The New York Herald Newspaper, February 17, 1874, Page 3

WASHINGTON. Cameron’s Substitute for the Equalization Scheme of Finance. THE INFLATIONISTS CONFIDENT. Anxiety.as to: the Status of the Forty- four Million Reserve. THE APPROPRIATION BILL. Poor Lo To Be Made a Subject for Pastoral Poesy. WILLIAMS TO BE WHITEWASHED. WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 1874. Wun im the Financial Debate in the Senate—Fianagan, of Fianagan’s Mills, Creates an Uproar—Confidence of the Inflationists. In the Benate the policy of procrastination, here- tofore exposed, as relates to the financial problem Was pursued by the “‘nard cash” or anti-inflation- sta during the whole of to-day. It was thought that @ vote could no longer be deferred than this afternoon, but as tie fight waxed warm toward the last of the session a change of tactics was car- ried out by this scientific and manwuvring body. The white flag was sent up, and as the fring gtopped along the line, an armistice being de- clared, a retreat was ordered, as Logan pithily termed it, with mumMed drums, to cover the flignt ofthe forces, which were, to use an Army of the Potomac satire, ‘retired in good order.”’ Senator Cameron opened the fight by offering his substitute, which authorizes general bank- ing without any restrictions, He advo- cated his measure earnestly, a8 affording the compromise method, to mect the require- ments oi the South and West and reconcile the various dissentient views of Senators. He was followed by Senator Pratt, in a set speech, favor- ing inflation, and they, too, were beset by an op- position waged by Frelinghuysen and Flanagan— the latter making a speech so full of merriment and grotesque oratory as to provoke all through it the risibles of those in the galleries and on the floor of the Senate, who, tired of the cruel plati- tudes and drowsy monotony of the worn subject of Gnance, hailed the quaint treatment of it by the dapper Senator irom Texas with an enjoyment luke that afforded by the historic king’s jester, and well he performed his part, which was the feature of the day. The most ludicrous passage of his Texan plantation epitomizing Was when, after counting five grades of cotton on his fingers according to price, he then, in further- ance Of bis unsxystematized argument, took up one of the iilustrated papers of the day aud read the @ialogue of the cartoon referring to Sherman, Behurz and Morton successively, which brought from them joud bursts o/ iaughter. This usually si- Yent, little old man, with bald forehead and lowered ppectacies, irresistibly closed with a complete lam- pooning ol the pseudo-serious consideration of the pubstitute, and everybody leaned forward with a sense 01 expectant relief Jor a vote at once upon It, When up jumped the staid and severe looking Buckingham, who moved that, in view of the great differences which existed in the Senate on the fnancia: question, ag demonstrated by tne course Df the debate, the original bill, as presented by Senator Sherman, Chairman of the Finance Committee, providing for the transicr of $25,000,000 of national bank sircolation from the East to the remaining sec- tions, be recommittea to the committee. Here was a flank movement entirely unexpected after Benator Flanagan’s pot pourri, in which he kicked Dyer conyentionaliNes and spurned the formality of the Senate in addressing his brothers, and in Neu of “my h.norable friend,” or “tne honorabie pentieman from so and so,” just called them out by their patronymics and smiled iamilarly upon them as he would with a roystering companion in B barroom at San Antonio, The erudite Chairman Df the Committee of Education, mysteriously so Bppointed, as he spoke his speech trippingly on the tongbe, pronouncing the word ‘appreciate’ with a lengthened aspirate between eacn letter of the final s)liable, which elicited guffaws from those who differed with the learned gentleman's views of pronunciation. The {fun was over, and Senators Sherman, Schurz and Morton were startied from their shaxing fit laughter, when, as Senator Logan arose with Bteady and deliberate enunciation and looked like Bn angered Indian chiel at the council Ore, it was evideut that bad blood had been stirred up and ‘that the warpath had been taken in earnest. Annie Stephens, the authoress, who had been ‘taking buckets of pleasure and hearty laughter While noting the distinctive character of Senator Flanagan irom the galieries, was startled into forced complacency at the first sound of the war ‘whoop, aud the schoiarly McCreery, with monklike tonsure, who had been leaving forward, arms @kimbo, on his desk, chuckllug over the jocular Gemonstrations of Senator Flanagan, was atraightened up into serious composure, as Logan launched into the Finance Com- Muittee, with awiui severity berated the idea ‘Ol recomwmitting the bill to tne Finance Committee, and characterized it as a subteriuge from the Fesponsibility oi voting immediately on the bill. He was indignant in the extreme at the strategy Fesorted to, and challeuged a vote, giving notice that, even if the bill were recommitted, they would Not get rid of the propositions of tree banking or inflation by what he called dodging or manwuver- ing, and said they would have to face the music, and might as well do it now as hereafter. The old Senators, like Cameron and Hamlin, looked serious a8 this young man stood up menacingly and threw down the gage of battle. Senators Scott and Mor- Fill, Of Maine, took the “‘nard-cash” view in expos- tulation with Senator Logan, and were in favor of recommitting. A moment more ana the question would have been grappled, when it was shrewdly avoided by the motion of Senator Camerom to go into executive session, which was superseded by that of Senator Boreman for adjournment, which was had. <A poll of the Senate warrants the belief that free banking law will prevail in ‘the Senate, ana the sooner this resuit is obtained, it is remarked here by financiers, the better it will be for the country and the Senate, tne former being regarded as bound hand ana foot by finan- cial withes. senator Morton will speak to-morrow, and two or three other Senators will follow on the substitute of Cameron, and the “hard cash” men will be forced to a vote, sooner or later, in which the West and the South will have the majority, as manilested by their calm assurance now. Senators Cameron and Morton, with such excellent seconds a8 Lozan, of Illinois, and Ferry, of Michigan, not to say anything of Gordon and Merrimon, are more than # match for Senator Sherman and his Coalition, respectably and soundiy balanced as it 4s. The debate will last two days longer, it is thought, when the expansionist combination will move a final yote, whicn, with a full working Sen- ate, will be in their favor. The Legai Tender Question in the House—New York and Brooklyn Repre- sentatives Uniting to Secure an Early Decision, Mr. Maynard, chairman of the Banking and Cur- rency Committee, earnestly pressed the