Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/183

 RUTHERFORD BIRCHARD HAYES 149 as well as the power to incur liabilities under them. All the appropriation bills were passed without the obnoxious provision except the last. President Hayes appealed to congress in a special message on June 30, 1879, the end of the fiscal year, not to permit the marshals and their general deputies, officers so necessary to the administration of jus tice, to go unprovided for, but in vain. The at torney-general then admonished the marshals to continue in the performance of their duties, and to rely upon future legislation by congress, which would be just to them. In his annual message of December 1, 1879, President Hayes found occasion to congratulate the country upon the successful resumption of spe cie payments and upon &quot;a very great revival of business.&quot; He announced a most gratifying reduc tion of the interest on the public debt by refunding at lower rates. He strongly urged congress to au thorize the secretary of the treasury to suspend the silver coinage, as the cheaper coin, if forced into cir culation, would eventually become the sole standard of value. He also recommended the retirement of United States notes with the capacity of legal tender in private contracts, it being his &quot;firm con viction that the issue of legal-tender paper money based wholly upon the authority and credit of the government, except in extreme emergency, is with out warrant in the constitution, and a violation of