The only time I ever deliberately resolved to do an…

““The only time I ever deliberately resolved to do an expedient thing for party reasons, against my own judgment, was on the occasion of the inflation bill. I was never so pressed in my life to do anything as to sign that bill—never. It was represented to me that a veto would destroy the Republican Party in the West. Morton [Senator Oliver P. Morton of Indiana], Logan [Senator John A. “Black Jack” Logan of Illinois], and other men, friends whom I respected, were eloquent in presenting this view. I thought at last I would try and save the party, and at the same time the credit of the nation from the evils of the bill. I resolved to write a message . . . to show that the bill need not mean inflation and that it need not affect the country’s credit. I wrote the message with great care and put in every argument I could call up to show that the bill was harmless. When I finished my wonderful message, I read it over and said to myself, “What is the good of all this? You do not believe it. You know it is not true.” Throwing it aside I resolved to do what I believed to be right, veto the bill! I could not stand my own arguments.””

— Jean Edward Smith