The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-24

Ilnc0lnS. (ApplauSe, lOuu anu iouSD
That is a plank in the platform of
the Republican party of 1860, and when
you compare our plank with that you
will find that ours is mild in language
compared to this one. (Applause.)
Lincoln ran for President on that plat
form. He was elected on that plat
form (Cries of $50 will you be''), and in
his inaugural address he quoted that
plank in full and reiterated it with
his approval. (Cries of $50 will you.')
Nov, my friends, if our platform
is wrong, / want these Republicans to
repudiate Abraham Lincoln. Cap
plause.) Because if you take Abraham
Lincoln from the Republican party
you have taken from it its most sacred
memory. my friends. (Applause and
cries of There will be nothing left.")
THE SUPREME COURT.
''Now let me call your attention to
another thing which they complain of.
They say we criticise the Supreme
Court Let me read you what we say
on that subject"
Mr.. Bryan then read the plank of the
Chicago platform in regard to the in
come tax decision.
II call attention to the fact that the
court overruled the decision of one
hundred years. 1t is fact. Have
we not right to mention fact? We
declare that Congress ought to use all
constitutional powers which remain.
VIII they insist that, having taken
part, we dare not use what they left?
We demand that Congress shall use
such powers as may come from the re-
yersal by the court as it may hereafter
be constituted Has no court hereaf-
ter right to reverse the decision of
this court? If not, then what right
had this court to reverse the courts of
one hundred years before it2 fAp-
plause). This court changes from time
TO time; judges die or resign, and new
judges take their place. Is it not possi-
bic, my friends, that future judges may
adhere to the precedents of one hum
dred years instead of adhering TO
decision rendered by a majority of
one and that one changed his mind?
(Applause).
When did our opponents find that
decision of the Supreme Court was so
sacred? Why this decision would not
have been rendered but for the fact
that the men who had to pay the i'm
come tax attacked the decision of the
Supreme Court and asked this court
10 oyerturn a former decision. zap
plause.) Every time lawyer goes
into court and asks for a reversal OF
decision of the court-and it is not an
infrequent thing time law
yer does 1t, he attacks the correctness
of the decision which he desires to
have reversed
'sLet me read you what the Republi-
can platform said about decisions of
the Supreme Court in 1860:
That we condemn the recent re-
opening of the African slave-trade un-
flag, aided by perversions Of
judicial power That is what
that platform says Tt declared
that the decision of the court was
peryersion of judicial power. There is
no language in our platform that is as
harsh on the Supreme Court as that
Republican platform. And they call
upon Congress in that platform to
take prompt and efficient measures for
the total suppression of.that execrable
traffic. My friends, on these two ques-
tions, where we are assailed by the
to-day, we have not taken
as emphatic a stand as the Republi-
cans took in the first platform upon
which it elected President of the
United States.
LET me read you what Abraham
Lincoln said about the Supreme Court.
This is from his inaugural address:
Il do not forget the position as
sumed by some that constitutional
L~ - III L.
preme Court, nor do deny that such
decisions must be binding in any case
upon the parties to the suit as to the
object of that suit, while they are also
entitled to very high respect and con-
sideration in all parallel cases by oil
other deparements of the government
Il quote again: AT the same time,
the candid citizen must confess that
if the policy of the government upon
vital questions affecting the whole
people is to be irrevocably fixed by the
decisions of the Supreme Court the
instant they are made, in ordinary liti-
cation between parties in personal ac-
tion, the people win have ceased to be
their own rulers, having to that extent
resigned their government
nto the hands of that eminent tribun-
al (Applause.)
''Mr. Lincoln says that when it is
asserted that the Supreme Court has
light to determine the policy Of the
government on great questions that
hen we will have resigned our govern
nent into the hands of the Supreme
Court. (Applause.)
"Our platform is not as harsh as the