The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-08-30
Platform of Principles Adopted
by the National Labor Congress,
at Cincinnati, Ohio, August ID,
lSzA

Ny suO rNntAOustA nIHUVi OOnos
at Cincinnati. Ohio, August ~,
1870.
For the benefit of our readers, and
especially for those Radicals who pre-
tend that the laborins men are with their
party, we publish the platform of prin-
ciples adopted by the National Labor
Congress,at Cincinnati, ON the 10Th inst:
l. Resolced, That laborer in all de
partments of useful industry are suffer
ing from a system of monetary laws,
which were enacted during the late war,
as measures it was assumed necessary
to the life of the nation" and Which IS
now sought to lie perpetuated in the in
.terests of BoNDHoLDERS and BANKERS, as
means to subyert the Government OF
cur fathers and establish on its ruins an
empire in which all political power shall
be centralized to restrain and Cypress
the rights of labor, and subordinate its
votaries to the merciless demands of ag-
gregated capital.
2. Resolred, That the rate of interest
on money is the governing power in the
distribution of the products of industry
and enterprise between capital and labor,
and that the present rates are to excess
of and disproportionate to the increase
of the national wealth and oppressive to
the producing classes.
3 Resolced, That the national Bank
system being inimical to the spirit of
liberty, and subversive to the principles
of justice, without warrant in the Constl-
tuition of the United States and wrong
fully increasing the burdens of the
wealth producing classes millions Of dol
lars, justice demands its repeal.
4. Resoloed, That to provide true
national currency, adapted to the genius
Of our institutions and the wants Of the
business of the country, the circulating
notes of the National banks and the
present greerbacks, which are rot full
legal tender, should be withdrawn from
circulation, and their place supplied with
a paper currency, based on the wealth of
the nation, made a legal tender in the
payment of all debts, public and private,
declared the lawful money of the United
States, and convertible, at the pleasure
of the holder, into Government bonds,
bearing three per cent. per annum Isub-
ject to future legislation by Congress). J.
The bonds likewise convertible into law
full money, at the option of the holders.
5. ResolUed, That the claim of the
bondholders for payment of it in gold
of that class of Indebtedness known as
five twenty bonds, the principal of which
is legally and equitably payable in law
ful money is dishonest and eXtortionate,
and we here and now enter odr solemn
protest against any departure from the
original contract, by funding the debt
in long bonds, Or in any way increasing
the gold interest bearing and untaxed
obligations of the Government.
6. Resolced, That justice demands that
the burdens of the Government should
be so adjusted as to bear equally on all
classes and interests; and that the exemp-
ton from taxation of Government bonds
bearing extortionate rates of interest is
a violation of all just principles of rev.
enuc laws.
Z. Rcsotced, That Congress should
modify the tariff, so as TO admit. free the
accessories of life and such articles Of
comfson ase'as zoe can neither produce or
groao; also, to levy duties for revenue
mainly upon articles of luxury, and up
ON such articles Of manufacture as we,
having the raw material il abundance,
can produce, will develop the resources
of the country, and increase the number
of factories, give employment TO more
laborers, cause the immigration Of skill
ed labor, the lessening of prices to con
sumers, the creating of a permanent
home market for agricultural products,
destroy the necessity for the odious and
expensive internal taxation, and will
soon enable us to successfully compete
with the manufacturers of Europe in the
market of the world.
s. Resolred, That the public lands of
the United States belong to the people
and shall not be sold to individuals nor
granted to corporations, but shall be
held as sacred trust for the benefit of
the people, and shall be granted free of
cost to actual settlers only, in amounts
not exceeding 160 acres of land.
8. Resolred, That the treaty making
power of the Government has no power
in the Constitution to "dispose" Of the
public lands without the joint sanction
of the Senate and Houseof Representa-
tives.
10. ResolUed, That the presence in
our country of Chinese laborers in large
numbers is an evil entailng want and
crime on all other classes Of the Ameri-
can people, and should be prevented by
direct legislation.