The new unit of currency was defined to be equal to 24.75 grains (1.604g) of gold, or alternatively, 371.25 grains (24.057g) of silver, establishing a ratio of value between gold and silver of 15:1. He sent letters to national convention delegates, urging them to support silver, and enclosing copies of his photograph, writings, and speeches. Let me call attention to two or three great things. Why? "[55] Hill gave a calm speech defending the gold position, and swayed few delegates. Source: Official Proceedings of the Democratic National Convention Held in Chicago, Illinois, July 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, 1896, (Logansport, Indiana, 1896), 226234. We reply that when we advocate a thing which we believe will be successful we are not compelled to raise a doubt as to our own sincerity by trying to show what we will do if we are wrong. No, my friends, it will never be the judgment of this people. Known as an orator even then, Bryan had not always favored free silver out of conviction, stating in 1892 that he was for it because the people of Nebraska were for it. This teaching guide helps instructors use a specific primary source set, Patronage and Populism: The Politics of the Gilded Age, in the classroom. Although Altgeld and his adherents urged voters to distinguish between Cleveland and his party, the Democrats lost 113 seats in the House in the 1894 midterm elections, the greatest loss by a majority party in congressional history. The humblest citizen in all the land when clad in the armor of a righteous cause is stronger than all the whole hosts of error that they can bring. The Democratic Party wanted to create more upward mobility for people. [75] The lengthy passage as he discussed the platform and the Republicans helped calm the audience, ensuring he would be heard as he reached his peroration. [79] Others took up the standards with the state names on them with each delegation, and planted them by Nebraska's. We demand that the standard silver dollar shall be a full legal tender, equally with gold, for all debts, public and private, and we favor such legislation as will prevent for the future the demonitization of any kind of legal tender by private contract. Silver producers complained, and many Americans came to believe that only through bimetallism could the nation achieve and maintain prosperity. The Populists would reach the high water mark of their political power in 1896, when the Democratic Party nominated William Jennings Bryan as its candidate for President of . ; William Jennings Bryan was a leading member of the Democratic party who ran for President several times. I want to suggest this truth, that if the gold standard is a good thing we ought to declare in favor of its retention and not in favor of abandoning it; and if the gold standard is a bad thing, why should we wait until some other nations are willing to help us to let it go? Lafayette, CA: d press, 1995. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information, this presentation may contain certain "forward-looking statements". The full text of William Jenning Bryans famous Cross of Gold speech appears below. It did not become unconstitutional until one judge changed his mind; and we cannot be expected to know when a judge will change his mind. Bryan later wrote, "This was another unexpected bit of good fortune. He was known for his deeply held religious beliefs and his popular touch, which earned him the moniker "the Great Commoner." They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Consciousness of grievances of years and not of months was reflected in the decisive action of the state Democratic conventions in the spring and early summer of 1896. Railway employees had refused to handle Pullman cars in sympathy with the strikers; this action threatened to paralyze the nation's rail lines. From the money plank of the Democratic platform[48], Good luck favored Bryanhe was considered for various convention roles by the silverites, but each time was not selected. Bryan's 1896 campaign was groundbreaking for more than his oratorical skill. Bryan, once seated, was Nebraska's representative to the Committee on Resolutions (generally called the "platform committee"), which allocated 80minutes to each side in the debate and selected Bryan as one of the speakers. McKinley won more easily than in 1896, making inroads in the silver West. Much activity took place in advance of the formal opening as the silver and (vastly outnumbered) gold forces prepared their strategies. [96] Bryan spoke on silver throughout the campaign; he rarely addressed other issues. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Old leaders have been cast aside when they refused to give expression to the sentiments of those whom they would lead, and new leaders have sprung up to give direction to this cause of freedom. We do not come as individuals. For these images we dont claim any copyright or other intellectual property rights and neither do our contributors, we just provide you with access to a high resolution copy to use in line with the terms of the license you buy. Updates? Original size at 383 480. The cartoon depicts two contradictory sides of Carnegie: the business titan and the philanthropist. [13], The effects of the depression which began in 1893, and which continued through 1896, ruined many Americans. He cared about politics and his religion equally. [59] As he concluded his historical recitation, he reminded the silver delegates that they had come to crown their victory, "not to discuss, not to debate, but to enter up the judgment already rendered by the plain people of this country".