Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-09-17
The Platform of the Wisconsin Domoo-
raCV,

racy.
The following is a declaration of
principles adopted by the late Dem,
ocratic Convention of this state
Res0tred, That the indiscriminate
dlsfranchisement Of more than 1000
citizens of Wisconsin by the official
publishing of their names AS desert~
ers, while many OF them were faith
full soldiers OF the Union army, with
out previous trial and conviction or
other proof Of crime, is an unconsti>
tutional wanton and cruel libel upon
the living and the dead, which de-
mands instant and complete repara-
ton ut the hands of the people.
ReSotred, That the enormous tax
directly and Indirectly imposed by
the Congressional Legislation upon
the industry of Wisconsin of between
thirty and forty millions per annum,
IN large part for the exclusive pro-
lection OF Eastern capitalists or for
the support Of dangerous schemers
for partisan ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, is an
exhaustive drain upon the resources
the state which calls for earnest and
united effort in support of retrench-
ment and reform.
ResoIced, That we are in favor Of
the prompt payment Of the national
debt in legal tender currency, the
same on which it is based, that the
people may be relieved of the burden
OF taxation, that idle capital may be
forced into industrial pursuits, and
that there may be one class of cur
rency for all classes Of citizens.
The resolutions were afterwards
read, voted upon separately and all
adopted except the last.
Mr.. Ballou, of Watertown submit
ted the following as a substitute.
which was adopted
ResotUed, That we are in favor Of
the full and punctual discharge Of M
tional obligations and debts precise
~ on the conditions and terms on
which they were contracted and the
faith of the government pledged.
The Democrats of Wisconsin, by
their delegates assembled in State
Convention here, do solemnly declare
that the objects Of their organization
are
|. To preserve civil and religious
liberty to the people.
z. 10 enforce tire federal corstitu
ton as the supreme law Of the Union.
}. 70 defend the sacred and inal>
ienable rights Of the states to their
own local governments.
/. 70 repeal the existing tariff
laws, enacted for the protection Of
the few at the cost of many.
B. To protect the right of labor to
adequate reward.
6. To guard capital from public dis
order and partisan misrulc
Z. To resist the attempt of the
dominant party to abridge the right
OF representation and the elective
franchise.
S. To promote the equality OF the
states and people.
8. 70 abrogate the present reckless
and profigate system of public ex-
penditure and unequal taxation.
10. To oppose the aggressive Of
forts OF the legislative power to gov
ern the conscience and dictate the
business pursuits Of the individual
through arbitrary and unconstitu>
tional enactments on the subject Of
temperance and religion, and to re-
peal all laws conflicting with the
spirit of this resolution
The democracy of Wisconsin,, by
their delegates in convention assem-
bled, do further declare that the press
ent Republican party, by its pal pable
determination to perpetuate the SUI.
premacy OF the military power in the
United States by its attempt to
preserve the ascendancy of a minori.
ty party through the subversion of
the government; by it's unceasing
aggressions upon the freedom Of
speech and OF the press; by its open
and active friendship for the despotic
forms ofgovernment; by itsinvention
of false excuses for tyranny; by its
INSCRIPTIONS taxation OF the people
for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of It's power
and the enrichment of its leaders; by
its odions alliences with the ira
ditional enemies of republican in
situations; by it's shameless assaults
upon the elective franchise; by its
substitution Of partisan DEGREES for
the supreme law; by It's intended
abrogation of the reserved rights of
the states, and the permanent main
tenancc of a national standing army
to enforce compliance with its
usurpations, has proven false to all
its pretensions of patriotism, false to
the government and the people, and
deserves the reprobation ofthe friends
of freedom throughout the civilized
world.