Chicago Coliseum (Officialproceedi1896demo 0020) (cropped)

The 1896 Democratic National Convention, held at the

Chicago Coliseum Chicago Coliseum was the name applied to three large indoor arenas in Chicago, Illinois, which stood successively from the 1860s to 1982; they served as venues for sports events, large (national-class) conventions and as exhibition halls. The ...

from July 7 to July 11, was the scene of

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

's nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate for the 1896 U.S. presidential election. At age 36, Bryan was the youngest presidential nominee in American history, only one year older than the constitutional minimum. Bryan's keynote "Cross of Gold" address, delivered prior to his nomination, lambasted Eastern monied classes for supporting the

gold standard A gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the early 1920s, and from th ...

at the expense of the average worker. This was a repudiation of Cleveland administration's policy, but proved popular with the delegates to the convention. Bryan secured the nomination on the fifth ballot over Richard P. Bland. Bryan declined to choose a Democratic vice presidential nominee, leaving the choice to his fellow delegates.

Arthur Sewall Arthur Sewall (November 25, 1835 – September 5, 1900) was an American shipbuilder from Maine, best known as the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1896, running mate to William Jennings Bryan. From 1888 to 1896 he ser ...

of Maine was nominated on the fifth ballot. Bryan and Sewall ultimately lost to the Republican candidates,

William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in t ...

and Garret Hobart.

Silver in control

For three years the nation had been mired in a deep economic depression, marked by low prices, low profits, high unemployment, and violent strikes. Economic issues, especially silver or gold for the money supply, and tariffs, were central. President

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

, a Bourbon Democrat was pro-business and a staunch supporter of conservative measures such as the

; he was strongest in the Northeast. Opposed to him were the agrarian and

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

factions based in the South and West, which had been empowered after the

Panic of 1893 The Panic of 1893 was an economic depression in the United States that began in 1893 and ended in 1897. It deeply affected every sector of the economy, and produced political upheaval that led to the political realignment of 1896 and the pres ...

. A two-thirds vote was required for the Democratic Party nomination and at the convention the silverites just barely had it despite the extreme regional polarization of the delegates. In a test vote on an anti-silver measure, the Eastern states (from Maryland to Maine), with 28% of the delegates voted 96% for gold. The delegates from the rest of the country voted 91% against gold, so the silverites controlled 67% of the delegates.

Bryan moves up

Bryan had an innate talent at oratory. He gave speeches, organized meetings, and adopted resounding resolutions that eventually culminated in the founding of the American Bimetallic League, which then evolved into the National Bimetallic Union, and finally the National Silver Committee. At the time many inflationist farmers believed that by increasing the amount of currency in circulation, the crops they grew would receive higher prices. They were opposed by banks and bond holders who feared inflation, and by urban workers who feared inflation would further erode their purchasing power. The ultimate goal of the League was to garner support on a national level for the reinstatement of the coinage of silver. With others, he made certain that the Democratic platform reflected the now strengthening spirit of the silverites. With his support, Charles H. Jones, of the ''St Louis Post-Dispatch'', was put on the platform committee and Bryan's plank for free silver was adopted sixteen to one and silently added to the Chicago Democratic Platform, in order to avoid controversy. As a minority member of the resolutions committee, Bryan was able to push the Democratic Party from its laissez-faire and small government roots towards its modern, liberal character. Through these measures, the public and influential Democrats became convinced of his capacity to lead and bring change, resulting in his being mentioned as a possible chairman for the Chicago convention. Bryan delivered speeches across the country for free silver from 1894 to 1896, building a grass-roots reputation as a powerful champion of the cause. At the 1896 convention, Bryan lambasted Eastern moneyed classes for supporting the

at the expense of the average worker. His "Cross of Gold" speech made him the sensational new face in the Democratic party. At the start of the convention, former Missouri Congressman Richard P. Bland, a strong supporter of

bimetallism Bimetallism, also known as the bimetallic standard, is a monetary standard in which the value of the monetary unit is defined as equivalent to certain quantities of two metals, typically gold and silver, creating a fixed rate of exchange betw ...

, was viewed as the favorite. However, Bland was strongly opposed by many in the South, in part because his wife and daughter were

Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Some bimetallist supporters tried to draft Republican Senator Henry M. Teller of Colorado, but his candidacy never got off the ground. Several state delegations, mostly from the Northeast, supported the gold standard and refused to take part in the nomination process. Many conservative Democrats looked to former Senator David B. Hill of New York or Governor William Russell of Massachusetts for leadership, but Russell was in poor health and Hill did not gain support for a presidential bid. Eight names were placed in nomination: Richard P. Bland, William J. Bryan, Claude Matthews, Horace Boies, Joseph Blackburn, John R. McLean,

Robert E. Pattison Robert Emory Pattison (December 8, 1850August 1, 1904) was an American attorney and politician serving as the 19th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1883 to 1887 and 1891 to 1895. Pattison was the only Democratic Governor of Pennsylvania between ...

, and

Sylvester Pennoyer Sylvester Pennoyer (July 6, 1831May 30, 1902) was an American educator, attorney, and politician in Oregon. He was born in Groton, New York, attended Harvard Law School, and moved to Oregon at age 25. A Democrat, he served two terms as the eigh ...

