The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-09-10

Ahll 10. NANNlt tub nINNAANnN nlNNlh VI AAhN
ding the country Of these enormous oppres-
Biens.but every democratic platform should
tend to raise higher and higher the public
credit, and-to satisiy-the people. Of Europe
that the democratic is the last party IN the
United States that proposes TO whine or
act reluctantly about paying the public
debt, even though present holders should
have bought It below its fair value.
2. An irredeemnble paper currency, OF
one perpetually Auctuating in value, is a
gigantic fraud on the people-a concentra-
ton Of the evils Of false weights, false
measures, and worse, injurious to oil
classes, but especially to those who live by
labor.
The Democracy should assert, with re-
newed vigor and determination, its old dec
l%aration in favor Of specie basis and q
paper currency, convertible OF parinto coin
Mt the will of the holder, and should take
prompt and efiicacious measures TO raise
Our bonds to where the security they offer
and the interest they bear ought TO place
them, SO rs TO draw g~reeubaoks after them
to par, with The least possible delay. This
will relieve oil classes, especially the labor
ing, and augmonting the value of our oircu-
lation 25 per cent. give q healthy and yigor-
Gus impulse to every department Of BUSH
ness and industry.
D. The fundamental principle of free
trnde, and that Of all taxation should fail rs
directly.as possible on all members of soci-
ETY. ia proportion 10 their ability 10 pay,
have always been held by the Democracy.
The aim OF its legislation must, therefore,
be rs much as possible TO reduce the
amount aud diminish the number Of indi-
rect taxes and levy such as are necessary
for revenue, having due regard 10 the prin-
ciple That the wealth of a nation, consisting
IN its productive industry, whatever favors
the greatest amount of this in the masses is
TO be favored, and whatever fosters special
kinds and classes to its detriment is to be
opposed by the Democracy.
A. Democracy opposed all kinds Of class
legislation; refusing 10 rob the rich for the
poor, or the poor for the benefit Of the
rich and views with equal abhorence the
partisan Of unjust claims, and the advocate
Of the reputation Of just ones. But,
knowing that legal provisions for the SECURE
ity Of private property generally suffice for
tho protection of the rich, Democracy,
without violating individual rights, will al
ways aim to educate and elevate the masses
Of the people.
5. Offices should be created only when
clearly demanded by necessary public bust
ness, and such salaries be paid as the ma
ture and importance OF the business require,
leaving no Just grounds Of complaint or
excuse for POPULATION.
A policy that leads 10 or requires the null
DUPLICATION of offices is anti-democrptic, I'M
Just and dangerous 10 freedom. A policy
which changes men I'm Office for individual
profit instead of public good is n pervision
Of the principles Of business, anti-demo-
cratic, %corrupting and perilous to the liber-
ties of the people.
Official power is a trust for the common
good which no public officer has a right to
use for his private benefit, and whosoever
does so Is a greater scoundrel than he who
misapplies funds in his trust, because the
official trust is more sacred and the wrong
more difficult to detect and measure.
Whosoever obtains votes under false pre-.
tauses is q baser kuRye than he who OBJ
tains goods under false pretenses, and on
account Of the greater difficulty Of detect
ing and measuring the evil done, deserves
scyerer punishment and ~reprobation.
Regarding all officers as servants Of the
people and trustees Of power for the COM
mon veal, democracy iavors such modes
Of appointment and tenures of office as
reason and experience show best calculat-
ed to secure good conduct and efficiency in
the public service, without regard to pri-
yate interest, public customs or individual
pretensions.
Reason and experience alike condemn
frequent and needless changes of public
officers, and the generally prevailing prnc-
tice of making them for personal benefit
instead of the public good, Is acting in
great matters Of the State and Nation on a
principle which would ruin any private
business, and, unless corrected, will bring
the administration of free government
into deserved contempt. II is essentially
opposed to the principles Of democratic
government, and IT behoOves the Democra-
cy of tue United States to make war on the
practice, without truce or delay, returning
to the JeGeTSOnidn standard of official
qualification: as he honest, capable and
faithful"
6. The immense increase Of National
Executive patronage, placing upward OF
one hundred thousand offices besides nu-
merous minor positions OF emolument, at
his disposal, and the habit of changing the
inoumbents 10 secure or reward Executive
p~artisanship, have become dangerous to
the liberties of the country, and demand a
prompt and eficacious remedy.
That remedy, at least in part, md nu-
merous important national advantages,
may be found by providing that no PreBi-
dent shall be eligible for more than one
| TERM, MlliOul II lDlll IthOllllDno AODHTthh
passed by u tVo-thirds vote in each House
previous to the election declaringthe same;
and n further provision that the Presiden-
tial term shall be extended TO six years.
z. The Democratic doctrine of suffrage
requires distinct reaffirmation.
Democracy has always held that suffrage
is not a natural right OF every human being,
nor of a particular sex or race, but q politi-
cal privilege, and who should exercise il a
question to be decided by what will produce
the greatest good TO the greatest mum
ber," and therefore, as far az possible, Ia
be determined locally, where lays the great
body Of the rights Of the people.
But ia these local discussions the Demo.
cratic idea fayors o broad rather than O
narrow basis OF suffrage. 1t is not un,
mindful or regardless ofthe rights of wo,
men, Of property, and inferior races, but
seeing other effective and advantageous
ways in which these can have their in,
huenee on all legislation effectinQ their in,
~terests, at present il prefers giving tho
right of voting TO manhood aud qualihca
tons which will tend to create bonds o
political brotherhood between the rich ant
poor, based on mutual interests and tC
avert conflicts between capital and labor
The caucus system, invented by the De
mocraoy, as a practical way Of finding GU
who isl proper person to be voted for
where a constituency Is too large 10 know
each other personally, and in spite of III
glaring imperleetions and ~corruptions nov
adopted by all parties ahould be improved
by the Democracy and carefully regulated
, by wise provisions Of law.
These views | believe to be explicitly o
Z implicitly held by three-fourths of on.
voting population, and only require distinc
J democratic enuuciation 10 elicit a substan
tial response from the people, who wei