He mocked McKinley, said by some to resemble Napoleon, noting that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Jones points out that though Bryan's speaking engagements were not deemed political by the standards of 1896, by modern measurements he was far more active in campaigning for the nomination than most of the better-known candidates.[29]. We do not come as aggressors. Our ancestors, when but three millions in number, had the courage to declare their political independence of every other nation; shall we, their descendants, when we have grown to seventy millions, declare that we are less independent than our forefathers? [97] Although McKinley outpolled him by 600,000votes, Bryan received more votes than any previous presidential candidate. Trained as a lawyer, Bryan represented the state of Nebraska in the United States Congress, 1891-95. No, my friends, it will never be the judgment of this people. Delegates called for better-known speakers, such as Altgeld or Bryan, but were granted neither then; the Illinois governor declined, and the Nebraskan, once seated, spent much of his time away from the convention floor at the platform committee meeting at the Palmer House. "[89] The New York Times disparaged Bryan as "the gifted blatherskite from Nebraska". 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. Reprinted in The Annals of America, Vol. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [11], In 1890, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act greatly increased government purchases of silver. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Bryan also ran in the years 1900 and 1908 which became failures. William Jennings Bryan delivered his "Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic National Convention in July of 1896 as part of his bid for the party's presidential nomination. I come to speak to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of libertythe cause of humanity. It is because no private character, however pure, no personal popularity, however great, can protect from the avenging wrath of an indignant people the man who will either declare that he is in favor of fastening the gold standard upon this people, or who is willing to surrender the right of self-government and place legislative control in the hands of foreign potentates and powers. The Nebraskan later described the audience as like a trained choir. [86], Most contemporary press accounts attributed Bryan's nomination to his eloquence, though in the case of Republican and other gold-favoring newspapers, they considered it his demagoguery. Pursuant to this promise, government gold reserves dwindled over the following three years. . [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. He says that we are opposing the national bank currency. Lafayette, CA: d press, 1995. The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representative from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. The task of relieving the jobless fell to churches and other charities, as well as to labor unions. Why, as individuals we might have been glad to compliment the gentleman from New York [Senator Hill], but we knew that the people for whom we speak would never be willing to put him in a position where he could thwart the will of the Democratic Party. The thirty-six-year-old former Congressman from Nebraska aspired to be the Democratic nominee for president, and he had been skillfully, but quietly, building support for himself among the delegates. He was nominated two more times as the Democratic presidential nominee, but he lost again to McKinley in 1900 and to Republican candidate William H. Taft (1857-1930) in 1908. These were the only two candidates to put together organizations to try to secure delegate votes, though both efforts were cash-starved. [1], Bryan later described the silence as "really painful" and momentarily thought he had failed. 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. We have petitioned, and our petitions have been scorned; we have entreated, and our entreaties have been disregarded; we have begged, and they have mocked when our calamity came. 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. We defy them! [37] He arrived convinced that he would win the nomination. This teaching guide helps instructors use a specific primary source set, Patronage and Populism: The Politics of the Gilded Age, in the classroom. Some of the impoverished died of disease or starvation; others killed themselves.[15]. "[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. But in this contest, brother has been arrayed against brother, and father against son. The President's move was opposed by the Democratic Governor of Illinois, John Altgeld. We have petitioned, and our petitions have been scorned. The only gold man who put together any sort of campaign for the Democratic nomination was Treasury Secretary 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. If the gold standard, and I might call your attention to the fact that some of the very people who are in this convention today and who tell you that we ought to declare in favor of international bimetallism and thereby declare that the gold standard is wrong and that the principles of bimetallism are betterthese very people four months ago were open and avowed advocates of the gold standard and telling us that we could not legislate two metals together even with all the world. Will it choose blessings or cursingslife or deathwhich? [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. [42] Going into the convention, the two leading candidates for the nomination were former Congressman Bland, who had originated the Bland-Allison Act, and former Iowa Governor Horace Boies, with Bland considered the frontrunner. 