. The only major candidate that did support the gold standard was former Pennsylvania Governor Pattison. After five ballots, Bryan triumphed over Bland and Pattison. Bryan was also nominated for president by the Populist Party and the

Silver Republican Party The Silver Republican Party, later known as the Lincoln Republican Party, was a United States political party from 1896 to 1901. It was so named because it split from the Republican Party by supporting free silver (effectively, expansionary moneta ...

Presidential nomination

Presidential candidates

Image:WilliamJBryan1902.png, Former Representative

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

Image:Bland.png, Former Representative Richard P. Bland of

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

Image:RobertEPattison.png, Former

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Image:Jblackburn.jpg,

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Joseph Blackburn of

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

Image:HBoies.png, Former

Horace Boies of

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

Image:John Roll McLean.jpg, Newspaper Publisher John R. McLean of

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

Image:ClaudeMatthews.png,

Claude Matthews of Indiana Image:SylvesterPennoyer.png, Former

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

Declined

Image:WilliamERussell.png, Former

William E. Russell of

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

Image:John W. Daniel - Brady-Handy.jpg,

John W. Daniel John Warwick Daniel (September 5, 1842June 29, 1910) was an American lawyer, author, and Democratic politician from Lynchburg, Virginia who promoted the Lost Cause of the Confederacy. Daniel served in both houses of the Virginia General Assemb ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

Not Nominated

Image:JosephCSibley.png, Former Representative Joseph C. Sibley of

Balloting

File:1896DemocraticPresidentialNomination1stBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticPresidentialNomination2ndBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticPresidentialNomination3rdBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticPresidentialNomination4thBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticPresidentialNomination5thBallot.png,

Vice Presidential nomination

After the selection of Bryan, the convention turned its attention to picking a running mate. Newspaper publisher

John Roll McLean John Roll McLean (September 17, 1848 – June 9, 1916) was the owner and publisher of ''The Washington Post'' and ''The Cincinnati Enquirer''. McLean was also a one-time partner in the ownership of the Cincinnati Red Stockings baseball team ...

of Ohio was viewed as a possible candidate, in part because his fortune could help fund the ticket. Former Representative George F. Williams of Massachusetts, businessman

of Maine, and former Attorney General Augustus Hill Garland of Arkansas were all mentioned as possible candidates. Eight names were placed in nomination: Arthur Sewall, John R. McLean, Joseph C. Sibley, George F. Williams, Walter Clark,

J. Hamilton Lewis James Hamilton Lewis (May 18, 1863 – April 9, 1939) was an American attorney and politician. Sometimes referred to as J. Ham Lewis or Ham Lewis, he represented Washington in the United States House of Representatives, and Illinois in the Unit ...

George W. Fithian George Washington Fithian (July 4, 1854 – January 21, 1921) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois. Born near Willow Hill, Illinois to Glover Fithian (1818–1861) and Mary Ann Catt, Fithian attended the common schools. Learned the printer' ...

, and Sylvester Pennoyer."Official proceedings of the Democratic national convention held in Chicago, Ill., July 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th, 1896."; pg. 35

/ref> After being placed in nomination, McLean, Sibley, and Fithian made it known to the convention that they were not candidates for the vice presidency. Sewall ultimately received the nomination on the fifth ballot. The Populist Party and the

also both nominated Bryan for president, but the Populists nominated former Georgia Representative

Thomas E. Watson Thomas Edward Watson (September 5, 1856 – September 26, 1922) was an American politician, attorney, newspaper editor and writer from Georgia. In the 1890s Watson championed poor farmers as a leader of the Populist Party, articulating an a ...

instead of Sewell.

Vice Presidential candidates

File:ArthurSewall.png, President of the

Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad Company was a U. S. Class I railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expanded to ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and nor ...

File:George F. Williams.png, Former Representative George F. Williams of

File:WalterClark.png, State Associate Justice Walter Clark of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

File:Hamilton lewis.jpg, Representative Nominee

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

(''Ineligible, not yet 35 years of age'') File:SylvesterPennoyer.png, Former

Declined

Image:John Roll McLean.jpg, Newspaper Publisher John R. McLean of

Image:Bland.png, Former Representative Richard P. Bland of

Image:JosephCSibley.png, Former Representative Joseph C. Sibley of

Image:John W. Daniel - Brady-Handy.jpg,

Image:HBoies.png,

Horace Boies of

Image:GeorgeWFithian.png, Former Representative

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

Balloting

File:1896DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination1stBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination2ndBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination3rdBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination4thBallot.png, File:1896DemocraticVicePresidentialNomination5thBallot.png,

References

External links

1896 Democratic National Convention
at the '' Political Graveyard''
Democratic Party Platform of 1896
at ''The American Presidency Project'' {{Authority control 1896 United States presidential election 1896 in Illinois 1890s in Chicago Political conventions in Chicago Democratic Party of Illinois Political events in Illinois Democratic National Conventions 1896 conferences July 1896 events

Silver in control

Bryan moves up

Presidential nomination

Presidential candidates

Declined

Not Nominated

Balloting

Vice Presidential nomination

Vice Presidential candidates

Declined

Balloting

See also

References

Further reading

Primary sources

External links