[66]. Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech: Mesmerizing the Masses The most famous speech in American political history was delivered by William Jennings Bryan on July 9, 1896, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. It was clear to listeners as he worked his way through the comparisons that he would refer to the farmer, and when he did, the hall exploded with sound. Ah. Ah, my friends. ; D. The Democratic Party understood the economy from the point of view of workers and farmers. When this debate is concluded, a motion will be made to lay upon the table the resolution offered in commendation of the administration and also the resolution in condemnation of the administration. Mark Zuckerberg - Zuckerberg in April 2019. South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman was to be the other pro-silver speaker, and originally wished to close the debate. In later years Bryan delivered numerous variations on the speech, some captured on early phonograph recordings. He mocked McKinley, said by some to resemble Napoleon, noting that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. They could only beg them to spare the party the humiliation of broken traditions and the overthrowing of established control. [4] When silver prices rose relative to gold as a reaction to the California Gold Rush, silver coinage was worth more than face value, and rapidly flowed overseas for melting. Bryan had been a dark horse candidate with little support in the convention. Full text and audio version of "Cross of Gold" at History Matters. Despite vocal opposition led by Tennessee Representative (and future president) Andrew Johnson, the precious metal content of smaller silver coins was reduced in 1853. [102] Bryan's emphasis on agrarian issues, both in his speech and in his candidacy, may have helped cement voting patterns which kept the Democrats largely out of power until the 1930s. [25] Bryan biographer Paulo E. Coletta wrote, "during this year [July 1894 June 1895] of calamities, disintegration and revolution, each crisis aided Bryan because it caused division within his party and permitted him to contest for its mastery as it slipped from Cleveland's fingers. [41], One of the leaders of the silver movement was Illinois Governor Altgeld; a native of Germany, he was constitutionally barred from the presidency by his foreign birth. He always regarded it as the best point he made during the speech, and only the ending caused more reaction from his listeners: We say to you that you have made the definition of a business man too limited in its application. "[61] Bryan would say little that he had not said beforethe text is similar to that of a speech he had given the previous week at Crete, Nebraska[62]but he would give the convention its voice. [9], To advocates of what became known as free silver, the 1873 act became known as the "Crime of '73". They criticize us for our criticism of the Supreme Court of the United States. The bill, as modified by amendments sponsored by Iowa Senator William B. Allison, did not reverse the 1873 provisions, but required the Treasury to purchase a minimum of $2 million of silver bullion per month; the profit, or seignorage from monetizing the silver was to be used to purchase more silver bullion. It is the issue of 1776 over again. They went away apologetically, not having known Bryan sought the nomination. Cross of Gold speech, classic of American political oratory delivered on July 8, 1896, by William Jennings Bryan in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago during the campaign for the presidential election of 1896. The President's move was opposed by the Democratic Governor of Illinois, John Altgeld. He then defended the remainder of the platform, though only speaking in general terms. I come to speak to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of libertythe cause of humanity. He would subsequently win the Democratic nomination for president in 1900 and again . Some people, for the most part Democrats, joined the far-left Populist Party. However, as late as June, the gold forces, which still controlled the Democratic National Committee (DNC), continued to believe that the nominee could be pro-gold. my friends, we say not one word against those who live upon the Atlantic Coast; but those hardy pioneers who braved all the dangers of the wilderness, who have made the desert to blossom as the rosethose pioneers away out there, rearing their children near to natures heart, where they can mingle their voices with the voices of the birdsout there where they have erected schoolhouses for the education of their children and churches where they praise their Creator, and the cemeteries where sleep the ashes of their deadare as deserving of the consideration of this party as any people in this country. That is the question that the party must answer first; and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. [64], Bryan's opening claimed no personal prestige for himselfbut nevertheless placed him as the spokesman for