March 11th, Mr. Sumner moved the addition of a section providing for the resumption of specie payments,—being the seventh section of the original bill,—remarking:—
Mr. President,—Interested as I am in this bill, desirous of its passage hardly less than the Senator from Ohio, I am bound to say, that, in my judgment, the passage of this single section would be worth more than the whole bill. It would do more for the credit of the country; it would do more for its business. It would help us all to the completion of Financial Reconstruction. How often have I insisted that all our efforts to fund and refund are to a certain extent vain and impotent, unless we begin by specie payments! That, Sir, is the Alpha of this whole subject; and until Congress is ready to begin with that, I fear that all the rest will be of little avail. It is in the light of expedient rather than of remedy. There is the remedy.
The proposition was negatived,—Congress not being yet ready for this step.
MAJOR-GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE, OF THE REVOLUTION.
Speech in the Senate, on the Presentation of his Statue, January 20, 1870.
In the Senate, January 20, 1870, Senator Anthony announced the presentation by Rhode Island of a statue of Major-General Nathanael Greene, of the Revolution, executed by the sculptor Brown, to be placed in the old Hall of the House of Representatives. Mr. Sumner moved its acceptance by the following Concurrent Resolution:—
A Resolution accepting the Statue of Major-General Greene.