The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-07-05
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.


, National Convention assembled, d
here declare the administration G
tho Federal Government to be ii
nrgont need of immediate reform
We do hereby enjoin upon til
nominees of this Convention and q
the Democratic party in each Stat
q jealous effort and cooperation t
this end, and do hereby appeal t.
our fellow citizens Of every forme
political Conyention to undertak
with lib this first md prossin.
patriotic dtty. For the Democrac,
Of tho whole country we do hereb'
reaf1irm our, faith in tho perlnanenc,
of tho Federal Union, our devotion
| to the Constitution of the Unite,
States, with IFS amendments uniser
sally accepted rs o final settio,neu
Of the controversies that cngenderet
civil war, and do here record on,
steadfast confidence in the porpetui
ty of Republican solf>governmont
IN absolute acquiescnce in tho, vii
of the majority, the vital principl,
of the Republic in the supremacy
OF tho civil over tho military n,l;
thority in the total separation o.
Church and State, for the sake alike
of civil "nd religious freedom; i,
tho equality of all citizens before
tho just laws of their own ennct
mcnt; in the liberty of individual
conduct, unveHcd by sumptuar,
laws i'll the faithful education OF
the rising generation, that they
may preserve, enjoy and transmit
these best conditions of human
happiness and hope. We behold
the noblest products of n hundred
years of changeful history, but
while upholding tho bond of our
Union and tho great charter of those
our rights, it behooves free peo-
pic to practice also that eternal
vigilance which is the price OF
liberty. Reform is necessary to
Icbuiid and estatablish in the hearts
of the whole people tho Union
eleven years ago happily rescued
from the danger of Il corrupt cen
tralism, which, after inflicting upon
ten States the rapicity Of carpct-bag
tyrannics, has honeycombed the
offices of tho Federal Government
itself with incapncity, waste and
fraud, infected States and munici--
palitics with the contagion of mis-
rule, and locked fast the property of
IN industrious people. !. In the
paralysis of hard times rCtorm is
necessary to establish a sound
currency, restore tho public credit
and maintain the National honor.
We dcnounce the failure for all
these elaueh years to make good
the promise of the legal tender
notes which are changing standard
of value in the haf&ls of the people,
and the non-paymcnt of which is q
disregard Of the pligilted k,ith of the
nation. We denounce the improvi
dshce which in eleven years of peace
has taken from the people in
Federal taxes thirteen times ttas
whole amount of the legal notes,
and squandered four times this sum
in useless expenses without accumu.
lating any reserve for their rcdemr-
ton. Wo denounce the fin, atinl
imbecility and immortality of that
party which during eleven years of
pence has made no advance toward
resumption that instead hns OBJ
structed resumption by wasting our
resources and cxhausting all our
surplus income, and while annually
processing. to- intend 3 speedy re
turn to specie payments; has annu-
nlly enacted fresh hindrances there
to. AS such q hindrance we de-
nounce the resumption clause Of
the act of 1876; ahts Ne hcre dc
mand its repeal. We demand q
judicious system of preparation by
public economists by official ps:=
trcnchments and by wise finance,
which shall enable the nation to
assure the whole world of its re:-
feet ability and it's perfect readiness
to meet any Of its promises Mt the
call of the creditor entitled to pay
ment. We believe such system
we'll devised, md, above MI, entrust,
cd to competent hands for execu.,
ton, creating at no time an artiiiciNl
scarcity Of currency and ut no time
alt1'ming the public mind into "
withdrawal of that vast machinery
of credit by which ninety tivo per
cent. Of all business transactions spre
performed. A systom openr public
and inspiring general confidence
would, from the day Of its adoption,
bring hoalins in it's wings to all our
hnrassc,f industry, and SGT ir motion
the wheels of commerce, manufac-
lures md the mechaMical arts,
restore employment to labor and
renew in MI its national source tho
prosperity of tho people. Reform
is necessary ip tho sum and mode Of
Federal taxation, to tho end that
capital be set free from distrust and
labor lightly burtlened. Wo de-
nounco the present tariff loviod
upon nearlS 1000, articlcs,' rs a
masterpiece of injustice in equality
and false protepce. It yields d
lwindling, not yeerB rising
revenue. 1t has impoverished MANY
Industries to subsidize n fow. II
prohibits imports that might pur.