, and it provides for the If the Secretary of the Treasury will not have revenue, and declares that issuance of $50,000,000 short-time bonds in case there shall be a de ·he is fa-ce to face with a surplus, we must treat the case upon that basis. ficit in the revenues, when the daily report.of the Treasury shows Otherwise we arouse party feeling and come to no arrangement on the sub that it is impossible there can be a deficieiwy of funds for the next ject. two years. What, then, is the object of gentlemen on that side The course pursued by the majority to-day is exactly the oppo of the HoUBe? Why, sir, it seems to me that their object iB sim site of that then suggested by the gentleman from Maine. You ply to pretend to do something in response to the demand of the refuse to treat upon the basis suggested by the Secretary; and yet Executive, when they well know, as all men who look into the you claim the pending proposition is strictly in response to the ·matter must know, they are doing nothing. urgent demands of the executive department. Mr. BOUTELLE rose: On this side of the House, Mr. Speaker, there is some division Mr. CRISP. My own position-my friend from Maine inquires on the financial question, yet in our opposition to the pending bill about that, I believe? He knows me well enough tO know that I we are united. Those gentlemen on this side who believe we have no purpose to conceal my own views upon any question. should have the single gold standard are opposed to it because it Mr.l30UTELLE. I do not question that. I understand it per will-·bring no gold into the Treasury; and gold is ·what the Treas fectly. . But I heard my friend from Georgia arguing, I thought, ury wants. Those on this side who believe that all our obligations that we ought to follow the advice of the President and the Secre are payable in either gold or silver coin at the option of the Gov- tary of the Treasury and issue gold bonds. 398 CONGRESSIONAL REOORD-HOUSE. DECEMBER 28,
Mr. CRISP. My argument was, that if yon believed, as yon vided th~t the same might be paid in lawful money or other currency than gold or silver· and · claim, that the obligations of the Government were payable in Whereas all the bonds of. the United States authorized to be issued by the gold, you ought to have had the courage to vote to insert.the word act entitled '•Anact to authorize the refunding of the national debt," apJ?roved '' gold:' in the bonds, thus saving millions to the people. My friend July 14,1870, by the terms of said act were declared to be redeemable m coin of the t!Wn present standard value, bearing interest payable semiannually in from Maine and others of the leaders on the other side of the House such com; and who believe all the obligations of the Government are payable in Whereas all bonds of the United States authorized to be issued under an gold ought to be brave enough to say so in the bond itself. act entitled "An act to provide for the resumption of specie payments " ap Mr. BOUTELLE. But does the gentleman from Georgia think proved January 14, 1875t.are required to be of the description of bonds ~f the U~ted States describea ~the said act.of Congress approved July 14:,1870, he is going to help the credit of the country, or to aid the Treasury entitled "An act to authonze the refundmg of the national debt;" and to any extent, by proclaiming to the world his belief that he does Whereas at the date of the passage of the said act of Congress last afore not think the United States bonds heretofore issued are payable said, to wit, the 14th day of July, 1870, the coin of the United States of stand ard value of that date included silver dollars of the weight of 412t grains in gold? each, declared by the a.ct approved January 18, 1837, entitled "An act sup Mr. CRISP. I am not parading my views. I am arguing as to pleme!ltary to the .act entitled 'An act establishing a mint and regulating the want of consistency of the gentlemen on the other side. the corns of the Umted States,'" to be a legal tender of payment, according to their nominal value for any sums whatever: Therefore Mr. BOUTELLE. But the gentleman says he does not believe Be it reBolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring therein ) our bonds should be paid in gold-- That all the bonds of the United States issued or authorized to be issuea1 1\lr. CRISP. I do not. und~r the said acts of Qongress hereinbefore recited are payable, principal and mterest, at the option of the Government of the United States, in silver Mr. BOUTELLE. Do you think that helps the Secretary to save dollars of ~he coinage of the United States, containing 4l2t grains each of the 16,000,000 which he says must be lost because of the distrust standard silver; and that to restore to its coina~e such silver coins as a legal lest the bonds shall not be paid in gold? tender in payment of said bonds, principal and mterest, is not in violation of Mr. CRISP. Mr. Speaker, can I have the remainder of my the public faith nor in derogation of the rights of the public creditor. time? This resolution passed the Senate-yeas 48, nays 18; passed the The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Georgia declines to be House-yeas 189, nays 79. interrupted, and he has the right to the floor. That resolution was passed, Mr. Speaker, at a time when silver Mr. CRISP. Now, Mr. Speaker, I have not the time-perhaps was demonetized by the act of 1873, and there has never been a. this is not the time, but if I had an hour at my command I might doubt from that day to this that our bonds and obligations could do so-to discuss in full myviews as to what remedies ought to be be legally, honestly, ~nd honorably discharged in either gold or applied to the existing condition. silver of the present weightandfinenessattheoptionofthe United Mr. BOUTELLE. I do not want to trouble the gentleman, but States. [Applause.] simply to say I thought he was expressing his views, but I find Mr. DALZELL. Mr. Speaker- that I do not know whose views he is expressing. The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Mr. CRISP. When the gentleman gets through I should like DALZELL l is recognized. to proceed. Mr. DALZELL. Beforelproceed.Iwant to yield half a minute · The SPEAKER. The Chair desires to say to the House that to the gentleman from Massachusetts [1\fr. McCALL]. the gentleman from Georgia has the floor, and is entitled to it, Mr. McCALL of Massachusetts. Mi·. Speaker, I rise for the sim and can not be interrupted without his consent. [Applause.] ple purpose of saying that I desire to print in the RECORD certain :Mr. BOJJTELLE. Mr. Speaker, I supposed the gentleman had letters from constituents of mine upon the Venezuelan question, consented. which is a kindred subject to that under discussion, and is at least The SPEAKER. The House will be in order. indire-ctly responsible for the fact that the House is to-day discuss Mr. CRISP. Mr. Speaker, I will say, though-perhaps I owe it ing the condition of the Treasury. Theintrinsiccharacterof these to myself to do so in view of what has gone before-that I do not letters as well as the highstandingof their authors make it proper believe the experiment of a single gold standard should be con that I should put them in the CoNGRESSIONAL RECORD in order tinued longer. I do believe in real bimetallism, and that we can that other members of this House may be able to read and give them reac.h it by providing for the free and unlimited coinage of silver. due consideration. I do not believe we should retire the Sherman notes and the From S. M. Macvane, McLean professor of ancient and modern greenbacks, 'thus contracting the currency about $500,000,000, history, Harvard University: nor do I approve of the proposition to enlarge the privileges of CAMllRIDOE, MAss., December SO, 1895. DEAR Sm: I take the liberty of writing to you, as my Representative in the national banks. I believe we should repeal the 10 per cent Congress, t:e~arding the Pre;sent ~larming cond~tion of O!J.r !oreign relations. tax on State-bank circulation, thus permitting the peoDle of each In my oprmon, the Administration has comnntted a crunmal blunder in its State to have a good and ample loca.I circulation. I believe our app~l to warlike feelings. Th~ House of Represep.tatives, instead of inter posmg a demand for moderatwn and care, has given way to foolish excite unit of value should rest on bothgold and silver. I donotbelieve ment and reckless haste. It looks now as if, by a return of your bill with in oppressing the debtors of this country and of the world as they amendments, you may kave an opportunity to reconsider the case. I beg you would be oppressed by basing our standard of value wholly upon to do what you can topreventthepassage of thecommissiou bill inanyform. It can only com1Jlicate and retard a rational settlement. We have diplomatic one metal. [Applause.] I believe, Mr. Speaker, this view is machinery for dealing with foreign countries and for collecting information shared by a large majority of the people of the United States. regarding any question that affects our interests. England can hardly rec Look for a moment at the history of our bond transactions and ognize the com.mis.sion. The very appointment of it would be an affront w hi.ch she could hardly fail to resent. It would put the whole subject on a wrong coinage laws; until 1873 the law permitted the unlimited coinage basis; would create about it an atmosphere of irritation highly dangerous to of both gold and silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, and made either coin a the peace of the two countries. The chances are strong that it would draw full legal tender in payment of all debts or dues, public and private. us into a position from which no escape could be found short of war. The men who get us into a war with England over a question of boundary between In that year, when silver bullion was at a premium as compared the EngliSh colonists in Guiana and the Venezuelans will undoubtedly be held with gold, silver was demonetized, its legal-tender quality was to a sharp reckoning. The people of British Guiana. are as much Americans - destroyed, and its coinage discontinued.. In 1869 an act was passed as the Venezuelans are. The one spot of South America in which men of our own blood and language have set up free government and the rule of law is which pledged the Government to redeem all its outstanding obli as much entitled to our support as are the unruly Spanish of Venezuela. If gations in coin of the then standard of weight and fineness. The they have carried Teutonic enterprise into the unoccupied wilds about the aet of 1870 authorized the issue of bonds payable in coin of the then headwaters -:>f the Essequibo, they have done no more, I think, than our own standard value. The act of 1875 provided for bonds payable as were people would have done in the same circumstances. That their Government shoUld have followed them can hardly surprise anybody who knows that the bonds authorized by the act of 1870. In 1877, when bonds were there would otherwise have been no govermnent there. to be issued under the act of 1875, silver had been demonetized and The absence of a settled boundary has always been primarily the fault of its coinage discontinued, and we find Mr. Sherman, then Secre Venezuela in making demands so gross and sweepin'l that they could not be entertained. That England should now 1·efuse to submit to arbitration the tary of the Treasury, inquiring of the Attorney-General whether question of handing over her colonists in their new homes to the tender the bonds issued under that act should be made payable in coin of mercies of the Venezuelan rule seems to me highly creditable to her. That the then standard or in coin of the standard of 1870. If they were this other great Anglo-Saxon nation should threaten her with war for doing so can only be due to error and misapprehension. When our people under payable in coin of the standard existing at the date of issue, they stand the case they will know what to think of the President and any who were payable in gold; if in coin of the standard of 1870, they were weakly- follow him. payable in either gold or silver, at the option of the Government. Very sincerely yours, S. M. MACVANE. The Attorney-General replied that the bonds should be made Hon. SAMUEL McCALL, M. C., Washington. payable in coin the standard in 1870. And later, to set all doubts From B. 0. Pierce~ Hollis professor of mathematics and natural at rest, Mr. Stanley Matthews, of Ohio, afterwards a judge of the philosophy, Harvara University: Supreme Court of the United States, submitted the following reso C.A.lf:BRIDGE, MAss., Decembe1· Sl, 1895. MY DEAR Sm: As one of your constituents I beg you to do all in your power lution, which was considered in the House. to save the country from the wicked folly of persi tence in the policy of
