The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-09-02

pIOupty Ioutolu oNoNy oAtotiHS
tond the moment IL b0comesdse.
No local declarations inviting =
popular prejodgment Of any legal
questions about the terms of pay
ment of the national bonds should
impair the priceless value of the
public credit, at time when IL is
all-important to create the speedi-
est means OF ridding the country OF
those enormous expressions; but
every Democratic platform should
tendto raise higher and higher
the public credit, and to satisfy
the people Of Europe that the Dem
ocratic party is the last party in
the United States that proposes to
whine or act reluctantly about tho
payment Of the public debt, even
though its present holders should
have bought it below its fair value.
"Sccond--An irredeemable pa.
per currency, or one perpetually
huctuating in value, is gigantic
fraud on the people, a concentra-
tion OF the evils Of false weights,
false measures, and most injurious
to all classes, but especially to
those who live by labor.
"The Democracy should assert
with renewed vigor and determin-
alton its old declaration in favor Of
a specie basis, and paper curren-
cy, convertible at par into coin, at
the will of the holder, and should
take prompt and efficacious mea-
sures TO raiso our bonds to where
the security they offer, and the
interest they bear, ought to place
them, so as to draw greenbacks
after them to par with the least
p ossibIe delay. This will relieve
all classes, and especially the la
boring, and, augmenting the val
ne OF our circulation twenty-five
| per cent, give q healthy and vig-
orous impulse to every department
of business and industry.
"Third-The fundamental prin-
ciples of free trade, and that all
taxation should fall as directly
as possible on all members of socie'
ty, in proportion to their abil-
ity to pay, have always been
held by the Democracy. The
aim of its legislation must,
therefore, be as much as possi-
| Bile to reduce the amount and di-
minish the number of indirect tax.
es, and to levy such as are neces-
sary for revenue, having due re.
gard to the principle that the
wealth of q 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.
"Fourth-Democracy opposes all
kinds of class legislation, refusing
to rob tho rich for the benefit of
the poor, or the poor for the bene-
ft Of the rich and views with
equal adherence the partisan of
unjust claims and the advocate of
the reputation of just ones. But,
knowing that legal provision for
the security of private property
generally suffices for the protection
OF the rich, Democracy. without
violating individual rights, will
always aim to educate and elevate
the masses of the people.
"Fifth-Offices should be created
only when clearly demanded by
necessary public business, and
such salaries be paid as the nature
and Importance of the business re.
quires, leaving no just grounds of
complaint or excuse for peculation.
A policy that leads to or requires
the multiplication of offices is anti
Democratic, unjust and dangerous
to freedom. A policy which
changes men in Office for individ-
ual profit instead of public good, is
a perversion of the principles of
business, anti. Democratic, corrupt
ting, and perilous to the liberties
of the people. Official power is a
trust tor the common good, which
no public officer has right to use
for bis private benefit, and who.
ever does SO is greater scoundrel
than he who misapplies funds in
his trust; because the official trust
is more sacred, and the wrong done
more difficult to detect and meas~
ure. Whoever obtains votes under
false pretences is baser knave
than he who obtains goods under
false pretenses, and, on account Of
the greater difficulty of detecting
and measuring the evil done, de.
serves severer punishment and
reprobaticn. Regarding all officers
as servants of the people and trus-
tees of power for the common veal,
Democracy faVors such modes of
appointments and tenures of Office
as reason and experience show
best calculated to secure good con-
duct ard efficiency in the public
service. without regard to private
interests, public customs or indi-
vidual pretensions. Reason and
experience alike condemn frequent
and needless changes of public of
fcers, and the generally prevail
ing practice of making them for
private benefit, instead of the pub
lie good, is acting in great matters
of the State and nation on a prin>
ciple which would ruin any pri-
vate business, and, unless correct
cd, will bring the administration
of free government into deserved
contempt. 1t is essentially oppos-
ed to the principles of democrat
ic government, and it behooves
the Democracy of the United
States to make war on the practice
without truce or delay, returning
to the Jeffersonian standard OF Of
6oial lnualificatinn-tTa ha hnnaak