House to- Gay to set the time for the discussion of the bill to mend the National Currency act and to es tablish free banking. The motion to sue pend the rales was lost, 141 voting in the affirmative and 93 in the negative. The House is bent upon disposing of the legal ten- Ger question before it becomes entangled in end- Jess debate on the Currency act. Mr, Kasson, however, got through his bill making Congress the Sadge in all cases where @ refund js claimed for of | NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17,U8% Guties overpaid. The republican and democratic members from New York and Brooklyn have to-night agreed to unite in an effort to bring tne Bouse to 8 consideration of the legai tender ques- tion to-morrow. The united voice of the commer- cial centre, which is 60 unusual, it ts thoug:it will have great weight in settling this matter without further delay. The Status of the Forty-four Million Reserve to be Determined First and Appropriations Made Afterward. At the close of the session of the House to-day, General Garfield, chairman of the Committee on Apprepriations, reported the Legislative and Ju- dicial Appropriation bill, and moved tpat it be mace the special order for Wednesday next, de- bate to continue to the exclusion of ail other busi- ness until disposed of. At this juneture, Mr, Woodford, of New York, asked the Speaker if the motion prevatied would it prevent the considera- tion of the status of the forty-four million legal tender reserve, the greater portion of which is now in circulation, The Speaker replied that it would, whereapon Mr. Woodiord, to test the sense of the House, appealed to the members to vote down the motion of Mr, Garfield, and, to the surprise of every one, the chairman of the Appro- priation Committee met with defeat, his only polace being an order to have the bill printed. ‘The action of the House indicates a readiness to dispose of the legal sender question, causing much rejoicing among the New York members, who are anxfous that the status of the so-called reserve may be specail settied, and the mercan- tile and moneyed inteests spared further agita- tion on the uncertainty of the financial adminis- tration of the treasury Department. Review of the Financt: Forces—Re- organization of the Inflationists and Fresh Tactice—Bow They Will Win the Battle. e The persistency with wich the opposition has been kept up by SenatorSherman and those who have agreed with him, as evidenced in the debate against the inflationists, led by Senator Morton, has continued without relaxation up to the present moment. ‘There is little, 1 any, change affecting the strength of the united forces of the West and South; but viewing the determined vis-a-vis which has been steadily preserved as growing more threatening, a consultation was had by the infla- thonists to-day, and it was decided to change front by the Selection of Senator Cameron, with the moral influence of the great State of Pennsyiyania bebind him, to make a diversion by offering a bill for {ree banking, in ileu of an increase o! the cur- Tency, Which satisfies the inflationists and removes the direct question of expansion, as also the direc- tion of the opposition, sustained by tne Ea-t or those Senators who are in favor of contraction and early gpecie resumption. While this may be regarded and has looked as if it were sectional, it :ssumes that atiltude or classification merely because the East has more concentrated or accumulated capi- tal than she West or South and is in a measure in dependent ot relief. Besides, the capitalists o! the East do not wish this fdancial measure of relief to be afforded, because they do not want any addl- tional capital brought iu competition with them, or to press them out of those channels of ready demand which they have 8o easily proiitabiy found heretofore. This has engendered an antagonism ‘and some latent ill-teeling between the respective sections, and is strengthened on the side of the Eastern accumulators by the aid of a few national bank men in tiie Senate, all of whom are with one voice opposed to an increase of the currency, while the West and South are for inflation, which policy they will carry in one form or another under the masterly ability and long exrerience of | Senator Sherman asa financial doctor. The tight hag nominally been to keep the nation's credit within bounds and clear of the dangers ot financial wreck, while it is palpable that this too great anxiety comes from either the feeling of doubt as to the result of expansion, or in deference to the behests of accumulated capital, which is respected by ali the rich men in the Senate, But the popu- lar advocates, who are near the people in feeling and more in accord with the masses, whose system they study with more attention than those of the bankers and fingnciers of tae day, advocate most strenuvosly and without hesitancy the plan of adding to the presént volume of the currency, which, from present ,m,ications, they will carry by &@ small majority in the senate, The Petition of the Lilipois Legislature for an Increase of the Volume of the Currency. The petition of members of the Illinois Legisla- ture, citizens of Chicago and others, presented in the Senate by Senator Logan to-day, represents | that real and personal property during the last decade bas increased in value more than 86 per cent, and the value of manulactured products move than 124 per cent; and since June 30, 1868, | the currency circulation has been contracted about $250,000,000. Therefore they, representing the | vast agricultural, manufacturing and commercial interests 0: the West and South, believe the volume | of the currency to be not sufficient for the business of the country, and also believe that con- traction is in the interest 01 Eastern capital to the | detriment of Western and Southern industry, and means paralyzed business, extortiouate interest and low wages. They, therefore, earnestly request such increase of the currency as the public neces- sities require. Further Exposure of Tre: ry Manage- ment Threatened. if the House resume the financial discussion to- morrow Fernando Wood will endeavor to get the floor, not to reply to Dawes’ speech of Thursday last, but to add more damaging facts than Mr. Dawesehought It prudent to produce as a repub- lean. Mr. Beck, of Kentucky, will also take occa- sion to arraign Mr. Dawes for concealing the truth. The political aspect of the debate threatens to be more tedious than that on the salary grab. The Appropriation Bill as Reported to the House—The Retrenchment Thus Far Accomplished. The Committee on Appropriations, having com- pleted their labors on the Legisiative, Executive and Judicia: Appropriation bill, reported it to the House to-day. measures of the committee im the hne of retrenchment. These are expected to be added so as to have the bill ready ror the printer to-morrow. The reductions recommended am unt in the aggregate to three millions, whichis considered a very satisfactory