Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-11
OPENING PRocREpINGs.

| tie announced that the hour to which the con-
yention had adjourned had arrived aud called it
TO order. He called upon Rev. DR.. Leybrun Of
| Baltimore, who addressed the throne of gcace.
The chair announced for the convenience of
the members of the convention and press that
| every person rising TO make motion or speak
| shall announce his name and state,
| Mr.. Cabell of Arkansas asked that seats by
| courtesy be given five delegates from Arkansas
| in excess Of their regular number. Agreed to.
Mr.. Burr OF Connecticut announced that the
| committee on resolutions were ready to report.
| He came to the platform and at his request the
| reading clerk, Mr.. Perrin read the resolutions.
| A call for three cheers at the close elected
partial response.
Mr.. Burr explained that the resolutions were
| the Cincinnati platform exactly, nothing added.
| nothing excluded. This platform was adopted
| in committee by all the states except Delaware,
| Mississippi Georgia and Oregon. He moved the
adoption of the report and moved the previous
question.
Mr.. Bayard of Delaware inquired whether the
| previous question, another name for gag law
| had become the law of the democratic conYen-
| ton without notice to the delegates?
| The chair said the convention had adopted
the rules OF the house of representatives. So
| the motion of Mr. Burr was in order, and not
| open to debate.
Various gentlemen appealed for tho with.
| drawal of the motion in order to allow short
| debate.
Mr. Burr said he felt compelled to decline.
A scene of great confusion ensued. Calls of
| question, "debate," etc.
On II motion to sustain the previous question
| call of states was ordered, and being taken re.
suited in yeas 559, nays 176.
| THE PLATFORM
| The reading clerk, Perrin, read n report recon-
| mending the adoption of the resolutions already
| adopted mt the liberal republican convention at
Cincinnati. (Cheers,)
In order that there should be no misappre-
henson as to these resolutions, Mr.. Barr called
| for their reading in full to the convention,
| which was done, each plank being received with
| applause The one term plank was especially
| well received.
RESOLUTIONS.
l. We recognize the equality of all men before the
law, and hold that 1t is the duty of the government
in its dealings with the people, TO mete ont equal
and exact justice to all of whatever nativity, race,
| color or persuasion, religious political.
| 2. We pledge ourselves to maintain the union of
| these states, emancipation and Acknowledgement
and to oppose any reopening OF the questions settled
by the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
| ments of the constitution.
| 8. We demand the immediate and absolute re-
mOVal of all disabilities imposed on account of the
rebellion which was finally subdued seven years
ago, believing that universal amnesty will result in
complete pacltcation in all sections of the country
1. Local selfgOyernment, with impartial suffrage
will guard the rights of all citizens more securely
than any centralized power. The public welfare re-
quires the supremacy of the civil over the military
authority, and the freedom of person under the pro-
| lection of the hdbedS corpus. We demand for the
individual the largest liberty consistent with the
|
the nation return to the methods of peace and the
constitutional limitations of power,
8. The civil service of the government has be-
come Il mere instrument of partisan tyranny and
personal ambition and an object of selfish greed.
1t is scandal and reproach upon free institutions
and breeds a Generalization dangerous to the per-
petuity of republican government.
| g. we therefore regard a thorough reform of the
civil service as one of the most pressing necessities
of the hour; that honesty, capacity and fidelity
stitute the only valid claims to public employment
that the offices Of the government cease to be mat
ter of arbitrary fayorltsm and patronage and that
public station shall become place of honor. To
this end it is imperatiyey required that no pres
dent shall be q candidate for reelection.
| T. We demand a system of federal taxation which
shall not unnecessarily interfere with the industry
of the people, and which shall provide the means
necessary to pay the expenses Of the government
economically administered the PENSIONS the inter
est on the public debt and moderate annual re-
duction OF the principal thereof and recognizing
that there are in our midst honest but irreconcila
BILE differences of opinion with regard to the re-
spectiye systems of protection and free trade, We
remit the discussion of the subject to the people in
their congressional districts, and the decision of
congress thereon wholly free from executive inter-
ference or dictatiOn.
