er the responsibility
which they take in adopting what I regard as a revolution more full
of injury, more dangerous in its character, and more destructive
in its results, than any measure which has been proposed for years.

"Now, what is this question? The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Stewart],
representing a state whose chief production is silver, offers an
amendment to change entirely the standard of valuation of all the
property of the United States. At present all contracts are founded
upon what is called the gold standard. Every particle of property
we enjoy, every obligation of contract, whether by the national
government or by each individual, is now based in actual fact upon
the gold standard of 25.8 grains. That is the standard of all the
commercial nations of the world. It is the standard of France,
which, like ourselves, has used silver to a large extent. It is
the standard of value of France and every country of Europe."

I then, at considerable length, stated the objections to the free
coinage of silver and the revolution it would create in the financial
condition of the country. This led to a long debate, participated
in by many Senators. On the 13th of January I made a long and
carefully considered speech, extending through fourteen pages of
the "Record," in which I entered into detail in reply to the speeches
that had been made, and stated the objections to the free coinage
of silver. It is too long to insert even an abstract of it here.
I have carefully read this speech and refer to it as the first of
three speeches, the second being delivered on the 30th of June,
1892, and the third on August 30, 1893, as the best presentation
I have ever made of the question involved, and as containing all
the material facts bearing upon the question of free coinage and
the folly of its adoption.

It was manifest that the combination that had been made intended
to force the adoption of the amendment. The vote on it was taken
on the 14th of January and the result was yeas 42 and nays 30.
Nearly all the Senators from the western group of states, though
Republicans, voted for the amendment in favor of free coinage.
Only four voted against it. So the amendment of Mr. Stewart was
agreed to. The bill was further discussed and changed to conform
to the amendment and finally passed the Senate by the vote of yeas
39, nays 27, but failed to pass the House.

Thus the debate and the adoption by the Senate of free coi