Mr. PATTERSON. The Senate. interference in foreigll affairs in. to which" po. litics "have apparently driven Mr. CRISP. In the House and Senate both. Mr.. Cleveland, and which may lead us into a criminal quarrel with a friendly nation. The preamble and resolution are as follows: I sincerely hope that the Republican Congress will not be stam'P8ded into unwise action for fear that it may not seem sufficiently "patriotic" to th$ ~~eX'~r~Ji1~rJ61,: ftn::ale;.~~~e~!ntgd=~'~tt~e~~~fcf~d'~tld braggarts who just now are so much in evidence. Bta.tes was thereby solemnlypledged to the payp1.ent in coin or its equivalent Sincerely, ~u':~ B. 0. PIERCE. of all the interest-bearing obli~atlons of the United States, except in cases Hon. SAMUEl> W. mcCALL, where the law authorizing tlle ISSue of such obligations had prenously pro- Washington, D. c. 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 399
From William James~ professor of psychology, Harvard Uni And what does war mean? European affairs have been nicely balanced for a long time--so nicely that a touch Will disturb the equilibrium. Is it likely versity: that Great Britain and the United States can fight out a bitter quarrel that HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Cam1Yridge, Mass., December 21, 1895. is sure to involve the possession of the northern half of the North American MY DEAR. Sm: As one of your constituents I urge you to use your infiu Continent without leading to complications that would set the armies of ence in every way to mitigate the further results of the calamity which Europe in motion? No careful student of affairs can look for any other re President Cleveland and Congress together have SJ>rung upon the country. sult. Is any such :p_q_int of national honor or interest involved in the present The good fam.e that one hundred years have won for us, and that has made question as to justify giving the signal !or such a stupendous outbreak of the rest of the world view us with a.n indulgence accorded to no other great giant forces? . power the character, namely, of being safe, and always to be counted on as If we are to go on the way marked out by the President, on which Congress throwmg1 our vast weight into the scale that stands for humanity and civili seems ready to follow, we must face, as the President does, the probable re zation, has in three days of delirium been flung so far away over the roof tops sult. Great Britain has no less national pride and self-confidence than we, that fifty years of sane conduct will doubtfully buy it back. We have written and is as little likely to back down. It may be that Great Britain will yield, ourselves squarely down as a people dangerous to the peace of the world, but it is hardly safer for us to bank on that than on Secretary Cru:Iisle•s more dan8erous than anything since Franc-e under Na-poleon. The gro- . Treasury estimates. tesque logic of the Cleveland-Olney communications is only matchetl by their The Republicans in the House lost a grand opportunity to puncture the gratuitously insulting form. Was there ever anything more infernally pseudo-patriotic balloon that was so airily diSJ>layed before them_ Why: did cynical than to make of an incident where we pretend to urge upon others not some oneask that the Treasury be heard from, or why the President the use of the humaner international methods the pretext and vehicle of a had dropped his policy of cautious timidity and struck the note of war so wanton and blustering provocation to war? boldly at a time when his Administration had seriously embarrassed the The President's fearful blunder was in coupling his direct threat of war nation financially, and when his party was on the verge of ruin. with his demand for a commission. It is the passions aroused by that that so The shrewdest politician in the country seems to have played his boldest fatally complicate the situation. Had he simply asked for 100,000 for a and deepest game. In the moment of defeat he has made a high bid for the judicml commission to enable us to see how to exert most justly our infiuence Irish vote that is getting away from its Democratic moorings, and has di hereafter, it would have left all possibilities open. And meanwhile, had the tlf~J.epub · 'Ul attention from conditions that make war talk worse than decision of the commission so solemnly inaugurated been adverse to Eng land, it would have been ~xceedi.ngly difficult for the English Government I hope I am n i asking too much when I request your careful consideration to go on in an unjust course. The Liberal party would have made of it an of these suggestions, and urge you to throw your infinence on the side of a issue--we should have covered ourselves with dignity and honor and appeared more deliberate treatment in Congress of the serious questions now before the nation. A nation, as a man, can better afford to recede from a wrong iti~~ ~l~~: ~~ ~:r!Yc~~:d~~~=~~~~:Uas, no longer), the position than to maintain it. All these possibilities are lost. The threat compels England to disregard The voters who rolled up the enormous vote that put a. Republican major the commission's decision. It compels us to declare war if she disregards it. ity in the House did not do it to see that majority meshed in the net set by Com:pels, that is, under penalty of flagrant cowardice on the one hand, under the chief of the Administration of which the people disavproved. penalty of confessing to a buffoon Government on the other. It is monstrous Perhaps I should add that I am not a peace-at-any-price man. War for a. that so sharp and calamitous an issue should be abruptly sprung on two real principle. for the maintenance of national honor, whether good policy or friendly countries by: the very first public utterance of our Executive. It not, would call for the support of every-true American; but for a great nation has made retreat Wlth honor impossible to either side, and I fancy that such to bring on war without such a basis lS wholesale crime. I believe, too, in a a thing has never been done in the history of nations before, except as a pre firm, even a. .. spirited," foreign policy, and am classed, I think, as a jin8o., lim.in.a:ry to a declaration of war alrea ought he not to have the much lesser power to issue bonds run applause.] Already it is an open secret that upon condition of ning only fifteen years and bearing interest at the rate only of 3 the failure of this legislation an agreement has been made with per cent? Now, as a plain, practical proposition, let me cite to you another syndicate for another loan of anywhere from $100,000,000 some figures. Since the calamity of this Democratic Administra to $200,000,000 at 4 per cent. That is the reason why the Admin tion haS come upon us there have been issued $162,000,000 of bonds. istration is opposed to this measure, and why it seeks to put upon One hundred million dollars of those bonds bear interest at the our shoulders the responsibility of its failure. Defeat this measure, rate of 5 per cent and run ten years. Sixty-two million dollars my fellow-Republicans, and the Administration will say to the of those bonds run thirty years and bear interest at the rate of 4 world-will say to our own complaining people-we are forced to per cent. Upon the first issue we pay in interest $50,000,000. make this loan at 4 per cent for thirty years because the Repub Upon the second issue we pay in interest $75,000,000. In other lican Congress would not give us authority to make any other. words, since this Democratic Administration came into power, Now, if that be so, if I have spoken the truth up to this time, bonds have been issued under existing law which place upon the will you tell me any reason why any Republican on the floor of shoulders of our people in the shape of interest $125,000,000. Now, this House should play into the hands of the Democratic Admin if the bill that is now pending before this House had been a law istration? [Loud applause on the Republican side.] Do you uuon the statute books we would have been compelled to pay only want, by voting with the Democracy, to increase the burden of $24,300,000, or, in other words, if it had been a law it would have this people another $16,000,000? Do you want to enable the Ad saved to the people of the United States $100,700,000. [Applause ministration to put a responsibility upon us that we ought not to on the Republican side.] bear? Fellow-Republicans, there are times when there is not only I ask any gentleman on this floor to assign any good reason an excuse, but when it is a duty to speak plainly. I beg of you to why we should not adopt this measure of economy in the interest stop and think, to think long and soberly and intelligently, l;>efore of the people of the United States. Some gentleman suggested you join the Democratic forces upon the other side of that aisle. that he would strike out the provision of the act of 1875 and in rLoud applause on the Republican side.] The issue is plainly sert simply the provision of this act. But I want to suggest to drawn. There can be no mistake about where the dividing line my friend that no one can foresee the future conditions of the is. "Under which flag, Bezonian?" Will you vote with the market nor the future condition of the country, and that no harm Democratic party of this House~ or will you follow after the ban comes from mving to the President of the United States the ~ar ner of your own party in the interest of the American people? gin that he will have if this bill becomes law supplemental to [Loud applause on the Republican side.] additional to-the law of 1875. The SPEAKER. The question is upon ordering the bill to be I want to call your attention particularly and briefly to two im engrossed for a third reading. portant things in connection with this bill. In the first place, it Mr. JOHNSON of California. I ask a vote on each section sep proposes to make the American people the creditors of the Amer arately. ican people. It proposes to pay such interest as we may be com The SPEAKER. The order gives that right, and accordingly pelled to pay to our own people and not to foreign syndicates. It the vote will be taken on the first section. The Clerk will report proposes to afford an opportunity to every man, woman, and the first section. child throughout this broad land, whether in city or in hamlet, to The Clerk read as follows: show their patriotism by investing their earnings, whether small Be it enacted, etc., That in addition to the authorit y given to the Secretary · or great, in the bonds of their own Government. rApplause on of the Treasury by the act approved January H, 1875, entitled "An act to pro the Republican side.] It provides, in the second place, that the vide for the resumption of specie payments," be is authorized from time to time, at his discretion, to issue, sell, and dispose of; at not less than par in proceeds of any bonds that may be issued shall be a separate fund coin, coupon or registered bouds of the United States to an amount sufficient for redemption purposes, and confines them to that pm·pose alone. for the object stated in this section, bearing not to exceed 3 per cent interest It prevents, so far as legislation can, the use of the proceeds of per annum, payable semiannually, and redeemable at the pleasure of the United States, in coin, after five years from their date, and payable in fifteen bond loans for paying deficiencies in the '!'reasury; and gentlemen years after their date, with like qualities, privileges, and exemptions pl'o may dismiss from their minds any doubt as to the question of its vided in said act for the bonds therein authorized. And the Secretary of the interference with the greenbacks. So far as the green backs are con Treasury shall use the proceeds thereof for the redemption of United States legal-tender notes, and for no other purr.,ose: Provided, That nothing in this cerned this law changes existing law not an iota. 