Begun and Held in the City of Washington,' etc.
"In the middle of the line are these words,
"AN ACT.
"Immediately thereafter follows the writing, which extends in a single line across the entire page. It describes the bill thus, 'Directing the purchase of silver bullion, and the issue of Treasury notes thereon, and for other purposes.' There is a space, and then follows the enacting clause, 'Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives,' etc. The text of the law, written in this large hand, fills two and a half pages, the right-hand page containing the text, and the left-hand page being blank. Around the edge of both written and unwritten pages is a pale red line or border rule.
"At the head of the first sheet, and written over the printed title, appears the name 'Kennedy,' carelessly written with a blue pencil, and the initials 'C. B. F.' scrawled across the top in red. These are the attests of the Representative and Senator, respectively, who examined this engrossed copy of the law before it had been sent to the President for his signature, to make certain that the engrossing clerk had committed no errors, and that this original was the same as the form that passed Congress."
THE "SHERMAN" SILVER LAW—LAST PAGE WITH SIGNATURES.
"At about the middle of the third page are the signatures of the presiding officers of the Senate and House. Vice-President Morton did not sign the original Sherman silver-purchase law on behalf of the Senate, but Speaker Reed did on behalf of the House. Senator Ingalls, as President pro. tem. of the Senate, signed on behalf of that body, and when he had affixed his name he thoughtfully noted in the margin the hour of the day—'12.37 p.m.' The signature of President Harrison comes last, and is at the lower left-hand side of the paper."
