_John G. Carlisle_ (in the House, February 21, 1878): “According to my views of the subject the conspiracy which seems to have been formed here and in Europe to destroy by legislation and otherwise from three-sevenths to one-half the metallic money of the world is the most gigantic crime of this or any other age. The consummation of such a scheme would ultimately entail more misery upon the human race than all the wars, pestilences and famines that ever occurred in the history of the world. The absolute and instantaneous destruction of half the entire movable property of the world, including houses, ships, railroads and other appliances for carrying on commerce, while it would be felt more sensibly at the moment, would not produce anything like the prolonged distress and disorganization of society that must inevitably result from the permanent annihilation of one-half the metallic money of the world.” _John G. Carlisle_ (speaking for the Bland bill, 1878): “It will reverse the grinding process that has been going on for the last few years. Instead of constant and ruthless contraction, instead of constant appreciation of money and depreciation of property, we will have expansion to the extent of at least $2,000,000 a month, and under its influence the exchangeable value of commodities, including labor, will soon begin to rise, thus inviting investments, infusing life into the dead industries of the country, and quickening the pulsations of trade in all its departments.” _Secretary Windom_ (Jan. 31, 1891): “The ideal financial system would be one that should furnish just enough absolutely sound money to meet the legitimate wants of trade, and no more. Had it not been for the peculiar condition which enabled the United States to disburse over seventy-five million dollars in about two and a half months last autumn, I am firmly convinced that the stringency in August and September would have resulted in widespread financial ruin.” _Chauncey M. Depew_: “Fifty men can paralyze the whole country, for they can control the circulation of the currency, and create panic whenever they will.” _Hon. G. G. Symes_, of Colorado (commenting on the demonetization of silver): “There would be truly enough money to do the business after the shrinkage of prices and the financial disasters. For the new order of things and basis of values there would still be gold enough to carry on the business. It would only require one-half after the new condition and basis was reached. The monometallists, then, would still argue that gold was not scarce.”