The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-23
Mr.. SEWALL'S SPEECH.
The Terse and Weighty Utterances of
the Candidate for Vice President,

lf1G TOT
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen OF ths
coInmittee-You have given me Of
fetal notice of my selection by the
Democratic National convention as its
candidate for Vice-President. For the
courteous terms of your message and
the kind personal expressions l thank
you. Having been present at that
great convention, can more truly es-
innate the honor it's action has con-
ferred 1t was the greatest and most
earnest convention in the history OF
our party. It was closer and more
in touch with the people. The dele
gates were there to voice the senti-
ments of their constituents, the people
of the party, for the people OF the par
ty controlled and conducted that CON
vention.
The Democracy of the country real
ICES that all the great principles of
our party are as potent and essential
to the well-being of the country to-
day as they have always been, and as
they ever will be. But the overshad-
owing issue before the country now,
made dominant by the distressed con-
dition prevailing throughout our land,
is the demand for reform in our exist
ing monetary system.
Our party, and, we believe, great
majority of the American people, are
convinced that the legislation of 1873,
demonetiZing silver, was wrong in
fiicted upon our country, which should
and must be righted.
We believe that the single gold
standard has so narrowed the base of
our monetary structure that it is un-
stable and unsafe and so dwarfed in it's
development and in its power to fur
nish the necessary financial blood to
the nation that commercial and indus
trial paralysis has followed.
We believe that we need and must
have the broad and expanding founda-
tion of both gold and silver to support
monetary system strong and stable,
capable Of meeting the demands of a
growing country and an Industrious,
energetic and enterprising people,
system that will not be weakened
and panic-stricken by every foreign
draft upon us, q system that will main
tain a parity of just values and the
nations money and protect US from
the frequent fiuctuasions Of to-day, so
disastrous to every business and in
dustry of the land.
We demand the free coinage OF silver.
the opening Of our minis to both mon
ev metals without determination, the
return to the money Of our fathers,
the money of the Constitution, gold
and silver
We believe this is the remedy and
the only remedy for the evil from
which we are now suffering, the evil
that is now so fast devastating and
impov ilsIing our land AMI people,
bringing poetry to our homes and
bankruptcy r. our business, which. #
allowed to continue, will grow until
our very institutions are threatened.
The decentralization of silver has
thrown the whole primary money
function on gold. Restore the money
function to silver, approaching its
value, and it's purchasing power wilIin-
crease. Take from gold its monopoly,
its value,will be reduced, and in due
course the parity of the two metals will
again obtain under natural causes.
We shall then have a broad and I'M
limited foundation for a monetary svs-
tenn, commensurate with our country's
needs and future development. not
the unsafe basis of to-day, reduced
by half by the removal OF silver and
continually undermined by foreigners
carrying from us our gold.
This is the reform to which we, are
pledged, the reform the people de-
Inand, the return to the monetary
system of over eighty years Of our
national existence.
The Democratic party has already
given it's approval and its pledge. Our
opponents admit the wisdom of the
principle for which we contend, but
ask US to await permission and CO.
operation Of other nations.
Our people will not wait They will
not ask permission of any nation on
earth to relieve themselves of the