RESUMPTION OF SPECIE PAYMENTS. 463 



party is in favor of greenbacks and opposed to resumption, 

 it will be necessary to call attention to the record of the 

 party while this matter was pending. It has already been 

 shown that all the Democrats, except one, voted for the 

 act to ( ( contract the currency with a view to as early a re- 

 sumption of specie payments as possible. ' * This act was 

 a preparatory measure to resumption. 



The next place we find them on record is in the act 

 of February 4th, 1868, which reads as follows: 



"That from and after the passage of this act, the 

 authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to make any 

 reduction of the currency, by retiring or canceling United 

 States notes, shall be, and is hereby suspended." 



This act passed the House, December yth, 1867, by 

 127 yeas to 32 nays, only 24 of those voting yea were 

 Democrats. 



In 1872 they declared in their platform that: 



"A speedy return to specie payments is demanded 

 alike by the highest considerations of commercial morality 

 and honest government" Plank 8 of platform. 



Again, in 1876, we find them declaring as follows: 



"We denounce the failure for all these eleven years 

 of peace, to make 'good the promise of the legal tender 

 notes, which are a changing standard of value in the 

 hands of the people, and the non-payment of which, is a 

 disregard of the plighted faith of the nation. * * * 

 We denounce the financial imbecility and immorality of 

 that party which, during eleven years of peace, has made 

 no advance towards resumption ; no preparation for resump- 

 tion ; but, instead, has obstructed resumption. * * And, 

 while annually professing to intend a speedy return to 

 specie payments, has annually enacted fresh hindrances 

 thereto. As such a hindrance we denounce the resumption 

 clause of the act of 1875, and we hereby demand its 

 repeal, ' * 



