The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-29
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted az ST. Louis. June IS. 1876.


party of the United states, in national con.
vention assembled. do hereby declare the
administration OF the federal government
to be in urgen. need of IMMEDIATE reform:
do hereby enioin upon the nominees OF this
convention, and OF the democratic party in
esch state. jealous effort aud co.opcra-
ton to this end. aud do hereby appeal to
our feilow-ciiiZen. of every former political
connection TO undertake with Tia hi. first
an most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION. GsTUnLI-
CAS- NELF-GoNEENMENT
For the democracy of the whole country
we Ito hereby rcaiiirm orr faith IL the per-
mancncc ot the federal union: our devotion
II the constitution al the nI;cl states.
with it, amct dmcni, univ cr>allt accepted
~ the final ctt'cment "f the controversies
that epgcndCrcd civil war, and do here re-
cord our stcadia-t confidence in the pcrpc.
tuty at republican sCll.gONcrnlucut
- 1IIE TiRsr CENTURY.
10 ah,olute acJuiesccucc IN the viii of
the msIority--thc vital principle 81 repub-
lic.: in the supremacy Of the evil over the
military authority, in tLe totai separation al
church and state, Tor The sake alike OF civil
and religious freedom; IN the equality OF
all citizens before lust laws ni their own en-
sctmcnt; in the liberty of individual con-
duct, uuNcNcd by >umpiu1ry laws; in the
faithful education OF The rising generation.
that they may preserve, ENJOY and transmit
these bert condition, If human happiness.
aud hope we behold the noblcst products vt
hundred years of chau-eiul history; hut
while u9holding The bond OF our union aud
great charter OF these great rights, /. be-
hooves free people to pracii e also that
eternal vigilance which /, the price OF
liberty.
REroRN--CoBEI riioN-
R.fgyn is necessary 10 build and establish
IN the hearts OF the whole peOl II the union,
eleven year, ago happily rescued from The
danger Of u secession ui states but now TO
he saved from corrupt centrali>m, viii ch.
after inilicting upon ten states the rapaci Y
OF carpet bag tyranuies, has honey .ccinbed
| the offices OF the federal government itself
| with incapscity, waste and fraud; inicote Il
! States aud municipalities with the cuntI-
! non OF misrule. and locked fast the pros
perity OF an industrious, people in the pa
ralysi. of hard time,.
REFORM or THE CURRENCY->rECIE
PAYMENTS.
Rsforot is necessary 20 establish a soan1
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We deuounce
tue i.tffure for all these eleven wears to
make good the promise OF the legal tender
notes, which are y changing standard OF
value in the hands OF the people. and The
non payment of winch j. a dir gard oi the
pligtted faith Of the nation.
We denounce the improN idcncc which in
eleven years of peace ha- taken from The
people, 10 federal taxes. thirteen times The
whole amount Of the legal tender notes,
and ,quandercd fOul times thi. sum 10 USE
les expense. Without accommodating any re-
serve Tor their redemption. We dcnounce
the financial imbecility and immortality OF
that party which, during eleven YEAR OF
Z b.. a. at,
demption; no preparation for re sumption.
but, instead. has ob>tIuc resumption by
wasting our resources aud cNIausting All
our eurpIu, Income, aud while annually
protesting TO intend q speedy return TO
speels payment. has ANNUALLY enacted fresh
hindrauce. thereto-as such hindrance
we denounce the RI sumption clause OF the
act of $50, and we demand it, repeal.
We demand luulcious system OF pre-
psTstion. by public economies. BY official
retrenchment, and by the finances. which
shall enable the nation soon to assure the
whole world Of it, perfect ability aud it,
perfect readiness TO meet any OF lis prom
i.es at the call OF the creditor entitled 10
payment.
We believe ,uch system, well devised.
and, above all, entrusted To competent
hands for it, execution, creating at no time
an artificial scarcity of currency, and at no
time alarming the pubic mind into a with.
drawal OF that vast machinery of credit by
which % per cent. OF all our business trans
actions are performed: system open to
the public and inspiring general confidence.
would, from the day OF its adoption, bring
healing on il wing. to all our harrassed in
dustries, set 10 motion the wheels Of COM
merce, manufactures and the mechanical
arts, restore employment to labor, and re-
| new n ali its national sources the prosper
\ lty OF the people.
| REFoBM %? THK TARIlF-TEEE TRADE.
| HtfoFD' i, necessary IN the sum aud mode
| of federal ,1XaiiOn, to the end that capital
| may be set tree from distIust and labor
| Lightly burdcncd. We denounce the pres
ent tarih levied upon nearly four thousand
| articles as a ma-t3 piece of injustice, in
| equality and false prctense. Ii Yields a
| dwlndllng, not yearly rising revenue. II
has impoverished many industric, To sub.
sidlIe few; II prohibits imports that might
purchase me products OF American libors:
! u hs> degraded American commerce from
The first to an inferior rank upon the higi,
seas; il has cut Gown the salC> of American
| manufactures AT home an abroad, and de.
plctrd the return, of American agriculture
an industry followed 10y half our people. Ii
| costs the people five times more than il pro.
| ducc> 10 the treasury; ob>trIlctS the proccs,
OF production, and wastes the fruits OF Ia.
Dor; 1t promotes fraud fosters smuggling
enrlches dishonest officials and bankrupt,
! honest merchants. We demand that all
custom house taxation shal ho only ioI
| revenue.
| REFORM ECONOMY ~ PUBLIC FNrpNSt
| Ho"fW Ia necessary in the scale Of plbli,
| cNpcnsc-icderal, state and mInicipal
our federal taxation has swollen from sixt,
millions gold, IN lsGo, TO four hundred am
MY millions currency, in $50. Ourag.rc
-sie taxation, from one hundred and nifty
toul lnllllonN gold IN 1860. TO seven hundred
shl thlllN millions currency IN 1870; or. II
, one decade, from les, than Ave dollars npl
head 10 more than eighteen dollar. per head
! since Tue peace the people have paid I,
their taX.gdtherers more than thrice IN,
sum OF the National debt, and more thai
: twice that Gum for the federal government
, alone. We demand vigorous lrugalitv il
every department, aud from every office
OF the government.
REFORM TUBLtC LANDS 10 Acrt-u srT
ILgRs,
Hgwu 1, necessary 10 put stop TO IA,
. ploi':ate waste OF the public lands an,
their diversion from actual settlers by IN,
. party IN power, which has squandere,
. 2OO,oJ0,UO acres upon railroads alone. an.
IN amount Of more than thrice that agyrs
gate, has disposed Of les than a siAth al
reetly 10 the tillers OF the soil.
RhfoRM-snopIED CITIZENS, EYJg,IrI
Il AOHGOLS
"gv'W Is necessary 10 correct the ommi.
siph Oh republican congress and the error
~ ouI uea'tes and our diplomacy, whic
Il nase slriPped our fellow-citzens OF iorcieI
y birth and kindred race. recros,in" The A,
n lantlc, OF tie shield Of American cjt,zer
!. snip, and have exposed our breihern of m
racine coast TO the incursions of "A race no
sprung from the same great parent stock
anu, ~ iaet, now by law denied ctiZenshiI