The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-23
"Mv Own Voice Cannot be Raised in
sYour Hearing, But Let the Voice
of This Letter Plead
With You"
Nv Fellow Citizens:

Ny Fellow Citizens: ::
On the 25th of July, III the City OF
Raleigh, the Democratic Party in
Convention assembled, called me from
its ranks, and told me | must be It's
candidate for Governor.
asked no man for the commission
The vote Of the Convention came to
me unsoueht and unbidden. Many
stronger and ADLER hands might have
received the party's banner and carried
it to victory. Needing the earnest
solicitations of my lifelong friends,
and hearing. the expressed will of that
great convention, and being accustom-
ed to obey, accepted the trust, and
with an eager longing to have the hon
or of being the Chief Executive OF the
million and a half and more North
Caro3inians, whom / esteem as the per-
feet bloom of the Earth's people, /
took my position on the front of the
battle deck. Although mindful of the
arduous and incessant labors OF the
campaign to be undertaken, was not
deferred by its promise of unceaslng
toll and its manifold exactions, be-
cause / have known even from child
hood and through all the years of my
life that the highest honor that could
be attained by a North Carolinian was
TO obtain the suffrages of the free
men of his native State for this high
and responsible office.
AS soon as the Executive Commit
tee of the Party was organized, under
the direction of that Committee. |
went into the field as the representa-
tive of my Party, which had become
the strongest champion of the great
cause for which the people were them
selves contending, and as such repre-
sentative / was eager to declare to you
my Fellow Citizens, my position upon
the all important issues involved in
this mighty contest-a contest IN
which the people are demanding that
the control of their Government and
financial system shall be taken from
the money changers of foreign lands
and placed into their own hands. In
my heart of hearts / knew the winning
Justice of this noble cause. and loved
to support it like man loves to sup
port the wife and children of his
home.
According to the custom esteemed
for its usefulness, as well as its anti
guilty in North Carolina, l DESIRED
TO MEET MY OPPONENT, MR.. RUS
SELL. IN JOINT DEBATE UPON ALL
THE QUESTIONS in THIS CAM
PAIGN. BUT HE REJECTED NY
CHALLENGE AND DECLINED TO
STAND UP IN THE FIELD WITH Me
BEFORE THE PEOPLE. A joint dis
cussion with me was sought by Major
Guthrie Of the Peoples Party
cheerfully accepted the request, and
after filing some appointments of
my own, we entered together on a
canvass Of some of the western coun-
ties. By mutual agreement we parted
at Wilkesboro, and / continued my
regular appointments through the
State. From exposure and fatigue /
have been stricken down with sick
ness, and am now confined to my home.
Though much improved and feeling
myself growing daily stronger, | am
advised that may not be able to again
enter the campaign. Fearing that this
may be true, I write this letter that
the voters in those sections of North
Carolina that I have not been able ITO
reach may know that my heart is with
them: that / wish / was able to speak
to them in every county in the State to
ask their suffrages for the great par
ty that has presented my name for
consideration, and to meet the people
face to face and talk with them in re-
gard to their necessities and the policy
of the government. There has been
no time since the establishment of our
Government when issues have been
presented for the consideration OF
the plain people of the land which
more strongly involve their rights
their liberties and their homes. II
1892 as a delegate from North Caro-
lima to the Chicago convention, I stood
for a platform, the main issue where
in should be for the restoration o
silver by this Government as money
Of final redemption at the ratio las
ia use by us. At that convention
platform was adopted which to IN
plain understanding looked to the re
lection Of the single gold standard b
this Country, and to the remonetiza
ton of silver as a circulating medium
iii all the channels of trade If tn
purchasing clause Of the Sherman Ac
was a "cowardly maleshift," as th
Party platform expressly declared,