These men succeeded in inducing some well-meaning Republican members of Congress, like Senator Washburne, of Minnesota, for instance, to believe that the passage of such a bill would have a tendency to prevent the building up of a strong Republican organization at the South.

Then again, the free silver question was before the public at that time.

The Republican majority in the Senate was not large.

Several of those who had been elected as Republicans were free silver men.

On that question they were in harmony with a majority of the Democrats, and out of harmony with the great majority of Republicans.