'l'hen I put to act shall be construed to repeal or modify an act approved May 31, 1878, en you th~ question: If these things are so, what is the objection titled "An act to forbid the further retirement of United States legal-tender to this proposed form of relief in this the hour of the country's notes.'' Whenever the Secretary of the Treasury shall offer any of the bonds authorized for sale by this act or by the resumption act of 1875, he shall ad emergency? vertise the same and authorize subscriptions therefor to be nmde at the Treas It has been suggested that this bill is an indorsement of bond ury Department and at the subtreasuries and designated depositories of the issues in time of peace. Not so. This bill does not compel the United States. issue of any bonds. It provides only for the character of the issue Mr. CRISP. I demand the yeas and nays on that. when the emergency shall make it necessary. The yeas and nays were ordered. It has been further suggested that bond issues in time of peace The SPEAKER. The Chair desires to state to the House that are not in accordance with Republican policy. This again is a it will greatly facilitate the voting if order is kept on the floor, mistake. The Republican party has always opposed, will always otherwise the Clerk can not hear the responses, and the responses oppose, bond issues to meet revenue deficiencies, but it has always should always be prompt and loud. advocated bond issues when necessarytokeepat par the American The Chair would further suggest that there may be three roll dollar, and so in 1878 it issued ninety-five and one-half millions. calls, so that gentlemen must bear that in mind and govern them The Republican party believes, above all things, in the maintenance selves accordingly. of all our money, whether gold, silver, or paper, at a parity. Its Mr. CRISP. It is only on the final passage that I desire the doctrine is parity of value in all our dollars. Now, I put another yea.s and nays. question: Who stands opposed to this proposed law? The SPEAKER. The question is on agreeing that the first sec Why, I venture to say, Mr. Speaker, that never in the history of tion be engrossed and read the third time. Congressional legislation since the Government was founded has Mr. CRISP. I only desire the roll call on the passage of the sec such a spectacle been presented as is presented to the country to tion, and what I suggest is that it be considered as engrossed and day. The President of the United States tells us that the pecun read a third time, and then the vote be taken on the passage of iary safety of the Republic is threatened. The Secretary of the the section. Treasury echoes his cry. The President says to us: Gentlemen, The SPEAKER. Then, without objection, the vote will be forego the pleasures of this holiday sea~on and come to ID:Y ~id taken on that question, and will be on the passage of the first sec with legislation. The Congress of the Umted States-the maJonty tion. party of the Congress of the United States-promptly responding The question was taken; and there were-yeas 171, nays 136, to the President's call, do forego the pleasures of the Christmas not VOting 48; as follOWS: I season and are here endeavoring to carry to the President the re YEAS--171. lief th~t he sought; and what is the President doing? Exercising Acheson, Boutelle. Cousins Fowler, all the power of the Administration to defeat the legislation that Adams, Brewsterii Curtis, iowa Gamble, Aldrich, Bromwe, Gardner, . we are endeavoring to secure. (Applause on. the Repu!>li<;mn Anderson, Brosius, gn:J:~LN. Y. Gibson, side.] What is the Secretary of the Treasury domg? Pubbshit;tg Andrews, Brown, Daniels, Gillet, N. Y. authentic interviews in a morning newspaper decrying the legiS Apsley, Bull, Dayton, Gillett, Mass. lation that we propose to consummate. Arnold,Pa.. Burton, Ohio Din~ley, Griffin, Why, Mr. Speaker, I am amazed-and I mean just what I say Avery, Calderhead, Dolliver, Griswold, Babcock, Cannon1 Dovener, Grosvenor, I am amazed that a gentleman who has been a member of this Baker, Md. Cbickermg, Draper, Grow, House a member of the other House, and a Cabinet officer has Barrett, Clark, Mo. Evans, Hadley, Bartholdt, Codding, Fairchild, Hager, so littie regard for the proprieties and decencies of public life and Belknap, Coffin, Faris, Hamer, Nebr. the theory of our Government. [Loud applause on the Republican Bennett, Connolly, Fenton, Halterman, side.] Why does the A~ini~tration ~ppose . t_his measm:e? I will Bingham, Cook, Wis. Fischer, Hanly, Cooke, lll. Fletcher, Hardy, · tell you why. Because 1t wants nothmg but "gold" bonds, and ~~~N.Y. Cooper, Wis. Foote, Harmer, it wants to deal with nobody but foreign syndicates. [Renewed Blue, Corliss, · - Foss, Hatch, 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 401 Heatwole, Knox, Northway, Stone, C. W. The result of the vote was announced as above stated. Heiner,Pa. Kulp, Overstreet, Strode, Nebr. Hemenway, Lacey, Parker, Strong, fApplause on the Republican side.] Henderson, Lefever, Pa¥E:e, Taft, The SPEAKER. The question is now on the passage of the Henry, Ind. Leighty, Phillips, Tawney, second section. · ~ks, Leisenring, Pitney, Tayler, Leonard, Poole, Thomas, The question being taken, it was decided in the affirmative. Bitt, Lewis, Pugh, Tracey, The SPEAKER. The second section having now been adopted, Hooker, Lorimer Quigg, Treloar, the bill is passed. Hopkins, Loudenslager, neyburn, Updegraff, Howe, Low, Royse, Van Voorhis, On motion of Mr. DINGLEY, a motion to reconsider the votes Howell, Mahany, Russell, Conn. Wadsworth, by which the bill was passed was laid on the table. Hubbard, Mahon, Scranton, Walker, Mass. Huff, McCall, Mass. Shannon, Wanger, HOLIDAY ADJOURNMENT. Hulick, McCleary, Minn. Sherman, Warner, Huling, McEwan Simpkins, Watson, Ind. Mr. DINGLEY. I desh·etomakea motion which I will preface Hull Meiklejohn, Smith, ill. Watson, Ohio with a parliamentary inquiry. There is a desire on both sides of Hunter, Mercer, Southard Wellington, Hurley, Miller, W. Va. Southwick, White, the House, as many gentlemen have been unable to go home for Hutcheson, Milliken, Spalding, Wilber, the holidays, that an opportunity to do so be afforded next week; Jenkins, Milnes, Sperry, Willis, and the general wish is that this object be accomplished by taking Johnson, Ind. Minor, Wis. Stahle, Wilson, N. Y. three-day recesses during the coming week, and not taking np any Johnson, N.Dak. Moody, Steele, Woodman, Joy, Mozley, Stewart, N. J. Wright. actual business until a week from next Monday. My parliamen Kiefer, Noonan, Stewart, Wis. tary inquiry is; whether under the Constitution a recess can be NAYS-136. taken from to-day until next Thursday, or whether that would be Abbott, Curtis, Kans. Long, Russell, Ga. an adjournment for more than three legislative days. I do not Aitken, Danford, Loud, Sayers, lmow what the precedents have been. If the motion is permissi Bailey, De Armond, Maddox, Settle, ble_, I will move that when the Honse adjourns to-day it adjourn Baker, Kans. Denny, Marsh • Shafroth, .Baker, N.H. De Witt, McC~ Tenn. Shuford., to meet on Thursday next. Bankhead, Dinsmore, McClellan, Skinner, The SPEAKER. Sunday is not taken into account in these Barham, Dockery, McClure, Snover, cases, bnt-- Bartlett, Ga. Doolittle, McCreary, Ky. Sorg, Bartlett, N.Y. Downing, McCulloch, Spencer, Mr. DINGLEY. Can the House adjourn from to-day until Beach, Eddy, McDearmon, Stokes, Thursday? Bell, Colo. Ellett, Va. McKenney, Strait, The SPEAKER. The Chair thinks the adjournment can not be Bell, Tex. Elliott, S. C. McLachlan, Strowd, N.C. Black, Ga. Ellis, McLaurin, Sulzer, to a later day than next Wednesday. Bowers, Erdman, McMillin, Swanson, Mr. DINGLEY. I move, then, that when the House adjourns Broderick, Graff, Meredith, Tarsney, to-day it adjourn to meet on Tuesday next. Buck, Harris, Meyer, Tate, Burrell, Hart, Miles, Terry, Several ME."\IBERS. Wednesday. Burton, Mo. Hartman, Miller, Kans. Towne, Mr. DINGLEY. No; Wednesday will be New Year's Day. Catchings, Hendrick, Miner, N.Y. Tuc~er, The idea is to take a three-day recess from next· Tuesday, which Clardy, Hermann, Mondell, Turner, Ga. Clark, Iowa Hilborn, Murphy, Turner, Va. would carry ns over until Friday, and then another recess until Clarke, Ala. Hyde, Neill, Tyler, Monday, with the general understanding that no business is to be Cobb, Ala. Johnson, Cal. Newlands, Underwood, transacted next week, but that business will'be resumed a week Cobb, Mo. Jones, Otey; Walker, Va. Colson, Kem Owens, Walsh, from Monday. This, Mr. Speaker, will enable gentlemen who Cooper, Fla. Kendall, Patterson, Washington, may desire to leave the city to do so safely; and I hope there will Cooper, Tex. Kerr, Pearson, Wheeler, be no objection to that understanding. [Cries of "All right!"] Cowen, Kirkpatrick, Pendleton, Williams, Cox, Kyle, Pickler, Wilson, Idaho I move, then, that when the Honse adjourns to-day it be to meet Crain, Latimer, Price, Wilson, Ohio on Tuesday next. Crisp Lawson, Prince, Wilson, S. C. Mr. CRISP. One moment, Mr. Speaker, before that motion is Crowley, Lester, Reeves Wood, Culberson, Linney, Richardson, Woodard, submitted. Let ns have no misunderstanding. The general un Cummings, Livingston, Robbins, Yoakum. derstanding is that we are to adjourn until Tuesday, then meet NOT VOTING-48. and immediately adjourn over until Friday, and on the assembling Allen, Barney, Brumm, Crump, of the session on Friday to immediately adjourn until Monday, Arnold, R. L Berry, Cockrell, Fitzgerald, without the transaction of any business whatever; so that those Atwood, Boatner, Crowther, Grout, who have business at home can go safely, and with the certainty Hall, Maguire, Perkins, Smith, Mich. Harrison, McCormick, Powers, Sparkman, that no business will be transacted next week. Henry, Conn. McRae, Raney, Stallings, M1·. DINGLEY. That is the understanding. Hepburn, Money, Ray, Stephenson, Mr. CRISP. That is satisfactory. Howard, Morse, Robertson, La. Stone, W.A. Layton, Moses, Robinson, Pa. Snlloway, The SPEAKER. If that is the understanding, the Chair will Linton, Odell, Rusk, . Talbert, endeavor to carry it out as far as possible. Little, Ogden, Sauerhering, Tracewell, Mr. DINGLEY. I ask a vote on my motion, that when the Lockhart, Otjen, Shaw, Woomer. House adjourns to-day it be to meet on "Tuesday next. So the first section of the bill was passed. "The motion was agreed to. The following.pairs were announced: Until further notice: PUBLIC BUILDING AT MA.NKA.TO, MINN. Mr. 0TJEN with Mr. COCKRELL. Mr. McCLEARY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous Mr. ODELL with Mr. TALBERT. consent to submit at this time for consideration a resolution which Mr. TRACEWELL with Mr. SHAW. I send to the desk. Mr. WILLIAM A. STONE with Mr. LAYTON. The SPEAKER. The resolution will be read, after which the Mr. BRUIDtl with Mr. HALL. Chan· will ask if there is objection to its consideration. Mr. WOOMER with Mr. LITTLE. The resolution was read at length. Mr. RANEY with Mr. STALLINGS. It provides that the SE::cretary of the Treasury shall be.author Mr. STEPHENSON with Mr. FITZGERALD. ized and directed to supply marble floor tiling, subbase, and Mr. ARNOLD of Rhode Island with Mr. SPARKMAN. wainscoting in the first story of the above-named building, not MJ.·. SMITH of Michigan with Mr. BERRY. withstanding the provision of the act of March 3, 1875, known as Mr. POWERS with Mr. MONEY. the sundry civil appropriation bill. Mr. GROUT with Mr. BOATNER. The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the present consideration Mr. MORSE with Mr. RUSK. of the resolution? Mr. HEPBURN with Mr. ALLEN. Mr. SCRANTON. I object. On this question: Mr. HENRY of Connecticut with Mr. HOWARD. CONTESTED-ELECTION CASE, VAN HORN VS~ TARSNEY. Mr. McCoRMICK with Mr. HARRISON. Mr. TARSNEY. Mr. Speaker, I desire to submit a privileged For this day: resolution. . Mr. SAUERHERING with Mr. OGDEN. The SPEAKER. The resolution will be read. Mr. CRUMP with Mr. LOCK.HA.RT. The Clerk read as follows: Mr. LINTON with Mr. MAGumE. Whereas it is represented and made to appear that since the completion of the record in the contested election case of Robert '.r. Van Horn vs. John C. Mr. RAY with Mr. McRAE. Tarsney, from the Fifth Congressional district of Missouri, now pending in Mr. ROBINSON of Pennsylvania with Mr. MOSES. - part 2 of the Committee on Elections of this House, and since the expiration Mr. PERKINS with Mr. ROBERTSON of Louisiana. of the time limited by law for the taking of evidence therein, new and mate SMITH of Michigan. I am paired with thegentlemanfrom rial evidence pertinent to the issue in said contest, necessary to a. just deter Mr. mination of the same and directly aff~:>cting the rights of the contestee therein, Kentucky [Mr. BERRY]. If he were present, I should vote" aye." has been discovered by sa.id contestee, and was not known to and could not XXVIIT-26 402 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE~ DECEMBER 28, have been discovered by the said contestee before the closing of the taking of therefore ask that the resolution,.with the accompanying a.ffidavi~, testimony in said contest under the law: Now, therefore, Resolved, That said contest be reopened for the taking of further testi the original of which is in my possession and which will be pre mony therein; that the said contestee shall, within ten days after the passage sented to the committee, be referred to the committee, and that of this resolution, give notice to said contestant, or his attorneys, of the they may report back to the House the best means of reaching the time and place at which testimony will be ta.ken on behalf of said contestee, and the na.mes of the witnesses to be examined, and that the taking of such real truth concerning this matter. I shall be able to satisfy this testimony shall begin not later than ten days from the date of said notice, and committee that this is newly discovered evidence, that it was not may continue on behalf of said contestee for a period of ten days and no within the