The record-union., 1896-09-13

| erty regulated by just and equal laws,
and If possible avert from the country
reputation, bankruptcy and national
dishonor.
| Il accept the unsought honor and re-
| sponsibility imposed upon me by the
National Democratic Convention. ac-
cept them as proof that my Democratic
fellow-citizens confide in my devotion
to Democratic principles, so clearly and
accurately defined in the proceedings of
| the convention. 1t was known to the
delegates to the convention before this
| honor was conferred upon me, and is
we'll understood by the country that my
public services commenced more than
| nifty years ago, and that since that time
| have taken an active, earnest part in
the discussion and settlement of every
public question which had at the time
sufficient Importance to attrac. popu-
lar attention. My opinions and my pub
/ lie acts have been an open book, to be
read by my contemporaries. have been
at all times controlled by my own con-
victions of duty and / have now no one
whom can properly invite to share my
responsibilities. Taught by Jefferson,
/ opposed slavery when it existed. In
spired by Jackson, / defended the union
| of the States to the extent of my ability,
and, influenced by his example, when
my conduct as a military officer was
| challenged as violative of law, / volun-
| tarily submitted myself to the jursdic-
1 tion Of the civil courts. When Governor
of my adopted State, while opposed. and
| by peaceful means successfully resisted
\ the interference of the United States by
| it's military forces in the purely local
| concerns of the State, / distinctly con-
ceded the right and asserted the duty Of
| that Government to enforce within the
States, or elsewhere, its own laws by its
own agencies.
"The convention held in Indianapolis
declares with force and exactnesS the
| Democratic doctrines with respect to
| taxation, whether by tariff excuses or by
/ direct imposition and asserts that none
of these can be rightfully imposed ex-
| cept for public purposes and not for
private gain, and reaffirms the historic
| Democratic doctrine of a tariff for rev.
enue only
| 1T is then asserted by the convention
| in its declaration of principles that in
| the experience of mankind it is shown
that by reason of their natural quail
| ties gold is the necessary money of the
| large affairs Of commerce and business.
1
minor transactions, and the most bene-
| fetal use of both together can be insured
only by the adoption of the former as a
| standard of monetary measure and the
| maintenance Of silver at parity with
gold by it's limited coinage under safe
guards Of law. Thus the largest posi-
| bic enjoyment of both metals is gained
with value universally accepted
| throughout the world, which constitutes
| the only practical bimetallic currency
| assuring the most stable standard, and
especially the best and safest money for
all who earn their livelihood by labor
or the produce Of husbandry.
The advocates of the unlimited coin
| age of full legal tender silver do not
| agree as to what will be the conse-
quence of the adoption by the United
| States of their favorite measure The
more intelligent know that it is impossi-
BILE by law to give to silver bullion or
| silver coin local value in the United
| States; and therefore Mr.. Bryan, who
mast be regarded as the official inter
prefer of the free silver dogma, asserts
| his belief that the unlimited coinage of
| legal tender silver by the United States
alone would increase the value Of silver
| bullion, which is to-day 81 cents per
that under unlimited coinage the silver
dollar, containing 41212 grains of stand
ard silver coined by authority of the
United States, would be Of equal ac-
ceptab bility and value with the dollar
containing % $40 grains Of standard
gold in all the markets Of the world.
1T is something that this opinion has
no support in the experience of man
kind 1t is enough for present pur-
poses to say it has no foundation other
than the confident assertions of those
who share in that belief. No party in
the country ever undertook so much
as do the advocates of the unlimited
coinage Of silver. They not only under
take to maintain commercial parity in
value of about S434 5O2, ,O41 silver dol
lars already coined by the United
States, under the authority of the Acts
of the 2Sth of February 1873, and of
July IA, 1880, and of all the silver dol
lars that hereafter may be coined but
they assume the task of advancing the
value of the silver coinage of all the
nations of the world to an equal ac-
ceptability and value with coins of
gold
Accepting their claim that under free
coinage the dollar OF silver would be-
come of equal acceptability and value
and equal power in the markets. and in
the payment of debts throughout the
civilized world. the silver dollar would
then be as difficult to procure as the
dollar OF gold is now. They complain
now that the dollar of gold has too
much purchasing power and is too
difficult to obtain. But the real expec-
tation of the great body of supporters
of the free coinage of silver, and one
much more in harmony with the expe-
rience of mankind is that the unlimited
coinage of silver would give to the
country a deprecated and cheaper dol
| lar, which would enhance nominal val
! ues and be used in the payment of
debts, but would be attended and fol-
lowed by the ruin of all industries the
destruction Of public and private credit
and irreparable mischiefs
Our platform commits us to the
maintenance of the Democratic faith
Many of our associates, deluded by de-
ceptive sophistries, are supporting a
coalition which disavows the tradi-
tional faith of the Democratic party
The best we can hope for them is that
they may be defeated and when de-
feated, they may return to the safe
paths that they have heretofore
trodden.'
When Senator Palmer had concluded
and the applause had subsided the au-
dience sang a verse Of "Old Kentucky
Home" Senator Palmer was presented
with three American Beauty roses as
he took his seat