Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 5.djvu/108

84 deemed advisable, and you will soon have a copy submitted to you.

I saw Cleveland yesterday and had a good talk with him. He indulges in no illusions but is not without hope, and has evidently made up his mind to stick. I think a meeting in Boston, of a Democratic character, presided over by Governor Russell, declaring vigorously for Cleveland, would be an excellent thing, and I earnestly hope you will bring it about. 



&emsp; I regret most sincerely that my engagements here do not permit me to accept the invitation of the Massachusetts Reform Club to the dinner to be given to the Hon. Geo. Fred. Williams “in recognition of his distinguished services upon the Coinage Committee and on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to Free Silver Coinage.”

The honor of that recognition Mr. Williams has fairly and fully earned. It may be said that he has done only his duty; but that duty he has done with signal ability, courage, energy and success, and that, too, as one of the youngest Members of Congress.

He and his brave companions in the struggle against the free coinage movement have rendered the country a service that cannot be too highly appreciated. Trusting in the justice of their cause they dared to hope against hope. They gallantly breasted an adverse current which others considered irresistible. They boldly threw aside the old policy of trying to appease a popular delusion by making concessions to it—a policy almost always apt to increase the danger it is intended to avert. They met the specious fallacies of their opponents with uncompromis-