Speech #530023227

I call attention also to an extract from House Executive Doement No. 11 (see Exhibit D). in reply to a resolution from this body calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury to tell the House why he did not purchase the amount of silver prescribed by law. The first portion of his answer is apparently an arraignment of the last Republican Administration for paying in the market more than silver was worth. and then he goes on to say that he believes that London is the place where the price of silver is fixed. but he says that even when silver was offered to him below the London price he had refused to purchase it. and he winds up by saying that silver ought to be had cheaper here than in London. If London is the place where silver was to be bought. in Gods name why did not the Secretary of the Treasury go there and buy it. where you gentlemen on the other side want us to buy most of our goods? [Laughter and applause on the Republican side.] I come now to Executive Document No. 9 (see Exhibit E). being in response to a request of this House for information in regard to what steps have been taken to execute the Chinese exclusion law. I believe the reply of the Secretary of the Treasury is almost wholly contained in the reply of the AttorneyGeneral. That is a most remarkable document. and I desire to call the attention of the House to it.