William Jennings Bryan's "A Cross of Gold" Speech: List 3

On July 8, 1896, William Jennings Bryan, a former Congressman from Nebraska, rose to address the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In his now famous "A Cross of Gold" speech, Bryan called for the coinage of silver currency to gold currency at a ratio of 16 to 1. In those days, all money was either gold or backed by gold actually held by the government. Bryan’s "bimetallism" proposal would have created inflation or "cheap money" to aid the poor farmers and workers who were his supporters. Business leaders and the Republicans opposed it. Considered one of the greatest political speeches of all time, Bryan’s fiery delivery mesmerized the convention and led to his nomination as the Democratic candidate for president. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the speech: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tyrant
    a cruel and oppressive dictator
    My friends, in this land of the free you need not fear that a tyrant will spring up from among the people.
  2. encroachment
    entry to another's property without right or permission
    What we need is an Andrew Jackson to stand, as Jackson stood, against the encroachments of aggregated wealth.
  3. aggregate
    gather in a mass, sum, or whole
    What we need is an Andrew Jackson to stand, as Jackson stood, against the encroachments of aggregated wealth.
    Collected is a synonym for aggregated. Bryan was referring to President Andrew Jackson who was elected in 1828. Jackson represented the common people and opposed bankers and businessmen.
  4. platform
    a document stating the principles of a political party
    They tell us that this platform was made to catch votes.
  5. dissent
    be of different opinions
    If you want criticisms read the dissenting opinions of the court.
  6. unconstitutional
    not consistent with or according to fundamental laws
    The income tax law was not unconstitutional when it was passed; it was not unconstitutional when it went before the Supreme Court for the first time; it did not become unconstitutional until one of the judges changed his mind, and we cannot be expected to know when a judge will change his mind.
  7. burden
    weight to be carried or borne
    The income tax is just. It simply intends to put the burdens of government justly upon the backs of the people.
  8. bear
    put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    When I find a man who is not willing to bear his share of the burdens of the government which protects him, I find a man who is unworthy to enjoy the blessings of a government like ours.
  9. currency
    the metal or paper medium of exchange that is presently used
    They say that we are opposing national bank currency.
    Money is a synonym for currency.
  10. parallel
    something analogous to something else
    If you will read what Thomas Benton said you will find he said that, in searching history, he would find but one parallel to Andrew Jackson; that was Cicero, who destroyed the conspiracy of Cataline and saved Rome.
  11. conspiracy
    a group banded together to achieve some harmful purpose
    Benton said that Cicero only did for Rome what Jackson did for us when he destroyed the bank conspiracy and saved America.
  12. issue
    bring out for public distribution or sale
    We say in our platform that we believe that the right to coin and issue money is a function of government.
  13. function
    the actions and activities assigned to a person or group
    We say in our platform that we believe that the right to coin and issue money is a function of government.
  14. sovereignty
    government free from external control
    We believe that it is a part of sovereignty, and can no more with safety be delegated to private individuals than we could afford to delegate to private individuals the power to make penal statutes or levy taxes.
    Self-rule and self-government are synonyms for sovereignty.
  15. delegate
    transfer power to someone
    We believe that it is a part of sovereignty, and can no more with safety be delegated to private individuals than we could afford to delegate to private individuals the power to make penal statutes or levy taxes.
  16. statute
    an act passed by a legislative body
    We believe that it is a part of sovereignty, and can no more with safety be delegated to private individuals than we could afford to delegate to private individuals the power to make penal statutes or levy taxes.
    A statute is a synonym for a law. A penal statute is one to punish law breakers.
  17. levy
    impose and collect
    We believe that it is a part of sovereignty, and can no more with safety be delegated to private individuals than we could afford to delegate to private individuals the power to make penal statutes or levy taxes.
  18. minority
    a group of people who differ from a larger group
    Mr. Jefferson, who was once regarded as good Democratic authority, seems to have differed in opinion from the gentleman who has addressed us on the part of the minority.
  19. proposition
    a suggested law or policy that citizens can vote for or against
    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.
  20. plank
    an endorsed policy in the platform of a political party
    They complain about the plank which declares against life tenure in office.
  21. tenure
    the term during which some position is held
    What we oppose by that plank is the life tenure which is being built up in Washington, and which excludes from participation in official benefits the humbler members of society.
  22. monetary
    relating to or involving money
    The gentleman from New York says that he will propose an amendment to the platform providing that the proposed change in our monetary system shall not affect contracts already made.
  23. morals
    motivation based on ideas of right and wrong
    Let me remind you that there is no intention of affecting those contracts which according to present laws are made payable in gold; 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 desire to ask him where, in law or in morals, he can find justification for not protecting the debtors when the act of 1873 was passed, if he now insists that we must protect the creditors.
  24. debtor
    a person who owes a creditor
    Let me remind you that there is no intention of affecting those contracts which according to present laws are made payable in gold; 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 desire to ask him where, in law or in morals, he can find justification for not protecting the debtors when the act of 1873 was passed, if he now insists that we must protect the creditors.
  25. creditor
    a person to whom money is owed by a debtor
    Let me remind you that there is no intention of affecting those contracts which according to present laws are made payable in gold; 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 desire to ask him where, in law or in morals, he can find justification for not protecting the debtors when the act of 1873 was passed, if he now insists that we must protect the creditors.
Created on Thu Mar 14 09:01:33 EDT 2024 (updated Fri Mar 15 10:23:54 EDT 2024)

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