Major McKinley’s Letter of Acceptance. The following is the full text of Major William McKinley’s letter, accepting the Republican nomination for the Presidency of the United States, written from Canton, Ohio, August 26, 1896, and addressed to Hon. John M. Thurston, and others, Members of the Notification Committee of the Republican National Convention. Gentlemen: In pursuance of the promise made to your Committee, w’hen notified of my nomination as the Republican candidate for President, I beg to submit this formal acceptance of that high honor, and to consider in detail questions at issue in the pending campaign. Perhaps this might be considered unnecessary in view of my remarks on that occasion, and those I have made to delegations that have visited me since the St. Louis Convention, but in view of the momentous importance of the proper settlement of the issues presented, to our future prosperity and standing as a Nation, and considering only the welfare and happiness of our people, I could not be content to omit again calling attention to the- questions which in my opinion vitally affect our strength and position among the governments of the world, and our morality, integrity and patriotism as citizens of that Republic which for a century past has been the best hope of the world and the inspiration of mankind. We must not now prove false to our own high standards in government, nor unmindful of the noble example and wise precepts of the fathers, or of the confidence and trust which our conduct in the past has ahvays inspired. THE FREE COINAGE OF SILVER. For the first time since 1868, if ever before, there is presented to the American people this year a clear and direct issue as to our monetary system, of vast importance in its effects, and upon the right settlement of w’hich rests largely the financial honor and prosperity of the country. It is proposed by one wing of the Democratic party and its allies, the People’s and Silver Parties, to inaugurate the free and unlimited coinage of silver by independent action on part of the United States at a ratio of sixteen ounces of silver to one ounce of gold. Themeredeclaration of this purpose is a menace to our financial and industrial interests and has already created universal alarm. It involves great peril to the credit and business of the country, a peril so grave that conservative men everywhere are breaking away from their old party associations and uniting with other patriotic citizens in emphatic protest against the platform of the Democratic National Convention as an assault upon the faith and honor of the Government and the welfare of the people. We have had few questions in the lifetime of the Republic more serious than the one which is thus presented. NO BENEFIT TO LABOR. The character of the money which shall measure our values and exchanges, and settle our balances with one another, and with the nations of the world, is of such primary importance, and so far-reaching 3
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