5 MARCH 1870, Page 2

The American Senate seems to have a prejudice in favour

of honesty. The House of Representatives lately passed a resolu- tion advising an issue of £10,000,000 in greenbacks, that is, mulcting every creditor about 12 per cent. for the advantage of every debtor. The Senate, however, has passed a resolution, without a division, declaring that, "To add to the present amount of irredeemable paper currency of the country would be to render more difficult and remote the resumption of specie payments ; to encourage and foster a spirit of speculation ; to- aggravate the evils produced by frequent and sudden fluctuations of values ; to

depreciate the credit of the nation; and to check the healthful ten- dency of legitimate business to settle down upon safe and permanent bases." As the new issue requires an Act, it cannot, of course, be made. How the House of Lords must envy the Senate its independence