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. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information, this presentation may contain certain "forward-looking statements". We go forth confident that we shall win. "[92] A farmer in Iowa, in a letter to Bryan, stated, "You are the first big man that i [sic] ever wrote to. . [18], Despite the repeal of the act, economic conditions failed to improve. Bryan had a distinguished and active political career, supporting workers' rights and women's suffrage while opposing monopolies and teaching evolution in schools. 1896 speech by U.S. politician William Jennings Bryan in support of a bimetallic standard, William Jennings Bryan being carried on the shoulders of delegates after giving the speech, Also attributed to an 1892 speech by President, For additional detail on the political career of William Jennings Bryan before and during the 1896 campaign, see, For a fuller explanation of the procedures of American political conventions, see, Possible recording of the original speech, Audio excerpt of the speech later recorded by William Jennings Bryan, William Jennings Bryan presidential campaign, 1896, United States presidential nominating convention, William Jennings Bryan presidential campaign, 1896 General election campaign, Official Proceedings of the 1896 Democratic National Convention. In passing the Coinage Act, Congress eliminated bimetallism. [16] By 1893, his views on silver had evolved, and on the floor of the House of Representatives, he delivered a riveting three-hour address against repeal of the Silver Purchase Act. Bryan later wrote, "This was another unexpected bit of good fortune. All rights reserved. The silver campaign of 1896 was a big controversy among the people. He then lowered them, descended from the podium, and began to head back to his seat as the stillness held. He was known for his deeply held religious beliefs and his popular touch, which earned him the moniker "the Great Commoner." [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. Much activity took place in advance of the formal opening as the silver and (vastly outnumbered) gold forces prepared their strategies. Now, my friends, let me come to the great paramount issue. We are prepared to meet them on either issue or on both. "[67] By then, as he spoke in a sincere tone, his voice sounded clearly and loudly through the hall. [51], The debate on the platform opened at the start of the third day of the convention, July 9, 1896. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Here is the line of battle. This exhibit features cartoons from Jay N. "Ding" Darling, Homer C . 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. W.J. ; D. The Democratic Party understood the economy from the point of view of workers and farmers. 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 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. At 36 years old, with two terms in Congress and a failed 1894 run for Senate under his belt, Bryan was the party's most outspoken and effective champion of silver. On the fifth ballot, the Illinois delegation, led by Governor Altgeld, switched its votes from Bland to Bryan. As Bryan was not deemed a major contender for the nomination, even delegates committed to a candidate could cheer him without seeming to betray their allegiance. These cartoons are grouped by the general sentiment they represent about William Jennings Bryan, his political campaigns, and his ambitions. We do not come as individuals. [1][78], Now, Bryan was ready to conclude the speech, and according to his biographer, Michael Kazin, step "into the headlines of American history". [57] Bryan then defended the right of silver supporters to make their argument against opposition from gold men, who were associated with financial interests, especially in the East. 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. Silver producers complained, and many Americans came to believe that only through bimetallism could the nation achieve and maintain prosperity. [28], Bryan believed that he could, if nominated, unite the disaffected behind a strong silver campaign. These statements may involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity and performance to be materially different from the expectations and projections of Globex. I tell you that the great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies. What will the decision be today? The person who gave the Cross of Gold speech was the orator and politician William Jennings Bryan. I stand with Jefferson rather than with them, and tell them, as he did, that the issue of money is a function of the government and that the banks should go out of the governing business. [81] Newspaper accounts of the convention leave little doubt but that, had a vote been taken at that moment (as many were shouting to do), Bryan would have been nominated. Congress did so, but the debates showed bitter divides in both major parties between silver and gold factions. 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? [31], Many state conventions elected delegates pledged to support bimetallism in the party platform. The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. [83], The balloting began the following morning, July 10, with a two-thirds vote necessary to nominate. 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