The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-09-01
Platform of the Ohio Democracy

The Democracy of Ohio, coming togeth-
er in a spirit of devotion to the doctrine
and faith of free, representative govern
ment, and relying for success upon the
discretion and intelligence of the people,
deem the present convention a fitting oc-
casiOn to reassert the following time-hon-
ored principles of the Democratic party;
That the Federal Government is one of
limited powers derived solely from the
Constitution.
That the grants of power made therein
ought to be strictly construed by the de-
partments and agents of the Government,
and that it is expedient and dangerous to
exercise doubtful powers.
That the Constitution of the United
States is founded on the fundamental prin-
ciple of the entire and absolute equality
of all the States of the Union, and it is not
competent for Congress to impose upon
them any conditions or restrictions in re-
spect to their internal concerns which the
Federal Constitution has not imposed.
That the liberal principles embodied by
Jefferson in the Declaration of Independ-
ence, and sanctioned in the Contribution,
which make ours the land of liberty, aud
the ASYLUM of the oppressed of every ma
tion, have ever been cardinal principles of
Democratic faith, and every attempt to
abridge the privilege of becoming citizens,
or owners of the soil among us, ought to be
resisted with the same spirit which swept
the alien and Sedition laws from our stat
ute books; and in order that we may more
distinctly declare our views of the meas
uros and policy of the present administra-
ton.
II TARIFF.
Resolved, That we dehounce the pres
ent tariff, as we'll as the substitute lately
introduced into the House of Representa-
tives from the Committee on Ways and
Means, as a gigantic robbery of the labor
and industry ofthe country; that they are
solely designed to advance the interest of
a few thousand monopolists, and that this
should no longer be submitted to, and
that no candidate for Congress, nor for
any other office, is worthy of support who
is not in favor of a low revenue tariff,
which closely approximates to free trade
that, in the arrangement of any revenue
taaiff, all the necessaries of life should be
absolutely free of duty.
TAXATION.
Resolved, That the internal revenue
system of the United States is uncomfortable
in its oppressive exactiOns; that it should
be remedied; that its annOyances of stamps,
licenses and taxes upon sales and income
should be abolished; that tax itself should
be collected by State and county officers;
and that the multiplication of officers is
wholly unnecessary except to eat out the
resources of the tax payers; and that we
pledge ourselves to effect thorough reform
in this particular.
CORRUPTION n IMBECILITY.
Resolved, That we denounce the profit
gacy in the present administration of the
Federal Government; the coPruption which
has entered all its official Stations; tte IA
voritism which, overlooking fitness for Of
fee, has appointed to positions Of public
trust friends or tools to those who control
public patronage, and the imbecility which
directs the destinies of the Republic with
out an apparent purpose, and manages its
affairs with such embarrassment and dis
aster to the material interests of its people
at home, and with such disregard of the
rights and liberties of its citizens abroad.
THE LAND MONOPOLY.
Resolved, That the land monopoly is
one of the great evils of our country and
against its spirit and institutions; that tile
whole of our public lands ought to be
held as sacred to secure homesteads for
actual settlers; we therefore denounce the
recent action of Congress in making grants
to mammoth railroad corporations, which
are already too powerful, and may become
dangerous to a free people.
II FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
Resolved, That we regard the act re-
Gently passed by Congress to enforce the
Fifteenth Amendment as unconstitutional,
unjust and oppressive, an invasion of the
rights of the States, suppressive ofthe best
interests Of the people, and therefore de-
mand its unconditional repeal.
A THE BONDS.
Resolved, That the power of the Fed
eral Government to assess and collect tax
es on the bonds of the United States, is
clear and unquestioned, and we demand of
Congress that a share of taxation equal to
a fair average of the amount levied in each
State on money loaned, shall be assessed
and collected from all investments in
bonds.
NATIONAL BANKS.
Resolved, That we are opposed to the
system of national banks, and demand the
immediate repeal of the law creating them,
and that in place of the notes of such banks;
the Treasury notes of the United States
shall be substituted.
TRUCKING.
Resolved, That the Democracy sympa-
thzie with the efforts of all people strug-
Cling for self-government and we denounce
the trucking of the Federal administra-
tion of Great Britain and Spain, and the
efforts of the party in power to reduce
whole States in our Union to a condition
of vassalage to the general Government.
PAST DIFFERENCES BURIED.
Resolved, That the thanks of the De-
mOcracy of Ohio are extended IN our Son