Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-21
THE PRESIDENTS APPEAL Congress Asked to Give Him
 Prompt Aid ON THE FINANCIAL QUESTION He Begs Them to Pass a Law Before Taking
 Recess. HE IS ALARMED AT THE SITUATION Recent Gold Withdrawals and an Expected Raid in the I'm mediate Future Are Dealt With in Special Mes
 sage to Congress.
ON THE FINANCIAL QUESTION
HE IS ALARMED AT THE SITUATION

Was -dngton, Dec. 20-The president at 4:20 p. m. sent the following message to the congress on the financial situation:
 To the Congress: In my last annual message the evils of our present financial system were plainly pointed out and the causes and means of the depletion of the government gold were explained. It was therein stated that after all the efforts that had been made by the executive branch of the government to protect our gold reserve by the issuance of bonds amounting to more than $162, ,000,0 900, such reserve then amounted to but little more than $79,000000, that about $16,000, 900 had been withdrawn from such reserve dur Ing the month next previous to the date of that message, and that quite large withdrawals for shipment in the imme- diate future were predicted.
 The contingency then feared has reached us, and the withdrawals of gold since the communication referred to, and others that appear ineVita ble, threaten such depletion in our government gold reserve as brings us face to face with the necessity of further action for it's pro- lection. This condition is intensified by the prevalence in certain quarters of sud den and unusual apprehension and timid- ity in business circles.
 we are III the mluSu or another season or perpleX1ty caused by our dangerous and fatuous financial operations. These may be expected to recur with certainty as long as there is no amendment in our financial system If, in this particular instance, our predicament is at all in- Huenced by recent insistence upon the position we should occupy in our rea- tion to certain questions concerning our foreign policy, this furnishes a signal and impressive warning that even the pa triotic sentiment of our people is not an adequate substitute for sound financial policy.
 Of course there can be no doubt in anyl thoughtful mind of the complete solvency of our nation nor can there be any just apprehension that the American people will be satisfied with less than an honest payment of our public obligations in the recognized money of the world. We should not overlook the fact, however that aroused fear is unreasoning, and must be taken into account in all efforts to avert public loss and the sacrifice of our peoples interests
 The real and sensible cure for our re- curing troubles can only be effected by complete change fn our financial scheme. Pending that, the executive branch of the government will not relax it's efforts nor abandon its determination to use every means within its reach to maintain before the world American credit nor will there be any hesitation in exhibiting it's confidence in the re- sources of our country and the constant patriotism of our people. In view, how ever, of the peculiar situation now con- fronting us, I have ventured to herein express the earnest hope that the con gress, in default of the inauguration of a better system of finance, will not take a recess from its labors before it has, by financial enactment or declaration, done something not only to remind those ap- prehensive among our people that the resources of this government and scru- pulous regard for honest dealing afford a sure guarantee of unquestioned safety and soundneSS, but to reassure the world that with these factors and the patriot ism of our citizens the ability and deter imitation of our nation to meet in any circumstances the obligations it incurs does not admit of question.
 ask at the hands of the congress suchi prompt aid as it alone has the power to give to prevent in time of fear and apprehension any sacrifice of the peoples interests and the public funds, or the inn. pairment of our public credit in an effort by executive action to relieve the dangers of the present emergency.
 GROVER CLEVELAND.
 Executive Mansion, Dec. 20, 1895.
 The message which the president sent to the senate this afternoon was the out come of a prolonged session of the cabi- net Friday is one of the regular semi weekly cabinet days, and the president and those members of his official family assembled in the cabinet room at the usual hour. Those present besides the president were Secretary Olney, Secre- tary Carlisle. Attorney General Harmon, Postma ster-General Wilson and Secreta- ry Morton. The absentees were Secre- tary Lamont, who was in New York, Sec retary Herbert, who was on railroad train between New York and Washing ton. and Secretary Hoke Smith, who was detained at home by the dangerous ill- ness of his little daughter. Reports or the serious condition of affairs in Wall street had been coming in for an hour, and after the cabinet assembled these were sent as fast as received to the treas ury officials, who dispatched the infor- nation to Secretary Carlisle al the White House.
 Before the session had lasted two hours a decision had been reached to send to congress the message transmitted later. At 1:30 o'clock it was decided by the offi- cials to take recess in order to give the president an opportunity to draft the message. No inkling of what had been going on inside the cabinet room had reached the outside world, and the fact that the recess came at the usual hour for adjournment naturally allayed any curiosity that might have arisen had the session continued longer. MT. Cleveland set to work in preparing the document, and probably had all his ideas in present. able shape when his official associates returned an hour later. By this time it had become known that the gold with drawals amounted to $9,400,000, bringing down the gold reserve to $69, ,2SS,0SO, very nearly to the figure which was reached at the time of the first bond issue in February, 1894 The reserve at that time dropped to $65, ,650,000. At the time of the second issue in August. 1894, 1t stood ca $52, ,5O0, 900, and when the third issue came, in February, 1895. it was $41, 1,393,O00.
 It was 4:40 o'clock when the cabinet meeting adjourned. Twenty minutes be- fore that time MT. P. l.. Pruden, assistant secretary to the president, had startAd from the white house for the capitol with a copy of the message to be delivered to 10 canafa