The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-03-05


Your Committee on Platform submit
the following as tic points OF their la
! Dor:
! l We hold that all political power is
; Inherent in the people, and free govern
ment founded on their authority and es-
iablishcd for their benefit, that all citi-
zens are equal in political rights, enti-
tied to tie largest religious and polite
al liberty compatible with the good CT
der Of society, as also the use and en-
ijoyment of the fruits Of their labor and
talents, and no man, Or set of men, is
entitled to exclusive separate emou
ments and privileges from the Govern
ment, but in consideration of public
services any laws destructive or these
fundamental principles ale without NOR
al binding force, and should be repeal
ed; and believing that all evils resulting
from unjust Legislation now affecting
the industrial classes can he removed
by the adoption OF the principles CON
tanned in the following declaration, there
fore,
2. Resolred, That it is the duty ol
the Government to establish ADJUST stan
dard of distribution Of capital and la.
Dor by providing purely national cir
culating medium tased on the faith and
resources OF the nation, issued directly
to the people without the intervention
of any system of banking corporations,
which money shall lie legal tender in
the payment of all debts, public and pri
vate, and interchangeable at the option
of the holder for government bonds
bearing a rate of interest not to exceed
3 IS per cent, subject to future legisla
ton by Congress.
s. Resolred, That the national debt
should be paid in good faith according
to the original contract at the earliest
option of the Government, without
mortsaging the property OF the people
and the future earnings of labor to en-
rich few capitalists at home and
abroad.
T. Resolred, That justice demands
that the burdens of government should
be so adjusted as to hear equally on all
classes and interests; and that the ex,
emption from taxation of government
bonds bearing eXtortionate rates of in.
terest is violation of all just principles
of revenue laws.
5. Resolved, That the public lands Of
the Uni,ed States belong to the people,
and should not be sold to individuals
nor granted to corporations, but should
be held as sacl ed trust for the benefit
of the people, and should be granted
free of cost to landless settlers only, in
amounts not exceeding one hundred
and sixty acres of land
g. Resolred, That Congress should
modify the tariff so as to admit flee
such articles of common use as we can
neither produce nor grow, and lay du.
ties for revenue mainly upon articles OF
luxury, and upon such articles of man
ufacture as we, having the raw material
in abundance, will assist in further de-
veloping the resources Of the country
4 ResOlced, That the presence in oul
country OF Chinese iaborers Imported
by capitalists in large numbers for ser
vile use, is an evil entailing want and its
consequent train of misery and crime
on all classes of the American people
and should be prohibited by legislation
s. Resolred, That We ask for the en-
actment OF a law by which all mechan
les and day laLorers employed by or or
behalf the Governments whether direct
ly or indirectly, through persons, firm:
or corporations Contracting with the
State, shall conform to the reduced
standard Of eight hours a, day recently
adopted by Congress for the nationa
employees, and also for al amendment tc
the act OF incorporation for cities ant
towns, BY which all laborers and me
chanics employed at their expense shai
conform to the same number of hours
g. Resolued, That the enlightened
spirit of the age demands the abolition
of the system of contract labor in oul
prisons and other reformatory institu
tions ......-...
~. Resolved, That the protection o
life, liberty and property are the three
cardinal principles of government, ant
the first two more sacred than the. lat
ter; therefore, money necessary fol
prosecuting wars, should, as il is. re
quired, be assessed and collected from
the wealth of the country, and not en-
tailed as burden on posterity. f.
IL. Resolred, That it is the duty o
the government to so exercise its powe
over railroads and telegraph corpora
tons that they shall not in any case bt
privileged to exact such rates of freight
transportation or charges by whatsoev
) er name as may bear unduly or inequit
ably upon either producer or consumer
y. Resolced, That there should bt
such reform in the civil service Of tn,
National Government as will remove i
beyond all partisan influence, and place
it in tue charge and under the direction
Of intelligent and competent business
men. s- a.-r
13. Resolred, That as both history
and experience teaches us that powe
ever seeks to perpetuate itself by any
and all means at its command, and tha
its prolonged possession in the hands
Of one person is always dangerous tc
the liberties of free people, and believ
ing, too, that the spirit of our srgani,
laws and the stability and safety of eul
free institutions arc best obeyed on thu
one hand and sacred on the other, by
a regular constitutional change in tht
chief of the country at each quadren
nial election, therefore, we are in favor
of limiting the occupancy of the Presi
dental chair to- one term.
IA. Resolred; That we are in favor o.
granting general amnesty and restoring
the Union at once on the basis of the
equality of right and privileges TO all
the impartial administration of justice
being the only true bond of union tc
bind the States together and restore ths
people Of the Government.
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Speculation Developed,
/ LOUISVILLE, KY. Feb 2S-One Of The
uraa,ast whisky franSactianS in tho his