Origins of the Silver Party
The Silver Party was organized in 1892. Near the beginning of that year, U.S. Senators from silver-producing states (CO, ID, NV, and MT) began objecting to Pres. Harrison's economic policies and advocated the free coinage of silver. Sen. Henry Teller (R-CO) notified the Senate that if the two major parties did not back down on their financial policies, the four western states would back a third party. The Portland Morning Oregonian reported on 4/27/1892 that a Silver Party was being organized along those lines.
Nevada silverites called a state convention to be held on 6/25/1892, just days following the close of the Democratic National Convention. The convention noted that neither the RNC or the DNC addressed the silver concerns of western states and officially organized the "Silver Party of Nevada." [Raleigh News and Observer, 6/26/1892] Proceeding by itself, the Silver Party swept the state in 1892; James B. Weaver, the Populist Party nominee for President running on the Silver ticket, won 66.8% of the vote. Francis G. Newlands was elected to the U.S. House with 72.5% of the vote. The Silverites took control of the legislature, assuring the election of William M. Stewart to the U.S. Senate. [Milwaukee Sentinel, 11/9/1892]
The success of the Nevada silverites spurred their brethren in CO to action. Rumblings were noted in newspaper accounts in 1893, including the Milwaukee Journal, 9/1/1893; the Denver Rocky Mountain News, 9/21/1893, and the New Orleans Daily Picayune, 11/3/1893. The Colorado Silver Party never materialized, however.
In the 1894 midterm elections, the Silver Party remained a Nevada party. It swept all statewide offices, formerly held by Republicans. John E. Jones was elected Governor with 50% of the vote; Newlands was re-elected with 44%.
Following the Democratic Party debacle in 1894, James B. Weaver began agitating for the creation of a nationwide Silver Party. He altered the Populist Party platform from 1892 and eliminated planks he felt would be divisive for a larger party and began to lobby silver men around the nation. [Denver Rocky Mountain News, 2/26/1895] The first major statement by the national Silver Party was an address delivered to the American Bimetallic League, printed in the Emporia Daily Gazette on 3/6/1895. Letterhead for the nascent party promoted U.S. Rep. Joseph Sibley (D-PA) for President, noting that his endorsement by the Prohibitionists would secure that party's support. [Bangor Daily Whig & Courier, 3/7/1895]
Silver leaders met in Washington DC on 1/22/1896 to discuss holding a national convention. They decided to wait until after the conventions of the two major parties in case one of them agreed to the 16:1 coinage demands. Denver Evening Post, 1/22/1896] Just a few days later, however, party regulars convinced the leaders to change course. On 1/29/1896, the leaders issued a call for a national convention to be held in St. Louis on 7/22/1896. Indiana State Journal, 1/29/1896]
J.J. Mott, Silver Party National Chairman, went to great lengths to organize state parties, but his efforts did not produce dramatic results. The Silver State convention in Ohio was attended by just 20 people, even though the president of the Bimetallic League, A.J. Warner, lived there (Butte Weekly Miner, 6/4/1896).
Although most Silverites had been pushing the nomination of Sen. Teller, the situation changed with the DNC nomination of William J. Bryan. Rep. Newlands was in Chicago as the official Silver Party visitor, and he announced on 7/10/1896 that the Silver Party should endorse the Democratic ticket (Portland Morning Oregonian, 7/11/1896). Chairman Mott, who was in St. Louis making final arrangements for the Silver National Convention, told a reporter five days later "All the Silver Party wants is silver, and the Democratic platform will give us that." (Philadelphia North American, 7/16/1896) I.B. Stevens, a member of the executive committee, told a reporter that the Silver Party "will bring to the support of [Bryan] hundreds of thousands who do not wish to vote a Democratic ticket." Milwaukee Journal, 7/22/1896)
Silver Party National Convention
The Silver National Convention assembled in the Music Hall of the Exposition Building, located at the intersection of Olive and 13th Streets, St. Louis MO (three blocks from the site of the Populist National Convention, held concurrently). Representations of two large eagles soaring towards heaven dominated the stage; one protected a Morgan dollar in its talons, and the other held a scroll in its beak reading "Go to the polls." As it turned out, the hall was not well-ventilated, so the space did not offer much relief from the hot temperatures outside.
J.J. Mott, National Chairman, called the convention to order at 12:30. Seated on the platform were Rep. Newlands, William St. John, Rep. Towne, and Sen. Pettigrew. Around 400 delegates were seated at the opening of the session.
Altogether, 731 delegates attended. Of this number, 526 were former Republicans; 146 were former Democrats; 49 were former Populists; and 9 were former Prohibitionists. [Minneapolis Penny Press, 7/25/1896]
Temporary Chairman: Francis G. Newlands NV
Upon taking his chair, Newlands gave a 50-minute oration on the issue of silver policy. He set forth the reasons for the 16:1 argument, including how the policy would alter the US foreign treatment by European nations.
At the end of the oration, the convention appointed committees, including one to coordinate with the Populist National Convention. Rep. Sibley sent a message in which he encouraged the convention to endorse the Democrats so that their friends would "have only one ticket." The convention then heard a woman named Lillie Pierce of St. Louis recite from memory the Declaration of Independence. [Minneapolis Penny Press, 7/22/1896; Milwaukee Journal, 7/23/1896]
All day on the 23d, the convention waited for a response from the Populist Party convention. Its committees completed their work.
Permanent Chairman: William St. John NY
The convention heard addresses on the morning of the 25th as it waited for a report from the committee to coordinate with the Populist Party.
At 4:00 p.m. on the 25th, the convention came to order to hear the report of the coordination committee, which substantially stated that the Populist Party was not interested in working with the Silverites. Its report was adopted. Following this, the convention approved a platform with some debate. The full text of the platform was recorded by the Denver CO Rocky Mountain News on 7/23/1896.
Nominations for President and Vice President
Once the platform was adopted, the convention moved to the nominations. A.J. Warner OH stated that the convention should nominate a candidate, rather than endorse a candidate, in order to "avoid some of the peculiarities of state ballot laws."
E.E. Little KS placed William J. Bryan in nomination for President. Following some seconding speeches, Bryan was nominated by acclamation.
[FNU] Troup CT placed Arthur Sewall ME in nomination for Vice President, who was also nominated by acclamation.
After appointing a committee to notify Bryan and Sewall of their nominations, the convention adjourned sine die. [Milwaukee Sentinel, 7/25/1896]
Popular Vote of 1896
Electoral Vote of 1896
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