The record-union., 1896-07-11
Bryan Receives the News Without Any
Apparent Show Of Feeling.
Says if Elected He Will Not Accept a
denomination.
Great Rejoicing at Lincoln, Nebraska,
the Home of Bryan, When the
News of the Nomination Was Re-
ceived-General Satisfaction in the
Silver States Over the Work of the
Convention.
Convention.

Silver States Over the Work of the
Convention.
CHICAGO, July 10-William Jen-
nings Bryan, the nominee of to-days
convention, heard the news at his rooms
in the Clifton House and received it
without any apparent show of feeling
His wife was not present to greet him.
for she witnessed the extraordinary
demonstration in the hall that stam-
peded the convention to the side of her
husband. Together with a few friends
Mr.. Bryan received bulletins of every
movement made on the programme at
the Coliseum.
A party of newspaper men were the
first to congratulate him after the re-
ception of the bulletin announcing his
nomination. AS the men gathered about
him to shake hands Mr.. Bryan reached
for piece of paper and wrote the fol-
lowing. which he said was intended for
the American people:
I'm order that 1 may have no ambi
ton but to discharge faithfully the
duties Of the office, l desire to announce
that if elected / shall under no circum-
stances be a candidate for reelection"
This is not a sudden resolution on my
part" said Mr.. Bryan. Il have had it
in my mind ever since my nomination
has been considered by my friends as
possibility. 1 believe it is a good prin-
ciple for me to follow, and / shall live
up to it. The Presidency is the highest
honor that can be bestowed upon any
human being by his country, and the
power placed in the hands of the PreSi
dent of the United States is so great
that there should be no temptation
thrown in his way to cause him to use it
for his personal advancement. Mr..
Cleveland in his letter of acceptance set
forth the objections to second term in
language so forcible that it cannot be
surpassed. President Hayes advocated
an amendment to the Constitution max
ing the Chief Executive of the United
States ineligible for reelection, and a
similar amendment was advocated by
President Andrew Jackson.
II desire to express my deep appre
citation of the kindness shown to me by
other candidates. My nominatio Is due
to the peculiar circumstances which
surround this campaign, and not to any
superior UleIll III ldcl, udO lHe cOH-
vention considered who was most de-
serving, the lot would have fallen upon
another. l so highly appreciate the re-
sponsibility imposed by this nomination
that I have avoided making any prom
ises or pledges to any person"
After indicating this declaration Mr..
Bryan accepted the congratulations that
were rendered, and in a few moments it
was apparent that the room would not
accommodate those who We're trying to
get in. In response to appeals, Mr..
Bryan took a position in the lobby, and
for almost an hour shook hands with the
crowds as they passed in line.
Mr.. Bryan was forced TO say a few
words. He declared that he felt highly
honored by the convention, but asserted
that no words of his could add to the
work of the convention. The cOnven-
ton, however, was but the beginning,
and whether its action was wise or not
could only be determined in November
next 1t was not for him to say whether
the convention had acted wisely, but it
was his duty and all those who agreed
with him to back up the convention and
the platform and make the election
sure. Mr.. Bryan closed his short but
felicitous speech with the injunction to
those present who believed in the Demo-
cratic party to make it their business to
see that its success was assured this
fall.
During the course of the evening MIR.
BRYAN was visited by several hundred
people, prominent among whom were
many of the delegates of the convention.
". Id hA OF oil
ard clamored for a speech from their
rev candidate. Mr.. Bryan was COM
elled to make three short addresses
during the evening. One of them was
to the Bland Club of Kansas City. In
his speech Mr.. Bryan complimented Mr..
Bland as the pioneer in the fight for free
silver, and stated that it was his gener-
csity in withdrawing that enabled him
to become the nominee of the conven-
ton.
Mrs. Bryan held an impromptu re-
ception in the parlors during the even
ing, quite a number of ladies of Chi
cago paying their respects to her.
1t is the present programme of Mr..
Bryan to leave the city tomorrow, ac-
cCmpanied by his wife, and go to Sa-
lem ILL.,. his old home, where he will
probably spend week, at the expira-
tom of which he will go to Lincoln,
Neb., where he will receive the formal
notice of his nomination.
SKETCH OF THE NOMINEES LIFE.
William Jennings Bryan was born in
Salem, Marion County, ILL.,. March ID.
1860; attended public school until -
years of age, spending his vacations on
the farm. In the fall of 1919 he en-
tered Whipple Academy at Jacksonville,
ILL.,: entered Illinois College, Jackson
VILE, in 1877; completed a classical
course and was graduated with the
highest honors in 1881; attended Union
College of Law, Chicago, ILL.,, for two
years, during which time he was con-
nected with the office of ex-senator Ly
man Trumbull; began the practice of
his profession at Jacksonville; removed
to Lincoln, Neb., October i, 1887, and
became a member of the firm of Talbot
& Bryan; never held an elective office
prior to his election to Congress; was
elected to the Fifty-second Congress as
a Democrat, receiving 1886 votes,
against %, ,663 votes for William J. Con-
nell, Republican, 1906 votes for Allen
Root, Independent, 1670 votes for E. H.
Chaplin, Prohibitionist, and votes scat
tering: was reelected to the Fifty-third
Congress as Democrat, receiving 49,,
7S4 votes, against 1864 votes for Allen