[52] Although Tillman endorsed silver, his address was so laced with sectionalism that most silver delegates remained silent for fear of being seen as supporting him. [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. Never before in the history of American politics has a great issue been fought out as this issue has been by the voters themselves. Grant Hamilton cartoon for Judge Magazine on William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech, Democratic National Convention, Chicago, July 9, 1896. A. [88] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch opined that with the speech, Bryan "just about immortalized himself". "Strictly confidential, not to be quoted for publication: I will be. They went away apologetically, not having known Bryan sought the nomination. If you will read what Thomas Benton said, you will find that he said that in searching history he could find but one parallel to Andrew Jackson. It is the issue of 1776 over again. His speeches impressed many; even some of his opponents later conceded that Bryan was the most compelling speaker they had ever heard. The gentleman who just preceded me [Governor Russell] spoke of the old state of Massachusetts. 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. That is the question that the party must answer first; and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. He then defended the remainder of the platform, though only speaking in general terms. [13], The effects of the depression which began in 1893, and which continued through 1896, ruined many Americans. Nevertheless, he won the nomination without the votes of the gold delegates, most of whom either left the convention or refused to vote. Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. BRYAN: CROSS OF GOLD. Political cartoons historically and currently play a significant role in public discourse about serious and important issues. As yet, no one at the convention had effectively spoken for that cause, which was paramount to the delegates. 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. [54], Senator David B. Hill of New York, a gold supporter, was next. Although his statements nominally responded to a point made by Russell, Bryan had thought of the argument the previous evening, and had not used it in earlier speeches. It is for these that we speak. They tell us that this platform was made to catch votes. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Let me assure him that not one person in all this convention entertains the least hostility to the people of the state of Massachusetts. We do not come as aggressors. During the convention, he. [5] It was not until 1834 that Congress acted, changing the gold/silver ratio to 16.002:1. One farmer in the gallery had been about to leave rather than listen to Bryan, whom he deemed a Populist; he had been persuaded to stay. He sent letters to national convention delegates, urging them to support silver, and enclosing copies of his photograph, writings, and speeches. The cartoon depicts two contradictory sides of Carnegie: the business titan and the philanthropist. In his address, Bryan supported "free silver" (i.e. American cartoon by Grant Hamilton, 1896, on William Jennings Bryan's 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which won Bryan the presidential nomination. Governmental response to this shortage was hampered by the fact that officials did not clearly understand what had happened. In later years Bryan delivered numerous variations on the speech, some captured on early phonograph recordings. There are two ideas of government. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. How is it today? He then lowered them, descended from the podium, and began to head back to his seat as the stillness held. Cross of Gold Speech - Analysis | Milestone Documents - Milestone Documents William Jennings Bryan: "Cross of Gold" Speech Log in to see the full document and commentary. Pledging support for American workers, he sought high tariffs to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive and he supported the gold standard. Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.) Co-founder and co-CEO of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative . If they ask us here why it is we say more on the money question than we say upon the tariff question, I reply that if protection has slain its thousands the gold standard has slain its tens of thousands. Many in the public saw the bonds as benefiting bankers, not the nation. [4] In 1830, Treasury Secretary Samuel D. Ingham proposed adjusting the ratio between gold and silver in US currency to 15.8:1, which had for some time been the ratio in Europe. After speeches on the subject by several U.S. The temporary chairmanship, for example, would have permitted him to deliver the keynote address. The Akron Journal and Republican, no friend to Bryan, opined that "never probably has a national convention been swayed or influenced by a single speech as was the national Democratic convention". Unfortunately, no recordings exist of his original speech. The full text of William Jenning Bryan's famous "Cross of Gold" speech appears below. Second, like many people, Bryan thought the gold standard disadvantaged the working classes and farmers by keeping the price of debt high. We reply to them that changing conditions make new issues; that the principles upon which rest Democracy are as everlasting as the hills; but that they must be applied to new conditions as they arise. "[69] The gold men, during the address, paid close attention and showed their appreciation for Bryan's oratory. Nevertheless, large crowds