Mr. WENTWoRTH, " while that petition was being read I looked over one of 8 or ten of the same kind that I have, and I now " send it to the Clerk's desk to be read, for the purpose of showing where these petitions come from. Every member, I presume, has a handful of them: OFFICE of the MERCHANts' UNION LAw ComPANY., AMERICAN Exchan Gr BANK BUILDING, No. 128Broadway, NewYork, December21, 1866. DEAR SIR: Several of the Merchants' Union Ltahwe peaormtiepsancyo, nhnaevcitnegd bweitehn retained by some of the national banks, and others interested to oppose measures pending in Congress for the further curtailment of o the currency, for gom all such banks to redeem their issues in ork, and for prohibiting them from receivinNgeowr paying interest on bank balances, in view of the importance of the questions involved, concert of action in the matter has been determined upon. Eininent counsel have been retained at Washington and elsewhere to prepare and present arguments against each of these measures, and in favor of an enlargement rather than contraction of the volume of the currency; and such other measureshave been taken as were deemedproper to inform Congress of o the wishes subject rse. st. of the whole community upon these Copies of the blank petitions, which have been transmitted throughout the Union, have also been forwarded to you; and, after procuring the signatures of your most influential citizens thereto, you are respectfully requested to inclose the same to . your conRepresentative, or to someother member at Washingtonwith whom you are acquainted. Much;" may also arise from communicating your wishes y letter to your acquaintances in Congress. Additional blank petitions, in any number desired. with printed arguments, in palmphlet form, by some of the most eminent counsel in the country, favoring these views, will be forwarded to you free of charge upon application to this office. If you approve of the efforts thus made and to be continued in this direction, you are respectfully so licited to contribute to the expenses of the same by transmitting to this officesuch retainer in the matter as you shall deem proper say one 10th of one mill on each dollar of your capital, being in the proportion of ten dollars on each$100,000 of such capital; it being understood. of course, that you incur no additiqnal obligation by so Yours, &c., John Livingston, Secretary, doc.. [Here the hammer fell]