The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-10-18
platform
OF THE
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY.


Party, in National Convention assembled,
do here declare the administration OF the
Federal Government to he in urgent need
of Immediate reform, do Hereby enjoin up
on 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 feliow-citizens
of every former political connection to un-
dertake with us this first and most press
inc patriotic duty. For the Democracy of
the whole country we do here reatfrn our
filth in the permaneucy Of the Federal
Union: our devotion to the Constitution
of the United States with its amendments
universally accepted as d final settlement
of the controversies that engendered civil
war; and we do here record our steadtast
confidence in the perpetuity OF republican
selfgovernmeut; in absolute acGulescence
in the will of the majority, the vital prin-
ciple of republics; i'll the supremacy OF the
civil over the military authority; III the
total separation of Church and State for
the sake alike of civil and religious free
dom: in the equality of all citizens before
lust laws of their own enactment; Ill the
liberty of individual conduct unvexed by
sumptuary laws; ib 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 hun
dred wears of changeful history, but while
unfolding the bond of our Union and
| great charter of those our rights, it be-
| hooves a free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which is the price OF
| liberty.
REFORM is NECESSARY
to rebuild and establish in the hearts O
the whole people of the Union, clever
wears ago happily rescued from the dan
GER of q corrupt centraiism which, after
| inficting upon ten States the lapaclty o
carpet-bag tyrannies, has honeycOmbet
the officers of the Federal Government it
self with incapacity, waste and fraud, Ill
fected States and municipalities with thu
contarion of misruie, and locked fast thu
prosperity of an industrious people in TIM
paralysis of hard times. Reform is neces
sary TO establish sound currency, restore
the hubble credit, and maintain the ma
tional honor. We denounce the failur
for these eleven years to make good tn
promise of the legal tender notes, which
are a changing standard of value in tn
hands of the people, and the non paymen
of which is disregard of the plighte'
faith of the nation. We denounce tn
improvideuce which in eleven years o
peace have taken from the people in Fede
raj taxes, thirteen times the Who'll
amount of the legal tender notes, ant
suuandered four times this sum in useles
expense without accommodating any re
serve for their resumption. We denounc
the financial imbecility and immoralit
of that party, which, during eleven year
of peace, has made no advance towar
assumptions; that instead has obstructe
resumption by wasting our resources an
exhaustiug all our surplus income, an
while annually protesting to intend
speedy return to specie payments, ha
annually enacted fresh hnderance there
to. As such hinderance we denounc
) the resumption clause of the act Of 1877
aud we here
DEMAND IT'S REPEAL.
We demand a judicious system of prepare
ton by public economies, by official re
trenchmentS and by wise finance whic
= shall enable the nation to insure til
whole world of its perfect ability and il
perfect readiness to meet any Of its prom
ises at the call of the creditor entitled t
payment. We believe such system we
devised and, above all, entrusted to con
petent hands for execution, creating at Il
time an artificial scarcity of currency an
at no tine alarming the public mind int
a withdrawal OF that vaster machinery
credit by which IS per cent. of all busine.
> transactions are performed-a syste