termination of the labors of the committee on this one bill. Greater re- ductions in 4 few special cases, it is said, might have been made, but, in the absence of intormation and the opposition of the officers of the depa:t- ments in question, it was feared that public busi- ness might really be embarrassed. The present reduction is looked upon, in a measure, as experi- mental, for the committee have assumed the en- tire responsibility of making the reduction in the face of Executive opposition, If the present re- duction shoula verify their belief that the govern- ment business can be transacted on a clerical force smaller than that now employed there will be a further cutting down of the army of employés still on the rolls next year. The Treasury Department has sufferea the gréatest re- duction, the committee making a very decisive move on the ornamental bureaus o1 the Secretary's oMce., All the departments, except that of the Navy, come in for ashare in the pruning process ‘The bi provides new legislation by repealing the act of May, 1872, in regard to the expenses of the na- tional loan, and making specific appropriations for the various purposes covered by that fund, includ- ing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This will put an end to the European and other pleasure excursions of officials. The bill also requires a de- tailed statement of the expenditure of the contin- gent funds of all the departments, This is designed to abolish the keeping up of expensive equipages and liveried servants for oMcials and favorite clerks at the expense of the people. The bill also provides for the resumption of work at the Mint at New Orteans, The Mormon Monstresity and the Moral Element in Utah—Petition of Gentile Citizens for Special Legislation. The memorial of the non-Mormon citizens of Utah has been printed. It is signed ‘Josepn R, Waiker and others.’ This memorial was referred to the Committee on Territories. It was prepared by @ committee of forty-five, appointed at a public The bill, though finished, was not j Tully drawn up and amended to meet the latest | Department oi Justice, meeting held at Selt Lake Cityon the 19th of January. itcommences by saying ‘that the poiiti- cal status of the Territory of Utah is anomalous in this, that fve-sixtbs or more of the entire Popula'ion are members of an organization, the adherents of which claim that it is religious in its character, while in fact it enjoins both as to faith and practice, the commission of the highest crimes. Polygamy is openly and defiantly prac- ticed in the face of the law of Congress, and the doctrine of the shedding of blood tor the remission Oj sins has been preached from the Mormon pulpit and deliberately published in the special organs of the Oharch,”” This the memorialists show by copi- ous extracts from the speeches of Brigham Young and others, They sayin conclusion, As long a8 Brigham Young, as the head of the Church, is per- Mitted to retain his power to execute or defeat the execution of the laws according to his will, hia misguided and creduious adherents will continue to implicitly obey and believe him and that his mis- sion is divine and his authority paramount to and beyond the reach of human lawa, Rut, once to take away from him the form of law under which he has so cunningly acquired and exercised theo- cratic rule, and then the mission of the Mormon Church a8 @ governing power in municipal af- Jairs will, a8 it should, goon come to an end. Therefore, the affairs of this Territory being anomalous, we respectfully submit that special legislation is right and proper, and ask your hovorabie body to pass. at an eariy day, such legis- lation as will remedy the existing evils; and we give it as our opinion that the bills introduced by Senators Logan and Frelinghusyen, would either of them effectually accomplish that end,” Open Attempt to Whitewash the Wil- jiams Investigation—An Honest Mem- ber of the Committee Gives Reasons for Dissenting. The committee appointed a few weeks ago to investizate the accounts of the Department ot Justice have met with not altogether unexpected obstacles to a fair examination, At the meeting on Saturday a resolution was adopted, to be offered in the House to-day, asking for authority to send for persons and papers and have tne right to adininister oaths, The scope of the committee work was supposed to extend to everything per- taining to the expenditures of the department— marshals’ fees, salaries of clerks and judges, moneys disbursed to jurors, deputy marshals and the force 01 employés belonging to the judiciary department of the government, it has not been an idle rumor that the grossest irauds have been perpetrated in this department, not including the iliegal purchase of the famous landaulet, silver mounted harness and livery for the use of the At- torney General. In certain judictal districts money has been squandered, and perhaps the most nota- ble instauce is the Western district of Arkansas, already a scandal to the administration, and to be the subject of special investigation, by the vote of the House, to-day. The committee, consisting of Messrs. Sever, of Virginia; Parsons, of Ohio, and Williams, of Massachusetts, republicans, and Speer, of Pennsylvania, and Durham, of Kentucky, democrats, held their first full meeting to-day, When, to the astonishment of the chairman and his democratic colleagues, Messrs. Par- sons and Williams disclosed tue fact that they were speciaily appointed by the Speaker to pre- sent an honest examination of the accounts of the Attorney General and Mr. Williams, as the special guardian of the disvursing officer of the ‘The resolutton adopted on Saturday was denounced by these gentlemen as wholly unworthy of the committee, and under pres- sure Was rescluded, Both Mr. Parsons and Mr, Wil- lMams said they nad submitted it to the Speaker, wio said it Was unprecedented, unusual and grossly disrespectiui to the Attorney General. [t was then proposed that the Chairman and Mr. Speer serve asa sub-committee, and go through the farce o1 louking over a lot of vouchers without inquiring whether they were fraudulent or not. Mr. Speer declined serving for the following rea- s0ns:—First, because at a regular meeting it was resolved that the invesrigation should be con- ducted by the waole or a majority of the commit vee at meetings regularly called. Second, that the committee, at the special meeting held to-day, having rescinded the action of the regular meet- ing of Saturday last, directing the Chairman to ask the House for authority to sead for persons and papers and to administer oatas, and believing thorough investigation can be made without gach autuority, he was unwilling to go through the form of an investigation where he was well Satisfied there ts no power, anda majority of the commivtee refuse to ask the House for the power to render the investigation anything more than a shadow and a sham, The committee will hold another meeting on Wednesday