The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-06

CHICAGO, July J.--Thc gold mass
meeting last night was marked by the
absence OF David u. Hill, William C.
Whitney was present, but did not
speak. The principal speech of the
night WIS that made by Ex-Governor
Russell, OF Massachusetts, who said In
part: 1--WE meet with no personal ann
billion to serve, with no threat upon our
lips, aud with no purpose to question
the sincerity and honGaty OF any Demo-
cmt. however radical the differences
within our ranks, but We are painfully
conscious OF the pnlpnhlc fact that for
the first time within q generation, ana
for the second time only IN Its hundred
years OF honorable life, the great ma
tiOnal Democratic party Is on the point
OF sectional aud geographical division
with Its untold misery and disaster.
The door Is open for division, defeat,
dishonur: We see new faces md new
principles urging us on. but we have
not yet crossed it5 threshold. May God
save us from the fatal step!
SIN q spirit OF unillnchlng loyalty we
TASK the representatives OF our party to
pause, and then, without prejudice or
passion. 10 consider we'll before conn
hitting Democracy to q radical and
novel nations honor, and we know
must brcnk the ties which bind south
and north, east and west together In
an enduring and triumphant DcmOc-
racy.
"In true Democratic convention
each member carries his manhood un-
der his own hat. conscience dominates
instruction and the welfare OF HE coun-
try und the life VI his party are more
important than any sectional Interest
or personal success. In the belief that
now, us formerly, our party meets In
this spirit. anxious to rally under the
old flag all or Its soldiers and TO win
recruits from evcy section, and ready
TO accord freedom OF speech aud nctlOn,
we have gathered tonight to make
our appeal for union; and we of the
north and east TO plead for the very
life Of our party.
1T would be folly to overlook the
gravity OF the crisis, but It would be
cowardly to abandon hope, anu I'M
Democratic to assume that our appeal
Will fall upon deaf ears. Our gent ma
tIonal party fears no contrast except
within-its ranks: 1t cannot die except
by suicide. II has been and IL the peo-
PIES party. fighting for their cause
against selfish sectional and class in
tercSts which control the Republican
party. Within its ranks thus far there
has been no room, thank God, for Sec
tiOnal prejudice, proscriptivc biCotry,
control by selfish interests. or any in
t!ucnce which would divide US on geo.
graphical, religious or class lines.
Rights. not favors; the people. not
classes: our country. not Its sections.
IRE the maNims OF our Democratic
creed.
Has the time come when We arr
ready TO surrender the cardinal prIn-
ciples OF our filth; 10 reverse the es-
ablIdhed policy OF our party to look
10 n paternnl government: to add value
10 any commodity In the interest OF
class or section. and, Us the result Of
such folly, 10 destroy the national char
actcr OF broad and tolerant Democ-
ruCy? We are not ready to surrender
TO Republican protection. and throw
that mantle over silver, its discarded
child. nor to abandon our position az
;hc peoples party TO become, like the
Republicans, party OF class and SEQ
ton"
Saying that he was now talking rs
national Democrat, he launched INTO
the meat OF his subject In these words:
THE demand Is for free coinage or
silver at l6 to l. which means thut the
power and force OF government are to
be invoked to change our unit OF value.
and 10 substitute 60 cents of silver for
dollar In gold; and then to adjust the
business Of the country, all wages.
earnings and savings, all debts and
credits. all public obligations and the
~ n tn q
standard. The demand comes from n
section and class. and appeals to n
paterRal government 10 give value
where none exists.
rs this demand n sound Democratic
principle? DOES II accord with the
teaching and record OF our party. with
the filth OF Jefferson and Cleveland,
with Its unflinchlns position always In
fnHOr OF sound money nnd hard money,
with Its opposition to paper legal ten
der and Sherman silver bills, with Its
constant undylrg struggle against pa
tcrndllSm and protection. md It's proud
boast Of being the peoples party. broad
az the nation, controlled by no class
or section OF selfish interest? May the
delegates here gathered to proclaim our
old Democratic faith put this question
to their conscience before they plunge
Into lcresy aud schism."
He reiterated the well known nrgu-
ment of the gold standard men. calling
the new doctrine Republican In prin-
ciplc, and closed by saying:
81 am not here to utter any threat
OF any section OF our party. have no
Interest to serve. Every Democrat, true
to his faith and his conscience. must
determine his duty II the crisis comes,