ul
surprise. Senators, the task we have before us may be a difficult
one, as it has always proved to be difficult to resume the specie
standard whenever, for any reason, a nation has fallen from it,
but it is a duty that must be executed, and it ought to be executed
without the spirit of party warfare, without these appeals, directly
or indirectly, to party tactics. The pledges made one year ago,
although not voted for by the Democratic party, are pledges binding
upon their honor and their faith as they are upon mine, and I trust
in God that we shall join together in all the proper steps to carry
out those pledges."

This bill was referred to the committee on finance, but no action
was taken upon it, as the committee preferred to await the action
of the House.

The resumption act provided for the payment and destruction of the
fractional currency then in circulation, to the amount of $40,000,000,
and the substitution of silver coins in all respects, such as were
defined by the coinage act of 1853. This was to be the first step
in preparation for the general resumption of coin payments in
January, 1879. It became necessary to provide for the coinage of
fractional silver coins, and a bill for this purpose, entitled "A
bill to provide for a deficiency in the Printing and Engraving
Bureau, and for the issue of the silver coin of the United States,
in place of the fractional currency," was reported by Mr. Randall,
on the 2nd of March, 1876, from the committee on appropriations of
the House. It was subsequently considered, amended and passed by
the House, after a long debate, participated in by many of the
leading Members. Much to my surprise, Mr. Hewitt and Mr. Ward,
prominent Members from New York, opposed the measure, denounced
the resumption act, and prophesied its failure. Mr. Hewitt, in
support of his position, quoted passages from the reports of Mr.
Bristow, then Secretary of the Treasury, and predicted the utter
failure of resumption, unless the United States notes were entirely
withdrawn. He insisted that if silver coin was issued to replace
fractional currency, the coin would disappear from circulation,
leaving the people without any currency for the smaller necessities
of life. In the progress of the debate, it became manifest that
the larger portion of the Democratic Members would vote against
every measure proposed to aid in the execution of the resumption
act.

The bill passed the House on the 31s