American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-08

| had been instructed by the COmmlttee O
Resolutions to present the result of their de
alterations to the Convention, but that. hi
voice being Unequal to the task, Gov. Dor
sheimer would read the report. Gov. Dor
sheimer then read as follows:
The Platform.
| We the delegates of the Democratic party Q
the United States, in National Convention assem-
bled, do hereby declare the administration of tn
Federal Government to be in urgent need of imme
diate reform; do hereby entoin upon the nomi
party in each state Jealous effort and co-opera
tion to this end, and do hereby appeal to our fel
TO undertake with us this first and most pressing
patriotic duty. For the Demo sraey of the who'll
country x. we do here re re the our fa
| Union, our devotion to the Constitution of tn,
United States 18th its amendments UNIVERSAL,
that engendered the civil war; and do here re
cord our steatlfast confidence in the perpetuity o
| Republican self government. In absolute acqui
escence in the will of the majority, the vital prin
ciple of Republics; in the supremacy of the civil
over the military authority in the total separation
Of church and state for the sake alike Of civil ani
religious freedom in the equality of all citizens
before just laws of their own enactment; in the
liberty of individual conduct unvexed by sump-
tuary laws In the faithful education of the rising
generation. that they may preserve, enjoy and
transmit these best conditions OF human happl-
| ness and hope, we behold the noblest products OF
| a hundred years OF changeful history.
But while UNFOLDING the bond Of our union
a free people to practice also that eternal vigi
| lence which is the price. of liberty. Reform is
necessary to rebuild and establish in the hearts
| of the whole people the Union eleven years ago
happily rescued from the danger of a secession
rupt centraIism which, after inficting
upon ten states the rapacity of carpet bag tyran-
al Government itself with incapacity. waste and
fraud; infected States and municipalities with
the contagon of misrule, and locked fast the
of hard times. Reform is necessary to establish
sound currency, restore the public credit and
We denounce the failure for all these eleven
years Of peace to make good the promise of the lie
81 rane in Of the and se
payment ss Of which is disregard OF the plight
ed fafs OF the Nation ~ the i'm.
taken from the people in federal taxes thirteen
times the whole amount of the
four times their sum in useless expense without
accumulating any reserve for their redemption.
morality Of that party which during eleven years
of peace, has made no advance toward resump
py eur
plus income. and while annually pro
to specie payments, has annually enacted fresh
hindrances thereto. As such hindrance, we de-
and we here demand its repeal. We demand a
judicious system of preparation by public econo-
nance Which shall enabie the Nation soon to
assure the whole world Of its perfect ability and
its perfect readiness to meet any Of its
70 payment. We believe such a system, well
devised, and, above all, entrusted to compe-
tent hands for execution-creating at no time an
artificial scarcity of currency. and no time
alarming the public mind into withdrawal of that
vast9r machinery of credit by which 95 per cent.
of all our business transactions are performed
"a system open and public and inspiring gen.
eral confidence-would from the day of its adop-
ed industries, set in motion the wheels of com
merce, manufactures and the mechanic arts. re-
natural sources the prosperity of the people.
Reform is necessary in the sum and modes of
set free rom distr1st and labor lightly burdens ne
ed. We denounce the present tariff levied upon
nearly four thousand articles as masterpiece of
injustice, inequality and false pretense. 1t
yields a dwindling and not yearly rising reve-
nue.. 1t has impoverished many industries to
subsidize few; it prohibits imports that might
purchase the products of American labor; it
has degraded American commerce from
seas il has cut down the sales Of American man
ufactures at home and abroad; it has depleted
the returns Of American agriculture, an industry
followed by half our people; it costs the people
five times more than it produces to the treasury;
it obstructsthe process Of production, and wastes
smuggling, enriches dishonest ofiicials, and
bankrupts honest merchants. We demand that
all custom house taxation shall be only for reVe-
Reform is necessary in the scale Of public e1-
era sIase ahe n omT Eea
gold in 1860 to four hundred and fifty millions
currency in 1870; our aggregate taxation from
one hundred and fifty four millions gold in 1860
to seven hundred and thirty millions currency in
1870; and in one decade, from less than five dol
head. Since the Peace the people have paid to
their tax gatherers more than thrice the sum of
the national debt, and more than twice that
sum for the Federal Government alone.
We demand rigorous frugality in every de-
partment and from every officer of the Govern
profiigate waste Of public lands and their
diversion from actual settlers by the party
millions Of acres upon raiIroads alone and omt Of
more than thrice that aggregate has disposed of
less than sixth directly to the tllers of the SOIL
Reform is necessary TO correct the omissions
of Republican Congress and the errors of our
treaties, and our diplomacy, which have strip
birth and kindred race, re crossing THE
Atlantic, Of the shield of American citizenship
and has exposed our brethren of the Pacific coast
to the incursions of race not sprung from the
same parent stock, and in fact now by law denied
through naturalization being neither
ilizaton, nor exercised in liberty under equal
laws. We denou the policy which thus discards
val of the Coolie trade in Mongolian women, i'm
ported for immoral purposes, and Mongolian
demand such modification of treaty with the
Chinese Empire or such legislation within Con-
stitutional limitations as shall prevent further
importation or immigration of the Monaghan
race.
Reform is necessary and can never be effected
election and lifting it above the two false issues
with which the oflice-holding classes and the
party in power seek to smother it first, the false
issue with which they wonld enkndle sectarian
strife in respect to the public schools, of which
the establishment and support belong ex..
to the several States and
from their foundation and
is resolved to maintain without Partially or pref
erence for any class, sect or creed, and without
from the Treasury to any; second,
the false issue by which they seek to light anew
the dying embers of sectional hate between kin
dTed peoples. once unnaturally estranged but
now reunited in one indivisible republic and a
common destiny.
perence proves that efficient, economical con-
duct of the Government business is not possible
if its civil service be subject to change at every
election be prize fought for at the ballot box he
a brief reward of party zeal instead of post of
honor assigned for approved competency and
held for fidelity in the public employ; that the
upon the time of our public men nor
an instrument of their ambition. Here, again,
professions falsi6ed in the performance attest
that the party in power can work out practi
cal or salutary reform. Reform is necessary,
even more in the higher grades of public service.
President. Vice President, Judges, Senators,
others in authorityare the peoples servants. These
offices are not a private perqnisite;, they
public show the disgrace and censure of a Vice
President; late Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives marketing his rulings as presiding
votes as lawmakers; five chairmen OF the lead
ing committees of the late House of Representa-
tives exposed in jobbery; late Secretary of the
a late Attorney General Incorporating pub
lie funds; Secretary of the Navy enriched and
enriching his friends by percentage levied off
ment; ambassador to England censur-
ell in dishonorable speculation; the
escaping conviction upon trail 'i for guilty COM
picity in frauds upon the revenue; a Secretary
of War impeached for high crimes and INSIDE