CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. 



151 



presided in the Senate, and James 

 ..a,, of Maine, was elected Speaker of the 



Hull.-.-. 



In tin- Senate, on December 1st, Mr. Siun- 

 MaaMohtuetts, submitted the following 



resolution- : 



v<u, By International law and existing custom 

 recognised us a form of trial for tlie datorml- 

 n:iti.'ii of differences between nations : and 



v, For generations good men nave protested 

 : ilu! irrational character of this arbitrament, 

 There l'r.v in-trad of justice prevails, and have 

 anxiously sought for a substitute in the nature of a 

 il tribunal, nil of which was expressed by 

 Franklin in liis exclamation: " When will mankind 

 \ inci-d that all wars are follies, very expensive 

 a:ul V<TV ini.viiievous, and agree to settle their dif- 

 ferences by arbitration? " ana 



Wkenat, War once prevailed in the determination 

 of differences between individuals, between cities, 

 between counties, and between provinces, being rec- 

 1 in all these cases as the arbiter of justice, 

 but ut last yielded to a judicial tribunal, and now, in 

 the progress of civilization, the time has come for 

 the extension of this humane principle to nations, so 

 that their differences may bo taken from the arbitra- 

 ment of war, and, in conformity with these examples, 

 submitted to a judicial tribunal ; and 



Whereas, Arbitration lias been formally recognized 

 as a substitute for war in the determination of differ- 

 ences between nations, being especially recommend- 

 ed by the Congress of Paris, whore wi-ru assembled 

 the representatives of England. France, Russia, 

 Prussia, Austria, Sardinia, and Turk.-y, and uftcr- 

 vard adopted by the United States in formal treaty 

 with Great Britain for the determination of differ- 

 ences arising from depredations of British cruisers, 

 and also from opposing claims with regard to the San 

 Juan boundary; and 



Whereas, It becomes important to consider and set- 

 tle the true character of this beneficent tribunal, thus 

 commended and adopted, so that its authority and 

 completeness as a substitute for wnr may not be im- 

 paired, but strengthened and upheld, to the end that 

 civilization may be advanced and war be limited in 

 its sphere: Therefore 



Jtesolrtd, That in. the determination of interna- 

 tional differences arbitration should become a substi- 

 tute for war in reality as in name, and therefore co- 

 extensive with war in jurisdiction, so that any 

 question or grievance which might betheooc 

 of war or of misunderstanding between nations 

 should be considered by this tribunal. 



'Jtaolved, That the United States, having at heart 

 the cause of peace everywhere, and hoping to help 

 its permanent establishment between nations, here- 

 by recommend the adoption of arbitration as a just 

 and practical method for the determination of inter- 

 national differences, to be maintained sincerely and 

 in good faith, so that war may cease to be regarded 

 as a proper form of trial between nations. 



They were ordered to be printed, and re- 

 form! to the Committee on Foreign Rela- 

 tions. 



Mr. Ferry, of Michigan, offered the follow- 

 ing resolutions : 



Resolvtd, That the Committee on Finance bo in- 

 structed to consider the expediency of providing for 

 a national system of banking and currency in lieu of 

 the present "one, which shall embody the substantial 

 features following, to wit: 



1. Banking to be open and free to all individuals 

 and associations without limitation of capital. 



2. The maximum currency circulation to be |800,- 

 000,000 exclusive of fractional, and to be issued and 

 authenticated solely by the Government, of uniform 



character, with " United htates Currency " imprint* 

 i-.l on iu face, made lawful money and a legal Un- 

 der for all public and private dui-s except duties on 



imports and interest on the public debt, and convert- 

 ible on demand into Government bonds bearing in- 

 terest at 8 65-100 per cent, per annum in currency. 



8. The Government to issue bonds stamped ' cur- 

 rency bonds," of denominations of $1.00 and multi- 

 ples bearing interest at the rate of 8 66-100 per cent. 

 per annum, convertible into currency on demand, 

 and to be exempt from taxation by Federal, Bute, 

 municipal, and local authority. 



4. Substitution of the United States currency for na- 

 tional currency to bo done at the convenience of the 

 (1'ivcrnment, without diminishing the volume of cur- 

 rent circulation, and the bonds held for the security 

 of the national currency to be adjusted with the 

 banks by purchase or surrender; substitution of 

 United States currency for other existing forms, 

 bringing about uniformity of currency, to likewise 

 be done without lessening the current circulation. 



6. For immediate relief to existing monetary 

 stringency the forty-four millions Treasury reserve 

 to be issued without delay in the purchase of Gov- 

 ernment bonds bearing the higher rates of interest, 

 and as fast as practicable additional purchases of 

 like bonds to be made with United States currency, 

 until the maximum circulation be reacl.' 



6. Preparatory to withdrawal of the fractional cur- 

 rency the Secretary of the Treasury is required to 

 make public designation of a period after which to 

 begin the redemption in silver of denominations of 

 twenty-five cents, and under also a second period 

 designated at which to commence like redemption 

 of the remaining fractional currency then in circula- 

 tion, and all when so redeemed to be destroyed ; and 

 that the committee report at as early a day as practi- 

 cable by bill or otherwise. 



The resolution was referred to the Commit- 

 tee on Finance. 



In the House, on December 8th, the special 

 committee on increased salaries reported a bill 

 to repeal the increase of certain salaries adopt- 

 ed March 3, 1873, and to restore the former 

 rates, to wit, for members of Congress, etc. 

 On December 9th the bill was considered. 



Mr. Wilson, of Indiana, said : " Mr. Speaker, 

 the subject now under consideration is one 

 which has attracted much public attention. 

 The action of the Forty-second Congress, in 

 passing the act by which the salaries of Sena- 

 tors and Representatives were increased, which 

 it is now proposed to repeal, and especially that 

 feature of it whereby the increased pay was 

 made to date from the beginning of the Con- 

 press, has met with the fiercest denunciation. 

 Not only those who voted for it, but those who 

 voted against it, yet received its benefits, have 

 been stigmatized as thieves and robbers. 



" It matters not how many years of faithful 

 service had been devoted to the country, nor 

 how exalted a characU r lor inti-jrrity had been 

 bnilded up ; this one act has been deemed an 

 unpardonable sin, and treated as an unmiti- 

 gated criminality. While indulging in this 

 wholesale denunciation, no one stopped to 

 consider the circumstances under which any 

 member happened to be placed, and which to 

 him, and to any reasonable man, might seem 

 to make it his duty to vote for the measure ; 

 no difference of opinion was permitted as to 



