Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-27
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.
Its Nomiuees-The United Supreme
Court, Again.

To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
In determining to vote for Messrs.
Bryan and Sewall as the nominees of the
Chicago convention three considerations
are deemed sufficient
1. After having attended the discussion
at Belvidere Hail between the Hon Mr..
Bailey and his opponents, and with the
aid OF such other information as / pos
sessed, 1 went to our city primary and
voted for "sound-money" delegates. under
the pledge which was required. am UNI
willing now TO assume any POSI-
ton in which I would have TO
defend to myself or others the
propriety OF violating that pledge. In
former years have kept out OF conven-
lions here in Richmond when I did not
wish to be bound by their action
The cry Sound money Is an unmean-
ing shibboleth until II Is defined. No one
Is so foolish as to admit that he Is an
advocate of unsound money. The Repuo-
leans are now willing TO depend tor IL
upon international bimetallism. The re-
peated conferences which have been helo
on that subject have proved that such an
international agreement is improbable and
impractcable. Even II IL were attained,
IL would require considerable time to for-
mulate II and put i'm practical operation
and in no very long period II would De
broken up by the necessary autonomy OF
Independent and Jealous countries by the
natural laws of trade and commerce,
which are as irresistible as the tides of
the oceans. and by the avaricious greed
OF syndicates and money changers, which
is as sharp as the guillotine and as I'M
scrupulous as Beelzebub. In the mean
while they say "laisser nous faire," ana
the country has to suffer on.
The Chicago platform says that the
free and unlimited coinage Of gold and
silver at the ratio by weight of 16 parts
OF silver to 1 OF gold. and making both
kinds of coin an equal legal-tender. VIII
furnish Sound money" and restore ma
tional prosperity.
The seceders from that platform, which
they In a fair convention endeavored 10
defeat, contend that the only safety ana
soundness are in a single gold standard
with limited silver coinage for subsidiary
purposes in the transactions OF business
and to be legal-tender to small eX-
tent.
The people will never be satisfied until
n fair trial is made of the free coinage or
convention has started for them the auro-
Argentine train OF the progressive De-
mocracy, and they are boarding II In
great numbers.
By its call, ,ts constitution, and its
objects, the assemblage at Chicago was
the legitimate National Democratic Con-
vention and / feel bound by its "arbi-
trament." Akr Cleveland has been sort
of political magnus Apollo with me, ana
I regret that l have TO make choice bes
tween his precept TO Mr.. Clarke ard ms
example. In so doing they say the ad-
vice OF Mr.. Bryan to Mr.. Garden Will
have to be rejected. Let IT be So The
die is cast"
2. The Chicago platform has some re-
cognition OF the fundamental principles
OF State sovereignty and States rights;
and there is a huge difference between
the animus Of the Republican party and
OF that large majority of the Democratic
part. which IL represented by Bryan
and Sewall. This difference of anlmus
will greatly affect the action OF Congress,
of the President. and OF the Supreme
Court OF the United states. With all its
paramount Importance, the question
about gold and silver coinage is not the
only one OF great concern to our
people that will come before
Congress and the President, and pro-
baby the Supreme Court during the
four years of the next administration;
and | cannot in the remotest degree ala
In replacing the Republican party in
power.
3. Like Mr.. Bourke Cochran, l am op-
posed to "the distinctive principles" OF
Mr. Mckinley; but unlike him, am ut
terly "unreconciled" to the idea of pro-
noting, directly or indirectly the cleo
ton of a man with McKinley's record
TO the presidency. General Paimers Is
little better. He and General Buckner
are both natives of Kentucky. and have
both been her Governors, but under very
different regimes. Loyal Governor
Palmer would not have suffered rebel
and traitor Buckner to vote even for
constable.
General Palmer. in his written speech
accepting his nomination, says that ne
and his co-nomlnee Were then repre-
sentative of opposing opinions on funda-
mental questions relating TO the powers
of the United States. and OF the respec-
tive States under the Constitution" Now.
suppose that. instead OF marching TO
the battlefield, they had been sent to
Congress- or elevated TO the bench OF the
Supreme Court, would not their diGer-
ences OF opinion on these fundamental
questions have greatly influenced their
actions and decisions I'm constitutional
measures and cases? How can the en-
sanguined theatres OF war ever deter
mine fundamental questions OF political
principles? They may stife opposition
and enforce submission; yet, the con-
uuered may have had the sound logic
and real justice of the controversy; but
their conquerors had the men and bread
and meat to feed them, and the powder
and the bullets; whilst the right and the
wrong are as much unsettled as ever.
Wars settle only questions of power,
possession, and conduct; never can adj
Indicate those Of right and wrong
opinions. Now, the two opposing gene
rails have closed the bloody chasm, very
properly; but has either or them changed
his fundamental principles? II so. which
one?
Wanting his own "nationalism." Gene
raj Buckner charges the Chicago bimetal-
lie Democracy with sectionalism IL
the bimetallists are sectional. because
they build up the interests OF the greedy
sllver-miner." what are the goldites,
when they are seeking to build up the
interests OF the generous % gold-miner?
As one who has a high estimate Of the
noble science OF law, OF the legal profess
sion and its sagutary preventative In
huences in public affairs. l have felt
special interest In the parts Of the Demo-
cratic platform which relate 10 the
United States Supreme Court, and have
noticed the attacks, some OF them very
virulent which have been made upon
them. Since I presented some comments
on this subject in a former article, the
indianapolis convention have promulged
their platform. in which Is the following
declaration: THE Supreme Court of the
United States was wisely established by
the trainers Of our Constitution as one
Of the three coordinate branches Of the
Government Its independence and au-