Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-13
y
THE Proposed PLATFORM.


The Nashville Union and American
of Sunday submits to- the delegates Of
the State Convention which assemblies
to-day platform taken almost ex.
clusively from General Browns address
and the resolutions of the Greene
County Convention. 1t is too long ia
publish entire to-day, but we give as a
specimen the first and the fourteenth
(the LAST sections:
THE PROPOSED PLATFORM.
The disastrous civil war, which recent
" divided the people and the States OF
the Federal Union is now over, we earn
estly hope, for evcr. The angry causes
which produced it, with all the untoward
events that characterized it, have, we
trust, passed into impartial history
We must there leave the whole matter to
be dealt with in the future by the just
and enlightened judgment of mankind.
We, a portion of the people of the
State of Tennessee, without reference to
the late unhappy differences growing
ont of the war, and irrespective Of old
party affiliations, met in Convention for
the purpose of recurring to the funda-
mental principles of the Government,
and the time-honored doctrines as
taught and practiced by sages of the
Revolution, who founded the Republic,
do solemnly announce and declare to all
who favor "a representative Democracy
as established by the Constitution of the
United States, contradistinguished from
a moneyed aristocracy or central despot--
ism, our political position and the creed
of our political faith:
l. There are now but two national
parties: the one the Radical Republican
party, latitudinarian in principle, waste
full and partial in its disposition of the
public domain, reckless in its expendi-
lures of the peoples money, partisan and
proscriptivein its legislation, and utterly
regardless of the safeguards Of the Con-
stitution; the other the national Demo
cratic party, battling for constitutional
rights, economy in the administration OF
the Government, the reduction of taxes,
and the restoration of the Government to
its ancient landmarks, and is composed
of all men-by whatever names hereto
fore known-who seek to wrest the
country from the dominant power and
save it from utter ruin. With one
of these parties every man in Tennessee
who would cast his vote and con-
tribute his influence in the direction of
his political faith must unite. No mid
die ground can be occupied, and neu-
trality at this juncture would, in the
opinion of this Convention, be criminal.
Entertaining such sentiments, this Con-
yention, 40 the representatives OF large
majority of the people of Tennessee, de-
clare that they are in full accord with
the National Democratic party; and in
order to prevent further discussion
among ourselves about names, in order
that our Northern friends may not be
chilled by doubts of our sincerity and
and that our Radical oppo-
nents may not be encouraged with hopes
of detection in our ranks, because of our
adoption of the name universally borne
by the opponents of Radicalism every
where in the North, tre unhesitotingly
announce ourselves Democrats.
IA. That retrenchment, reform and
economy should be carried into every
branch of the public service, the ex-
penditnres of the Government reduced,
and the people relieved from oppressive
taxation; a sound currency should be
restored, and the public faith in regard
to all its just and equitable Obligations
observed.
The accomplishment of these impor-
tant results, together with the complete
restoration of the Union of the States
upon the principles of the Constitution,
would inspire confidence at home and
abroad in the stability of our institu-
tons, and bring to the nation prosperity,
peace and good will.