silver. [10], Implementation of the BlandAllison Act did not end calls for free silver. [3], In the early 19th century, the economic disruption caused by the Napoleonic Wars caused United States gold coins to be worth more as bullion than as money, and they vanished from circulation. On the night of July 8, William Jennings Bryan revealed himself as the candidate the silverites were looking for by delivering one of the most famous speeches in American history. The most famous speech in American political history was delivered by William Jennings Bryan on July 9, 1896, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. As he traveled by rail to Lincoln, he saw farmers and others standing by the tracks, hoping for a glimpse of the new Democratic nominee. They complain about the plank which declares against the life tenure in office. [27] The leader of those who left was Colorado Senator Henry M. Teller; he was immediately spoken of as a possible candidate for the Democratic nomination. You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard. Welcome to a series on William Jennings Bryan's famous 1896 Cross of Gold speech. You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold. The speech so electrified the convention that the delegates nominated Bryan as their candidate for president, though he was only 36 years old and his experience as an officeholder was limited to two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. The warmest ties of love and acquaintance and association have been disregarded. Edition of 10 (this copy is #5). The 36-year old Bryan was an avowed bimetallist, placed himself in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson against moneyed interests and in favor of "hardy pioneers who braved all. [68] He denied, however that the contest was personal; he bore no ill-will towards those who supported the gold standard. However, he lost the general election to William McKinley, and the United States formally adopted the gold standard in 1900. Of these, only Senator Blackburn, a silver supporter, sparked much reaction, and that only momentary. It was not unconstitutional when it went before the Supreme Court for the first time. With a two-thirds vote of the delegates needed to nominate, almost every silver delegate would have to vote for the same candidate to assure success, though any organized support from gold delegates would greatly damage a silver candidate's chances. What we need is an Andrew Jackson to stand as Jackson stood, against the encroachments of aggregated wealth. He was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley . Out of all of the prominent business figures that arose during the Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie is perhaps viewed in the most positive light. William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" oration was primarily an expression of his (A) fundamentalist religious beliefs (B) neutral stance toward the belligerents of the First World War (C) advocacy of free and unlimited coinage of silver (D) opposition to teaching the theory of evolution in public schools (E) anti-imperialist convictions It showed American support for european economic interests in East Africa. [64] According to Bensel, the self-deprecation helped disarm the delegates. Three months later, at Memphis, an organization was perfected, and the silver Democrats went forth openly and boldly and courageously proclaiming their belief and declaring that if successful they would crystallize in a platform the declaration which they had made; and then began the conflict with a zeal approaching the zeal which inspired the crusaders who followed Peter the Hermit. Other copies or versions of these images might be available elsewhere. [59] According to political scientist Richard F. Bensel in his study of the 1896 Democratic convention, "Although the silver men knew they would win this fight, they nonetheless needed someone to tell themand the gold menwhy they must enshrine silver at the heart of the platform. TABLE 7 Comparative Analysis of Two Theoretical Explanations of Personality . William Jennings Bryan (nicknamed the "Boy Orator of the Platte" and "The Great Commoner") was a Nebraska politician and orator who rose to fame in 1896 when he secured the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. There were a large number of potential candidates seen as having less support; these included Vice President Adlai Stevenson of Illinois, Senator Joseph C. Blackburn of Kentucky, Senator Teller, and Bryan.[43]. "[89] The New York Times disparaged Bryan as "the gifted blatherskite from Nebraska". German-born political cartoonist Thomas Nast gave America some of its most enduring symbols: the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and Uncle Sam. Never before in the history of this country has there been witnessed such a contest as that through which we have passed. He favored the monetary policy . Once the convention came to order, Arkansas Senator James K. Jones, chair of the Committee on Resolutions, read the proposed platform to cheers by many delegates; the reading of the pro-gold minority report attracted less applause. [49][50], Delegates, as they waited for the committees to complete their work, spent much of the first two days listening to various orators. We beg no longer; we entreat no more; we petition