"You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." -William Jennings Bryan, Cross of Gold Speech (1896) The Cross of Gold Speech (1896), delivered by former Representative of Nebraska William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896, is among the greatest political speeches in American history. The gold standard had been a contentious issue in US politics during late 19th century. As a leader of the free silver movement, Bryan believed that bimetallism (i.e. making both gold and silver legal tender) was necessary to improve the lot of the common man. Bryan's speech became a galvanizing event that catapulted him from an unlikely candidate into the Presidential nominee and a dominant force in American politics for the next thirty years. This publication includes Life of William Jennings Bryan, a personal biography by Bryan's wife Mary Baird Bryan.