roper
laws for carrying into execution a system of money, weights and
measures, as the only means to regulate commerce with foreign
nations and among the several states, to provide as far as possible
an unfluctuating currency, a steady measure of prices, how can you
prevent great and disastrous fluctuations in our convertible money
and coin, arising out of the great demands for gold and silver that
may at any time be made upon us from the commercial relations of
the country with Europe, over which the government can have no
direct control?'

"I have only to say that it is undoubtedly the duty of Congress to
provide for the possible contingencies that would make it necessary
to suspend specie payments, though, as the circumstances which
would compel suspension are necessarily unforeseen, unknown,
difficult to be defined or to be provided for, I am not sure but
it is better to leave the question of suspension to the necessities
of the case rather than to legislation which must be founded upon
uncertainty. When the treasury is actually unable to redeem its
notes in coin, suspension comes necessarily, but resumption would
come again from the absolute necessity of currency for our daily
wants, and Congress could provide better in view of the actual
facts than anticipated facts.

"I think the real difficulty that has stood in the way of resumption
is the nightmare of things that have existence only in the brain,
and not in fact. We can only deal with the current course of events
based upon probabilities, and cannot provide for unforeseen
contingencies.

"It is my earnest hope that you and gentlemen like you, who I know
are sincere in your convictions, may see your way to trust to the
policy that is now entered upon, which seeks to provide as much
paper currency as can be maintained at par in coin, and to secure
its active circulation in aid of industry and enterprise.

"I am, with great respect,
"John Sherman."

On the 13th of May, 1878, the charges against me assumed a different
form, by the adoption, in the House of Representatives, of a preamble
and resolutions offered by Clarkson N. Potter, of New York. Among
the recitals of this resolution was a charge that James E. Anderson
and D. A. Weber, supervisors of registration of the parishes of
East and West Feliciana, falsely protested that the election in
such precincts had not been fair and free, and that the returning
board thereupon falsely and fraudulently