The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-12-03
ElmOS. A. WATSON'S
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE

Ho,. MariOn Butjer, Chairman Er-OG-
cio for Notification CommiHee:
DEAR SIR:-Your letter giving M
formal notice of my Domi nation by
the Peoples Party for the office oi
Vice President has been received.
1t IS solely because of my promise
10 DO so, that ! accept the nomina-
ton. The unusual conditions con
fronting US must he my excuse f1r
submitting to the public a fair state
mcut OF the facts touching this re
marRable campaign, in order that all
upprejudeed minds may reach just
conclusions.
AS the time for beginning the
Presidential campaign of 1S0G ap-
uroachcd. tho Democratic party
found itself in dying condition,
and il resorted TO a desperate remedy
49, .,y, ltself from dissolution. /,
N,,IIcIv rrnounced the Republicsn
rnrc;e: which it had already enact.
"a into law, and protested the Po.,
Mist creed which it had bitterly as
sqil,d. Having closed the doors Of
the mints to- SILVER, having sustain
cd Mr.. Cleveland in his refusal to
allow The scigniorage ccint d, hav-
mo condoued his issue OF bonds in vi
olatlon Of law, having acquiesced in
his contraction policy OF destroying
tho grecnbacks, having helped "a
feed the trusts by tho passage of the
Wllson-Gorman-Jones tariff bill, the
Democratic party, realizing that il
had lost the respect, the confidence
aud the patience Of the people, de.
tcrmined to anticipate tho triumph
Of Populism by public confession
Of political guilt, an earnest asser
ton or change of heart, q devout &C
ceptauce of Populist princil les, ant
~ modest demand that the Peoples
Party should vaGate It's quarters ant
surrender its political possessions.
a very staggering piece of politi
cal impudence was this. 1t was no
minority OF the Democratic party
which murdered silver in 1898.
was " ajority that did it-a ma
Jority in tho House, n majority i,
tho Senate. Aud tho men who com
mitted the deed can not now promis'
more solemuly 10 uudo thor work
than thoy promised in 1892 rot to d.
1t.
SO subservient was the Democra
tic majority that they made no eft
fort to prevent Mr.. Cleveland AM
Mr.. Carlisle from destroying NOR
than one hundred million dollars o
the paper currency, in violation o
the plain language Of the act o
1873.
The Democratic majority eoul'
have compelled the administration
to have coined the silver bullio1
purchased under the act ct 1880
and with theSe silver dollars to hav
redeemed the treasury notes Of 1890
The law so commands. M. Cleve
land put the law under foot, an
thus paved the way for payments II
gold, and THUS opened up the op
portunity for issuing bonds. Th
Democratic majority made no effor
to vindicato the lSw and save th'
poople. Such is the record--tE un
deniable record.
During the dreary years OF lS92
3, 4 and 5, when Republicans ant
Democrats alike were falling owe
each other in the effort to be first a
Wall Streets feet, and lowest IN th
dust of political self-abasement t
the trusts, the National Banks, III
railroads, the bondholders and tn
gold speculators, tho Peoples Part.
was the one champion Of the peo
pie. 1t stood fearlessly against tn
hungry hordes of class Legislation
1t proclaimed constantly its undy
ing antagonism to Wall street an
its policies. 1t held aloft the sacre
banner Of peoples rights, and cal
ed for patriots to rise aud defend tn
Republic. Since tho bugie-note {
Rhoderick woke the highlands, an
the fery-cross sped from mountai
to glen and from glen to hamle
there has been no such spontaneor
outburst of popular enthusiasm &
marked the growth Of tho Peopl,
Party. One creed, one purpose, OF
hope, one inspiration moved us al
and had wo sternly put template
aside, and nominated straigI
Populist ticket at ST. Louis, one ma
from the West and one from til
South, we would have swept til
land from sea to sea. Democra
like Senator German and ID. b. II
would have been driven to their tr,
place-the Republican camp; ar
Democrats like Mr.. Bryan and M
Bland would have been driven
THEIR true place-the Populist cam
Thus Populist principles wou
have been represented by Populi
leaders,-men who are neith
ashamed of their creed, nor of the
associates.
At Chicago, the Democratic ma
ayers having adopted the leadil
Populists principles, nominated Il
the first place on the ticket, a ca
didate who endorses those prin
pies.
But there was q powerful minor
present which protested against
nominee and against the platfor
To pacify this anti-Bryan element
Bryan's own party, they named
the second place on the ticket,
candidate who represents the I
nority element of the Chicago &C
vention as thoroughly as Mr.. Bry
represents the ms jority. In the I
lirium of JOY among the silver mt
which followed their victory, I
representatives of the Eastern G.
poration interests, railroad intere
and manufacturing interests shrev
ly manipulated the nomination
Mr.. Sewall, and thus, before
Bryan men we'll knew what
been done, they had boen checkma
in the very hour of their rejoicing
Following the Democratic cow
tion, came the Populist Na.io
convention at st. Louis.
Two distinct factions appear