knowledge of myself or my attorneys when the matter longer; that upon the conclusion of the taking of said testimony on behalf of said contestee the contestant shall have the right to take testimony in re was open for investigation, and could not have been within our buttal for a like period of ten days, first giving to the contestee like notice; knowledge at that time. . that in all other rE~spects the taking of testimony herein authorized shall be Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, this is in the nature governed by the law regulating contested elections, save that testimony so taken shall be returned to said tJart 2 of the Committee on Elections of this of an application by a sitting member of this House for leave to House instead of the Clerk of this House. take testimony in a contest that is being waged for his seat after Resolved further, That the testimony taken under the foregoing resolution the statutory time for taking testimony has expired. I recognize, shall be made a. part of the record in said contested election case, subject to all legal objections. of course, the fact that the statutory method of procedure is not ex clusive. Indeed, it has been held that the provisions are not man Ml·. TARSNEY. In support of the resolution and showing the datory, and I think correctly so held. But it ~eems to me that materiality of the testimony, I send to the desk and ask to have the House ought not to undertake to exercise its unquestioned read a copy of an affidavit upon the subject. right to permit the case to be opened up, or even to refer a reso The SPEAKER. The· gentleman proposes to refer this to the lution to the Committee on Elections, in order that they may de Committee on Elections? termine on the propriety of opening up the case and reporting the Mr. TARSNEY. I do. result back to the House, until there is some kind of a prima facie The SPEAKER. Is it necessary to read the affidavit? showing of necessity made to the House. Mr. TARSNEY. I think so, Mr. Speaker, as an evidence of the It is well enough to meet this question at the very threshold, be good faith and materiality of theresolution.- cause I am informed that there will be other applications of a similar :M:r. JOHNSON of Indiana. I desire to be heard on that ques character to this one, both by contestants and contestees, made to tion before the reference is made. the House. It is therefore highly important that we should have The SPEAKER. The Clerk will read the affidavit. the attention of members upon this subject, to the end that the The Clerk read as follows: precedent here established may not be made in haste, but may be STATE OF M:rsso.um, County of Jackson, ss: one upon which we can depend in the future in matters of a like H. E. J. Hartm.a.n, A. B. Zweifel, F. M. Harrison, J. T. Dwyer,J. J. Ca.ssid¥, nature. W. H. Hunt, C. A. Hawk, and J. J. Franklin, being duly sworn, upon their Mr. LACEY. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a ques oaths depose and say: That they are clerks employed in the office of the com tion? missioners of election within and for Kansas City, Jackson County, Mo.; that they have examined the ballots cast in the fifth precinct of the Second Ward of Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Certainly. said Kansas City at the general election held in said cit-y on the 6th day of No Mr. LACEY. Would it not be proper to refer such a resolution vember, A. D.l894i that of the :first OOObaJlotscastinsaldftfthprecinctatsaid to the committee for the purpose of ascertaining whether there ia election and contamed in the ballot box of said precinct, now in the custody a prima faeie case? of said commissioners of election, Robert T. Van Horn, Republican candidate for Congress in the Fifth Congressional district of Missouri at said election, Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. If the gentleman will permit me, received all of the votes upon the ballots bearing the following voting num I will answer that before I get through. This is an application bers... to wit: Td1 74, ~ 76, 77, 78, 85, 89, 90, 91. 92, 93, 94:, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, upon thepartof a sittingmember. Of course if he be not entitled 102, 1m, 104, 105, 100, 1U't,l08, 100, no, m.m, 113, 1u, m, 116, 111, 118, 119.120, 121, to his seat-and upon that point I express no opinion and have no -~~~~~~~~~~m~~-~-~~m ~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~ opinion whatever-every-minute of delay is giving him that tQ which he is really not entitled, and is keeping the contestant out 200.~~-~~~-~--~~--~~~~~~ Affiants state that all of the foregoing numbers were Democratic ballots, of that to which he is entitled. I only mention this to show the and that the name of John C. Tarsney, theDemocraticcandidateforCongress gravity of the question and the importance of determining it cor in said Fifth Congressional di<>trict at said election, was erased and the name rectly. of said Van Horn written in neu thereof; that the name of said Van Horn was evidentlv written on said ballots by two, and only two, persons; that As-ain, the Committee on Elections No. 2 is ready and willing each of said persons wrote said Van Horn's name upon about one-half of the to discharge its duties to the utmost extent; but it may not be im ballots above enumerated and numbered; that the ballots above described proper for me to say that the committee has eleven contests pend and numbexed and containing the name of said Van Horn as the candidate ing before it which will require a great deal of very hard work, for Con~ress, are a part of the 200 ballots numbered by the judges and clerks of election in said fifth precinct as having been cast a.t said precinct in said extending over a protracted period. It is therefore important, election, and which appear upon the poll books of &'l.id precinct a.lphabetically I think, in matters of this kind that not even a motion referring and numbered consecutively from 1 to 200, both numbers inclusive. A:ffi.ants state that the foregoing facts appear from an inspection of the this resolution to the committee should be adopted unless the ballots contained in the ballot box in said precinct as having been cast in said House is reasonably satisfied of the propriety of such a-ction. precinct at said election and the poll books used in said fifth precinct at said Now, before the House, of its own accord, would undertake, with election, all of which are now in the custody of said commissioners of elec out a reference to a committee, to permit any party whose seat_is tions, at their office in Kansas City, Jackson County, Mo., and further depo nents say not. contested to take testimony aft.er the time has expired which the H. E. J. HARTMAN. statute gives-and it seems to me, also, before it should refer a A. B. ZWEIFEL. resolution to a committee, asking the committee to report as to J. J. FRANKLIN. JOHN J. CASSIDY. the propriety of such action-there should be before the House W. H. HUNT. some reasonable ground for believing, first, that'the party asking F. M. HARRISON. it has not been guilty of any neglect, and, second, that the testi C. A. HAWK. mony when taken is relevant and will have a tendency to change JOHN T. ·DWYER. the result. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 6th day of November, A. D. 1895. Mr. CRISP. Mr. Speaker, will my friend allow me to ask him C. EMIL JOHNSON, a question? Notary Public, Jackson County, Mo. Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Certainly. My commission expires July 10, 1899. Notary's fee, 50 cents, paid. Mr. CRISP. I think my friend misapprehends the motion of the gentleman from Missouri. Mr. TARSNEY. Mr. Speaker, I shall not detain the House by Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. I think not. !understand the gen making any extended statement upon this matter. I shall cer tleman to move to refer it to the Committee on Elections. tainly avoid what would be manifestly improper, and shall not Mr. CRISP. The gentleman from Missouri [Mr. TARSNEY] does refer to anything that does not bear directly upon the resolution not ask any a.ction on the part of the House. He proposes to re before the House. I will state that the record in the case shows fer this resolution to the Committee on Elections. so that the com that 200 ballots were counted in this precinct that were unques mittee can look at it and report the resolution b·ack to the House tionably illegal. The contestant has shown them to be illegal. I if the committee find it advisable, and if not to dispose of it in concede they were illegal. The evidence conclusively demonstrates coinmittee. . that they were illegal, and those ballots, which it is admitted on Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Suppose that this is true. The point all sides were Hlegal, are the ballots that are specified and num I am insisting on is this, that before a reference is made to the com bered in that affidavit which has been read. At the time the testi mittee, before the committee is asked to examine into the q.ues mony in this case closed it closed without the possibility of knowing tion-and an examination of it will, as I understand it, possibly for whom those ballots had been cast. Mr. Speaker, it is not my necessitate an examination of the whole case from beginning to purpose now to ask this House to pass this resolution, because I end-before this reference is made the contestee had better make myself was in doubt whether it was best to reopen this case and· it appear to the House in some way that he has exercised some dili have the testimony taken under the general rules for taking testi gence, and that when the testimony is taken it will have some mony in contested cases, or whether it was better to have it re relevancy. ferred to the Committee on Elections, for that committee either in There is not a thing before the House-except the mere state full committee or by subcommittee to takethistestimony. !shall ment of the· gentleman, and that is notmade in detail-tending to . 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 403 . show that he has exercised any diligence. It is recited in the The SPEAKER. The Clerk will report the resolution to the resolution-and that resolution in point of fact is not true-that Honse. · "it appearing to theHonse"that he has discoverednewtestimony The Clerk read as follows: which he could not with diligence have discovered befOie. There Resolved, That the President be, and he is hereby, requested, if in his ;iudg is nothing here but the :mere naked statement of the gentleman, men t not incompatible with the public interest, to communicate to the House and I imagine in a matter of this gravity thet·e ought to be some of Representatives all information which has been received by him or by the statement under oath. And besides. it is sta.t.ed there that anum State Department).. in regard to the arrest and trial of John L. Waller,a citi zen of the United ~::>tates, by French authorities in tbe Island of Madagascar, ber of tickets which were Democratic tickets were foundafterthe and his imprisonment in the Republic of France, including all correspondence election in a ballot box which was in the hands of a legal custo between Edward Telfair Wett.er, United States consul at Madagascar, and Mr. Edwin F. Uhl, of the D epartment of State, and all records, documents, dian, and that they had across the name of the contestee a mark, and evidence in any way touching said mattersm his possession, or in posses and that there is written upon them the name of the contestant, sion of the State Department. all in the handwriting of two individuals. Now, that may very well be and still the ballots be lawful ones. The report (by Mr. HITT) was read, as follows: There is nothing in the affidavit just read and nothing stated by The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred the following the gentleman from Missouri tending to show that under the elec resolution- . •• Resolved, That the President be, and he is hereby, requested, if in his judg tion laws of Missouri these ballots would not be perfectly honest ment not incompatible with the public interest, to communicate to the House ballots. of Representatives all information which has been received by him or by the Mr. CRISP. Will the gentleman yield to me for a question? State Department in regard to the arrest and trial of John L. Waller, a citi zen of the United States, by French authorities in the Island of Madagascar, Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Yes, sir. and his imprisonment in the Republic of France, includin~ all correspond Mr. CRISP. Does my friend intend to object to the introduc- ence between Edward Telfair Wetter, United States consUl at Madagascar, tion of the resolution? and Mr. Edwin F. Uhl., of the Department of State, and all records, doctt ments, and evidence in any way touching said matters in his possession, or in Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Not at all. But this is asking a possession of the State Department"- reference of it to the committee. Beg leave to report the same with an amendment omitting the wordS, Mr. CRISP. The Chair will refer it of his own motion. "includingall correspondence between Edward Telfair Wetter, United States The SPEAKER. The Chair thinks it was not necessary for the consul at Madagascar, and Mr. Edwin F. Uhl, of the Department of State." gentleman from Missouri to present it, although he h1¥l a right, and recommend the adoption of the resolution with said am.endment. as a question of priYilege, to so present it to the House for its Mr. IDTT. Mr. Speaker, that is a unanimous report of the action. committee, and on its adoption I move the previous question. Mr. CRISP. The Chair will refer it to the committee. The previous question was ordered. Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Itmustbereferredornotreferred. The amendment recommended by the committee was agreed to; The SPEAKER. The matter having been brought before the and the resolution as amended was agreed to. House in this way, and having been discussed, the Chair thinks Mr. illTT. I am also directed to report back a similar resolu the Honse may dispose of it. tion introduced by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. WooDMAN] Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Just one second, and I will con with a recommendation that it lie on the table. clude. The SPEAKER. Without objection, the resolution will be laid Mr. CRISP. The House ean not reject it. The question is on the table. what the committee will do when it is referred to it. That is all. FIRING ON SCHOONER HENRY CROSBY. Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. Just a minute further. Now, the resolution, if referred, is almost in the nature of an Mr. HITT. I am also directed to report back with an amend instruction. It states that, "It appearing to the House that the ment a resolution in regard to the firing on the schooner He:nrg party ha-s used due diligence," etc. Now, that iB the very ques Crosby. tion that the committee should be called upon to determine, if The report was read, as follows: this reference is to be made. I would much rather that some The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred the following resolution- . gentleman not a member of the committee had made this point. "Whereas the schooner Hem11 01'03lm, a vessel duly enrolled under the laws I do not want to interpose an objection which will deprive the of the United States, and commanded by Abel F. Stubbs, a citizen thereof, gentleman from Mis.')ouri, or any other member whose seat is in was fired upon by troops of the Republic of Santo Domingo while at anchor flying the American flag at Azua in said Republic of Santo Domingo, on the contest, of a full opportunity to take any testimony that he may lOth day of December, 1893, and members of its crew shot and seriously deem proper and necessary; but I simply want to call-the atten wounded, and property belonging to the vessel destroyed; and tion of this Honse to what this will lead to, and to in&'ist that a "Whereas the owners, officers, a.n.d crew of said vessel have petitioned t!b.e Department of State for indemnity for such injury and loss, and have re member should make- out a prima facie case that would justify a ceived no relief: reference before this labor is entailed upon the committee. It "Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to the House of seems to me that, as a matter of practice, any gentleman who Representatives, if not in his opinion mcompatible with the public interests, seeks to delay the determination of his case in order to take addi the diplomatic and consular correspbudence and the correspondence between tional evidence ought certainly to make such a showing before it the Government of the United States and the owners, officers, or crew, their is granted him. . !C~ ~~J'~i~~ea:~~<1.:;r.~er reports or correspondence relating to said Report the same back and recommend its adoption with two amendments: The SPEAKER. The Chair suggests that the reference to a First, strike out "was," in the fourth line of the preamble, an.d insert "is al committee is not action of the Honse indorsing the resolution. leged to have been;" and, second, strike out, iu the last line of the preamble. Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. I beg pardon. the words "and have received no relief." The SPEAKER. A reference to a committee by the House is not the action of the Honse indorsing the resolution. It is a ref Mr. HITT. This is a unanimous report. I move the previous erence to the committee for the pnrpose·of ascertaining what the question. committee would recommend in the matter. The previous question was ordered. Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. That would simply obviate one of The amendments reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs the objections I have stated, Mr. Speaker. I have no purpose to were agreed to; and the resolution as amended was adopted. throw obstacles in the way of a gentleman who desires to take the AFFAIRS IN CUBA. testimony of witnesses as to newly discovered evidence. Mr. HITT. I am further instructed by the Committee on For The SPEAKER. What does the gentleman propose? eign Affairs to report back a resolution in regard to affairs in Mr. JOHNSON of Indiana. I have t.ried to make my meaning Cuba, and to ask the adoption of the resolution with an amend clear. I call attention to the fact that, if there is any way to pre ment. vent it, there should be no reference at all of such a matter as this to an Elections Committee until such a prima. facie case of neces The report of the committee was read, as follows: will if The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred the following res sity is made out as justify the reference. But the House olution- or the Speaker desires to act with these statements before it, I " Resolved, That the Secretary of state be requested to furnish for the in have no objection. formation of the House copies of all correspondence that has passed between The SPEAKER. The question is on the reference the Com our Government and the monarchy of Spain in relation to the warfare which to is and has been taking place in the Island of Cuba between the inhabitants of mittee on Elections No.2. Without objection, the reference will Cuba and Spain since February last, and also any information he has as to be considered as made. the formation of theRepublicof Cuba at Jimaquayu, in the Province of Cama There was no objectioJ;t. quay, on September 16 last "- Report the same back and recommend the adoption of the following substi- CASE OF JOHN L. WALLER. tute therefor: . "Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to communicate to the Mr. HITT. Mr. Speaker, I desire to present a privileged reP,?rt. House of Representatives, if not inconsist-ent with the public interests, copies The SPEAKER. The gentleman from lllinois rises With a of all correspondence relating to affairs in Cuba since February last." privileged report, which he will present. Mr.·IDTT. This report alsO is unanimous. I move the pra. Mr. HITT. The Committee ·on Foreign Affairs, to whom was vious question. referred the resolution of inquiry in relation to the imprisonment The previous question was ordered; and under the operation of John L. Waller, have instructed me to report it back with an thereof the resolution reported by the committee as a substitute amendment and to ask for its a.doption. was agreed to. •.· - 404 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. DECEMBER 28, THOMAS F. BAYARD. . Mr. CUM;MINGS. Mr. Speaker, I will ask the Clerk to read, m ex.plaD:ati1e ?f. The Bath Iron Works accepted the contract for corrupt public life, to barush men of mdependent mind from public councils this vessel upon faith m the Department's designs of hull and machiner • and to lower t_he tone of nat~onal represen_tation than any other singl~ they complied with the letter of the contract and endeavored in good faith t:; cause. ProtectiOn now controlling, the sovereign power of taxation has been carry out the desire~ of the Department in re~ard to particulars that had perverteq from its J.>roper function of creatin~ revenue to support the Gov not been fully prescnbed. They performed the1r part of the undertaking in ernment mto an engmeof selfishprofitallied With combinations called trusts. the most satisfactory manner and did everything that it was possible to do It thus has sapped the popular conscience by givin~ corrupting largesses to to ma~e the vessel fulfill the purposes of Congress in authorizing her con special classes, and it throws legislation into the political market, where job structiOn and prove successful and efficient. Their success is evidenced by bers and chafferers take the place of statesmen;' and the fact tha~ the power which the engines were designed to develop was ex "Whereas it is not one of the functions of an ambassador to insult in the ceeded, but It seems that the good workmanship applied on the hull could country to which he is accredited the people he is supposed to represent and no~ offset the resistance to ~ met with on account of the peculiar lines of it is 9onsistent neither with the character_ of the office nor with the dignity t~ type of yessel, and her failure to develop the required speed can in no and mdependence of the people of the Uruted States that their ambassador WISe be attributed to fault o~ the part of the contractors. Owing to the way abroad should make violent partisan speeches on questions relating to our the ram behaved on the trial when her engines were exerting their full domestic policy upon foreign soil: Therefore power, th~ Depar~mep.t is of opinion that it would -probably be impossible to "Be it resolved, That the President be, and he hereby: is, requested to inform make a ship of thiS kind run at 17 knots an hour With engines of any horse the House o~ Representatives, if not incoll?-patible With the public interests, power that could be put into her. what steps, if any, he has taken to ascertam whether said Bayard made said .The vessel was sent to the navy-yard New York, to remain there at the speeches, and if he has ascertained that he did make said speeches what steps riSk and expense of the contractors until1 the question as to her acceptance if any, he has taken to rE.\call or to censure said Bayard"- ' ' should be decided, and she is still at that yard. Beg leave to report the same back with three amendments. Amend the The Department recommends that it be given authority to accept the ves second "whereas" of the preamble by striking out "said Bayard" and insert sel under the contract for her coru.~truction, the contractors to make ~ood all ing ''Thomas F. Bayard, ambassador of the United States to Great Britain"· r~;~fl:~f ~or! n:cessary to put the vessel in the condition reqmred by :~~t Ws~~efd~ut the third "whereas"; and amen~g the resolution 00 H. A. HERBERT, Secretary. ''Resolved, That the President be, and he is herehf, requested to commnni Hon. EUGENE IIALE, ~te to the House~,. if not inCO!fipatible with the public interests, any informa United States Senate. tiOn or corresponaence showmg whether Thomas F. Bayard the ambassador of ~he pnited States to Great Britain, made said speeches, and if so, what action, if any, has been taken thereon by the President" Mr. HENDERSON. Mr. Speaker, is this a report from the Com- ~:~~~:.mend the adoption of the preamble and resolution with these mittee on Naval Affairs? The SPEAKER. It is. Mr. HITT. The report which has been read was arrived at by Mr. HENDERSON. A privileged report? The SPEAKER. It is in the regular order. t'!Ie co~~e in passing u~o~ th~ r~solution purely as a resolu tiOn of mqmry; and from It IS ehmmated everything else. The Mr. CUMMINGS . . Mr. Speaker, the communication just read two. extr~cts f!om .speeches. st~ted to have been made are preserved from the _secret~ of. ~he Navy s~ms to ?De to explain clearly for Identification and descnpt10n. Then follows the resolution in the necesSity for thiS Jomt resolution. It Is a measure in the in the ordinary form of a resolution of inquiry. And therefore as terest of the w~lfare and defense.of t'!Ie country, and unless some we were substantially 1.manimous in our decision, except as to ~ne gentleman desires to ask a question m reference to it I shall ask gentl~man, who refrained from voting, I will move the previous the previous question. · question, unless some gentleman desires to ask a question in ref !Itt. HENDERSON. Allow me first to see if I understand the erence to the matter. purpose of the gentleman. Is this a proposition to accept a vessel Mr. McCREARY of Kentucky: I do not desh·e to debate the from the contractors where the terms of the contract have not rosolution-- been complied with? Mr. HITT. I yield to the gentleman for a question. Mr. CUMMINGS. It