The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-09-07
The Platform Of the Wisconsin Democracy

Ine PlatI0rm Oh Tie WlScouSlH UohhVoA"o
The representatives of the Democratic party
of Wisconsin, in State convention assembled
hereby affirm:
Fsrst-That we point with pride to the eco
nomical administration and limited amount OF
taxation that prevailed in the State under
Democratic rule, as contrasted with the enor-
NOUS body of taxation and proflgate expendi-
lures of the succeeding Republican State ad,
ministration and that the Democratic party II
restored to power will observe economy and re,
trenchment and reform IN every department. u
the State government.
SscondSThat wise resolutions enacted in the
tenth amendment to the national Constitution
reserving to the States respectively and to the
people all powers not delegated to the United
States. is one of the strongest safeguards OF
popular freedom that the acts of Congress and
of the Federal administration usurping powers
not delegated by the Constitution, and the
breaking down of the distinctions between the
powers Of the State government and those OF
the general government, are destructive to con-
stitutional liberty and threaten the overthrow
of our existing form of local and Federal gov
ernmenf, and lead to the establishment of a
permanent centralized despotism in Congress
and the national Executive; and that we de-
nounce as a vicious offshoot of the centralizing
tendencies of the general government the fire.
ouent attempts of the agents of the Federal
administration to interfere in local political
affairs.
Third-That we are in favor of tariff for
revenue; that under the pretext of the raising
of q revenue within the last ten years, the ma
tional Congress has established and continues
that enormous roberry of the mass and for the
enrichment of the few known as the protective
tariff system, which has swept our commerce
from the seas and fettered and oppressed every
agricultural pursuit-a system OF which the
convention of the Republican party cquivo-
cally and haltingly speak in their platforms,
but which that party perpetuates in Congress,
and from which the people may hope for no re-
lief but by the restoration of Democratic rule.
Fourth.That by corruption and profigacy
the present administration have squandered
large portions of the national domain, and enor-
nous sums from the national treasury; that 1t
is no answer to this complaint that they have
paid some proportion of the national debt. If
q wise and economical use of the immense rev.
enues which an unprecedented taxation has
given had been made, a much greater reduction
in the debt would have been accomplished, but
the Democratic party opposes oppressive taxa
ton for the mere sake of speedy payment of
the debt, believing that with wisdom and JUS
tice in the adjustment of taxes, and economy
in expenditure, the national debt may be paid
with sufficient rapidity with light burden
upon the industry and resources of the people !;
and at the same time, we are opposed to all
forms of national reputation, either Of the
debt or the pensions and bounties of soldiers.
FUfh-That as the late amendments to the
Constitution have been declared by the proper
ly constituted authority to be part of the fun
damental law of the land they are binding up
on the people that the Democratic party now
as in the past, know no higher law than the
Constitution that the time-honored principle
of strict construction, applied by its trainers,
and accepted by the wisest statesmen and Jurlsts
of the country, should be observed in all legis-
lation by Congress relative TO the Constitution
and its amendments; that the Democratic par
ty are opposed to the withdrawal of civil and
political rights from any class of the people;
and that we demand the removal of all political
disqualifcations.
Sirth-That the defalcation, embezzlements,
and corruptions of the national administration,
and the prostitution of legislation to the de-
mands of unscrupulous lobbyists and greedy mo-
nopolists are national scandal and disgrace, q
most dangerous blow to the public credit, and
an intolerable outrage upon the taxpayers OF
the country.
SsrenthSThat as the representatives of a con-
stitution- loving and law-abiding party We de-
precate and denounce every outbreak of law
iessness and violence, whether committed at
the North or South and that acts of Congress
which authorize the employment of standing
army to garrison the place where elections are
to be held; and to constitute local police in
the States, and which empower the officers OF
the Federal administration to interpose mill
tary force for the purpose of overawing the
political conventions of the people, are subver-
ssive of free government and a perpetual menace
to public liberty.
Eaghth-That while the people Of this coun-
try hope the time may come when they may
extend the blessings of our form of government
over the entire continent, the course pursued
by the administration in its efforts to annex
Santo Domingo, was an unjustihable usurpa-
ton, and wicked attempt to lay hold of the
faith of this people in their high destiny, to
serve the unworthy purpose of personal gain.