The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-02
GOLD DEMOCRATS CALL.
An Address to the People Attacking
the Chicago Platform.
ARGUMENT AGAINST FREE SILVER

The Executive Committee of the "NationaI
Democratic Party" as the Gold Stand
ard Wing Is Called, Issues q Bold Docu-
ment--.jdherence to the Time Honored
Principles of the Party Demanded.
CHICAGO, III . August ia meeting OF
the National Executive Committee OF the
National Democratic party was held at the
Palmer House yesterday. Chairman Bynum,
CT Indiana, presided, and all the members
were present except Charles ". Tracey, or
New York, who was detained by party work
In the metropolis. The principal business
which called the committee together was the
preparati On and adoption of IN, address to
the Democratic voters of the country.
subcommittee was chosen to draft the ad-
dress. The committee went into session on
the address as drafted by the subcommittee
at O'Clock, and four hours later gave 1t out
to the public.
The document. which is addressed "Tc
Democrats of the United. States" reviews
in glowing terms the history OF the Demo-
;ss-c--atic party. It declares that the delegates
y ssthe Chicago Convention departed from
time-honored principles OF the party.
"These principles" it says, constitute
the essential element Of the party's life. II
they are abandoned the party ceases to
exist. 1t was, therefore, not within the
power Of any majority of the delegates as.
sembled at Chicago to bind the Democrats
eEof the United Sta:es to O platform incon.
~sistent with the party's principles, or to
any action that should result in their sur
render"
OF the platform the address says. against
the protest OF one-third Of the delegates they
promulgated platform at variance with
the essential principles OF the Democratic
party. This platform is, in its policies,
dangerous to the welfare and life OF free
government. 1t Is mischievous in its ten
denotes.
''The platform proposes to degrade the
coin of the United States by means OF the
free. unlimited and independent coinage OF
silver by our Government, and by the exer-
else Of the power of the Nation to compel the
acceptance OF deprecated coins at their
nominal value, thereby working an injustice
to creditors, defrauding the laborer OF
large part Of his earnings and savings,
robbing pensioned soldiers of a part Of their
pensions, contracting the currency by the
expulsion Of gold coin from circulation, and
injuring. il not destroying, domestic trade
and foreign commerce.
"It demands the free coinage Of silver at
the arbitrary and fictitious ratio OF 16 to !,
although the ratio established in the worlds
market is about 80 to l. It threatens IN GER
tain contingencies to increase to an un-
limited extent the volume OF legal tenders
Issued by the Federal Government. ns
declarations invite, and have almost pro-
duced a financial panic and many OF its pro-
ponents announce that to accomplish their
purpose they are prepared to involve their
country in a disaster comparable to nothing
In its history save the calamity OF civil
war.
lit assails the independence Of the
judiciary by covert threat to reorganize
the courts whenever their decisions con-
ravene the DEGREES of party caucus"
The address then in the following Ian
guage exhorts Democrats to revolt, and to
BOLT the ticket and the platform OF the CHI
-cago Convention:
1.-THE Chicago Convention having thus de-
parted from the recognized Democratic faith
and promulgated doctrines new and strange
to the Democracy, all Democrats are ab-
solved from obligation to support Its pro.
8ramme. More than this, as the doctrines
announced are destructive of National honor
and private obligation, and tend to create
sectional and class distinctions and engender
.discord and strife among the people, all
good citizens OF the Republic are bound to
repudiate them and exert every lawful
means to insure the defeat OF the candidates
who represent those false doctrines"
The address concludes with this appeal:
''The duty Of the hour Is to stand steadfast
in the defence Of our ancient faith. That
this party, as we have known 1t. may not die,
let the faithful of years rally around its his
toric banner, reform It's broken lines. and,
with abiding faith in the final triumph OF it5
principles, unite to restore the name Demo
crat to its former meaning and proud dis
dnction. To this end We request all Demo.
Gratis who are opposed to the platform
adopted and candidates nominated at Chi
cago to organize in their several States and
to send representatives to the convention Of
the National Democratic party to be held at
indianapolis, on Wednesday, September 2,
1896, in accordance with the call heretofore
issued by the National Committee"