is to accept a vessel when it was impossi Mr. McCREARY of Kentucky. I only wish to say that it is a ble for the contractors to comply with the condition of the con resolution of inquiry, and that I am opposed to it. I do not ap tract. prove of the resolution and shall not discuss it now; but when a Mr. HENDERSON. Then the Government and the contractors response is sent to this House by the President or the Secretary of entered into an impossible contract? State tJ;te time wil! probably be more appropriate for giving an Mr. CUMMINGS. The plans and specifications were drawn expressiOn of my VIews on the matter. I simply state that I did up by the Navy Department, supposing that an engine power of not vote for the resolution, and do not approve of it; but its ob 4,500 horses would be able to give the vessel a speed of 17 knots ject is to obtain information for the use of the committee. an hour. The contractor increased the horsepower to 5,200 and Mr. HITT. I will simply add, in explanation and justification still it was not sufficient to send the vessel through the water at of the action of the committee, that they were at the time they the rate of speed required. adopted the report under instruction and direction of the House The provisions of the specifications for the construction of the to make inquiries regarding the subject-matter of this resolution. vessel have been such that it was utterly impossible, as the Sec in ~at was under a separate resolution adopted by this House; and retary of the Navy shows his letter, for the contractors to ob this was framed to carry out the instructions given by permitting tain that speed. them to obtain the information necessary. . Mr. HENDERSON. ~d the Government, I suppose, had ita I now demand the previous question on the 'adoption of the mspectors there all the time the work was progressing? amendments and the resolution. Mr. CUMMINGS. It is presumed that they had. The previous question was ordered; under the operation of which Mr. HENDERSON. I am only asking for information, because the amendments submitted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs we have in my own town vessels under construction under the were agreed to. same circumstances and I want the House and the country to The resolution as amended was agreed to. understand what we are doing here. Mr. CUMMINGS. Let me say to the gentleman that this is ACCEPTANCE OF THE RAM KATAHDIN. the only ram ever built by any Government on the face of the Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee ea!th that has .attained a speed of over 16 knots an h~ur, and she on Naval Affairs, I am requested to call up from the Speaker's will be able With that speed to destroy any battle ship ever built desk Senate joint resolution No. 32, authorizing and directing the or owned by any foreign country at this time. acceptance of the ram Katahdin, and thereby making the said ram Mr. HENDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I merely wanted this dis a part of the United States Navy, for immediate consideration. tinctly understood, as I have some interests to look after that may The SPEAKER. The joint resolution will be read. be of the same character. I have entire confidence in the unani The Clerk read as follows: mous report of the· committee. Resolved, etc., That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized and Mr. :McMJ;LLIN. I was not able to hear the reading of all the directed to acce_pt the ram Katahdin, and to make said vessel a part of the report. I Wish to ask the gentleman whether this is a proposi United States Navy. tion to a{}Cept the ship outright or to give· the Secretary author- 1895. 405 . . . ity to accept it when the conditions that were proposed originaJ.ly are always put upon a ship before she iS turned over fuially to the are complied with? - Government. They only amount in this case to a few hundred Mr. CUMMINGS. It authorizes and directs the Secretary to dollars, the final painting and some few minor details, which the accept it, and this resolution is uffered a.t the request of the Sec contractors expect to fully complete.·to the satisfaction of the De retary, as. shown by the letter which has just been read. partment. Mr. McMILLIN. If I understand this, it does not make the Mr. LOUD. Why is not that included in the resolution? acceptance peremptory upon the Secretary, but leaves to him the Mr. BOUTELLE. I donotknowwhyitwasnot. It was prob discretion? ably an oversight, but there will not be any trouble about that. Mr. CUMMINGS. It makes the acceptance peremptory, as I The contractors expect to go on and put this ship in exactly the understand it. It authorizes and directs. order that was contemplated by the contract, with the exception Mr. BOUTELLE. The Secretary recommends that Congress of waiving the speed clause. That is all. accord him the authority to accept the ship. I want to say, Mr. Mr. CUMMINGS. I will say in answer to my friend from illi Speaker, that the contractors in this case have been indorsed by nois [Mr. CANNON] that this resolution is perfectly satisfactory to the Secretary of the Navy, and by both the construction bureaus, the Secretary of the Navy, and I presume that the word ''direct" ai having performed all their part of the work with exceptional is put in there because he desires Congress to assume the respon ability, and that in addition to what they have done, in the en sibility. deavor of the contractors to attain the rate of speed which was Mr. CANNON of Illinois. The gentleman now says to the estimated for by the Department, but which it is proved impossi House, as I understand, after conversation with the Secretary, ble to attain, they have expended, outside of the specifications, that the joint resolution meets with his approval. more than $40,000 themselves, in order to try to bring this ship up Mr. CUMMINGS. It does. Now, Mr. Speaker, I ask for the to the contract rate of speed. previous question. . Mr. SAYERS. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a ques The previous question was ordered, and under the operation tion? thereof the joint resolution was ordered to be read a third time; Mr. BOUTELLE. Certainly. and it was accordingly read the third time, and passed. Mr. SAYERS. Then the only point upon which the contractors On motion of Mr. CUMMINGS, a motion to reconsider the vote failed was that of speed? by which the joint resolution was passed was laid on the table. Mr. BOUTELLE. The only point in which this vessel falls be PUBLIC BUILDING AT MANKATO~ MINN. low the ironclad conditions of the contract-which proved to be more ironbound than any of the other contracts for ships-is less Mr. McCLEARY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I renew my re than 1 knot of speed; and Secretary Herbert, under authority of quest for unanimous consent for the present consideration of the the Boards of Construction and Steam Engineering, states explicitly following joint resolution. . in his letter that not only are the contractors not at all responsi The SPEAKER. The Clerk will report the resolution. ble for the failure to get the speed required, but he states that The joint resolution is as follows: the experiments with this ship, which is of entirely novel con A joint resolution (H. Res. 60) concerning the completion of the United States struction, so that no man was able to estimate accurately the de court-house and post-office building at Mankato, Minn. Whereas a clause in the sundr~ civil appropriation act of March 3, !875 gree of resistance that would be met by a vessel of this peculiar (18 Stat., 395), relating to public buildings, provides: "No change in said form-the Secretary states that the trial trip demonstrated that it plan involving an increase of expense exceeding 10 per cent of the amount was not only impossible to attain the rate that had been calcu to which said building was limited shall be allowed or paid by any officer of the Government without the special authority of Congress;" and lated in the plans of the Department, but that the contractors Whereas in providing (during the last recess of Congress) for a much furnished 200 horsepower in excess of the specifications. needed enlargement of the United States court-house and post-office building Mr. CUMMINGS. Four hundred horsepower. at Mankato, Minn., (still in process of erection) the limitations prescribed by the above-cited clause made it necessary for the Secretary of the Treasury to Mr. BOUTELLE. Several hundred horsepower in excess;. but so mOdify the plans and specifications for said building as to provide a finish the Secretary says that it has satisfied him, and that the Depart inferior to that originally intended: Now, therefore, mentis of opinion that it would probably be impossible to make Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the UnitecJ States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury a ship of this kind run at 17 knots an hour with engines of any be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to supply marble floor, tiling, horsepower that could be put in her. That is the only point in subbase, and wainscot in the first story of the above-named building as shown which they have failed to absolutely fulfill all the terms of the and called for by the original drawings and specifications: Pr01Jided, That contract. The contractors had too much faith in the plans and the present appropriation for said buildings and grounds shall not be ex· specifications of the Department, which now prove, according to ceeded. the statement of the Secretary, to have required. in the contract During the reading of the resolution, practically a mechanical impossibility. Mr. DINGLEY said: Mr. Speaker, this resolution has just been Mr. SAYERS. In all other respects it comes up to the require read, and unless there is a call for its being read again I think it is ments of the contraet? hardly worth while to reread it. Mr. BOUTELLE. In all other respects the ship is reported as The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman may ex splendidly built, fulfilling every condition of the contract, and, in plain the joint resolution. the opinion of the Secretary and of the chiefs of the bureaus, is a Mr. McCLEARY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, in 1891an appro most desirable vessel to be added to the Navy of the United States. priation of $100,000 was made for the erection of a court-house and Mr. COX. Will the gentleman yield for one question? post-office in the city of Mankato, Minn. The contracts for the Mr. BOUTELLE. Certainly, with pleasure. substructure and for the superstructure were let at different times. Mr. COX. Do I understand from the gentleman's statement When the substructure was completed it was seen that the build that the Secretary of the Navy is perfectly satisfied with the ing proposed was too small not only for the future needs of the vessel as constructed? city, but even for those of the present. We were embarrassed by Mr. BOUTELLE. Yes, in every way- that fact and seriously contemplated coming to Congress to ask Mr. COX. And asks that it be accepted? for a larger appropriation. · - Mr. BOUTELLE. And recommends to Congress in his letter Upon inqmry at the office of the Supervising Architect, I dis that he be authorized to accept it, which he can not do under the covered that the estimates of cost on which was based the plan of technical conditions of the contract. our building called for Indiana limestone, Portland cement, and Ill Mr. CUMMINGS. Now,Mr. Speaker, I will say, in conclusion, other materials that would have to be brought from a distance. that this resolution· passed the Senate unanimously yester tered the law recited in the preamble to the pending resolution, marine engineer service, and thereby also to increase the efficiency that no addition could be made involving an expenditure greater of the Naval Reserve-to the Committee on Merchant Marine and than 10 per cent of the original estimate. The addition would Fisheries. involve an expenditure of about 12 per cent; and so, to get the By Mr. DRAPER: A bill (H. R. 3014) revising and amending addition and yet not exceed that 10 per cent, the contractor and the statutes 1·elating to patents-to th.e Committee on Patents. the Architect agreed that the lobby of the building should be fin Also, a bill (H. R. 3015) for the further protection of the reve ished in wood instead of in marble. They did this hoping that by nue arising from customs-to the Committee on Ways and Means. the time that point was reached in the construction of the building By Mr. BROMWELL: A bill (H. R. 3016) to p1·event desecra Congress would have convened and we could get its consent to an tion of the United States flag-to the Committee on the J udicia.ry. expenditure of money that had already been appropriated. This By Mr. RICHARDSON: A bill (H. R. 3017) to amend an act en is the object of the pending resolution. 