The Administration of Mr. Hayes, though it began amid exciting scenes
and an unprecedented situation which threatened disasters, was rather
marked by moderation and a sympathy with what he considered true reform.
Some of his vetoes are highly interesting, and indicate independence of
character and that he was not always controlled by mere party politics.
One of the most famous and best remembered of his messages is that
vetoing the Bland-Allison Act, which restored the legal-tender quality
to the silver dollar and provided for its limited coinage.

Other papers of interest are his message recommending the resumption of
specie payments; vetoes of a bill to restrict Chinese immigration, of
an Army appropriation bill, of a legislative, executive, and judicial
appropriation bill, and of the act known as the "funding act of 1881."
It was during Mr. Hayes's Administration, when the Forty-fifth Congress
met in extraordinary session on March 18, 1879, that for the first time
since the Congress that was chosen with Mr. Buchanan in 1856 the
Democratic party was in control of both Houses.

JAMES D. RICHARDSON,

FEBRUARY 22, 1898.




Ulysses S. Grant

March 4, 1869, to March 4, 1877