John Sherman

The Congress of the United States, in order to put into form its sense of this obligation, passed the act 'to strengthen the public credit,' and the last and most important clause of this act is the promise which I have just read, that…

If we disregard these 'platitudes,' we only demonstrate our own ignorance and punish our constituents with evils that we ought to avoid.

It defies every form of authority, but silently and surely asserts itself as a law of necessity, beyond the jurisdiction of municipal law.

Neither governments, nor parliaments, nor congresses can change this law.

It is idle for us to try to discuss with intelligence the currency question until we are impressed with the truth, the universality, and the immutability, of this axiom.

This axiom is as immutable as the law of gravitation or the laws of the planetary system, and every device to evade it or avoid it has, by its failure, only demonstrated the universal law that specie measures all values as certainly as the…

The government for the time being is expected to provide a remedy for a condition it did not create, but, instead of aiding, the government is most likely to need aid.

Persecution never weakens delusions, nor disturbs faith, however ignorant and groundless.

It is to be hoped that the government and people of the United States will let the Mormons severely alone, allowing them to believe what they will, and to do in the way of worship what they choose.

Whatever opinion we may have of the religious creed and dogmas of the Mormons, we cannot deny the industry and courage of that sect in building up a city in a wilderness where natural conditions seemed to forbid all hope of success in such…

This turned the tables on my native state, and I was compelled to confess that bad men came from Ohio as well as from other states; but, if so, Ohio people excelled in the atrocity of their crimes as well as in the excellence of their…

I felt a sense of insignificance when I realized the long life of some of these trees, estimated to span forty generations of men, and still in health and strength.

Then the discovery of gold, immediately following the conquest of California, drew to it, from all parts of the United States, the most restless and adventurous of our population, some of the worst and many of the best.

This state is ours unless the people are discouraged from voting in the country by the belief that with Tammany to count, it matters not what majority rolls up above the Highlands.

Faran to come to my home at Mansfield, and I will show him all I possess there, and render him a full account of all I have elsewhere, and if I can't fairly account for it without being suspected of receiving bribes, or gifts, or stealing…

How can a man prove himself innocent against an innuendo?

I have not been ignorant that there has been a studied effort-- ascribed by me to the common tactics of political warfare--to create the impression, by vague innuendo, that I have used my official position to make money for myself.

I intend, in the interests of the city of Cincinnati and of the whole country, to press the Southern Railroad bill, and to secure its passage as soon as possible, but it is rather poor encouragement to read such libels in a prominent paper…

In these days, and with such Congresses, it takes grease to oil the wheels of legislation.

He was so honest that he did not suspect others, and no doubt confided in, and was friendly with, those who abused his confidence.

General Grant was, in every sense of the word, an honest man.

My own opinion was that the latter course was the most polite and just; but the majority decided, after full consideration and debate, upon the first alternative.

We generally agreed that it was a false-pretended neutrality, and not a too hasty proclamation of neutrality, that gave us an unquestionable right to demand indemnity from Great Britain for the depredations of the Alabama and other English…

In view of these results, certain to come from the free coinage of silver, I am convinced that until some international arrangement can be made, the present system of coinage should continue in force.

In reviewing, at this distance of time, the legislation of 1873, in respect to the coinage of silver, I am of the opinion that it was fortunate that the United States then dropped the coinage of the old silver dollar.