>. The public credit must be saeredy maintained,
and We denOunce reputation in every form and
guise
8. A speedy return to specie payments is demand
| ed alike by the highest considerations of CONNER
cial morality and honest government,
10. We remember with gratitude the heroism and
sacrifices of the soldiers and sailors of the Republic
| and no act of ours shall ever detract from their
justly earned fame or the full rewards of their
| patriotism.
| IL. We are opposed to all further grants of land
| to railroads other corporations. The public do
| main should be held sacred to actual settlers
| H. We hold thatit is the duty OF the government
in its intercourse with foreign nations to cultivate
the friendships of peace, by treating with all fair
| and equal terms, regarding 1t alike dishonOrable
| either to demand what is not right or submit to
| what is wrong.
l3. For the promotion and success Of these vital
principles, and the support of the candidates nOmi
mated by this convention, we invite and cordially
1 wacOmp nO-ODpFnfiOu
without regard to previous political affiliations
Governor Hoffman, in casting the unanimous
| vote of New York IN the affirmative, said that
| some of the delegates, himself among the num-
| Der, were opposed 10 the previous question.
| Mr. Hancock OF Ohio denied the right OF his
| delegation to cast the vote as unit, and asked
| to have his vote recorded no.
DEBATE ON THE RESOLUTIONS
The chair announced that Mr., Burr, of Con-
| necticut was now entitled to one hour to debate
| the resolutions; also that the gentleman from
| Delaware (Bayard) appealed for ten minutes
Mr.. Burr conceded this request, as Mr. Bay
| ard Is member OF the committee on resOu-
| tons.
Mr.. Bayard-Mr President and gentlemen of
| the convention: If know anything of the or
| ganization of human opinion, it is that parties
| have no Justification except that they are means
| Of an honest end. Ii ever there was need for
| organization for the purpose Of reaching honest
| ends in this country, God knows it is now. Gap.
| plause) Ii ever the country needed honest
| oulspoken sentiment by her people il is now; if
| ever she needed men to rise above the petty call
| Of party, it is now and therefore you show in
| this assembly no disposition 10 carp at men for
| former political differences. You desire TO ee-
| yate honesty and capability instead of insensi-
| bility and utter civil incapacity, Immense ap-
| plausel, and how do you propose to do il; Is IL
| not by an appeal TO all that is high and noble
and honest i'll human nature. If you do
| not do SO, you are unworthy of the occa-
| sion 10 which you are called. Now, | tell
| you, the democratic party is the organiza.
| ton which the sense of mankind in
| this country will point as the best means
| through which and by which the salvation of
our political country can be wrought. Zap
plause,) Yet, upon this occasion, what have we
wtnessed-not a shrinking from life long demo-
| Gratis claspng hands with honest men of the lib
| eral republican party. You have not witnessed
| that. On the contrary, you have witnessed a
Willingness, scarcely at empted to be suppress
ed, and desire to forget past political and party
differences in favor of the great present and no
bic (and almost holy object. Now, gentlemen,
ask You in all fairness shall this great Organi-
zation, dignihed by years and dignifed by sacri-
fees for the sake OF patriotic feeling not be al.
lowed to have an Independent ex-
preston of its own honest senti-
ment? applause and cries OF yes.)
What, then can be said in favor of the fact that
cut and dried, we shall, without crossing n or
dOtting an j, vote down our thrOais without
nhsuChllOH OF ulgtslOn tllc hctlOn OF other men
who have not been called into our counses,
however much they may desire to act with us in
reference TO the common obiect2 (Cries of
no, nO). 1t may be proper for me 10 state that
of the minority Of the committee who voted
against the adoption of the resolutions. | was
one. am glad, for the sake Of my own con-
science, that was one of the minority who on.
posed the adoption OF the Cincinnati PLATFORM
platform containing many things that we
respect and adhere to, but much we
desire to modify and correct, but think il
becoming the dignity of this grand national
organization of nearly 5000 900 Of freemen or
those who deem themselves frcemen, that we |
should at least be permitted to have an unrc.
strained, moderate, straightiorwardiexprc |
OF our own opinions, without having the words |
of other men, unchoseu by us, forced down our
thioats. Cheers and hsses) Now, gentlemen, |
| ask you, will not the democratic masses of the |
country demand of this convention that the |
expression which you shall give shall not be
merely the cut and dried language of another
but that il shall he an expression of unterriled
clear outspoken wishes OF the democratic party
itself2 are We not entitled TO it, | consider
that we are; and for that reason |
| did constantly move amendments which
| were utterly rejected. The teclnicalites of par.
liamentary law were adopted to exclude them,
] aud we stand here to-day and shall, probably,