The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-09-18
THE PLATFORM
OF THE
National Democratic Party
REFORM Ar,TRIoTIC DUTY.


We, the delegates of the Democratic
marty of the United States in Nationa
Convention assembled, do hereby declare
the administration of the Federal Gov
eminent to be in urgent need OF lmme'
diste Reform; do hereby enjOln upon the
nominees of this Convention, and OF the
Democratic party IN each State, Jealous
effort and cooperation To this end; and
do hereby appeal to our fellow citizens
of every former political connection, t.
undertake with us this first and most
pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION AND CONSTITUTION.
For the Democracy of the whole COun-
try. we do here reatfirm our faith III the
permanence of the Federal Union, our de-
vo.ion to the Constitution of the United
States with its amendments universally
accented ms u final settlement Of the con-
troyersies that engendered civil war, and
do here record our stesdfast confidence IN
the perpetulty OF Republican Self-Gov-
eminent.
NOBLE PRODUCTS OF A HUNDRED YEARS
In absolute acQuiescence in the will OF
the majority-the vital principal OF Re-
publIcs;
In the supremacy of the civil over the
military authority;
In the total separation of Church and
state, for the sake alike of civil and relig-
iOus freedom;
In the equality of all citizens before
lust laws OF their own enactment;
In the liberty of Individual conduct,
unvexed by sumptusry laws;
In the faithful education of the rising
generation, that they may preserve, en-
10Y, and transmit these best conditions of
hannah happiness and hope;
We behold the noblest products OF q
hundred years of changeful history.
But while uphOlding the bond of our
Union and great Charter ef these onr
rights, it behooves free people to prac-
tee also that eternal vigilance which is
the price of Liberty.
MIsRULE AND HARD TINES
Reform IS necessary 10 rebuild and es-
tsblish in the hearts of the whole people,
the Union, eleven years ago happily res
cued from the danger of Secession of
States; but now TO be saved from q cor
rupt Centrslism, which, after inficting
upon ten States the rapacity of carpet bag
tyrsnnies, has honeycombed the offices OF
the Federal Government itself with in
capacity, waste, and fraud; infected States
and municipalities with the contssion of
misrule, and locked fast the prosperity of
an industrious people in the paralysis of
Hard Times
SOUND CURRENCY.
Reform IS necessary 20 establish sound
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor.
We denounce the failure for all these
eleven years of pesce to make good the
promise of the legal-tender notes, which
are changing standard of value in the
hands of the people, and the non-pav-
ment of which is a disregard of the plight
oil faith of the nation.
CONCLUDED
We denounce the imProvidence which,
in eleven years of peace, has taken from
the people in Federal taxes, thirteen
times the whole amount of the legal-ten-
der notes, and squsndered four times their
sum in useless expense, without sccumu-
lsting any reserve for their redemption.
RKTxENCHMENT AND RESUMPTION.
We denounce the financial imbecility
and immortality of that party which, dur
ing eleven years Of peace, has made no