Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-22
DANIEL WEBSTER'S WARNING
AGAINST BRYANISM.

The following extract is from Daniel
Webster's speech Of January 81, 1884, on
the Bank Question
If he could have foreseen the exact
conditions OF 1896, and heard the in
incendiary demagogism Of Bryan, Alt
geld and Williams, he could not have
rebuked them in more explicit and
thnnderous tones than in this extract.
But the truth is, the democratic party
has always been appealing to ignorance
and prejudice, and all our great dis
turbances have resulted from their false
teachings.
"Mr. President: On the great qnes-
tions which occupy us we will all look
for some decisive movement OF public
opinion. As I wish that movement to
be free, intelligent and unbiased, the
true manifestation of the public will, I
desire TO prepare the country for an
other appeal, which l preceive is about
to be made to popular prejudice-an-
other attempt to obscure all distinct
vows OF the popular good by loud cries
against false danger, and by exciting
the passions of one class against an
other. am not mistaken in the omen.
| see the magazine whence the weapons
of this warfare is to be drawn. L al
ready hear the din of the hammering OF
arms preparatory to the combat. There
may be such arms perhaps as reasonable
justice and honest patriotism cannot
resist. Every effort at resistance, it is
possible, may be feeble and pOwerless;
but I, for one, shall make an eifort-an
effort to begin now, and TO be carried on
and continued with untiring zeal till the
end of the contest comes.
Sir, l see in those vehicles which
carry to the people sentiments from
high places plain declarations that the
present controversy is but strife be-
tween enc part of community and an
other. L hear it boosted as the unfail-
ing security, the solid ground never to
he shaken on which recent measures
rest, that the poor naturally hate the
rich. l know that, under the cover Of
the roofs of the Capitol, within the last
tweuty-four hours, among men sent here
to devise means for the public safety and
the public good, it has been Wanted
forth as matter of boast and trump,
that one cause existed powerful enough
to support everything; and that was,
the natural hatred Of the poor to the
rich.
Sir, pronounce the author Of such
sentiments to be guilty of attempting a
detcstable fraud on the community; Il
double fraud, fraud which is to cheat
men out of their property and their
labor, by first cheating them out of their
understanding.
THE natural hatred of the poor to the
RICH" Sir, it shall not be to the last
moment of my eXistence-it shall be only
when [ am drawn to the verge of obliga-
ton when | shall cease to have respect
or affection for anything on earth-that
[ will believe the people OF the United
States effectually deluded, caioled and
driven about in herds. by such abomin-
able frauds as this. II they shall sink
to that point, il they so far cease to be
men. thinking men, intelligent men, as to
-, ield to such pretences and such clamOr,
they will be slaves aheady, slaves to
their passions, slaves to tho fraud and
knavery of pretended friends; they will
deserve to be blotted out Of all the
records # freedom; they ought not to
dishonor the cause OF self-government
by attempting any longer to exercise it;
thew ought to keep their unworthy hands
entirely off the cause OF republican
liberty, II they are capable Of being the
victims Of articles so shallow, OF tricks
SO stale, so threadbare, SO often prac-
ticed, so much worn out, on serfs and
slaves.
1.-THE natural hatred of the poor
against the richr The danger Of a
moneyed aristocracyn A power as
great and dangerous as that resisted by
the revolution "A call to a new Declare.
tion of Independence Sir, I admonish
the people against the object of out
cries like these. | admonish every in
dustrious laborer in the country to be
on his guard against such decisions.
tell him the attempt to play of his pas.
sions against his interests, and to pre-
vail on him, in the name Of liberty, tC
destroy all the fruits of liberty; in the
name patriotism, to injure and.affiict his
country, and in the name OF his own in
dependence, to destroy that very in
dependence and make him beggar anc
a slave. Has he dollar? He is adj
vised to do that which will destroy hal
it's value. Has he hands to labor? Lee
him rather fold them, and sit still, thar
be pushed on, by fraud and artifice, t.
support measures which will render hi
labor useless and hopeless Home Mar
ket Bulletin.