_"My dear Mr. Cyrus Field,_--When I was about to thank you for your kind letter of the 10th, I received that of the 17th announcing to me the funeral of Mr. C. Sumner, and the great manifestation of feeling which it called forth. "His loss must be heavily felt, and his name will long be remembered in connection with the abolition of slavery, which was wrought out in the United States by methods so wonderful and so remote from the general expectation. "As respects events in this country, they have brought about for me a great and personally not an unacceptable change. I have always desired earnestly that the closing period of my life might be spent in freedom from political commotion, and I have plenty of work cut out for me in other regions of a more free and open atmosphere. "As respects the political position, it has been one perfectly honorable for us, inasmuch as we are dismissed for or upon having done what we undertook or were charged to do; and as respects the new ministry, they show at present a disposition to be quiet. "Believe me, my dear Mr. Field, "Yours very faithfully, "W. E. GLADSTONE." The following extract is taken from Mr. Field's private papers: "The bill for the expansion of the currency, which at this period passed both houses of Congress, after exhaustive debates, created much alarm among the leading financial men of New York and the Eastern States. Meetings were held at various places to protest against it, and to request the President to exercise his veto." A number of the leading bankers, capitalists, and merchants of New York assembled on April 15th at Mr. Field's house on Gramercy Park to consider what action should be taken in the matter. A petition very extensively signed was read, and the following resolutions were adopted: "_Resolved_, That the following gentlemen be appointed a committee to take charge of and present the foregoing petition to the President, bearing the signatures of all the 2500 leading bankers and business firms of the City of New York, asking him to interpose his veto to prevent the enactment of the Senate currency bill, which has recently passed both houses of Congress; or any other bill having in view the increase of inconvertible currency. "_Resolved_, That the Senators from the State of New York, and such members of the House of Representatives from this State as entertain the views indicated in the foregoing resolution, be added to the committee, and their co-operation invited. The members of this committee are: