They could only beg them to spare the party the humiliation of broken traditions and the overthrowing of established control. [52] Although Tillman endorsed silver, his address was so laced with sectionalism that most silver delegates remained silent for fear of being seen as supporting him. They went away apologetically, not having known Bryan sought the nomination. The President's move was opposed by the Democratic Governor of Illinois, John Altgeld. Some, wrote another reporter, like demented things, divested themselves of their coats and flung them high in the air. The next day the convention nominated Bryan for President on the fifth ballot. With a two-thirds vote of the delegates needed to nominate, almost every silver delegate would have to vote for the same candidate to assure success, though any organized support from gold delegates would greatly damage a silver candidate's chances. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The money went for speakers, pamphlets, and other means of conveying their "sound money" campaign to the voter. He says that we are opposing the national bank currency. McKinley won more easily than in 1896, making inroads in the silver West. Omissions? Let me call attention to two or three great things. Analysis Of William Bryan'S The Cross Of Gold Speech: [Essay Example], 692 words GradesFixer. McKinley on the other hand, opted for a front porch campaign. Bryan, who remained at his hotel, sent word to the Nebraska delegation to make no deals on his behalf. [7], The Coinage Act of 1873 eliminated the standard silver dollar. It showed American support for european economic interests in East Africa. [11], In 1890, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act greatly increased government purchases of silver. All rights reserved. Instructors: CLICK HERE to request a free trial account (only available to college instructors) Primary Source Readers This handout is a great resource for helping students analyze this key political cartoon from the Populist Movement and the Election of 1896 featuring William Jennings Bryan and the "Cross of Gold" speech. [2] On April 2, 1792, Congress passed the Mint Act of 1792. Russell's address was inaudible to most of the Coliseum; he was ill and died just over a week later. Pamphlet. Bryan later wrote, "This was another unexpected bit of good fortune. Source 1 Political Cartoon "Swallowed" from Puck Magazine Source 2 Cross of Gold Political Cartoon Source 3 Photograph of a sod house Source 4 Political Cartoon, "The Grange . We care not upon which issue they force the fight. We reply that when we advocate a thing which we believe will be successful we are not compelled to raise a doubt as to our own sincerity by trying to show what we will do if we are wrong. But note the change. Consciousness of grievances of years and not of months was reflected in the decisive action of the state Democratic conventions in the spring and early summer of 1896. Mr. McKinley was the most popular man among the Republicans ; and everybody three months ago in the Republican Party prophesied his election. [81] Newspaper accounts of the convention leave little doubt but that, had a vote been taken at that moment (as many were shouting to do), Bryan would have been nominated. He also proposed the establishment of a mint, at which citizens could present gold or silver, and receive it back, struck into money. From the beginning of the speech, Bryan suggests that his cause is righteous and. [98] The Democratic candidate failed to gain a majority of the labor vote; McKinley won in working-class areas as well as wealthy precincts. [54], Senator David B. Hill of New York, a gold supporter, was next. The miners who go 1,000 feet into the earth or climb 2,000 feet upon the cliffs and bring forth from their hiding places the precious metals to be poured in the channels of trade are as much businessmen as the few financial magnates who in a backroom corner the money of the world. We beg no longer; we entreat no more; we petition no more. [90] The only paper to predict, after Bryan gave his speech, that he would not be nominated was The Wall Street Journal, which stated, "Bryan has had his day". The 36-year old Bryan was an avowed bimetallist, placed himself in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson against moneyed interests and in favor of "hardy pioneers who braved all. [Note on the recording: In 1896 recording technology was in its infancy, and recording a political convention would have been impossible. As the gold men spoke, Bryan ate a sandwich to settle his stomach; he was often nervous before major speeches. A. Cleveland friend and former Postmaster General Donald M. Dickinson wrote to the President in June 1896 hoping that the delegates would recognize "common sense" and be frightened at the thought of nominating a radical. Our ancestors, when but 3 million, had the courage to declare their political independence of every other nation upon earth. Mr. McKinley was nominated at St. Louis upon a platform that declared for the maintenance of the gold standard until it should be changed into bimetallism by an international agreement. The income tax is a just law. More than that, we can tell them this, that they will search the pages of history in vain to find a single instance in which the common people of any land ever declared themselves in favor of a gold standard. ; D. The Democratic Party understood the economy from the point of view of workers and farmers. William Jennings Bryan and the Cross of Gold Speech - US 101 - YouTube In 1896, former Nebraska Congressman William Jennings Bryan became the Democratic nominee for President by delivering. It was not in any concerted or open action, however, that Bryan had his strength; it was in the friendly predisposition of the mass of the delegates that he had hopes.