next, when the original resolution will again he offered and it is confidentiy expected will be adopted, Ifthe Speaker refuses to allow the resolution to be brought before the House there will be such explanations as will enhance the interest already taken in unioading the dead weight carried by the repubftcan party. The Change of Policy Proposed by the Indian Committee—The Savages To be Made a Pastoral Instead of an Agricul- tural People. The Huuse Committee on Appropriations will to- morrow commence the consideration of the Indian bili, The Commissioner of Indian Affairs has been requested to appear and make some explanation respecting the disbursements on account of the Indians and alse the general managemeat of the service. specially charged with the preparation of tbe In- dian bill, have footed up reductions to the amount of $1,500,000. This amount will be made less, how- ever, by the introduction of several small deficien- cies, which have to be met at once. The Indians in the vicinity of Fort Berthold, Dakota Territory, and in several other ¢ases, will be allowed small sums, in the aggregate amounting to sev- erai hundred thousand dollars, available upon the passage of the aet, to carry them through the year, when the new appropriations can be drawn upon, The Appropriation Committee are entirely opposed to @ miitary rule for the Indians, believing that it is the policy of the government to continue a civil administration. They differ, however, in regard to the course of training looking to ultimate civiliza- tion, claiming that they should be made a pastoral instead of an agricultural people. The commit- tee, therefore, favor appropriations for tne pur- | chase of cattle and turning them over to Indians on reservations to care for them and to raise their own food, The financial Condition of the Naval Department. A short time ago the House of Representatives passed a resolution calling upon the Secretary of the Navy to inform them how much of the appro- priation for the fiscal year, ending June 30, 1874, was expended prior to January last, and how much of the $4,000,000 appropriated by the present Congress fas been expended, and for what pur- poses. The Secretary has prepared a reply, in which he says all the appropriation for construc- tion and repair for the fiscal year 1873-74, amounting to $3,500,000, was expended previous to January 1, together with $68,000 expended for repairs of iron- clads and other vessels out of the appropriation Of $4,000,000 of December 18, 1873, ana that about $325,000 in addition has since been expended out had actually »een taken at the date of the resolu- tion, except ty the Bureau of Conatrucuon and Re- .r8, Which expended irom that sppeopriaven 000 in the repair of the iron-clads Ajax, Gandnicus, Wyandotte, Dictator, Roanoke ‘and Terror, The #4,600,000 was placed to the credit of the severa! bureaus, aud went to retmburse them for the extriordinary expend tures wuica they had been required to make, and witch were con- templated inthe regular appropriation. The de- partment dow not expect to need any further ep propriations nr the cur. ent year. Abolition of Pension Agents—A Great Saving to the Treasury. The bill in:roduced to-day by Mr. Lawrence, of Ohio, is the sume presented by him in the Forty- frat Congress. It proposes to abolish pension agents, and aathorizes the Secretary of the interior to py all pensions by ¢rafts on any depository bank or Assistant Treasurer, payable directly to the order of the pensioner, The drafts are to be sent to some postmaster, assessor Or other govern- ment officer in each county who will personally know the peasioners, The measure would save over $500,000 to the Treasury aud protect the gov- ernment against frauds, Important Business Before the House Judiciary Committec—The Third Term Question, The meeting of the House Judiciary Committee to-morrow will be important, The chairman, General Buter, has prepared a report on the dis- tribution of the Geneva award, which he will sub- mit, and, if adopted, it will be presented to the House. to yet the commuttee to order reported b 8 amend- term to six years and making bim ineligible tora second term, The Howard Court of Inquiry to Meet in March. The President has ordered that the Court of In- quiry in the case of General Howard be composed of Generais Sherman, McDowell, Pope, Meigs and Holt; eee A.B. Gardner, Judge Advocate. ‘The Court will meet in Washington on the 3d of March next, Alexander H. Stephens Seriously Il. Alexander H. Stephens is quite ill at his rooms with neuralgia of the kidneys, The night betore Jast severa! physicians were in consultation rela- tive to his case, and agreed that his condition was aeniauy, He was somewhat easier yesterday and to-day. PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS. SENATE. WASHINGTON, Feb, 16, 1874, THE CASE OF SENATOR MITCHELL. Mr. KELLY, (dem.) of Oregon, presented @ pe- titlon of citizens of that State in regard to charges against his cojleague, Mr. Mitchell, and asking that the same be investigated by the Senate. Mr. KELLY said he had been acquainted with Mr, Mitchell for twelve years and knew nothing in the world derogatory to bis character. In presenting these charges he desired it to be dis- tinctly understood that he satd nothing in favor of or against them—that matter should be leit with the committee, He moved that the subject be tions, It was so ordered, THE VOLUME OF THE CURRENCY, Mr. LoGay, (rep.) of Ill, presented the petition of the Ilinois Legislature, citizens of Chicago and others, asking for an increase in the volume ot the currency. Referred to the Finance Committee. BQUALIZATION OF THE CURRENCY, Mr. SHERMAN suid he would object to anything being considered until atter the present vill to equailze the distribution o1 currency be disjosed of. “The moraiug our having expired the Senate re- distribution of currency. MR. CAMERON'S SUBSTITUTE. Mr. OAMEBON moved to strike all out after the enacting clause of the biil, and insert as a subsi- tute @ provision that part of the Nutional Currency act Of June 4, 1864, und parts of several acta amendatory thereof, and any other acts which limit or res'rict the amount of notes tor circulation be repealed, and that all associations organized ior banking shall be free to establish national banks, with a@ circulation, subject to the lumitations now provided by law except tue limi. tation as to circaiation, which 18 hereby repealed, NO ENOUGH CURRENCY. Mr, CAMERON, in auvocating the adoption of his substitute, said the country was deiicient in the banking 1acilities 80 necessary to transact the busi- neas Ol at energetic, industrious people. Being & practical man he looked at these thingsfrom a practical standpoint, He had not heard a single business man say we had enough currency. The Datioual banking system had done much good and shoald be extended. | His that uo proper and > The investigations of Judge Loughridge, | of sald appropriation on iron-ciads and other | vessels, and the completion of these repairs will exhaust by the lst of July next ali of the $2,000,000 of that appropriation allowed the bureau of Construction and Repair, The whole number of men (1,500) added temporartiy to the navy were enlisted before January, 1874, and on the lst of November last the number of men in service was about 6,000. The appropriation for the navy for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, ex- clusive of $182,940 appropriated in the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation _ bill, amounted to $24,048,150 65. From tnis appro- priation was drawn, prior to January 1 last, $18,384,394 37, of which amount there was unex- pended prior to that date $1,922,725 67, making the amount of this appropriation actually lessened $16,461,068 70, leaving to the credit of the naval establishment $7,586,481 95. To this was added $4,000,000 by the appropriation of December last, making the available balance on January 1 $11,686,481 95. Of this sum of £4.000.000 nothing | money, chous causing any shock to capital al- | Teady inVesied in good faith. ; fixed amount of currency, allowing no greater abuadance of money at one time than another; yet it was a well known fact at some seasons o! the year we Want more money than at others, This fixed amount of currency was a terror to honest men and a juoilee to speculators. The increase of national banks would enable the United States to Tegume specie payment sooner than by any other process; the present national bank currency was equally a8 safe and far more convenient than metallic currency. Increase the .acilities, and na- greenvacks, CONTRACTION DISASTROUS. Mr. PratT, (rep.) oi Ind., said thousands of men Were out of employment now ou account of the scarcity of money. An attempt to return to specie payments bow would be disastrous tu the whole Ing to Specie payment now. It was not tiat the people arg clamoring ior the payment of our notes at this time. ‘they well understand that they must pay them by the burdens of taxation and they would lose More than they would gain by the action. ihe present currency would buy anything, and the people of the country knew it was good, portant jeatures of greenbacks, exce,t one—they were not legal tenders for payment of rivate debts, He favored the removal of the | law which limited the circulation to $354,000, 000, and wonid allow aii banks to go into banking upon an equal tvoting with the banks already estab- | lished, and thus the supply of currency woud | always be equal to the demand. Free banking | had been successful in the States and would be | sgain, ‘Ine issuing of bank notes shoud be left to | the law 01 supply and demand. He would support the substitute of the gentleman trom Pennsyl- vania (Mr. Cameron), believing It to be a wise one. He favored @ return to specie payment, but could not shut his eyes to tue fact wnat tae only Toad to resumption was by contraction, and that would be disastrous to tie country. MORE TAXATION, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Of New Jersey, sald the adoption of suca a measure as that proposed by the gentieman irom Pennsylvania would be tramp- ling wader tout the promises made to red em our notes in coin, and if adopted tne wildest specula- tion would jollow. Its adoption would be of greater injury to the financial aud business inter- ests of the country than the rebellion was, He thought there was ample provision fur banking already, with good, wholesome restrictions, He | favored, in the first place, making the expendi- tures of the government as small as was consist- ent with the dignity and wellure of the uation; for by our own iolly to make ourselves so. The secund thing we ought to do is to impose more taxes. The people of this country understand that this is their government, and their own pros- posh) 18 inseparably united with its prosperity. Whenever there is a necessity lor it they desire to | belaver. A See ane anions oar Gene He elleyve aX on whiskey shou increased to Ne per Pasa, that would yield a revenue of $20,000,000, The tax on tobacco should be in- creased irom twenty to tiurty-two centg per pound, which would yield @ Kevenpe gf Nunece: Congress had taken the tax off tea kind coffee, though that act had not decreased che price of those articles, The people had to pay as much as ever (or them, He was not disposed to make the people pay, more by reinstating that tax, but if it should be restored @ revenue of $15,000,000 per an- num would be the result. Hence, he favored, first, reasonable retrenchment; second, necessary taxation, and, third, redeem the pledge made to pay the ireasury notes in coin. . FLANAGAN, OF PLANAGAN'S MILI. Mr. FLANAGAN, (rep.) Of ‘Texas, said he was o| posed to inflation and would support the bill as it came Jrom the committee, They did not want more money in Texas tobe gained by inflation. They wanted money there, but would give their cattle, their sugar and their cotton forit. Coin was what the people wanted and we should get back to specie payment as soon as possible, The Senator irom lowa (Mr. Wright) had a tew days ago re- ferred to our financial derangement as a sick patient. He approved of the ideu that the patient Was sick, and there were plenty of physicians here, They inquired daily ag to the symptoms and dis- cussed learnedly, but did nothing and the patient | remained sick, The people inquired of the doctors if there was any hope, and they replied, “If the patient ets better, and grows po worse he may recover,”’ (Laughter.) At first this patient had a pulse of 106 and 108; now it has gone up to 112 and 118, and if we are going to give it forty or seventy- five pilis, it will die off very easy. (Renewed lwughter.) No haif dozen Senators agreed upon any definite plan. He would suggest that the Fiance Committee frame a bill having in view SPECIE RESUMPTION IN GUOD FAITH. Let the Treasury of the United States, propert organized, advertise that the government wiil buy every bale of cotton raised in the South dur- ing the next twelve months and pay for it tn greenbacks, say idc, for ordinary, 160, Ke ytd 180, for low middlings, 20c. for middlinga and 22 for good middlings, that would be an average o! 18. per pound, and would build up that distressed portion of the country. It would give the planter @ fine price though not an inflated one, Four million bales of cotton would be made in the South, Value it at $76 a bale and there woula be $300,000,000 expended there. thought this Senate might vropose some means to return to TIPLE SHEET. Mr. Wilson, of Indiana, will also endeavor | ment to the constitution limiting the Presidential | referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elec- | sumed the consideration 01 tne bill to equalize tue | substitute | was designed to satisfy the demand tor more ‘Lhe law now guve a | tional bank notes woud goon take tue place of | country, and he would oppose every scheme jook- | ‘Yhe national bank notes possessed most of