1 direct attention to the titled "An act to provide a permanent system of highways in that fact that we ask for no added appropriation, and that when the part of the District of Columbia lying outside of cities," ap building is completed there will be $2,000 or $3,000 to be returned proved March 2, 1893-to the Committee on the District of Co to the Treasmy. lumbia. The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the present consideration By Mr. BOWERS: A bill (H. R. 3018) to amend the act ap of the joint resolution? proved March 3, 1891, granting the right of way upon the public :Mr. CANNON of illinois. I understand from the gentleman lands for reservoir and canal purposes-to the Committee on the that the authority he asks will not entail the expenditure of over Public Lands. $100,000 in all? By Mr. MURPHY of Arizona: A bill (H. R. 3019) to segregate Mr. McCLEARY of Minnesota. It will entail an expenditure and return to the unreserved public domain mineral and coal lands of about $98,000 in all. upon the White Mountain Indian Reservation in Arizona-to the The SPEAKER. "Is there objection? [After a pause.] The Committee on Indian Affairs. · Chair hears none. Also, a bill (H. R. 3020) authorizing the Territorial auditor of The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed for a third Arizona to issue warrants in certain cases-to the Committee on reading; and being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third the Territories. time, and passed. By .Mr. HEATWOLE: A bill (H. R. 3021) to protect the pen On motion of Mr. McCLEARY of Minnesota, a motion tore sioners of the United States-to the Committee on Invalid consider the vote by which the joint resolution was passed was Pensions. laid on the table. By Mr. BENNETT: A bill (H. R. 3022) providing for the pur Mr. DINGLEY. I move that the House do now adjourn. chase of additional property for the use of the post-office and The SPEAKER. Pending that motion, the Chair submits the other Government offices in the city of Brooklyn, State of New following report from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, and will York-to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. cause to be laid on the table the House resolution relating to the ByMr. FLYNN: A bill (H.R.3023) to appropriate th.esumof ram Katahdin. $100,000 to erect a public building at Guthrie, Okla.-to the Com ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED. mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds. By Mr. BABCOCK: A bill (H. R. 3024) to license billiard tab~ Mr. HAGER, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported and for other purposes-to the Committee on the District of Cc. that they had examined and found truly enrolled billa and joint lumbia. resolution of the following titles; when the Speaker signed the By Mr. LOW: Joint resolution (H. Res. 58) authorizing and same: requiring the Secretary of War to contract for the building of the A bill (H. R. 2264) fixing the times for holding the circuit and Harlem Kills CanaJ., New Yo:rk City-to the Committee on Rivers district courts of the northern district of Iowa and of the southern and Harbors. district of Iowa; , By Mr. HARMER: Joint resolution (H. Res. 59) proposing an A bill (H. R. 2720) t.o make Palm Beach, Fla., a subport of amendment to the Constitution of the United States-to the Com entry and delivery; and mittee on the Judiciary. Joint resolution (H. Res. 56) to transfer certain offices of the By Mr. CHICKERING: Resolution to provide for a clerk to United States in the Territory of Utah to the officers of the State the Committee on Railways and Canals-to the Committee on of Utah. Accounts. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. By Mr. HARMER: Resolution authorizing the employment of By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted as follows: C. W. Coombs as an additional messenger-to the Committee on To Ml.·. HURLEY, until January 6, 1896, on account of important Accounts. business. By Mr. MURPHY.of Arizona: Memorial by the Eighteenth leg To :M:.r. HUBBARD, until January 6, 1896,· on account of impor islature of Arizona in regard to Indian depredations-to the Com tant business. mittee on Indian Affairs. To lli. DANIELS, for five days, on account of New Years. To Mr. TRELOAR, for ten days, on account of important busi PRIVATE BILLSY ETC. ness. To Mr. WHITE, for ten days, on account of important business. Under clause 1 of Rule XXll, private bills of the following titles The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Maine moves fllat the were presented and referred as follows: House do now adjourn. By Mr. BARRETT: A bill (H. R. 3025) for the relief of Charles 'fhe motion was agreed to; and accordingly (at 4 o'clock and 0. Palmer-to the Committee on Military Affairs. 30 minutes p. m.) the House adjourned until Tuesday next, De By Mr. BENNETT: A bill (H.R.3026) removing the charge of cember 31, at 12 o'clock m. desertion from the record of John W. Ploss-to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. BROWN: A bill (H.R. 3027) for the relief of Coleman PUBLIC BILLS, MEMORIALS, AND RESOLUTIONS. Watson-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Under clause 3 of Rule XXII! billa, resolutions, and memorials By }!r. CLARKE of Alabama: A bill (H. R. 3028) for relief of the following titles were introduced and severally referred as of estate of Francis S. Jones, of Marengo County, Ala.-to the follows: Committee on War Claims. By Mr. FLETCHER: A bill (H. R. 3009) granting to the Brain Also, a bill (H. R. 3029) for the relief of W. H. Ketchum, of erd and Northern Minnesota Railway Company a right of Mobile, Ala.-to the Committee on War Claims. way through the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and Chippewa By Mr. CROWTHER: A bill (H. R. 3030) for the relief of James Indian Reservation, in Minnesota-to the Committee on Indian H. Birch-to the Committee oh War Claims. Affairs. By Mr. CURTIS of_Kansas: A bill (H. R. 3031) granting a pen By Mr. COOK of Wisconsin: A bill (H. R. 3010) defining cheese, sion to Daniel Fike-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. and also imposing a tax upon and regulating the manufacture, By Mr. DENNY: A bill (H. R. 3032) for the relief of Mrs. Han sale, importation, and exportation of "filled cheese "-t-o the Com nah Waters, of Horn Island, Mississippi-to the Committee on mittee on Ways and Means. War Claims. · By Mr. ERDMAN: A bill (H. R. 3011) authorizing the Secre By Mr. DOOLITTLE: A bill (H. R. 3033) to increase the pen tary of War to procure medals for Pennsylvania soldiers who sion of Elizabeth T. Beall, widow of Benjamin L. Beall, late colo were the first to arrive on April 18, 1861, for the defense of the nel First United States Cavalry-to the Committee on Pensions. - cicy of Washington-to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. DAYTON: A bill (H. R. 3034) for the relief of John By Mr. DOVENER: A bill (H. R. 3012) to fix the pay, allowances, Viands, of Jefferson County, W. Va.-to the Committee on War tenure of office, and rank of the veterinary surgeons of the United Claims. States Army-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 3035) for the relief of George W. Graham By Mr. HOPKINS: A bill (H. R. 3013) to amend section 4131 of to the Committee on Claims. the Revised Statutes of the United States, to improve the merchant Also,. a bill (H. R. 3036) for the relief of the estate of Daniel / 1895. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 407 Ott, deceased, late of Jefferson County, W. Va.-to the Commit Also, a bill (H. R. 3071) for the relief of Mrs. S. M. Ca.le, of tee on War Claims. Augusta County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3037) for the relief of Howard F. Smallwood, Also, a bill (H. R. 3072) for the relief of Amanda Lam, adminis of J efferson County, W. Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. tratrix of the estate of James Lam, deceased, of Rockbridge Also, a bill (H. R. 3038) for the relief of A. B. Rohrbough-to County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3073) for the relief of Mrs. Maria D. La Rue, By Mr. GIBSON: A bill (H. R. 3039) for the relief of John T. of Augusta Councy, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Brown-to the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3074) for the relief of Mrs. Maria D. La Rue, Also, a bill (H. R. 3040) to restore to the pension roll the name of Augusta Collli.ty, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. of Mary F. Barker-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. TAFT (by request): A bill (H. R. 3075) for the relief of By Mr. GILLETT of Massachusetts: A bill (H. R. 3041) tore John A. Lynch-to the Committee on War Claims. rate the pension allowed to J. H. Braynard-to the Committee on By Mr. TURNER of Virginia: A bill (H. R. 3076) for the relief Invalid P ensions. of Abraham Andes, Rockingham County, Va.-to the Committee Also, a bill (H. R. 3042) granting a pension to Zenas W. Tol on War Claims. ma.n-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3077) for the relief of Paul C. Bowman, ad By Mr. HARMER: A bill (H. R. 3043) providing for the relief ministrator of Anna C. Bowman, deceased, of Rockingham County, of First Sergt. Bernard W. Hopper, late of the United States Ma Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. rine Corps, United States Navy-to the Committee on Naval Af Also, a bill (H. R. 3078) for the relief of Henry Doll, of Shenan fairs. doah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. By Mr. HENRY of Indiana: A bill (H. R. 3044) removing the Also, a bill (H. R. 3079) for the relief of the estate of Jacob charge of desertion now standing against Samuel B. Alexander, Hammon, deceased, Rockingham County, Va.-to the Committee late of Company A, Twentieth Kentucky, who enlisted under the on War Claims. name of J ordon-to the Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 3080) for the relief of Michael Good, of Shen By Mr. HEATWOLE: A bill (H. R. 3045) to remove from the andoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. rolls of the Army the charge of desertion against Neil Patton, Also, a bill (H. R. 3081) for relief of John Fox, of Peter, Page late of Battery F, Second United States Artillery, and to grant County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. him an honorable discharge-to the Committee on Military Af Also, a bill (H. R. 3082) for the relief of the estate of Benjamin fairs. Hoover, deceased, Shenandoah County, Va.-tothe Committee on Also, a bill (H. R. 3046) for the relief of Fredel'ick Van Guilder War Claims. to the Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 3083) for the relief of Mrs. Vienna Roy, Warren Also, a bill (H. R. 3047) for the relief of Samuel A. Lundborg County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. to the Committee on Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3084) for the relief of the estate of Ja-cob B. By Mr. JOHNSON of California: A bill (H. R. 3048) for the Snapp, of Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War relief of R. H. Hoffman-to the Committee on War Claims. Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3049) for the relief of Maurice G. Griffith- Also, a bill (H. R. 3085) for the relief of the estate of Gideon to the Committee on Claims. . Tobin, deceased, of Page County, Va.-to the Committee on War By Mr. KENDALL: A bill (H. R. 3050) for the relief of Peter Claims. H. Donohew-to the Committee on War Claims. .Also, a bill (H. R. 3086) for the relief of George W. Thompson, Also, a bill (H. R. 3051) for the relief of Lucy A. Branham-to Clarke County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. the Committee on Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3087) for the relief of the estate of Samuel Also, a bill (H. R. 3052) for the relief of the heirs atlawof George Sheetz, deceased, Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on Boone, deceased-to the Committee on W ru.· Claims. War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3053) to increase the pension of W. J. Boone, Also, a bill (H. R. 3088) for the relief of the estate of Joseph D. of Clark County, Ky.