The  platform  came  from  a  committee,  including  among  its  mem
bers  General  Hawley,  Governor  Hayes,  Glenni  W.  Scofield,  Ex-
Attorney-General  Speed,  Mr.  James  N.  Matthews,  then  of  the  Buffalo
Commercial,  and  other  representative  men.  That  the  year  was  largely
one  of  personal  politics,  rather  than  of  clear,  sharp,  overmastering
issues,  might  be  inferred  from  the  scope  and  character  of  the  resolu
tions.  It  was  an  hour  for  maintaining  what  had  been  gained,  rather


528  TWENTY  YEARS  OF  CONGRESS.
tlian  for  advancing  to  new  demands.  Equal  suffrage  had  been  es
tablished,  and  the  danger  of  repudiation  which  had  threatened  the
country  in  1868  had  apparently  passed  away.  The  necessity  and
duty  of  preparing  for  specie  resumption,  which  soon  after  engrossed
public  attention,  were  not  yet  apprehended  or  appreciated.  Be
tween  the  two  periods  the  chief  work  was  that  of  practically
enforcing  the  settlements  which  had  been  ordained  in  the  Constitu
tional  Amendments.
