The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-10-16
PLATFORM OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY OF TEXAS.


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PLATFORM OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY OF TEXAS.
-ts --r aI 7aAsr 3tl3
We, the Democracy of Texas, in Conven-
ton assembled, relying on the virtue and
intelligence of the people, again declare our
principles and policy, and ask for them the
popular approval. And l1 a
l. We declare our adhesion to the time
honored principles of the Democratic party;I
our devotion to popular liberty regulated
by law; and to Constitutional government
simple in machinery and to be be admin
istered with the strictest economy.
H. We congratulate the people of Texas
on the repeal by the Thirteenth Legislature
of number of the oppressive, odious and
unconstitutional acts, passed by the Twelfth
Legislature, in pursuance of the Radical pol
icy to overthrow the government of the
people, and among which acts were:
l. The Militia Law, whereby the Cover
nor was authorized to suspend the writ of
hdbeas corpus and establish martial law,
thereby depriving the citizens OF all legal
and constitutional protection, and subject
ing their lives, liberty and property to the
unrestrained caprice and smalignity of a
partisan Executive. ~ tat
q The Police Bill, designed and intended,
among other things, to create. a system of
secret espionage, by hired informers, upon
the people at war with the principles of
civil liberty; odious to all freemen, and
heretofore tolerated only in the despotism
of the old world, and the execution of
which act was for the most part entrusted to
a class of men of degraded and infamous
character.
5. The Enabling Act, under which the
Governor was authorized to appoint district
attorneys who were made elective by the
Constitution; to appoint all municipal Off
GERS, and to fill all vacancies that might
occur in the offices of clerks and sheriffs,
thereby designedly bestowing on him great
power and patronage, to enable him to con-
tinue Radical misrule over this people.
4 The registration and election laws,
which were framed and intended for the
purpose of preventing free and fair cleo
lions; they openly encouraged the perpe-
tration of frauds to defeat the will of the
people, and to perpetuate Radical misrule,
presenting to our people the extraordinary
and humiliating spectacle Of surrounding
the places of registration and voting with
an armed partisan police with which to in
timidate and overawe the citizens.
5. The act relating to public free schools,
which, among many other bad features,
provided the means of enabling public Off
cials to speculate in school books, in the
building and furniture of school houses, in
the salaries of teachers, and furnished high
salaries for large and useless number of
officers, which gave the Radical party the
means to pay their political missionaries
who Travelled for radical purposes and frauds,
from one end of the State to the other.
III. And we further congratulate the peo-
pie of Texas that the Democratic members
of the Thirteenth Legislature, SO far as it
was possible to accomplish their object, in
presence of the captious vetoes of the Gov
ernor, and the opposition of his partisans in
the Senate, replaced the foregoing obnox
ious, repealed measures, by just and whole
some laws, bearing alike on all, and which
if honestly and faithfully executed, VIII re-
dound to the lasting good Of the country
aRd prosperity of the people.
". The DemoerRtie party, when it
comes into the possession Of the government
of the State, will administer it in the inter
est and for the benefit Of the whole people,
and not of party; and, however much VIC
may have been provoked to hostile and re-
taliatory legislation, by the outrages CON-
mitted on us by the Radical Legislature
and State government, it will be part of
our great mission to rise superior to our
lust resentments, and administer the gov
eminent in such manner that every citizen,
whatever his politics, religion, nationality
or color shall feel that he is securely pro-
tected in his life, liberty ana property.
" The school fund, sacredly set apart
for the education OF the children of the
State. has under the operation OF the mis-
lule of the party in power, been plundered
by REGULATION, squandered and perverted
TO political purposes. The Democratic
party, through US, reafiims its past opin-
ION and the policy it has ever pursued, that
it is the bounden duty Of the State 70
maintain an efficient system Of free common
schools, and secure the means of a COM
mon education to every child in the State
and we advocate the gradual sale Of the
alternate sections of land belonging to the
common school fund as also Of the asylum.
and university lands, under such rcstric-
tons as viii secure the funds arising there
from 10 the purposes for which they were
intended, and giving in such sales proper
preferences TO actual settlers in good faith
thereon.
VI. It was the Democratic party which
first inaugurated the wise and generous pol
icy which has made the United States the
asylunI.of al nations from Oppressive gov
eminent and less favorable means Of iiyeli-
hood and independence; and the Democrat
ic party Of Texas, true to the early teachingz
and uniform practlces Of the patty adxo-
Gates the most liberal and active policy TO
encourage and increase foreign Immigration,
70 develop the resources Of our fertile state,
as well ~ TO perpetuate the goveTnm>nt,
through the intelligence and moral worth
Of her citizens. And that every adopted
citizen may enter into the spirit 81 perfect
freedom Of thought and action in matters
Of conscience, the Democracy 81 Texas n
Convention assembled, declare Il TO DC olr
firm conviction that legal interference with
the merely social habits Of any class Of cifi-
zcns. natives oz Of foreign birth. S contrary
70 sound policy, 70 genuine Democracy, and
70 the enlightened spirit 81 the age.
VII The Democratic party s and has
ever been IN favor Of throwing as lev M
pcdimenfs IS possible ~ the nay 81 EURO
peans making tie Cnilcd States the Land 81
their adoption and % enable foreigners q
enter into citizenship without needles tfpp-
be. delay 81 expense we declare = = ~
our conviction thot foreig1ef who desires
n 1rrI1 have tie Z. rI % make fif IiccIaIl.