[30]. [79] As he moved towards his seat, the Coliseum burst into pandemonium. [6], 8, [4] pages, wraps. We demand the free and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1 without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation. Political cartoons are generally regarded as a hypertrophied imagination of the political or social reality of the particular time epoch. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. For these images we dont claim any copyright or other intellectual property rights and neither do our contributors, we just provide you with access to a high resolution copy to use in line with the terms of the license you buy. It was not unconstitutional when it went before the Supreme Court for the first time. The gentleman from New York says that he will propose an amendment providing that this change in our law shall not affect contracts which, according to the present laws, are made payable in gold. This was not the case; Bryan was well known as an orator on the tariff and silver questions. Out of all of the prominent business figures that arose during the Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie is perhaps viewed in the most positive light. The silver campaign of 1896 was a big controversy among the people. My friends, we have made no criticism. Of these, only Senator Blackburn, a silver supporter, sparked much reaction, and that only momentary. The temporary chairmanship, for example, would have permitted him to deliver the keynote address. Handout 4: Cross of Gold Speech, one copy for each student Handout 4: Cross of Gold SpeechTeacher Answer Key Handout 5: Assessment, one copy for each student Five signs on large sheets of paper or cardstock with one of the following written on each: Inflation, Deflation, Gold Notes, Silver Notes, and Greenbacks. Although Altgeld and his adherents urged voters to distinguish between Cleveland and his party, the Democrats lost 113 seats in the House in the 1894 midterm elections, the greatest loss by a majority party in congressional history. Both men had electoral problems: Bland at age 61 was seen by some as a man whose time had passed; Boies was a former Republican who had once decried bimetallism. They say we passed an unconstitutional law. It marked the first american victory over a European power. ; B. Bryan consented, on condition that his own time was extended by the same amount; this was agreed to. . American cartoon by Grant Hamilton, 1896, on William Jennings Bryan's 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which won Bryan the presidential nomination. [59] According to political scientist Richard F. Bensel in his study of the 1896 Democratic convention, "Although the silver men knew they would win this fight, they nonetheless needed someone to tell themand the gold menwhy they must enshrine silver at the heart of the platform. The sympathies of the Democratic Party, as shown by the platform, are on the side of the struggling masses, who have ever been the foundation of the Democratic Party.[77]. [25] Bryan biographer Paulo E. Coletta wrote, "during this year [July 1894 June 1895] of calamities, disintegration and revolution, each crisis aided Bryan because it caused division within his party and permitted him to contest for its mastery as it slipped from Cleveland's fingers. It is for these that we speak. Despite vocal opposition led by Tennessee Representative (and future president) Andrew Johnson, the precious metal content of smaller silver coins was reduced in 1853. For twenty years, Americans had been bitterly divided over the nation's monetary standard. free coinage of silver at silver-gold ratio of 16 to 1 issue in Bryan's Cross of Gold speech Cross of Gold speech, classic of American political oratory delivered on July 8, 1896, by William Jennings Bryan in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago during the campaign for the presidential election of 1896. Three months ago, when it was confidently asserted that those who believed in the gold standard would frame our platforms and nominate our candidates, even the advocates of the gold standard did not think that we could elect a President; but they had good reasons for the suspicion, because there is scarcely a state here today asking for the gold standard that is not within the absolute control of the Republican Party. If they ask us why we did not embody all these things in our platform which we believe, we reply to them that when we have restored the money of the Constitution, all other necessary reforms will be possible, and that until that is done there is no reform that can be accomplished. Those who are opposed to this proposition tell us that the issue of paper money is a function of the bank and that the government ought to go out of the banking business. There is more reason for him to do that than for us to expect to fail to maintain the parity. [39], Despite the desire of silver delegates to nominate a candidate who shared their beliefs, and although several states instructed their delegates to vote for a specific candidate, there was no overwhelming favorite for the nomination going into the convention. There are two ideas of government. The financial Panic of 1893 intensified the debates, and when President Grover Cleveland (a Democrat) continued to support the gold standard against the will of much of his party, activists became determined to take over the Democratic Party organization and nominate a silver-supporting candidate in 1896. He says that he wants this country to try to secure an international agreement. Old leaders have been cast aside when they refused to give expression to the sentiments of those whom they would lead, and new leaders have sprung up to give direction to this cause of freedom. W.J. We defy them! In his address, Bryan supported "free silver" (i.e. If you want criticisms, read the dissenting opinions of the Court. BRYAN CARRIES ON THE SHOULDERS OF HIS ADMIRERS AFTER HIS ORATION. In 1896 William Jennings Bryan gave possibly his most famous speech, " The Cross of Gold" Speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. We have entreated, and our entreaties have been disregarded. There was loud cheering as Bryan stood there, waiting for his audience to calm. I had never had such an opportunity before in my life and never expect to have again. During the convention, he. Born Mark Elliot Zuckerberg May 14, 1984 (age 38) White Plains, New York, U.S. Education: Harvard University (dropped out) Occupations: Internet entrepreneur, philanthropist. He mocked McKinley, said by some to resemble Napoleon, noting that he was nominated on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. I ask him, if he will apply his logic to us, why he does not apply it to himself. We are fighting in the defense of our homes, our families, and posterity. This paper presents a formal analysis of political cartoons using methods from classical semiotics, semiotic morphisms, and in particular the study of blends. They called for the return to pre-1873 laws, which would require the Mint to take all the silver offered it and return it, struck into silver dollars. His opponent, William Jennings Bryan (who Littlefield suggested was represented by the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz) was famous for his "Cross of Gold" speech. Such bills, sponsored by Bland, passed the House of Representatives in 1876 and 1877, but both times failed in the Senate. But if he means to say that we cannot change our monetary system without protecting those who have loaned money before the change was made, I want to ask him where, in law or in morals, he can find authority for not protecting the debtors when the act of 1873 was passed when he now insists that we must protect the creditor. [82] The convention passed the platform in Bryan's absence and recessed. [19] Among those defeated for Senate was Bryan in Nebraska. The Democratic party has won the greatest success in its history. . Political Cartoon featuring William Jennings Bryan carrying the "Cross of Gold . Why? [94], Bryan's nomination divided the party. [1] Bryan's address helped catapult him to the Democratic Party's presidential nomination and is considered one of the greatest political speeches in American history. (Wikipedia). [95] However, Bryan did gain the support of the Populists, as well as a convention of Silver Republicans. Both of these movements helped to create the People's Party, or the Populist Party, which officially established its party platform in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 4, 1892. In passing the Coinage Act, Congress eliminated bimetallism. [101] According to rhetorical historian William Harpine in his study of the rhetoric of the 1896 campaign, "Bryan's speech cast a net for the true believers, but only for the true believers. "[80], It took about 25minutes to restore order, and according to Bensel, "somewhere in the mass demonstration that was convulsing the convention hall, the transfer of sentiment from silver as a policy to Bryan as a presidential candidate took place". Standing upon this victory-crowned summit, will it turn its face to the rising or the setting sun? Subscribe 84K views 7 years ago This is a speech from Democratic Candidate William Jennings Bryan, which he originally delivered in 1896. The attorney in a country town is as much a businessman as the corporation counsel in a great metropolis. The 1896 Democratic National Convention followed events unique in post-Civil War American history. [8] During the economic chaos of the Panic of 1873, the price of silver dropped significantly, but the Mint would accept none for striking into legal tender. We say to you that you have made too limited in its application the definition of a businessman. Accordingly, Bryan became the final speaker on the platform. [100] Stanley Jones, however, suggested that even if Bryan had never delivered it, he would still have been nominated. Original size at 383 480. . [97] Bryan won the South and most of the West, but McKinley's victories in the more populous Northeast and Midwest carried him to the presidency. "[67] Harpine suggested that, "by appealing in such an uncompromising way to the agrarian elements and to the West, Bryan neglected the national audience who would vote in the November election". Bryan begins. Bryan continued with language evoking the Civil War, telling his audience that "in this contest brother has been arrayed against brother, father against son. On the 4th of March, 1895, a few Democrats, most of them members of Congress, issued an address to the Democrats of the nation asserting that the money question was the paramount issue of the hour; asserting also the right of a majority of the Democratic Party to control the position of the party on this paramount issue; concluding with the request that all believers in free coinage of silver in the Democratic Party should organize and take charge of and control the policy of the Democratic Party. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic. "[92] A farmer in Iowa, in a letter to Bryan, stated, "You are the first big man that i [sic] ever wrote to. Bound in semi-stiff boards covered in dark green washi paper, wit One of the first candidates to appear widely on his own behalf, he was the original whistle-stop campaigner. The new unit of currency was defined to be equal to 24.75 grains (1.604g) of gold, or alternatively, 371.25 grains (24.057g) of silver, establishing a ratio of value between gold and silver of 15:1. This takeover was considered far more important than was the choice of presidential candidate, and the committee decided to take no position on who should win the race for the nomination, reasoning that the victor, no matter who he was, would be a silver man. It is intended to spark pedagogical creativity by giving a sample approach to the material. The only gold man who put together any sort of campaign for the Democratic nomination was Treasury Secretary One of the leaders of the silver movement was Illinois Governor Altgeld; a native of Germany, he was constitutionally barred from the presidency by his foreign birth. [9], To advocates of what became known as free silver, the 1873 act became known as the "Crime of '73". If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the producing masses of the nation and the world. Another reporter approached him and asked him who he thought would win the nomination. [87] The pro-silver Cleveland Plain Dealer called Bryan's speech "an eloquent, stirring, and manly appeal". The man who is employed for wages is as much a businessman as his employer. The silver men were thus in the hunt for a charismatic leader who would underpin what they already desperately wanted to believe. My God! The full text of William Jenning Bryans famous Cross of Gold speech appears below. [106] Historian R. Hal Williams suggested that the opposite philosophy, of legislation for the masses leading to prosperity for all, advocated by Bryan in his speech, informed the domestic policies of later Democratic presidents, including Franklin Roosevelt with his New Deal.[107]. In the "Cross of Gold" speech, Bryan argued that the Democratic Party's focus on bi-metallism in its platform was justified because a gold standard alone could not solve the country's problems at the time, including debt, small business failure, and monopolies. At Bryan's words, he threw his hat into the air, slapped the empty seat in front of him with his coat, and shouted, "My God! (This inflationary measure would have increased the amount of money in circulation and aided cash-poor and debt-burdened farmers.) "[91] Bryan's words gave rise to later economic and political philosophies, including Huey Long's 1930s Share Our Wealth program, with its trigger phrase, "Every Man a King" inspired by Bryan's speech. So if they come to meet us on that, we can present the history of our nation. If they ask us here why it is we say more on the money question than we say upon the tariff question, I reply that if protection has slain its thousands the gold standard has slain its tens of thousands. If they say bimetallism is good but we cannot have it till some nation helps us, we reply that, instead of having a gold standard because England has, we shall restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States have. Conditions have arisen and we are attempting to meet those conditions. [53] Tillman's speech, scheduled to be the only one in support of silver except Bryan's, was so badly received that Senator Jones, who had not planned to speak, gave a brief address asserting that silver was a national issue. Therefore, we care not upon what lines the battle is fought. Bryan made a speech called "Cross of Gold", which had a strong reaction with the audience and included religious imagery. Historian James A. Barnes, in his historical journal article pointing out myths that have arisen about Bryan's candidacy and campaign, stated that Bryan's efforts bore fruit even before the convention: By April, 1896, many individuals were quietly working for Bryan's nomination. At the time, there was no mint in the United States; foreign coins were used. At the. bimetallism), which he believed would bring the nation prosperity. At his hotel, sent word to the Nebraska delegation to make no on. Cartoons are generally regarded as a convention of silver Republicans of broken traditions and the overthrowing established... Is employed for wages is as much a businessman as the Gold men spoke Bryan... Other means of conveying their `` sound money '' campaign to the voter Plain Dealer called Bryan speech! Like demented things, divested themselves of their coats and flung them high in Senate. Says that he was often nervous before major speeches were used 82 ] the pro-silver Plain... 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bryan's cross of gold political cartoon analysis