The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-08-20

yer issue was uennltely settled ana
settled right, the consideration of all
are seriously divided should be post
poned, at least not pressed upon the
public legislative attention. Upon this
one supreme issue the great battle of
1896 is to be fought. For the first time
it has been. fairly presented without
evasion or disguise. Both parties have
taken their positions boldly. Both are
confident and defiant. Between the
American people are the arbiters and as
such they are now to pass judgment
upon the most important question pre-
scented to them since the storm of civil
war wrecked happy homes and left its
bloody trail upon the land.
| "The Chicago platform has been de-
nounced as undemocratic and the dele
gates composing the convention have
been stigmatized as anarchists and
socialists. We have heard of bolts of
certain class of papers and individuals
Sir, the man who holds up to opprobium
such men as constituted the Chicago
convention. who denounces them as
cranks, socialists and anarchists and who
in any way impugns their honesty and
designs, does himself an injustice. if he
be not Il slanderer, liar and Il fool That
| convention represented the great indus
| trial and producing masses of the people
| 'As leader they propose one of their
| Own-a plain man. His whole life and
life work identify him in sympathy and
| interest with those who represent the
great industrial forces of this country.
| Among them he was born and reared
| and has lived and wrought all the DAYS
| of his life. To their care he
has devoted all the splendid powers with
which God endowed him. He has been
| their fearless and consistent champion.
| They know him and they trust him.
Suave, yet firm; gentle, yet dauntless:
warmhearted. yet deliberate: confident
and self-pOised. equipped with large eX-
perience in public affairs, true to his
| convictions true TO himself and false to
no man, William j. Bryan is model
American gentleman and peerless lead
er of his people This man is our lead
er. Under his banner and guided by his
wisdom. we will go forth to conquer. Let
as rally everywhere on hill tops and
strike for loved ones and our native
land. l have no doubt of victory.
ut is sure to come as we have got the
sun, and it will come like a sunburst.
scattering the mists and the nation. eX-
a giant refreshed. to the high destiny it
was destined to accomplish. This man
will be president His administration
will be shining epoch in our history.
for he will leave behind him name
made illustrous by great achievements
| and by deeds that will embalm him for
ever in the hearts and memory of his
countrymen
''Mr. Bryan. esteem it a great honor.
as it certainly is n pleasure, to be made
the instrument of informing you that you
were nominated for the office of president
of the United States by the democratic
national convention. which assembled in
Chicago in July last. | hand you this
formal notice of your nomination, accom-
panied by copy of a platform adopted
at that convention. and upon that plat
| form | have the honor to request your
acceptance of the honor thus conferred
on you. You are the candidate of the
democratic party, but You are more than
that-yOu are the candidate of all the
people without regard to party. who be-
lieve in the purposes of your election and
intend to accomplish it.
''The battle must be fought on ground
high above the level of craftsmanship. |
hope to see you unfurl the flag in the
name of America and American man
hood In saying this / but repeat the
expressed wish of the convention which
nominated you. Do this and the coun-
try will have millions of money at its
command. Lead on and we will follow
Who will not follow here is unworthy to
lead in any cause. Lead on with I'M
faltering step and may Gods blessing
attend you and His Omnipotent Hand
crown you with success.
Turning to the presidential candidate,
who sat ut his elbow. as he finished his
speech, with formal address to Mr..
Bryan, the Missouri governor placed in
the Nebraskan's hand a roll of parch-
ment bearing the notification proper.
Ten minutes of chaos followed. Bryan
stood alone at the front of the stage,
with outstretched hands, asking for
silence, while the audience stood on
chairs, cheering fiercely and repeatedly
and shouting his name in chorus.
Talking from railroad trains had told
plainly upon his voice; its huskineSs was
apparent and it could not begin to fill
the hall until he warmed up to his task.
Unlike his Chicago speech. Mr.. Bryan
read his address from manuscript. He
spoke slowly and was interrupted with
frequent voeys of cheers. Following
is his speech in full:
MIR. BRYAN'S SPEECH.
"Mr Chairman. Gentlemen of the Com
mittee and Fellow CitiZens-I shall ut a
future day and in formal letter accept
the nomination which is now rendered by
the notification committee. and | shall
at lIHt lllilt toufl upon lne ISSUES pre-
scented by the platform. 1t is flirting.
however. that at this time in the pres
encc of those here assembled. | speak ut
some length in regard to the campaign
upon which we are now entering. We do
not underestimate the forces arrayed
against us, nor are we unmindful of the
Importance of the struggle in which we
are engaged. but relying for success upon
the righteousness of our cause we shall
defend with all possible vgor the posi-
tons taken by our party. We are not
surprised that some of our opponents.
in the absence of better argument. resort
to abusive epithets. but they may rest
assured that no language. however vio-
lent no invcctives however vehement.
will lead MS to depart single hairs
breadth for the course marked out by the
national convention. The citizen. either
public or private. who assails the char
acter and questions the patriotism of the
millions who have arrayed themselves
under the banner there raised
SOCIETY.
at has been charged by men standing
high in business and political circles that
our platform is menace to private Sc
curity and public safety: and it has been
asserted that those whom | have the
honor for the time being to represent not
only mediate an attack upon the rights
of property, but are the foes Of social