ned in its powers, and having
full jurisdiction of all legislative questions, proceeded at once
to discuss financial questions and especially the measures taken
for the resumption of specie payments. No less than four bills
were introduced in the Senate and fourteen in the House, providing
for the repeal, in whole or in part, of the act for the resumption
of specie payments. One of these bills was reported from the
committee on banking and currency, by Mr. Ewing, on the 31st of
October. It was the subject of debate during the remaining period
of the session, and finally passed the House on the 23rd of November,
by the vote of 133 yeas and 120 nays. It repealed all that part
of the resumption act which authorized the Secretary of the Treasury
to dispose of United States bonds, and to redeem and cancel the
greenback currency, or practically all the resumption act except
the clauses for the substitution of silver coin for fractional
currency. It was sent to the Senate on the 26th of November, and
referred to the committee on finance. No action was taken upon it
during that session, which adjourned on the 3rd of December. The
regular session convened on the same day, with this bill still
pending in the committee on finance. On the 17th of April, 1878,
Mr. Ferry, from that committee, reported back the bill with an
amendment to strike out all after the enacting clause, and insert
new matter. After a long debate ending on the 13th of June, the
following amendment was adopted as a substitute for Mr. Ferry's
amendment, by a vote of yeas 30, nays 29:

"That from and after the passage of this act United States notes
shall be receivable the same as coin in payment for the four per
cent. bonds now authorized by law to be issued; and on and after
October 1, 1878, said notes shall be receivable for duties on
imports."

The bill, as amended, passed the Senate by a large majority. In
this form it had no proper relevancy to the bill as it passed the
House, and the action of the Senate was regarded as a practical
defeat of the bill. It was taken up in the House on the 14th of
June, and the question being taken on concurring in the amendment
of the Senate, the vote was yeas 112, nays 122, so the motion was
disagreed to. On the 17th of June, a motion was made to suspend
the rules and proceed to the consideration of the bill, but as two-
thirds did not vote in favor of the motion it was not adopted, and
the bill was not calle