The herald., 1895-06-27
He Is Free to Confess Deep Interest in the
Silver Question

j. W. Mitchell OF TINS city, VINO some
days ago addressed communication to
Chairman Gould, requesting that he call
q meeting of the Democratic state central
committee to discuss the advisability OF
a Democratic state silver convention, has
received the following reply:
Dear Sir:-I am in receipt OF your
esteemed favcr requesting that the state
central committee be convened for the
purpose of calling convention of the
Democratic party to take position on
the silver question.
In your. accommodation you say that 'for
q member of oar party to stand iuly by
and ignore the importance of the epoch
through which we are passing at this
moment, is a confession of blindness TO
the signs of the times, indifference to our
future and G lack of patriotic solicitude
for our country's welfare unworthy OF
loyal Democrats. Every impulse of man
illness impels to action those who would
relieve the wants and burdens OF the peo-
ple;" and further: And while | should
dislike to yield tine strong convictions
now, as all good Democrats should be,
ready to bow to the superior wisdom of
our party, if it should in official con-
clave declare its opinion to the contrary
upon this great quetsion."
If at this time every impulse OF manll-
act shows Indifference to our future and
q lack of patriotic solicitude for our
country's welfare, it would appear that
some great moral principle was involved
--one to stay or defeat which would in
volve our nation in distress or dishonor.
If such be- the case, l can conceive of no
patriot who would bow in subnl ssion to
the dictates of any number Of men, even
in Democratic conclave assembled. Such
course would imply at once either a
lack of confidence ii ones own conyic-
tions or moral cowardice unworthy OF
loyal Democrat.
For my part, | desire to be distin tly
understood as being a Democrat simply
because the principles of chat party ap-
peal to my reason as just When the
time comes that | can no longer con-
scientiously subscrlbesto those principles,
l shall cease to act with that party. But
under no circumstances would l sur
render my right or insult my independent
manhood by acting with any party | be-
lieved by its course to be either dishonor
able or to be acting IN disregard of my
country's well-being. Furthermore. |
believe the greater number OF men who
compose our party are imbued with the
same patriotic sentiment, and preferring
their country's welfare TO their party's
success if the two be not compatible. If
such be the case, iJ can scarcely be pre-
sumed that the meeting in convention of
the few who would probably attend such
a convention, and the resolutions thus
adopted, would seriously affect the opin-
ion either os those who attended or OF
those who did not attend it.
l cannot now see how 1t would be prac-
ticable to call together convention in
this state whose conclusions could sup
plant the position taken by our party last
fall unless primaries and county conven-
tions he held which course. am satisfied,
would not meet with popular favor.
A Democratic state convention met last
fall in San Francisco, as numerous, as
able and as representative as any that
ever assembled in California. 1t came d.
rectly from the various county conyen-
tions the mem bers of which were in turn
selected by ballot at the various primaries
throughout the state. That ntion
announced the position of the party on
the silver question, as on other matters
then deemed to be important political is
sues, and | cannot but consider it rathe.
presum ptuous--no representatives to be
selected, and no means of bringing any
issues before the public existing except
by adopting resolutions-for me or for the
central comm ttee to assume that the
solemn declaration made by our last con-
vention, that convention which brought
this committee into existence, was a
blunder. and that another convention
should be called by us to rectify that err
ror.
1t may well be that a majority of our
party believe in the free coinage of silver
at the ratio Of l6 to l, and it may be that
4 majority of the party believe that q
state convention should be held to rean-
nounce the position OF the party on that
question. II the latter be the case, how
sver, am utterly unadvsed of such fact.
save by your letter, which | was honored
with some twenty -four hours after it was
given to the pu bic press.
! am free to confess a deep interest in
the silver question, as in every question
that looks to the welfare OF our people
do not think my record as public man
warrants the conclusion that l am either
unpatriotlc. indifferent to my country S
future, OF unmanly, but / cannot agree
with you that there is now, or that there
will be in the immediate fuure, any
urgent necessity or general demand for n
Democratic convention before the time
when political exigencies require our
party TO be so convened and when a
convention so Assem- bled will emanaie
from the great body of men composing
that party, and will be by them author
lied to announce policy that Will truly
represent their dem ands.
should a majority of our state central
committee. however, request that meet
ing be called. l, as an officer OF tnat com
mittee vested with the power of calling
such meeting. and in Difference thereto.
would certainly issue the call: bnt until
such expression is made, due courtesy to
that committee and to the convention
that created it compels me to mosl re-
spectfully decline to exercise the power
vested in me for SO unusual and unprece-
dented a purpose. especially as my own
judgment does not approve the act. Yours
respectfully, f. II. GOU LID.