William Jennings Bryan. Among those who spoke against the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan. In a speech called "Cross of Gold," it is difficult to ignore the religious imagery that Bryan employs. Why this change? As the gold men spoke, Bryan ate a sandwich to settle his stomach; he was often nervous before major speeches. Other delegations, seeing that Bryan would be nominated, also switched, securing the victory. He also proposed the establishment of a mint, at which citizens could present gold or silver, and receive it back, struck into money. The Nebraskan later described the audience as like a trained choir. Why doesnt he tell us what he is going to do if they fail to secure an international agreement. Mr. Carlisle said in 1878 that this was a struggle between the idle holders of idle capital and the struggling masses who produce the wealth and pay the taxes of the country; and my friends, it is simply a question that we shall decide upon which side shall the Democratic Party fight. He would subsequently win the Democratic nomination for president in 1900 and again . You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard. In his address, Bryan supported "free silver" (i.e. [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. The gentleman from Wisconsin has said he fears a Robespierre. In January 1791, at the request of Congress, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton issued a report on the currency. Three months ago, when it was confidently asserted that those who believed in the gold standard would frame our platforms and nominate our candidates, even the advocates of the gold standard did not think that we could elect a President; but they had good reasons for the suspicion, because there is scarcely a state here today asking for the gold standard that is not within the absolute control of the Republican Party. The speech was given at the Democratic National Convention, so the audience was pledged delegates from the 50 states of the US so that . [1] Bryan's address helped catapult him to the Democratic Party's presidential nomination and is considered one of the greatest political speeches in American history. The audio portion is an excerpt. [93] The Republican nominee was slow to realize the surge of support for Bryan after the nomination, stating his view that the silver sentiment would be gone in a month. [14] Farmers went bankrupt; their farms were sold to pay their debts. Lafayette, CA: d press, 1995. [2] On April 2, 1792, Congress passed the Mint Act of 1792. They went away apologetically, not having known Bryan sought the nomination. Here is the line of battle. [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. Pamphlet. 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. . In November he lost to the Republican candidate, William McKinley. TABLE 7 Comparative Analysis of Two Theoretical Explanations of Personality . 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. He faced in the direction of the gold-dominated state delegations: There are two ideas of government. He says that we are opposing the national bank currency. Hear William Jennings Bryan deliver his Cross of Gold speech at the Democratic National Convention, William Jennings Bryan: presidential campaign poster, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/event/Cross-of-Gold-speech, The Library of Congress - "Cross of Gold" Speech, Public Broadcasting Service - Cross of Gold Speech. 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. This legislation defined a unit of value for the new nation, to be known as a dollar. This handout is a great resource for helping students analyze this key political cartoon from the Populist Movement and the Election of 1896 featuring William Jennings Bryan and the "Cross of Gold" speech. They complain about the plank which declares against the life tenure in office. As a Democratic member of the Ways and Means Committee through two Congresses, Mr. Bryan was by all odds the ablest and strongest orator on the Democratic side of the House. This statement attracted great cheering, and Bryan turned to rhetorically demolish the compromise position on bimetallismthat it should only be accomplished through international agreement: It is the issue of 1776 over again. Critics contended that the inflation which would follow the introduction of such a policy would harm workers, whose wages would not rise as fast as prices would, and the operation of Gresham's law would drive gold from circulation, effectively placing the United States on a silver standard. But we stand here representing people who are the equals before the law of the largest cities in the state of Massachusetts. The majority of cartoons are from the 1908 campaigan, but there cartoons that feature 1920 election and Bryan's borther Charles Bryan. Instructors: CLICK HERE to request a free trial account (only available to college instructors) Primary Source Readers Image No. [33] Silver forces were supported by the Democratic National Bimetallic Committee, the umbrella group formed in 1895 to support silver Democrats in their insurgency against Cleveland. It also repealed the statutory provisions allowing silver bullion to be presented to the Mint and returned in the form of circulating money. On the 4th of March, 1895, a few Democrats, most of them members of Congress, issued an address to the Democrats of the nation asserting that the money question was the paramount issue of the hour; asserting also the right of a majority of the Democratic Party to control the position of the party on this paramount issue; concluding with the request that all believers in free coinage of silver in the Democratic Party should organize and take charge of and control the policy of the Democratic Party. But note the change. 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. [88] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch opined that with the speech, Bryan "just about immortalized himself". "[67] Harpine suggested that, "by appealing in such an uncompromising way to the agrarian elements and to the West, Bryan neglected the national audience who would vote in the November election". However, he stated, facing towards the gold delegates, "when you come before us and tell us that we are about to disturb your business interests, we reply that you have disturbed our business interests by your course. Although he would only be 36 years old in 1896one year above the constitutional minimumhe believed the silver question could carry him not only to the nomination, but to the presidency. As Hill moved to the podium, a reporter friend passed Bryan a note urging him to make a patriotic speech without hint of sectionalism; Bryan responded, "You will not be disappointed. The gold men, though they possessed the machinery of the party, had neither the power nor the strength to challenge their opponents. For one thing, he began the 1896 convention without any official statusthe Democratic National Committee, which made the initial determination of which delegations would be seated, had chosen the pro-gold Nebraskans to represent their state. He cared about politics and his religion equally. Updates? 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. 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. This speech, delivered at the Democratic National Convention, helped win the Bryan, former Representative to Congress for Nebraska, the presidential nomination of the Democratic party. Political cartoons historically and currently play a significant role in public discourse about serious and important issues. At the. Bryan traveled 18,000 miles by train to give over 600 speeches (36 in one day) to about five million people. Therefore, we care not upon what lines the battle is fought. The cartoon depicts two contradictory sides of Carnegie: the business titan and the philanthropist. It offers discussion questions, classroom activities, and primary source analysis tools. The memorable speech was given at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard; we reply that the great cities rest upon our broad and fertile prairies. Thus has the contest been waged, and we have assembled here under as binding and solemn instructions as were ever fastened upon the representatives of a people. i. Political Cartoon featuring William Jennings Bryan carrying the "Cross of Gold . Some people, for the most part Democrats, joined the far-left Populist Party. bimetallism), which he believed would bring the nation prosperity. ( July 8, 1896 ), classic of American political oratory delivered by William Jennings Bryan ( Bryan, William Jennings) in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1896. However, he lost the general election to William McKinley, and the United States formally adopted the gold standard in 1900. This takeover was considered far more important than was the choice of presidential candidate, and the committee decided to take no position on who should win the race for the nomination, reasoning that the victor, no matter who he was, would be a silver man. [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. You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard; we reply that the great cities rest upon our broad and fertile prairies. "[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. Corrections? We have simply called attention to what you know. "[69] The gold men, during the address, paid close attention and showed their appreciation for Bryan's oratory. Full text and audio version of "Cross of Gold" at History Matters. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. These were the only two candidates to put together organizations to try to secure delegate votes, though both efforts were cash-starved. Leave a comment. The Democratic party has won the greatest success in its history. 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. 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. They have tried to strain it to mean that which it does not mean. The warmest ties of love and acquaintance and association have been disregarded. However, the senator wanted 50 minutes to speak, too long for a closing address, and at Bryan's request agreed to open the debate instead. 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. 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. 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