Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-09
Free SILVER and the son,h.

FREQ silver and the South.
1T has been tho prevailing impression
Tor some time that the people OF the
Southern States are practically solid |
in favor OF the free and Unlimited |
coinage of silver
An incident at Chicago, Monday,
went far to prove how erroneous is this
impression. From the far.oif Southern
State of Texas q delegation Of sound,
money Democrats iourneyed to the con-
yention city, to make contest against
the free silver delegation from their
State. After looking over the field,
aud ascertaining the drift Of sentiment,
they decided to abandon their contest
but justified their position In issuing
the following address to the prblic:
Coming as we do from a Southern
State in which the party organization
has been usurped by political practices
of the most questionable character and
which, by such methods, has sent to
this Democratic convention delegation
committed to the furtherance and
enactment of heresy wholly alien to
Democratic principles and practices.
we desire to say to all true and loyal
Democrats here assembled from the
several States that we represent more
than one hundred thousand Democrats
whose patriotism will not tolerate the
degradation of our national honor, and
whose sense of honor and of humahjty
can never palliate the destruction of
individual credit nor the sacrifice of
the dearest interests of millions OF our
countrynien. We are here to contri-
butte, as best we may, to the preservation
and advancement of true Democratic
| principles, the perpetuation of party
existence and the upholding Of the
| honor and credit of our common coun-
| try.
We desire to say further that the
question Of the free and unlimited
coinage OF silver by this government
alone at the ratio of 16 to l has already
passed beyond the domain of argument,
and that our Democratic brethren of
the United States may prepare them
selves for the adoption by the CONVEX
tion OF most extreme views upon this
question. Upon this assumption, which
we know to be correct. we suggest that
! ii is the duty OF Democrats in this
crisis TO take measures for the preser-
| walton of the party, SO that its princi-
| pies may not perish from the earth.
| Acquiescence in the heresies about to
be foisted upon the party can only pro
mote its desti uction. If we would pre-
serve it, we must come out from among
those who have wandered off after
strange gods and who have even for
gotten tho moral law in their insane
eagerness to reach out and grasp an
unsubstantial mirage whose fanciful
promises. il carried into effect, must
lead to the disgrace of the nation and
tine utter destruction of the material
interests of the people.
We therefore suggest that the repre-
sentatives of honest Democracy here
assembled from the several States take
immediate action looking to the preser.
walton of our party from the inevitable
destruction now imminent in order
that its glorious principles may still
live and continue to bless the people of
these United States. The exigencies
of the situation admit neither of DELAY
nor attempts at fruitless efforts for
compromise. IL we would preserve the
party from destruction, we must act
now, unmindful of personal conse-
quences and regardless of aught save
devotion to party existence and unset.
fish feaIty to party principles.
This address is indicative of a sound.
money sentiment in the State of Texas
that might have resulted in sending a
different delegation TO Chicago had il
been made manifest earlier in the cam.
paign. And the same is doubtless true
of all the other Southern States The
friends of an honest finance were toe
slow in opposing the pernicious activity
of tho free silver coinage advocates,
and failed to realize the gravity of the
situation until the siverites had cap
tured the delegations to the Demo.
cratic National Convention.
There is no doubt that the Democ-
racy of the South Is being grossly mis-.
represented at Chicago. This is prac.
tically proven by the address which
the sound money Democrats of Texas
have sent to the country.