The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-22
TlE INITIATION INSANITY.
The Protest Of the People of Boston
to the President.
DOUBTFUL RECEPTION.
His Views on the inequality of the Circula.
tion-The Criticism Of His Admin
istration Resented.


The following is Mr.. Gray's report to his asso-
ciates OF the committee appointed by the meeting
at Faneuil HAM, April T. 1874, TO present It's resolu-
tons and q memorial to the President OF the
United States:-
GESTLEMEN-You are aware that directly after
the meeting in Faneull Hall by which We were APP
pointed memorial to the President, with the
resolutions adopted by the citizens OF Boston, was
prepared and signed by all OF the committee, In
GLIDING myself. IL was understood that should as
chairman, keep myself Informed OF the progress
OF the bill in the House OF Representatives
and notify yon when 1t became necessary 70 go TO
Washington. We all agreed TO visit that city and
present The memorial to the RI resident as soon as
the bin should have passed the House. on Iues-
day, the l4th inst. 1 went TO New York on my way
to Washington, and on the evening or that day
while there was informed by telegraph OF the pas
sage OF the BILL and notined you immediately tnat
morning, the 10th inst. When reached the capl-
tai at midnight on Wednesday learned by tee-
graph that none OF you could be there before the
following Saturday morning. AS had the orlgl-
nal memorial with the signatures OF the whole
committee, decided to wait at once upon the
President and present 1t to him.
INTRODUCTION TO THE PRESIDENT
called upon General sherman, who kindly OF.
fered to 20 with me to the President, and gladly
accepted his offer. We went, and were admitted
at once General Sherman Immediately left the
other person was present during the inter-
view. l stated to the President that
estimated by the newspapers at 2, 500 to 1000 per-
sons, had been recently held in Faneul Hall; that
resolutions mad been unanimously adopted and
committee appointed to present them, with
memorial to be prepared by them, to the Presi-
dent; that the leglslal ion OF the house had ad-
vanced rapidly, and my associates ere unprepared
TO leave home at the moment, and could not reach
Washington before saturday. That / regretted
their absence but as the paper which had with
me had been signed by every one OF them delay
seemed unnecessary, and requested his perms.
SION to read tile resolutions and memorial TO him,
to which request he assented.
THE PRESIDENTS DIsPLEAsURE.
read the paper through without interruption
from the President. When had finished he
said
..rhere are two things in that paper which
! do not like. The resolutions say, the
Constitutional and afterwards constitutional
by majority OF one vote. This is not
exactly So The resolutions attack my ad.
should have been paid with the reserves instead
OF using them to buy up long bonds. This was the
Is an attack upon 1t which do not like. / think
policy reduced the premium on gold from thirty
tour per cent to thirteen per cent"
Is LIBERTY OF SPEECH OBSOLETE
Irephed that 1t was the general understanding
that the citizens q the United States were at full
liberty to assemble in public meetings ana pass
any resolutions which they saw fit and present
them TO the President, observing proper courtesy
that did not write the resolutions, but was the
official organ deputed by the citizens to present
them TO MIN.
He then remarked that in the memorial we de-
plored the passage OF the original legal tender
acts, and he did not ike that, and said that the
without them; that the country had approved
them and he did not think 1t right that we should
come to ask iavor of him and at the same time
censure his administration.
NO FAvoRs, But JUSTICE, ASKED.
replied that neither nor the citizens of Boston
right thing to be done; that they had expressed
their views OF what the right was and presented
them to nm; that they did not claim inIallIbity
and that he would act on his own Judgment.
THE CIRCULATION UNEQUAL.
He then said that Massachusetts and Rhode
ton, 70 which ! replied, ''rake the excess away
from them, for win not ask Tor Massachusetts
anything any which would not ask for any State in
dent 10 Boston expressing Willingness to retire
the circulation
The President said he would not have alluded to
this subject had 1T not been Tor the criticisms
his administration contained in the paper.
had th ar % @ wer e on wed
these two-shall the public iaith be preserved.
value, or enter upon sea OF irredeemabie
paper moneys-that II the legal tender issues
public exigency, 1t would be precedent for any
and every Congress to enlarge them at will and
without limit; that should like to ask him one
question-whether it would not meet his view
and keep the limit OF $685. 600 900 OF legal tender
notes, as now established by law, to pass an act
providing
INDEMNITY FOR THE EXISTING ovER-rssUE
OF $4,000, 000 and provide that as soon as the
working balance IN the Treasury should exceed
should be retired and cancelled with the surplus;
that, with the addition to this OF proper provision
for redemption on demand OF bank circulation,
that might be increased, and that the country be
supplied with all the currency which it desired
and for which 1t could give security.
He remarked that we were now coming toward
an accord; that he was not IN favor of expansion,
and he wished to say that he did not tend to tell
me what he would do with the bill.
replied that had not asked MIN that question,
nor did | intend 10 do so. If had done so
should have expected reply which would have
deferred me from asking another question. then
said had executed my commission, and will not
detain you longer in press OF your occupations. l
babe him good morning and the interview closed
by his saving 81 am glad to have seen your
Yours respectfully.
WILLIAM GRAY, Chairman.
At meeting to-day Of the committee appointed
present to the President the resolutions adopted
at the citizens meeting in Faneuil Hall, with a
memorial from the committee, Mr.. Gray read his
report OF the presentation OF the same to the
President. 1t was voted that the thanks OF the
committee be presented to Mr.. Gray for his action
in their behalf and that the same be approved