I told him it seemed likely to pass. He
then went on to express very earnestly his objection to the
measure and to the whole policy, and his dislike of irredeemable
paper. He said that it was an immense injury to all classes
of the people, but that it bore heavily upon poor and ignorant
men. He said that speculators and bankers and brokers could
foresee the changes which came about from the fluctuations
of paper money and protect themselves from them, but the workingmen
and poor men had no such advantages--that they were the greatest
sufferers. He added a suggestion I never heard before, that
there was in many parts of the country great loss from the
counterfeiting of paper money--a loss which fell almost wholly
upon poor and ignorant men. I never in my life heard Grant
talk so freely on any occasion. I never in my life, but once,
saw him apparently so deeply moved. I said: "Mr. President,
you know the story of old Judge Grier and the Pennsylvania
jury." "No," said he. "Well," said I, "there was once a
jury in Pennsylvania, when Grier was holding court, who brought
in a very unjust verdict.
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