the im. | we are not paupers or bankrupts, unless we choose | specie payment. There was plenty of gold and such | ayment could be resumed, Mr. KUCKINGHAM (rep., tad the Finance Com- mittee, by the ot! repor seemed to have & single object in view—to retfve certain portions o1 the country, The discussion which ensued would, no doubt be a benefit to the committee, and he tuerelore moved that the bill be recommittea to the Finance Committee, and, with the v.ews of the Senators Dow brought out by the d.scussion, the committee cou!d irame a@ bill which would har- monize With the views o1 the majority, He hoped 118 motion would ve adopted, Mr, MORTON (rep.) Said he 8aW nO advantage to neu by cominitting the bill, Three months nearly had already passed and, go jar us this finance measure was concerned, no progress had been maue, The committee first brougit torward @ esolution of a sentimental character, their Twenty-five Million bill, waich Was a Bort of hail- | way measure, The question must be settled by the benater and, PY ta now beiore vhe Senate, snould be determined. Mr. Soorr, (rep.) of Pa., said all Senators were becoming exceedingly anxious to have some prac- uca: measure in regard to the fipauces beiore the Sénate—one which would cover tne whole ques. tion. He, thereiore, tnougnt tume niizht be saved by recommitting the Dil, audit tue committee re- port a measure Covering all questions. Mr. SRERMAN (rep.) Suld he did not know but that he would yote .or the motion to recommit, The Finance Committee had reported the oill to egeaiiee te currency a8 & bona jue measure of rele!, and he did not believe there were five Senators against the original proposition, but it nad veen loaded down with ovper uestions. «de would, therefore, vote for the mo- ton to recommit rather tuan prolong the discus- gion. The bill had been antagonized with every kind vf proposition invoivins the whoie general question 1 fiuances, and, no doubt, it would be better lor the committee now tu .rame some meas ure covering the whole question of finance, aud bring it velure the Senate ior action, Mr. LOGAN (rep.) said he thought this @ very strange proceeding at this time. Without a vote On one singie proposition, or without getting the sense 0) the Senate on uny one of the questions, tne motion was made to recummut. Had it not been that the motion was made vy nis friend irom Connecticut (Mr. Buckingham) he would nave thougat it the result 01 au arrangement to de- prive the Senate of a vote. The Finance Commit- tee had discovered that the bill coud not be passed, and now they wanted it recommitted, Mr. SHERMAN said the motion to recommit was made by a gentieman not connected with the Finance Vomunitiee, “KAOK THE MUSIC." Mr. LoGaN said all the members of the committee who had spoken lavored che recommital, might be recommitted as oiten as they liked, but he wanted i¢ understood that there must be a vote, and the issue coud not be douged. They might just as well jace the music one time as anotner. ‘to recommit the bill would only serve to :epro- duce the same arguments al. eady deivered, aud 20 te would be guined, Mr. MORRILL, (rep.) of Me., said his mind had not been made up on any ove O! these propositions, and there should be time jor deliberation an counsel, If the Senator trom illinois (Mr. Logan) Was Willing to establisi iree banking to a country with between seven and eight huudred miilions of bulder man than most who Lave dealt with the subject. ‘Lhe whole range of questions brought up here on the bul had not been passed upon by the committee, and he thought the Senate shuld have the views of that committee, He would therelore vote ior the motion to recommit, wi.a the expec- tation that the committee would at an early day present the subjeci to the Senate tor action, The ihore the country had of tnis irredeemable paper currency the more it would want, Issue $50,0u0,000 to-day, and in a few yeurs you will need $100,000,000, To his mind, the proposition to in- flate the currency was pernicious. Mr, BUREMAN, Of West Virginia, moved to ad- journ, and tne iatter motion was adopted, and the Senate adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 1874. The House spent the greater portion of the day in the hearing of the titles of bills introduced, of which the list was long. A number of petitions were read, among them one from the Gentiles of Utah, asking special legislation to free them trom Mormon rule, THE CONTINGENT EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Mr. Hynes, (rep.) of Ark., offered a resolution ' instrucuung the Committee on the Contingent Ex- penses in the Department of Justice to inquire ito the judicial expenditures in the western dis- trict of Arkansas since 1871. He stated charges had irequently appeared in the metropolitan papers in regard to that district, and he deemed it his duty to offer the resolution, which also re- ceived the concurrence ot the Attorney General, ‘Lhe resolution Was adovied. AN EFFORT AT BUSINESS DEFEATED. After the presentation of a petition asking in- | quiry into the liquor trafiic, a oil: asking the repeal ol the tobacco tax, and a bill to secure an inspec- tion of the schools lor Indians, Mr. MAYNARD, (rep.) of Tenn., moved to suspend the rules and make tae bill reported from the Banking Committee in Telawon to the currency a special order jor Thure- | day next, and until disposed ot, » The motion to suspend the rules was defeated, Yeas, 143; nays, 90—less than two-tuirds in the a firinative. | _ Mr, MAYNARD then gave notice that if the House went into Committee of the Whole pn Thursday he would move to set aside the other bills on the calendar that precede the Carrency bill» CENTENNIAL ASSEMBLING OF CONGRESS. Mr, KELLEY, (rep.) Of Pa., offered a resolution that the members of the House aud Senate re- assemble in Carpenters’ Hall, rniladelplia, in in- formal joint session, on Monday, September 1874, in centennial commemoration of the as- sembling of the delegates from tue several colo- nies and provinces of North America on Monday, Septemoer 6, 1774, and that the Speaker o1 tne House be invited to preside over the meeting, and tha: Vice President Wilson be requested to deliver an address appropriate to the occasion, After remarks in support oi the resolution by Mr. Keiley and Mr, Waddell, of North Carolina, Mr. Hats, (rep.) of Me., opposed the resolution a3 an unprecedented thing. fhe 1undamentai objection which he had to it was, that this was but one of many measures preparatory to having Congress appropriate money to pay the expenses of vhe great Centennial Exposition of 1876 to the amount Ol from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000. the thing was unpre- Mr. KELLEY admitted that cedented; but that was because this was the lirst centennial anniversary of the event. He believed that with every recurring centenary the precedent now to be establishea would be foilowed. Mr. G. F. Hoar, of Massacnusetts, suggested tts reference to the Committee on