it, and at the same time contribute to the common good.
Remember me kindly to personal friends in the Senate.

"Very truly yours,
"John Sherman.
"Hon. A. M. Burns."

The election of Members of Congress in 1874 resulted in the choice
of a large majority of Democrats in the House of Representatives
of the 44th Congress, the term of which commenced on the 4th of
March, 1875. A majority of the Senate being still largely Republican,
it became difficult to pass any measure of a political character
during that Congress. President Grant, on the 17th of February,
1875, issued his proclamation convening the Senate at 12 o'clock
on the 5th of March following, to receive and act upon such
communications as might be made to it on the part of the Executive.
The session continued until the 24th of March. It was largely
engaged in questions affecting the State of Louisiana, which had
been the scene of violent tumult and almost civil war. As these
events are a part of the public history of the country I do not
deem it necessary to refer to them at length. These disturbances
continued during the whole of that Congress, and, in 1876, approached
the condition of civil war.

The regular meeting occurred on the 6th of December, 1875, when
Thomas W. Ferry, of Michigan, was elected president _pro tempore_
of the Senate, and Michael C. Kerr, a Democratic Representative
from the State of Indiana, was elected by a large majority as
speaker of the House.

This political revolution was no doubt caused largely by the
financial panic of 1873, and by the severe stringency in monetary
affairs that followed and continued for several years. Many
financial measures of the highest importance in respect to the
public credit were acted upon, but were generally lost by a
disagreement between the two Houses. I do not deem it necessary
to refer to the political questions that greatly excited the public
mind during that session. Congress was largely occupied in political
debate on questions in respect to the reconstruction of the states
lately in rebellion, upon which the two Houses disagreed. Among
other measures which failed was the act amendatory of the acts
authorizing the refunding of the national debt, which passed the
Senate but was not considered by the House.

During this session of Congress all sorts of financial plans were
presented in each House, but all were aimed, directly or indirectly,
at the resumption act, although that ac