Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-19
CALL TO DEMOCRATS.
Sound Money Committee issues Its Appeal to
the Country.

details can be obtained from John i. HOP
There was meeting of the national ex
ecutive committee of the sound money
Democracy at which the whole commit
tee-excepting Gen. Tracy of New York
who was detained by the committee
business was pryent. Those in attend
ance were Messrs.o w. y. Bynum of Indi-
ana Sam Holding of Ohio. w. b. Halde-
man OF Kentucky. r.. b. Usher of Wis
consin. f. w. Cntcheon of Minnesota. f
H. Lehman of Missouri. John II. Hopkins
of illinois, j. NJ. FaIkner of Alabama and
j. X. Wilson of indianapolis. the secre-
tary.
The principal message that called the
committee together WAS the preparation
ami adoption of an address to the Demo
cratic voters of the country.
A subcommittee was chosen to draft
the address. The whole committee Went
into session on the address as drafted
and four hours later gave out the follow
ing:
To the Democrats of the United States:
The Democratic party is the only eX-
listing political organization with Il hiss
tory extending back TO the birth of the
republic. Party after party has at
tempted its overthrow. Some have
achieved temporary triumphs With each
triumph was heard the prophecy that the
has survived all defeats. BY virtue of its
ndeStrGctible principles il has Witnessed
he birth aud death of every rival save
)ne. and this, its present great antagon-
years, had no part in laying the founda-
lion of constitutional popular govern
nent. For more than Il century. men of
Aigh principles, noble ambitions, unseifish
md patriotic aims. have adhered to the
Democratic party with consistency of de-
Votion unparalleled in the history of poll
tics. For more than century. through
good and evil report. in times of prosper
ity and days of adversely, it has kept it's
faith
Without variablencss or shadow OF
turning. it has kept fast to the funda-
mental principles of free government
formulated by it's founders and subse-
Iuenuy enforced by its great leaders
from jefferson to Cleveland. For more
han 4 century no man was ever in doubt
rs to what constituted Democracy. He
Nho proclaimed himself Il Democrat de-
ined his principles He believed and this
vas the cardinal article OF his faith. in
he ability of every individual unassiSted.
+ unfettered by law. to achieve his own
happiness: and, therefore. that to every
,itzen there should he secured the right
md opportunity peace2hly TO pursue
whatever course of conduct he would.
Individual Of the equal enjoyment of the
Same right and opportunity. He stood for
'reedom of speech. freedom OF confidence,
reedom of trade and freedom of contract.
III of which are implied by the century
Did battle cry Of the Democratic party.
individual liherty." As Il couse queuCe,
very Democratic believed in the rule Of
aw and the rule of an impartial law Ia
he unhesitating protection. not only OF
he lives of citizens but OF the private
lights and property. and in the enforce
nent of obedience to duly constituted uu-
ihority.
Every true Democrat insisted upon a
strict observance of the mandates OF the
'ederal constitution and of the limitations
herein prescribed. as well as upon a loyal
uppo:t of all the institutions thereby
'reated to be guarantees of the liberty il
sought to perpetuate. He profoundly dis
believed in the ability of government,
through patcrnal legislation or super
Jisiou. to increase the happiness of the
tation. He was opposed to all attempts
o coniure comfort into the homes of It's
.itizenS or wealth into their pockets. He
believed that it is the function of govern
nent to provide the people with an honest
and stable medium of exchange. thus
enabling them to transact their business
safely and conveniently in every market
IN the world. He reprobated every at
empt to supply to money by means OF
egisation that value which il can possess
)nly by reason of those qualities that
'ender it acceptable TO the world unsup-
ported by legislatv fat. He believed in
he greatest measure of freedom of trade
md industry compatible with the ncccS-
;ity to obtain by constitutional means an
adequate revenue for the support of the
government. He believed in simple
economical, honest and efficient adminis-
ration of the affairs of the nation. to tho
md that the prime object of government
the liberty OF the people should be pre-
burden and the greatest possible cor
tainty.
With such a record and such a creed,
he President moreover being Demo-
rat elected on Il platform reatfirming the
sound principles of Democracy. the Demo-
cratic party was called upon to select del
gates TO a national convention.
The delegates to the convention held at
Chicago We're authorized and had the
power TO proclaim Il platform embody-
ng their views of the true solution of the
Aow agitating the nation. but upon The
condition that such platform should Toe
consistent with the cardinal principles
held by the party throughout its exist
nnce. These principles constitute the cs-
;ential element of the party's life. They
distinguish ii from all other political or
yanizationS. If they are abandoned the
party ceases TO exist 1t was. therefore
not within the power of any maioritY of
the delegates assembled at Chicago to.
bind the Democrats of the United States
10 a platform inconsistent with the par
tvs principles. or to any action that
should result in their surrender.
In violation of the trust committed to
hem, majority of the delegates assem-
bled in that convention. ignoring the
rights of the minority, unseated regularly
elected delegates to make place for others
IN sympathy with themselves. They pro-
claimed "A sectional combination of the
South and West against the North and
East. They impeached the honesty and
patriotism Of President Cleveland, VINO,
under exceptional embarrassInents pro-
duced by past errors of legislation. has
heroically maintained the honor and in
tegrity of the republic. Against the pro-
test OF one-third of the delegates. they
promulgated a platform at variance with
the essential principles Of the Democratic
party.
This platform in its policies is danger
Gus to the welfare and life of free gov
ernment. 1t is mischievouS in its tendcn-
cies. But oVermore threatening and mis-
chievoUs was the spirit of the convention
that adopted it: a spirit manifested not
alone by it's affirmative action. but as Well
by its reckless rejection of every PROPOSE
ton tending to temper the declarations of
the convention with conservatism and
Justice.
The platform proposes to degrade the
coin of the United States by means of
free. unlimited and independent coinage
of silver by our government and by the
exercise of the power of the nation to
compel the acceptance of deprecated
coins at their nominal value thereby
working an injustice TO creditors de-
frauding the laborer of large part of
his earnings and savings. robbing pen
stoned soldiers of a part of their pensions.
contracting the currency by the expulsion
of gold coin from circulation. iniurug. If
not destroying. domestic trade and for
eiSn commerce.
While processing to advocate a pol
icy of bimetallism, it censures the
present Democratic administration for
maintaining the parity of gold and sill