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Primary sourceSpeech6 March 1878

The New Scheme of American Finance

James A. Garfield · 6 March 1878

Printed 1878 speech by James A. Garfield defending his views on currency and the gold standard.

Garfield gave this speech himself, showing his stance on currency and finance before his presidency.

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The New Scheme of American FinancePDF · 24 pages
James A. Garfield, The New Scheme of American Finance, 1878. Scanned pamphlet, Internet Archive.

About this source

What it is

This is a printed copy of a speech delivered by James A. Garfield in the House of Representatives in March 1878, replying to another congressman, W. D. Kelley, on American currency policy.

Why it matters

The speech reflects debates in the 1870s over whether the United States should use paper money or gold-backed currency. It shows Garfield's economic thinking, quoting Thomas Jefferson and Henry Clay to support his argument against paper money.

Look closer

  • Why might Garfield have quoted earlier statesmen like Jefferson and Clay?
  • What does the title tell you about how Garfield viewed his opponent's financial plan?
  • What might this printed speech not tell us about how the public reacted?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James A. Garfield on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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