As the gold men spoke, Bryan ate a sandwich to settle his stomach; he was often nervous before major speeches. 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. Both men spoke to hundreds of thousands of people from their chosen venues. The attorney in a country town is as much a businessman as the corporation counsel in a great metropolis. The income tax is a just law. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. [31], Many state conventions elected delegates pledged to support bimetallism in the party platform. He did for Rome what Jackson did when he destroyed the bank conspiracy and saved America. UPTO 50% OFF ON ALL PRODUCTS. The silver campaign of 1896 was a big controversy among the people. BRYAN: CROSS OF GOLD. Cleveland issued a statement urging Democratic voters to support goldthe next convention to be held, in Illinois, unanimously supported silver; the keynote speaker prayed for divine forgiveness for Cleveland's 1892 nomination. . [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. It was not in any concerted or open action, however, that Bryan had his strength; it was in the friendly predisposition of the mass of the delegates that he had hopes.[30]. They are also most often funny. 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. He mocked McKinley, said by some to resemble Napoleon, noting that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Some of the impoverished died of disease or starvation; others killed themselves.[15]. Pursuant to this promise, government gold reserves dwindled over the following three years. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The memorable speech was given at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ; D. The Democratic Party understood the economy from the point of view of workers and farmers. They complain about the plank which declares against the life tenure in office. 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. The government pledged to stand behind the silver dollars and treasury notes issued under the act by redeeming them in gold. Because upon the paramount issue in this campaign there is not a spot of ground upon which the enemy will dare to challenge battle. 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. [1], Bryan later described the silence as "really painful" and momentarily thought he had failed. 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. [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. Some, wrote another reporter, like demented things, divested themselves of their coats and flung them high in the air. The next day the convention nominated Bryan for President on the fifth ballot. [84][85] On the second ballot, Bryan still stood second, but had gained as other candidates had fallen away. He then lowered them, descended from the podium, and began to head back to his seat as the stillness held. Advocates of the gold standard attributed the decline to advances in production and transportation. Never before in the history of American politics has a great issue been fought out as this issue has been by the voters themselves. "[55] Hill gave a calm speech defending the gold position, and swayed few delegates. [53] Tillman's speech, scheduled to be the only one in support of silver except Bryan's, was so badly received that Senator Jones, who had not planned to speak, gave a brief address asserting that silver was a national issue. The warmest ties of love and acquaintance and association have been disregarded. 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. Bryan made a speech called "Cross of Gold", which had a strong reaction with the audience and included religious imagery. South Carolina Senator Benjamin Tillman was to be the other pro-silver speaker, and originally wished to close the debate. They tell us that the income tax ought not to be brought in here; that is not a new idea. Among those who spoke against the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was Nebraska Representative William Jennings Bryan. The money went for speakers, pamphlets, and other means of conveying their "sound money" campaign to the voter. The "Cross Of Gold" speech was a speech by William which helped propel the convention to nominate him as a Democratic presidential candidate. Our war is not a war of conquest. "[1], As Bryan spoke his final sentence, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus, he placed his hands to his temples, fingers extended; with the final words, he extended his arms to his sides straight out to his body and held that pose for about five seconds as if offering himself as sacrifice for the cause, as the audience watched in dead silence. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information, this presentation may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Why this change? 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. The full text of William Jenning Bryan's famous "Cross of Gold" speech appears below. He favored the monetary policy . [105] Author and political commentator William Safire, in his political dictionary, traced the term "trickle-down economics" (common in the Reagan era) to Bryan's statement that some believe that government should legislate for the wealthy, and allow prosperity to "leak through" on those below. [95] However, Bryan did gain the support of the Populists, as well as a convention of Silver Republicans. The President's move was opposed by the Democratic Governor of Illinois, John Altgeld. But note the change. [13], The effects of the depression which began in 1893, and which continued through 1896, ruined many Americans. He sent letters to national convention delegates, urging them to support silver, and enclosing copies of his photograph, writings, and speeches. William Jennings Bryan and the Cross of Gold Speech - US 101 - YouTube In 1896, former Nebraska Congressman William Jennings Bryan became the Democratic nominee for President by delivering. With the powerful words he used, Bryan showed his support to the Populists. The majority of cartoons are from the 1908 campaigan, but there cartoons that feature 1920 election and Bryan's borther Charles Bryan. [79] He soon retired from the convention, returning to his hotel to await the outcome. [27] However, part of his strategy was to remain inconspicuous until the last possible moment at the convention. [90] The only paper to predict, after Bryan gave his speech, that he would not be nominated was The Wall Street Journal, which stated, "Bryan has had his day". There was loud cheering as Bryan stood there, waiting for his audience to calm. "[56], Vilas quickly lost his audience, which did not want to hear Cleveland defended. [51], The debate on the platform opened at the start of the third day of the convention, July 9, 1896. Speakers in some states cursed Cleveland; the South Carolina convention denounced him. 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? We have begged, and they have mocked when our calamity came. 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. I am in favor of an income tax. 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. [1][78], Now, Bryan was ready to conclude the speech, and according to his biographer, Michael Kazin, step "into the headlines of American history". If they say bimetallism is good but we cannot have it till some nation helps us, we reply that, instead of having a gold standard because England has, we shall restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States have. They could only beg them to spare the party the humiliation of broken traditions and the overthrowing of established control. [106] Historian R. Hal Williams suggested that the opposite philosophy, of legislation for the masses leading to prosperity for all, advocated by Bryan in his speech, informed the domestic policies of later Democratic presidents, including Franklin Roosevelt with his New Deal.[107]. 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. 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. 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. They manufactured that leader in the convention, a fabrication in which Bryan was only too happy to assist.[108]. In 1896 William Jennings Bryan gave possibly his most famous speech, " The Cross of Gold" Speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Not to be brought in here ; that is not a spot of upon... The enemy will dare to challenge Battle to support bimetallism in the air some to resemble Napoleon, noting he... Speakers, pamphlets, and they have mocked when our calamity came by some resemble! 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