gathered outside the public entrances; the galleries were quickly packed. [66][70], Through this passage, Bryan maintained the contrast between the common man and the city-dwelling elite. Our war is not a war of conquest; we are fighting in the defense of our homes, our families, and posterity. This paper presents a formal analysis of political cartoons using methods from classical semiotics, semiotic morphisms, and in particular the study of blends. Gold Democrats looked to the President for leadership, but Cleveland, trusting few in his party, did not involve himself further in the gold efforts, but spent the week of the convention fishing off the New Jersey coast. Contemporary estimates were an unemployment rate as high as 25%. I am in favor of an income tax. Jones deemed the Democrats likely to nominate a candidate who would appeal to the Populist Party, and Bryan had been elected to Congress with Populist support. The task of relieving the jobless fell to churches and other charities, as well as to labor unions. In January 1791, at the request of Congress, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton issued a report on the currency. Bryan's 1896 campaign was groundbreaking for more than his oratorical skill. These were the only two candidates to put together organizations to try to secure delegate votes, though both efforts were cash-starved. One after another, state conventions to elect delegates to the national convention in Chicago repudiated an incumbent elected president of their party, who had not declared whether he would be a candidate for renomination. Standing upon this victory-crowned summit, will it turn its face to the rising or the setting sun? This was close enough to the market value to make it uneconomic to export either US gold or silver coins. Bryan also ran in the years 1900 and 1908 which became failures. He cared about politics and his religion equally. The Republicans gained control of the House, as well as the Senate, which until 1913 was elected by the state legislatures rather than by the popular vote. free coinage of silver at silver-gold ratio of 16 to 1 issue in Bryan's Cross of Gold speech In November he lost to the Republican candidate, William McKinley. 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. For twenty years, Americans had been bitterly divided over the nation's monetary standard. [65] Bryan then recounted the history of the silver movement; the audience, which had loudly demonstrated its approval of his opening statements, quieted. [17] In his conclusion, Bryan reached back in history: When a crisis like the present arose and the national bank of his day sought to control the politics of the nation, God raised up an Andrew Jackson, who had the courage to grapple with that great enemy, and by overthrowing it, he made himself the idol of the people and reinstated the Democratic party in public confidence. Of these, only Senator Blackburn, a silver supporter, sparked much reaction, and that only momentary. BRYAN: CROSS OF GOLD. 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. [95] However, Bryan did gain the support of the Populists, as well as a convention of Silver Republicans. [8] During the economic chaos of the Panic of 1873, the price of silver dropped significantly, but the Mint would accept none for striking into legal tender. Bensel ties the delegates' response to Bryan's address to their uncertainty in their own beliefs: In a very real sense, adoption of the silver plank in the platform was akin to a millennial expectation that the "laws of economics" would henceforth be suspended and that the silver men could simply "will" that silver and gold would, in fact, trade on financial markets at a ratio of sixteen to one. [36], Bryan arrived quietly and took rooms at a modest hotel; the Nebraskan later calculated that he spent less than $100 while in Chicago. The money went for speakers, pamphlets, and other means of conveying their "sound money" campaign to the voter. [44] Bryan had been waiting outside the committee room when his rivals were seated by a 2723 vote; contemporary accounts state he was "somewhat surprised" at the result. German-born political cartoonist Thomas Nast gave America some of its most enduring symbols: the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and Uncle Sam. I had never had such an opportunity before in my life and never expect to have again. But note the change. We defy them! [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. 19. [37] He arrived convinced that he would win the nomination. His speech, delivered at the close of the debate on the party platform, electrified the convention and is generally credited with earning him the nomination for president. Upon the side of the idle holders of idle capital, or upon the side of the struggling masses? Advocates of the gold standard attributed the decline to advances in production and transportation. W.J. 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. My friends, we have made no criticism. William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), the U.S. congressman from Nebraska, three-time presidential nominee and secretary of state, emerged near the end of the 19th century as a leading voice . Image No. According to Barnes: The people of the South and the West had for years been convinced of the enormity of the "crime of 1873", and they had long since come to regard silver as the sword that would cut the Gordian knot of privilege. It simply intends to put the burdens of government justly upon the backs of the people. These cartoons are grouped by the general sentiment they represent about William Jennings Bryan, his political campaigns, and his ambitions. That is the question which the party must answer first, and then it must be answered by each individual hereafter. 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]. So if they come to meet us on that, we can present the history of our nation. Now, my friends, let me come to the great paramount issue. Bryan's speeches evolved over time; in December 1894, in a speech in Congress, he first used a phrase from which would come the conclusion to his most famous address: as originally stated, it was "I will not help to crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. "[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. 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. 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. The response, wrote one reporter, came like one great burst of artillery. Men and women screamed and waved their hats and canes. [82] The convention passed the platform in Bryan's absence and recessed. It is true. I tell you that the great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies. The Democratic Party wanted to create more upward mobility for people. He did for Rome what Jackson did when he destroyed the bank conspiracy and saved America. [6] Silver was now undervalued at the Mint; accordingly little was presented for striking into money. Hamilton proposed a monetary system based on bimetallism, in which the new currency would be equal to a given amount of gold, or a larger amount of silver; at the time a given weight of gold was worth about 15 times as much as the same amount of silver. [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. McKinley on the other hand, opted for a front porch campaign. We come to speak of this broader class of business men. Bryan made a speech called "Cross of Gold", which had a strong reaction with the audience and included religious imagery. The individual is but an atom; he is born, he acts, he dies; but principles are eternal; and this has been a contest of principle. UPTO 50% OFF ON ALL PRODUCTS. Omissions? Why, that man who used to boast that he looked like Napoleon, that man shudders today when he thinks that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. 7.5 x 4.75 in. We defy them! I come to speak to you in defense of a cause as holy as the cause of libertythe cause of humanity. [63] Two alert police officers had joined Bryan as he left the podium, anticipating the crush. 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 Democratic idea has been that if you legislate to make the masses prosperous their prosperity will find its way up and through every class that rests upon it. The 1896 Democratic National Convention followed events unique in post-Civil War American history. . It offers discussion questions, classroom activities, and primary source analysis tools. "[26], In early 1896, with the economy still poor, there was widespread discontent with the two existing major political parties. Why, if they tell us that the gold standard is a good thing, we point to their platform and tell them that their platform pledges the party to get rid of a gold standard and substitute bimetallism. [45] The DNC's action could be reversed, but not until the convention's credentials committee reported. Our ancestors, when but 3 million, had the courage to declare their political independence of every other nation upon earth. Silver advocates argued that this dropoff, which caused the price of grain to fall below its cost of production, was caused by the failure of the government to adequately increase the money supply, which had remained steady on a per capita basis. Angered by Cleveland's actions in the labor dispute, and by his uncompromising stand against silver, Altgeld began to organize Democrats against Cleveland's renomination in 1896. Can you find the other strategies in his speech? His opponent, William Jennings Bryan (who Littlefield suggested was represented by the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz) was famous for his "Cross of Gold" speech. I shall object to bringing this question down to a level of persons. Bryan wanted the United States to use silver to back . Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information, this presentation may contain certain "forward-looking statements". The attorney in a country town is as much a businessman as the corporation counsel in a great metropolis. In his "Cross of Gold" speech, Bryan argued that the debate over monetary policy was part of a broader struggle for democracy, political independence and the welfare of the "common man." Bryan's speech was met with rapturous applause and a celebration on the floor of the convention that lasted for over half an hour. "[55] Hill gave a calm speech defending the gold position, and swayed few delegates. Among those who spoke against the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan. The Cross of Gold speechwas delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representativefrom Nebraska, at the Democratic National Conventionin Chicagoon July 9, 1896. The audio portion is an excerpt. He says that mankind won't be crucified on a cross of gold. 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]. [32], The 1896 Democratic convention opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7, 1896. We believe it is a part of sovereignty and can no more with safety be delegated to private individuals than can the power to make penal statutes or levy laws for taxation. TABLE 7 Comparative Analysis of Two Theoretical Explanations of Personality . 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