The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-13
WHOLE No. $50.

s - * . 80 - IL
combinations of public plunderers.-
The enormous extent to which this
financial corruption has been carried
will become manifest to any one who
compares the expenditures of the gov
comment during the six years which
followed the civil war. Both were
periods of peace, and there can be no
excuse for more than small increase
corresponding to the ratio in which
the population has advanced. But
where the ordinary expenditures for
the fiscal year, ending JUNE /, 1870,
exclusive of Indian annuities, PEN
sions, and interest on the public debt,
were $l4S, ,669, ,622 43, for the year end
ing June l, l760, the expenditures for
the same purposes were but $55,9lS,-
18S Y. Here is shown the difference
between the ordinary cost of the same
thing when its officers are so destitute
of moral principle as to disregard all
legal limitations upon their own au-
thority. A free, unperyerted repre-
sentative government is, simple in its
machinery, easily maintained, and
I" dispenses its blessings like the dews
from Heaven, unseen and unfelt. save
in the beauty and freshness they con-
tribute to produce )" the secure tran
guilty of regal establishment may
sometimes be compensated for the
burdens it imposes, but q rotten re-
public is at once the most costly, the
most Oppressive and the most unsteady
of all political structures. *op's So
-, -s..{,,if : THE ISSUES, .,[ '''' 80 90
It will surely be admitted that all
American citizens who believe these
facts to be true are bound by the sa-
cred obligations of. patriotism, honor,
and conscience to oppose this state of
things, and by opposing end it. The
persons interested in preventing a
change will ask how, to what extent,
and by what means we propose to
make reforms, The question is a fair
one, and. we will answer it briefly. 1t
will be the duty. of the Democratic
party, and, to the extent of our au-
thority, noriginal or delegated, we
hereby pledge ourselves and our asso-
-ciates, SO for as in us. lies AS nsso -
). /. To put the ship of state once
again On her constitutional tack and
hold her head firmly and steadily to
that course ffsif sWafqiusls -ef - ag6
2. To protect the individual scitizen
of all parties, classes and creeds in the
enjoyment of life liberty, property,
reputation, and the pursuit of their
lawful business, by an imperative adj
ministration of justice in the ordained
and established, courts sI9.3 .elgew
3. To preserve the power of the
general government in their whole
constitutional vigor as our sole de-
fence against foreign aggression, the
safest bond of union between differ
ent sections of the country and the
only sure promise Of general prosper
ity. - is -e2ss.io4 70 il''-7ei2' in4aiE
a. To maintain, unimpaired the re-
served rights of theg States, not only
because they are guaranteed by the
Federal Constitution, but because the
States alone can safely be trusted with
the management of their own local
concerns. Fsas4ssG 10 g5n1r
5. To reduce the expenditures of the
government by rigid system of ac-
countability and economy, and by
abolishing much of the unnecessary
and pernicions machinery with which
it is now encumbered. ~ -,,-g,. !.
6. To moderate the burdens of the
people, not only by economical ad-
ministration but by a system of taxa
ton upon foreign imports as well as
domestic productions, which shall be
just and equal iii its operation upon
the property and business of 8 the
country, not enriching some while it
impoverishes others, and not open to
the frauds now habitually practised. b
z. To preserve the public credit by
the prompt payment of the public OBJ
| legations. l4<9'. y '.73>'.N - -Ilj9s esq &
tS, IT, o.s,,,., 4 41lo ,,,,l,l;o 1orae 20
the use of the landless people who
need it by a system which will secure
sufficiency to all, and stop ct once
the long series of swindles by which
so many millions of acres have been
given away to those who already have
enough. ~ 9353ti 500 aoia.i'.so.l e
These are some of the duties which
lie before the Deople if they desire to
see their government administered
with a decent respect for the Constitu-
ton of their fathers or with tolerable
honesty in financial matters.
s. We have no test of orthodoxy, no
disabilities for nor determinations
against former political antagonists
We cannot and do not object to by
gone differences, provided the, citizen
be truly and faithfully devoted now
to the interests and institutions of the
whole country and all the inhabitants
thereof. f,fs -,
Our object is not revolution, but
restoration; not injury to our oppo-
nents, but an assertion of our own
rights and those of our fellow citizens.
BY order of the Democratic Execu-
tive Committee. I12 aie siisa til,s
+ ,57WILLIAM "A. WALLACE, Chairman.
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