-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Crabill, deceased, Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on Also, a bill (H. R. 3054) for the relief of Moses Adams-to the War Claims. Committee on Invalid Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3089) for the relief of Samuel H. Sowner, of By lv.Ir. LOUD (by request): A bill (H. R. 3055) to increase the Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. pension of Louise K. Hopkins-to the Committee on Invalid Pen Also, a bill (H. R. 3090) for the relief of the estate of Isaac Hum, sions. of Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. By Mr. MILNES: A bill (H. R. 3056) for the relief of George Also, a bill (H. R. 3091) for the relief of Morris Lutz, of Shen Collom, Company A, Seventy-se~ond Ohio Volunteers-to the andoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 3092) for the relief of Samuel E. Long, of Also, a bill (H. R. 3057) for the relief of James G. Barker-to Rockingham County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3093) for the relief of Jacob Dolman-to the Also, a bill (H. R. 3058) for the relief of Barker Williams and Committee on War Claims. others-to the Committee on Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3094) for the relief of Mrs. Amelia Downey, Also, a bill (H. R. 3059) for the relief of Sarah A. Moore-to the of Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Committee on Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3095) for the relief of Josiah and Jeremiah By Mr. MURPHY of Arizona: A bill (H.R.3060) granting a Kibler, of Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War pension to Mrs. Evalyn Van Vliet from March 8, 1891, to March Claims. 1, 1895-to the Committee on Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3096) for the relief of·Jonathan Holler, of Shen By Mr. PRICE (by request): A bill (H. R. 3061) for the relief andoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. of Fanny B. Randolph and Dora L. Stark-to the Committee on Also, a bill (H. R. 3097) for the relief of Catherine Flick, of Claims. Rockingham County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. By Mr. QIDGG:· A bill (H. R.3062) for therelief of Dr. Edward Also, a bill (H. R. 3098) for the relief of David Ritenour, of R. Duffy, late United States sm·geon-totheCommittee on Invalid Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3099) for the relief of Joseph Blosser, of Page By Mr. STAHLE: A bill (H.R.3063) for the relief of the estate County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. of Jacob Gartman, deceased-to the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3100) for the relief of Anthony Roberson, of By Mr. STEELE: A bill (H. R. 3064) granting a pension to Clarke County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. · Daniel Clark-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Also, a bill (H. R. 3101) for the relief of Martin Buckholder, ad By Mr. TUCKER (by request): A' bill (H. R. 3065) removing ministrator of Abraham Buckholder, deceased, late of Rocking charge of desertion from military record of Allen Dannel-to the ham County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Committee on Military Affairs. Also, a bill (H. R. 3102) for the relief of the estate of Mary E. Also, a bill (H. R. 3066) for the relief of Abraham Stover, Milley, of Shenandoah County, Va.-to the Committee on Wa.r · of Augusta County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3067) for the relief of David W. Speck, of Also, a bill (H. R. 3103) for the relief of David Swartz, of Rock Augusta County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. ingham Connty, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 3068) for the relief of James W. Smith, of Also, a bill (H. R. 3104) to carry into effect the finding of the Augusta County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. Court of Claims in favor of Daniel T. Wood, of Frederick County, Also, a bill (H. R. 3069) for the relief of James A. Snyder, ex Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. ecutor of Jacob Snyder, deceased, of Augusta. County, Va.-to the Also, a bill (H. R. 3105) to carry into effect the finding of the Committee on W a.r Claims. · Com-t of Claims in favor of Lucy A. M. Jones, of Rappahannock Also, a bill (H. R. 3070) for the relief of the estate of George County, Va.-to the Committee on War Claims. W. Taylor, deceased, of Augusta County, Va.-to the Committee By Mr. WANGER: A bill (H. R. 3106) for relief of John Breen, on War Claims. lately postmaster at Gladwyne, Pa.-to the Committee on Claims. 408 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. DECEMBER 30, By Mr. WHEELER: A bill (H. R. 3107) to remove the polit SENATE. ical disabilities of Anderson Merchant-to the Committee on Mili tary Affairs. · MoNDAY, December 30, 1895. By Mr. WOOD: A bill (H. R. 3108) to grant a pension to Jesse Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. W. H. MILBURN, D. D. Durnell, late second-elass pilot on gunboat Lexington and trans The Journal of the proceedings of Friday last was read and ap fen·ed to gunboat Marmora-to t~e Committee on Invalid Pensions. proved. By Mr. WELLINGTON: A bill (H. R. 31Q9) disposing of one condemned brass cannon-to the Committee on Military Affairs. VICE-CONSULS AT ERZERUM AND HARPOOT. Also, a bill (H. R. 3110) to provide for the restatement, readjust The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the follo\ving ment, settlement, and payment of dues to army officers in certain message from the President of the United States; which was read, cases-to the Committee on Military Affairs. and, with the accompanying report, referred to the Committee on .Also, a bill (H. R. 3111) to carry into effect a finding of the Foreign Relations, and ordered to be printed: Court of Claims in favor of William Garrett, late of Montgomery To the Senate of the United State.s: County,-Md.-to-the Committee on War Claims. In response to the resolution of the Senate of the 21st instant relative to the refusal of the '.rur kish Government to grant e:x:equaturs to the vice-consuls of Also, a bill (H. R. 3112) granting a pension to Josephine Foote the United States at Erzeru.m and Harpoot, I transmit herewith a report Fairfax-to the Committee on Pensions. from the Secretary of State. By Mr. BAKER of Kansas: A bill (H. R. 3113) granting a pen GROVER CLEVELAND. EXECUTIVE MANSION, sion to MargaretA. Kidwell-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Washington, December SO, 1895. JUDGMENTS IN INDIAN DEPREDATION CASES. PETITIONS, ETC. The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a communica Under claus~ 1 of Rule XXII, the following petitions and papers tion from the Attorney-General, transmitting, pursuant to the pro were laid on the Clerk's desk and referred as follows: - visions of section 8 of the act of Congress "to provide for the By Mr. ADAMS: Resolutions of the Grocers and Importers' Ex adjudication and payment of claims arising from Indian depreda change of Philadelphia, for a canal from the Delaware River to tions," a list of judgments not heretofore reported to Congress or New York Bay-to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Com appropriated for, rendered in favor of claimants since the passage merce. of the act of March 2, 1895; which, with the accompanying list; By Mr. BAKER of Kansas: Petition in behalf of Mrs. Margaret was referred to the Committee on Indian Depredations, and ordered Kidwell, of Lincoln County, Kans., for pension-to the Commit to be printed. tee on Invalid Pensions. MESSAGE. FROM THE HOUSE. By Mr. BARTHOLDT: Petition of the St. Louis Merchants' A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. W. J. Exchange, in favor of the passage of the Torrey bankruptcy bill BROWNING, its Chief Clerk, announced that the-House had passed, to the Committee on the Judiciary. without amendment, the joint resolution (S. R. 32) authorizing By Mr. BINGHAM: Resolution of the Grocers and Importers' and directing the acceptance of the ram Katahdin, thereby making Exchange of Philadelphia., Pa., favoring the construction of a ship said ram a part of the United States·Navy. .. canal connecting the Delaware River with New York Bay-to the The message also announced that. the House had passed a. bill Committee on Rivers and Harbors. (H. R. 2904) to maintain and protect the coin redemption fund, and · By Mr~ BROMWELL: Resolutions of the Presbytery of Cin to authorize the issue of certificates of-indebtedness to meet tem cinnati, concerning Armenian troubles-to the Committee on porary deficiencies of revenue; in which it requested the concur- Foreign Affairs. rence of the Senate. . • By Mr. CROWTHER: Petition and papers to accompany claim ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED. for relief of James H. Birch-to the Committee on War Claims. The message further announced that the Speaker of the House By Mr. FOSS: ·Petition of H. F. Thurston and 60 others, de had signed the following enrolled bills and joint resolution, and nouncing the treatment of the Armenians and asking for relief they were thereupon signed by the Vice-President: to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. A bill (H. R. 2264rfixing the times for holding the circuit and By Mr. HARDY: Petition and evidence to support House bill district courts of the northern district of Iowa and of the southern No. 986, granting a pension to Hiram P. Pauley-to the Commit district of Iowa; tee on Invalid Pensions. A bill (H. R. 2720) to make Palm Beach, Fla., a subport of entry By Mr. HARMER: A letter of certain Representatives of the and delivery; and . .. _ House recommending the retention of Charles W. Coombs as A joint resolution (H. Res. 56) to transfer offices of the United messenger during the Fifty-fourth Congress-to the Committee States in the Territory of Utah officers of the State of Utah. ·on Accounts. · to By Mr. LOW: Memorial of the J. C. Watc;;on Company and 101 PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS. others, requesting that this Fifty-fourth Congress will authorize The VICE-PRESIDENT presented a memorial of the Boston the Secretary of War to contract with Charles Stoughton and his (Mass.) Baptist ·Ministers' Conference, remonstrating against the associates for the entire work of constructing a canal through the .!tppropriation of moneys in aid of contract schools; which was Harlem Kills, New York, 15 feet deep and 300 feet wide, for a sum referred to the Committee on Appropriations. notexceeding $1,450,000-totheCommitteeon Rivers and Harbors. Mr. PEFFER. I present a petition, in the form of resolutions By Mr. PICKLER: Petition of .James Garvie and· 110 others, adopted by L. W. Hampton Post, Grand Army of the Republic, Santee Indians, praying Congressto enact into law House bill No. of Newport, Mo., praying for legislation to protect pensioners 280, regarding sale of intoxicatingliquorstolndians-to the Com- against the dropping of their names from the pension rolls wi~h mittee on Indian Affairs. - out due legal proceeding, -and .also asking that widows be pro By Mr. REYBURN: Resolutions on the Cuban revolution-to tected against unreasonable delay in securing the pensions due to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. them under existing law. I move- that the petition be referred to By Mr. STEELE: Papers to accompany bill granting increase ·the Committee on Pensions. . of pension to Michael Pettis-to the Committee on Pensions. The motion was agreed to. By Mr. TAFT: Memorial from the Presbytery of Cincinnati, in Mr. PEFFER. I have a papir that I take to be in thenatm·e of regard to the Armenian outrages-to the Committee on Foreign a petition, and I so present it. It is in the form of a resolution of Affairs. Lincoln Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Topeka, Kans., By Mr. TUCKER: Papers relating to the claim of Isaac S. tendering their services as veteran soldiers of the Republic to the Myers-to the Committee on War Claims. President of the United States in case we should have any armed By Mr. WANGER: Resolutions of Grocers and Importers' Ex unpleasantness with our neighbors on the other side of the At change of Philadelphia, favoring a ship canal from New York Bay lantic. I move that the paper be referred to the Committee on to Delaware River-to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Foreign Relations. Commerce. · The motion was agreed to. By Mr. WHEELER: Petition of Thomas M. Hobbs! of Lime Mr. QUAY presented a petition, in the form of resolutions stone County, Ala., asking for remuneration for stores and supplies adopted by the Grocers and Importers'Exchange of Philadelphia, taken from him by the United States during the late civil war Pa., praying for the construction of a canal to connect the Dela to the Committee on War Claims. ware River with New York Bay; which was referred to the Com· Also, record of Francis W. Seeley, to accompany House bill mittee on Commerce. No. 2484-to the Committee on Military Affairs. ' Mr. ALLEN presented the petition of LeGrand Byington, of Also, papers relating to the claim of Gen. A. S. Webb-to the Iowa City, Iowa, praying for a repeal of all bond and national Committee on Military Affairs. · bank laws, and for the unlimited coinage of gold and silver and Also, papers relating to the claim of Lewis Hyde, of Colbert the issue of legal-tender money; which was referred to the Com County, Ala.-to the Committee on War Claims. . mittee on Finance. Also, :papers accompanying House bill No.. 703, for the relief of He also presented a petition of the Santee Sio~ tribe of Indians, lla:ry I. Graham-to the Committee on War Claims. praying for the passage of House bill No. 280, to prohibit the sa.1a