the Centennial Ex- position. He thought it something disrespectiul to tne Senate to propose that its presiding officer should deliver the address and that tne Speaker of i fouse should preside over the joint conven- ion. opinion Was that the arrangement proposed was the proper one. Mr. Hoar asked Mr. Kelley to name any skilful sition was respectful to the Senate, Mr, KELLEY declined to do so, but moved to sus- pend tne rules and adopt the resolution. The motion to suspend was seconded, 96 to 56, The House reused to suspend the rules by 125 yeas to 95 nays, not two-thirds in the affirmative, 80 the resolution was rejected. SALES AND PURCHASES BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT PROPOSED. Mr. O’BRIBN, of Maryland, offered a resolution directing tne secretary ol the Navy to iniorm the House as to the propriety of tne sale of the Naval Asyium ac Phiadelphia and the erection of suit- able buildings at Annapolis for the purpose. Re ferred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. LaMax, of Mississippi, Offered a resolution instructing the Committee on Military A‘fairs to inquire into the propriety of the sale ot Horn Island in the Gulf of Mexico, now held bat aot used as a military reservation. Adopted, Mr. Ma¥NARD, Of Tepoessee, introduced a bill for the purchase of a site for a coaling station, naval depot and other overnment uses at Fort Point, Port Royal, 8. C, erred, REFUNDING OF CUSTOMS. Mr. Kasson (rep.) of lowa, from the Committes on Ways and Means, reported a bill providing that moneys paid into the hands of any collector, or into the ‘ireasury, for customs duties, in accord- ance with any decision or ruling previously made by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall not he re- funded or repaid, except in pursuance of special Sppropriations made therefor, or in accordance with the judgment of a United States court givin, construciion to the law, and irom whic! the Attorney General certily that no appeal or writ of error will be taken by the Unitea States; also providing that no ruling or decision once made by the Secretary of the Treas- ury in regard to customs duties suall be changed by the same or a@ succeeding Secretary, except it be In concurrence with an opinion in favor oi such change given by the Attorney General, or by rea- son of a judicial decision of a United States court affecting the same, from which the Attorney Gen- eral shall certify that no appeal or writ of error wii be taken by the United States, The discussion of the subject was participated in by Messrs, Butler and Dawes, of Massachusetts; Wood, oi New York; Beck, of Kentucky; Burchard, of Illinois; Kasson, of Iowa, and Kelley, (rep.) of Pa., the latter stating that a conspiracy of New York iawyers had been formed to procure @ re- funding of duties, they to have one-half of all the sums recovered, and that an enrolled bill in the State Department had been tampered with by the change ofa comma, in order to enable that con- Spiracy of Poke to secure a renewal of the de- ciston, and this had cost the government $2,000,000. Mr. BURCHARD (rep.) explained how the error occurred wu a tee the State Department was not responsible for 1¢. Mr. KRLey disclaimed the idea of holding that department responsible. ‘ur, Dawes (rep.) went into a further explana- tion of the matter, and ai vee that the Secretary of the Treasury was rig! in his decision, What he (Mr. Dawes) objected to was that any Secretary ofthe Treasury should have poWer to make hin own constraction of the law, and then draw his warrant on tne Treasury for the amount which he decided should be reiunded. That should require the action of 88, Mr, Kasgon, of lowa, moved to suapend the rules The bill | irredeemable paper curreucy, he was rather a | Mr. KELLEY said he had consulted some of the | best parliamentarians in the House, and their | parliamentarian Who would say that suca a propo- | and pass the bill. Agreed to, Ps to, and the Dill wad THE APPROPRIATION BILL REPORTED, Mr. GaBFIRLD, (rep.) 01 Onio, irom the Committee on Appropriations, reported the reguiur Legis- lative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation vill, and moved that it be made the special order for Wednesday next. Mr. WooDForD, (rep.) Of N. Y., argued that the first great question which called for a discussion by the House was the status of the $44,000,000 re serve, ‘The House refused to make this bill the apecta order tor Wednesday, and then it was referred tol ie Committee of the Wuole on the state of the bion, The House then, at ten minutes to five P. M., ad Journed, THE STATE CAPITAL. The Commissioners of Lunacy—Bill Making Strect Car Conductors Special Policcmen—The Board of Estimate and the Aldermen—Aun Education Act, ALBANY, Feb. 16, 1874 Barely a quorum of members attended the reas- sembling of the House and Senate this evening. The New York delegation was conspicuous by its almost total absence, Monday evening, however, is never marked by any extraordinary transaction of business, and to-night was no exception to the rule. The subject that aroused the chief share of debate in Committee of the Whole of the Assem- bly was @ billof Mr. Prince's, providing that the Governor of the State, on tie recommendation of the Board of Supervisors of each county, shall ap- point for the city and county of New York not less than ten nor more than fifty physicians, and not less than five nor more than fifteen tn every other county of the State, who shall be known as COMMISSION EHS OF LUNACY, Mr. Prince stated that the purpose of the bill | Was to prevent unpriucipled meu from obtaining certificates of insauity against sane persons, Mr. Aivord opposed the bill aad insisted, by amend- ment, on leaving the determining oi cases of ine sanity to the courts. For want of a quorum the bill went over. Thisis the third year a bill having substantially the same purpose as the present ene has been betore the Legisinture. Tho necessity ior it is Suggested by several Cases that came unpleasantly before the public in connection with the Bloomingdale Asyiuin @ Jew years ago, The bill says nothing in regard to tne compensa- tion which shall be given the physicians whose ap- pouintment it contempiates—whether they shall be allowed @ stated salary or be paid so much jor each: case they pass upon. The aavocates of the meas- ‘ure contend that it is a sort of Magna Charta, and that the liberty of the citizen, under the preseat method of determining the condition of his | mental health, is at the mercy of unscrupulous | Pysicians, ir. Healy introdaced a bill for the WIDENING OF WEST STREET, NEW YORK, from Hammond street to Pier No. 1, making it & uniiorm width of 200 feet; the property necessary for the purpose to be taken from the westerly or | river side of the street, There is some merit in | the bill of Mr. Beunett’s, introduced in the Agsem- | bly, granting power to street car conductors to ar- rest and turn over to the authorities disorderly Characters travelling