Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-07-22
WILLIAM ]. BRYAN's SPEECH.

Here is the full text of William J.
Bryans speech before the Convention
Thursday, which gave rise to such a
remarkable outburst of enthusiasm,
and did SO much toward carrying the
Convention for his nomination.
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Convention:-I would be presumptu
GUS, indeed, to present myself against
the, distinguished gentlemen to whom
you have listened if this were but a
measuring of ability. but this is not a
citizen in all the land when clad in the
armor OF righteous cause is stronger
than the whole hosts error can bring.
Il come to speak to you in defence
OF cause holy as the cause of liberty
the cause of humanity.
when this debate is concluded a
motion will be made to lay upon the
table the resolution offered i'll CON
mendatlon OF the administration, and
also the resolution in condemna-
ton of the administration. shall OBJ
ject to bringing this question down to
a level of persons. The individual is
but an atom; he is born, he acts, but
principles are eternal and this has been
contest of principles. Never before
in the history of this country has there
been witnessed snch contest as that
through which we have passed. Never
before in the history of American poll
tics has a great issue been fought out
as this issue has been by the voters
themselves.
BEGINNING OF THE CRUSADE.
ION March 4, 1895, a few democrats
most of them members of Congress, is
sued ain address to the democrats of the
nation, asserting that the money ques
ton was the paramount issue OF the
hour; asserting also the right of ma
jority of the democratic party in con
troll the position of the party on this
paramount issue, and concluding witt
the request that all believers in free
coinage of silver in the democratic par
ty should organize and take charge O.
and control the policy of the democrat
ic party.
an organization was perfected, and thu
silver democrats went forth openly anC
boldly and courageousfy proclaimed
their belief, and declaring that if sue
cessful they would crystalline in plat
form the declaration which they hat
made. And then began the conflict
with a zeal approaching the zeal which
| inspired the crusaders who followed
Peter the Hermit.
"Our silver democrats went fortl
from victory unto victory until the,
are assembled now, not to discuss, no
to debate, but to enter up the judgmen
rendered by the plain people OF thi
country.
I'm this contest brother has been ar
rayed against brother and fathe
against son. The warmest ties o
love and acquaintance and association
have been disregarded. Old leader
have been cast aside when they refused
to give expression to the sentiments o
those whom they would lead, and new
leaders have sprung up to give dircc
| ton to this cause OF truth.
| Thus has the contest been waged
| and we have assembled here under a
binding and solemn instructions a
were ever fastened upon the represen
tatives of people. We do not come a
individuals. Why. as individuals W
might have been glad to compliment
| the gentleman from New York, Sena
| tor Hill, but we know that the peopl
| for whom we speak would never b
willing to put Kim in a position wher
he could thwart the will of the demo
cratic party.
NOT A QUESTION OF PERSONS.
81 said it was not question of pei
sons; it was a question of principle an
it is net with gladness, my friends, tina
we find ourselves brought into confiic
with those who are now arrayed on tn
other side.
1.-The gentleman who just precede
me, Governor Russell, spoke of the oil
State of Massachusetts. Let me assur
him that not one person in all this COZ
vention entertains the least hostility t
the people of the State of Massachr
sets. But we stand here representa-
people who are the equals before til
law of the largest citizens in the Stat
of Massachusetts,.
0"When you come before us and te
us that we shall disturb your bushes
interests, we reply that you have dis
turbed our business interests by you
course. We say to you that you hav
made too limited in its application tn
definition of business MAUI The ma
who is employed for wages is as muc
a business man as his employer. Th
attorney in a country town is as muc
a business man as the corporatio
counsel in q great metropolis. Th
merchant at the cross roads store Is
much q business man as merchant {
New York.
1.-THE farmer who goes forth in th
morning and tolls all day, begins in tn
spring and tolls all summer, and, b
the application of brains and muscle I
the natural resources of this countr.
creates wealth is as much bushes
man as the man who goes upon tn
Board of Trade and bets upon the pric
of grain. The miners who go OF
thousand feet into the earth or elm
two thousand feet upon the cliffs an
bring forth from their hiding place
the precious metals to be poured I'M
the channels of trade are as much bus
ness men as the few financial magnat'
who. in back room, corner the mone
market of the world.
1--WE come to speak for that broadt
class of business men. All, my friend
we say not one word against those wi
J live upon the Atlantic coast; but tho
, hardy pioneers who braved all the da
gers of the wilderness, who have mat
the desert to blossom as the rOse-tho
pioneers away out there, rearing the
children near to Natures heart, whel
they can mipgle their voices with IL
voices of the birds-out there whe
they have erected schoolhouses for Il
education of their young, and church
, where they praise their Creator, az
cemeteries where sleep the ashes
their dead. are as deserving OF the co
sideration of this party as any Peep
, | in this country.
, NOT A WAR OF CONQUEST.
ut is for these that we speak. v
do not come as aggressors. Our war
not war of conquest. We are figh
ing in the defence of our homes, o
families and posterity. We have pc
toned, and our petitions have be-
r scorned We have entreated, and Q
7 entreaties have been disregarded. Y
8 have begged, and they have mocks
and our calamity came.
I'VE beg no longer; we entreat
more; we petition 60 more. We de
them.
1.-The gentleman from Wisconsin b
said that he feared Robespierre. \
: friend, in this land of the free you ne
: fear no tyrant who will spring up fro
; among the people. What we need