The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-03
C~4FFERT'S SPEECH.
The Chicago Declaration the 'sh'naei OF
PI,tforms-So Obligation 10 ~>upportIt

ever conferred upon me. ,h s,,,-
"Charged hy cur party WIN the .unv
ton Of ministering In us tempe u Sor-
and teaching the people IT'S uue uV,s.
,rS'es our nriests have desecrated lts
ai,ars broken It's shrincs, ana taueht
false doctrines to the people. W. nov
onter the sanctuary Oh u ~ ,Re COW.
Grant of our faith, which we VIII mere
after yigilantly guard. protect, d1u ".
fenG. We will purify It's uesectat.u 1',"l,
the hearts OF the people ne stolen away
from true Democratic falth--'ne lhltn VI
orr fsthers and founders-we must sepI.
rate from our brethren ~ho 1dNS "lorsp'
this evil and from those mo nu,V I'll
loved tfeir evil teaching. we cannon lol-
low them in the road they have thken'
for their feet are swift to lestructi4n
and their way is the way OF u'dtI.
ties that bound US were Is 49, hem
looks OF steel, and We part ITO" 'ne"'
LOYALTY TO party discipline and organ,
zo.ion has ever been the pride ana
strength OF our party. Loyalty 10 prlHS!-
nla has ever been and VIII ever ne lts
cardinal and leading tenet paramount 70
all others, binding In conscience anu su"
ing the action OF every true DeIn0cra,'
NOT BOUND TO CHICAGO
ar we do net look into evidences 10
show the Michigan frauds and other de-
yious acts and practices designed 10 PACK
The convention, the Chicago platform mas
the stamp OF our party ana cairns l'S
olleciance. But il is a mere iinulacrum-
a form without the substance of De-
mocracv and no Democrat Is bound ny
IN. nor is il entitled TO his realty. Inc
declarations of that platform are open
nil ND and fragrant departures from
ali that Democracy has stood for. They
assail the money standard or the couh-
try and declare for the inflated ana de-
| preciated standard OF free silver at ~
..Thcy assail the right and power OF
the Executive to enforce the law ana 10
protect property under the control ana
I'M the custody OF the Federal cours, IN
any State I'm the Union; they attack the
integrity OF a coordinate bralcn of the
Government; they declare that the func-
lions Of issuing paper MONEY Is TO be
exclusively eyercisec by the government
Itself: they assail the right u me citlzeh
to contract payment in any legitimate
commodity. for they declare that me
obligations OF the Government for which
gold was received. and for the payment
OF which in the sem coin the national
faith Is pledged. may he paid m a de
preciated ccin. And We declare that each
and all OF these attacks and declarations
are un-DcmCcratic They are an assault
upon the c. nstitution. the time-honored
principles OF the Democratic party, and the
distinguished patriot and statesman who
has twice led 1t To the only victories IL
has achieved in thirty-sX years.
ISHMAEL or PLATFORMS.
III Is tlf lNUllifl ~ fttAifl ms II
raises it's hands against some Of the prlr-
ciples Of both parties and nearly all the
principles OF the Democratic party. IL
is b~egotten OF the unhallowed union be
tween Democracy. Populism. and An
arshv. And that the Scriptures may be
fulfilled. ~ will be a fugitive and a wan
dcrer On the face OF the earth
we hold tfat no argument Is needed
TO show the revolutionary and anarchistic
character OF the doctrine that the laws
gsurrf no anfQrp91 in a state to prOfpff
property Y hich is tie jurisdiction OF Fed
eral courts or 10 protect the United
States mails or that the Supreme Court
ought 10 be reCrganized. or that the na-
tional honor should be stained or the ma
tional faith be violated. or that the free
dom o. private contract ought 10 be linn
tied. or that the function of issuing paper
money ought to be exclusively exercised
by the Federal Government. We hold
that the theory Of free coinage OF silver
with gold at the ratio OF rs TO l admits
of argument. but we hold that the weight
Of authority. the strength OF reasoning.
and the facts OF history all point 70 its
fallacy and the ruinOuS consequences or
its adoption. We hold that II VIII rob
the poor man Of his wages and the rich
man Of his wealth. the widow OF her say-
ines. the child OF his patrimony. the sol
der OF his pension. the industrious Of his
toll. and the inventor OF reward OF his
genius. We hold that II VIII demoralize
and seriously disturb the immediate trade
anu commence ~ NN' AII1'f w ~
the country 20 a discredited. deprecated,
and depreciafing standard. s,nite our
finances as with a palsy. and trade win
a blight. We hold that the nations
credit will fall PROSTATE, it's obligations
will be d%ishcnored. and its unsullied cnar-
acter Will be stained with fraud ana oe-
ceit.
MANY MISGUIDED.
1--WE clam that these are
true. established by historical iact. by
| unanswerable ressCn. the opinions OF the
! most distinguished political economists
and the common sense and Common nom
esty of the largest portion or our ieAoW-
The credulity and cupidity OF some OF
our good citizens have been played upon
| and aroused by arttul fanatics and cum
| many honest. PATRIOTS and intelligent
men who cling with all the strength OF
conviction 10 the specious Dnt unsound
theory OF blmeta!lism at Is 10 /. IL thcir
theory is denounced as false and per
niciOus no imputation IS cast upOn their
character nor any sur upon their lnteh1-
eence.
'~Tho free coinage of silver is and has
been since Mr.. C~levelands Inauguration
the supreme o~vcrshadowing Issue before
the country. UIon that issue the Presl-
dent and 4 ajority OF MS party TOOK
opposite slices. in consequerce lie mas
been powerless 20 effect financial reforms
and secure imrmrTity from gold-raidIhg
on the Treasury.
Since the Inception OF th- struggle for
free silver no compromise has been pos
slble. Cur brethren knew hat the battle
was one 10 the death. The nominee OF
the so-called Democratic party has on
several occasions proclaimed the irrecon-
cilable nature Of the conflict. 1t is a Mt
ting oulmirP ton OF such a contest Tor
our brethren to obtain allies from Popu-
lism at the price Of Incorporating us
nefanous dcctriI es In their platform snd
attempting TO pass them on as genuine
Democracy. 1t vas M that 10 a degraded
and deprecated currency should be add
ed an assassin ated judiciary and a power
less Executive.
TO PRESERVE DEMOCRACY.
"Frllow-Citizcns, we are not traitors TO
our party. We are in the hands OF our
fathers. We cannot be driven from II. We
VIII defend the honor OF our country and
the integrity Of Cur principles as long IS
life endures. We can neither be ousted OF
our political kcritage nor forced into the
ranks OF our old-time adversary. We In
tend 20 preserve intact. nninlpatred and
unsulhed. by inc through the orgeniza-
ticn which We perfect to-day. the De
and Cleveland. We propose TO furnish a
refuge ard an abiding place TOR such
OF our brethren as, shocked and grleyed
at tho betrayal Of our principles at Chi
cage. are incliEed TO so 10 the Republi-
| can camp.
The principles OF Democracy are i'm
| perishable. They are antagOnis;ic To the
| paternalism OF the Republican and the
Socialist. the testructiveness OF the An
a~rchist. and the ysgarieS or the iniiatlOa'
ist end rerudistor. Byron wrote: While
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