no more. [19] Among those defeated for Senate was Bryan in Nebraska. One Indiana voter wrote, "God has sent you amongst our people to save the poor from starvation, and we no [sic] you will save us. (Wikipedia). Advocates of the gold standard attributed the decline to advances in production and transportation. The 1880s saw a steep decline in the prices of grain and other agricultural commodities. They tell us that this platform was made to catch votes. The government pledged to stand behind the silver dollars and treasury notes issued under the act by redeeming them in gold. Both men had electoral problems: Bland at age 61 was seen by some as a man whose time had passed; Boies was a former Republican who had once decried bimetallism. His speeches impressed many; even some of his opponents later conceded that Bryan was the most compelling speaker they had ever heard. The full text of William Jenning Bryan's famous "Cross of Gold" speech appears below. [63], I would be presumptuous, indeed, to present myself against the distinguished gentlemen to whom you have listened if this were a mere measuring of abilities; but this is not a contest between persons. Bryan continued with language evoking the Civil War, telling his audience that "in this contest brother has been arrayed against brother, father against son. The Republican Party platform for the election, formulated at its convention in St. Louis in June, declared, We are unalterably opposed to every measure calculated to debase our currency. When the Democrats gathered a few weeks later, their platform called for the free and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold. In an eloquent plea for the coinage of silver and an attack on the thesis that gold was the only sound backing for currency, Bryan closed with the peroration, you shall not press down on the brow of labor this crown of thorns. Bryan considered this no loss at all; the focus of the convention was on the party platform and the debate which would precede its adoption. An 1896 cartoon of William Jennings Bryan supporting "Free Silver." What exactly did he mean that money did not need to be "backed" by gold? (This inflationary measure would have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers.) They tell us that the income tax ought not to be brought in here; that is not a new idea. [21] He traveled widely, speaking to audiences across the nation. Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.) Co-founder and co-CEO of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative . If they tell us that the gold standard is the standard of civilization, we reply to them that this, the most enlightened of all nations of the earth, has never declared for a gold standard, and both the parties this year are declaring against it. Bound in semi-stiff boards covered in dark green washi paper, wit If they ask us why we did not embody all these things in our platform which we believe, we reply to them that when we have restored the money of the Constitution, all other necessary reforms will be possible, and that until that is done there is no reform that can be accomplished. The third ballot saw Bland still in the lead, but Bryan took the lead on the fourth ballot. Russell's address was inaudible to most of the Coliseum; he was ill and died just over a week later. Reprinted in The Annals of America, Vol. Albert Shaw, editor of The Review of Reviews, stated that after Bryan's nomination, many easterners professed not to have heard of him but: "If, indeed, they had not heard of Mr. Bryan before, they had failed to follow closely the course of American politics in the past eight years. In the late 1800's a populist movement was happening and people were starting to take notice. I say it was not a question of persons; it was a question of principle; and it is not with gladness, my friends, that we find ourselves brought into conflict with those who are now arrayed on the other side. [87] The pro-silver Cleveland Plain Dealer called Bryan's speech "an eloquent, stirring, and manly appeal". If they say bimetallism is good, but that we cannot have it until other nations help us, we reply that, instead of having a gold standard because England has, we will restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States has it. Not only that, but as he listens he can hear with ever increasing distinctness the sound of the waves as they beat upon the lonely shores of St. Helena. When I find a man who is not willing to pay his share of the burden of the government which protects him, I find a man who is unworthy to enjoy the blessings of a government like ours. There are those who believe that, if you will only legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous, their prosperity will leak through on those below. The issue was whether to endorse the free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold of 16 to 1. He did for Rome what Jackson did when he destroyed the bank conspiracy and saved America. Leave a comment. The image that is selected for the analysis is from the pre-1856 epoch of US history, and it represents the imagination of the political and social life as it was imagined by artists. The issue was whether to endorse the free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold of 16 to 1. 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