c terms, that I have endeavored to
stifle debate. There is no ground for such an assertion. There
is not an iota of ground upon which such an assertion can be made.
I never objected in my life, and I have been here longer than any
of you, to any Senator speaking at any time when he chose upon any
subject; and every man here knows it. . . . I am willing to discuss,
and I never shrink from debate on, the silver question, or the gold
question, or the currency question. I have not been willing, at
all times, to talk at all hours, and reply to every gentleman who
might choose to make a speech; but whenever the Senate undertakes
to engage in this debate, I will take my share of it, and I will
take my responsibility for it."

I then proceeded at some length to reply to Morgan. The debate
was suspended by the order of business, but it continued from day
to day as opportunity offered, on a motion to refer the resolutions
to the committee on finance, until the 25th of May, when the Senate
rejected the motion by a vote of 17 yeas to 28 nays. This vote
was a clear indication that a majority of the Senate favored the
free coinage of silver. I then, while criticising the terms of
the resolutions, expressed my desire that they should be adopted.
This led to a desultory debate in which I took part, and on the
morning of the next day, having the floor, said:

"I regret as much as anyone can the unusual and remarkable
interposition of this question, by the Senator from Alabama, at
every stage of our business. Now, the whole of the morning hour
had been wasted except the ten minutes which I shall occupy, and
probably nothing could have been done in that time.

"An arraignment has been made of the committee on finance as if it
had neglected to perform its duty. I am not authorized to speak
for the committee except as one of its members. Its chairman, the
Senator from Vermont, Mr. Morrill, is here to speak for it, but
the committee on finance has never for a moment evaded or avoided
the issue of the free coinage of silver. It has never delayed a
bill, so far as my knowledge extends, upon that subject. Very soon
after the bill of the Senator from Nevada was introduced it was
considered and reported adversely. I believe two-thirds of the
members of the committee were opposed to the bill as it stood.
There has not been a day nor an hour, in the ordinary course of
business of the Senate, when, upon the motion of anyone, that bil