on the street cars, Mr. Prince’s resolution placing all 01 the public education of the State in the hands of the Regents of the University, and doing away with the dissen- sions that now prevall between that body and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, was iaid 01 the table. There is a strong sentiment in lavor Of its Cl The railroad classiucation vill, intro- duced by Senator Ganson, and reierred to the Committee on Judiciary, before whom those in op. Position were to have a hearing next Wednesday, will lie over ior argument uutil the 24th, owing to Mr. Ganson’s absence. Senator Booth will report next Friday the bill for tue CONSOLIDATION OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK retaining its main features and suggesting only minor amendments. ‘The Senate is not disposed to think that it has euiticient business on hand to necessitate three night sessivns in the week, and early adjouroments may be expected on that account. ‘the Committee on Commerce and Navigation will report in lavor OLincreasing THE HEAD MONEY ON EMIGRANTS from $1 50 to $2. In view ol the disagreement between the Board of Estimate and Appropriacious of the city and county of New York and the Boara of Aldermen, in reference to the sums required lor carrying on the Jocal government o1 the city for the year .874, Mr. Bovth introduced the tollowing resolution im the Senate this eveuing which was auopted :— Resolved, That the Mayor and Comptroller be and are hereby required to transinit to the Jenate @ statement showing, in details, the particulars whercaa che estimate and apporiionment cau be reduced, with an explanation ag to each item ot such proposed reduction ; of iheir rea- sons for the same, and if such reasons existed when the original estimate’ and apportionment were made, and why effect was not then given \o the same; such state. ment to be transmitted wichin ten days, . THE QUEENS COUNTY COURT HOUSE. In the Assembly Mr. Prince introduced a bill in relation to the Queens county Court House, It ter- minates the duties of the preseat Commissioners. ou the 10th of April and vests in the Bourd 01 Su- pervisors the powers held by then. It also gives the Board authority tu alter the plans as desirable, the total cost not to exceed $250,000, including Jang and expenses, Contracts beyond that to be void. PHILADELPHIA MAYORALTY. | A New Feature in Municipal Cam- paigning—Cartoons amd Retorm Les sons—Calculating the Chances the Night Before the Battie. PHILADELPHIA, Feb, 16, 1874, By the time this reaches the eye o! the reader the citizens of Philadeiphia wiil be engagea in casting votes to conclude a municipal coatess such as never before has agitated the city. It is im- | Possible to describe the’ degree of excitement | which pervades the community everywhere or the intense turmoil of tue prominent politi- cians, About the Mayor’s office and Police Headquarters, in front of the Chamber of Councils and along the great breadth of side- walk reaching down from the old State | House, the pavement is absolutely crammed and jammed with peopie, and every face seems to signify a hundred unwritten | sentiments. Men upon both sides seem to nave jorsaken their business and their homes that the, | may meet in the sunshine ol this beautital day anc Interchange views concerning the situation and the issue. People tell ne here that the last Presl- dential campaign was nothing in point of excite- ment to this, aud that even the immense meetings cailed at the outbreak of the war were really not so large as those held in this campaign. This morning the papers oi both parties iairly burned | witn political iervor and heat, while there ts acarcely @ 100t O1 space anywhere about the suburbs that is not covered with @ campaign pia- | card, Along the main thoroughiares large bulletin boards have been placed and most of them are cov- ered with GREAT CARTOONS, These cartoons are a very new feature of politi- cal wire-pulling, and must have cost a very large sum of money. One bulletin board, for instance, | shows the Jace ol a politician ip the capacity of & | carpet-bagger; another represents one of the can- Gidates grasping the other at a gambling table and hurling him, along with keno players and into Moyamensing Prisun. An- & prominent politician at- tempting to blackmail, in which act he appears to be cuugnt by a detective, whose well known face 18 noticed cautiously peep- ing out from behind a door post. Another shows one candidate looking through 4 pair ol jarge field lasses, 1n order to ascertain bis majority, and Sortrase his extreme disgust as he behoids away off in the distance 40,000 for the other side. An- other portrays a “greasy old busamer,” reelin | home late at night, with soiled garments, crushe hat and black eye, while underneata the picture is tne following :— T (nie) I have (nic) been to (hie) one of them reform (hic) meetings, and, really, (hic) Lteel very much im- proved—in tact (tic) 1 may say I am totally (hic) re- tormed, Another cartoon still. shows a so-called reformer before election, clothed in white and adorned with snowy pinions. Its counterpart represents the time after election, when the drapery is turn of, and when the same individual, with awiul face and horribly contorted limbs, is flying for Salt ver, | “You see these cartoons all over—on the corners, in the stores and at almost every shop window, ‘Amateur artists have tried their bands at the business also, and one sees in almost all the drink- ing saloons rough sketones in clay or in charcoal, CALCULATING THE CHANCES, There have been nO new developments to-day | sumcient to enable any one to predict the result of ) to-morrow’s election. Popular opinion very | much divided, and democrats, republicans and re- | formers are very strangely mixed. One may jearn | upon conversing With one or two democrats, met | by chance, that they are going to vote ior Bronley, | but at the next step he may meet two repui licans who will tell him that they are ‘ec to vote for McClure. Calculating republicans say that by giving McClure two-thirds of the re- formers’ votes, which he cannot possibly secure, and by allowing him twice as many republican votes as they allow democratic votes for Stokley, the latter wili still win the contest by @ majority o! 5,000, This calculation, however, may be like many others of a ponsent stamp which are obliged to depend for fulf_iment upon white men’s uncer- tainty. The next forty-eight hours will decide the matter and subdue, it is hoped, the wild excite- ment now raging in every part of the town, Repeaters are arriving by every train from New York, Baltimore and Washington. At the hotel at which 1 Four correspondent 18 stopping weverak crook intiemen are quartered, one half of whom id not write their names, One of them heid in his te- Ment, twenty tax receipts, In order to m Own receipt of a valid nature, such enable bim to vote, he was bis name for bim. policy men, other represents as woud obliged to ask the clerk