The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-31
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Oaicial Text as Reported by the
Committee.



We, the delegates of the democratic |
,arty of the United states. in national con. |
ention assembled, do hereby declare the |
of the federal government |
o be in urgent need Of immediate reform;
10 hereby enjoin upon the nominees Of this |
.ons entioL, and OF the democratic party In
ach State, q Jealous effort and 60 opera
ion to this end, and do hereby appeal to
bur fellow.citizens OF every former political
to undertake with Us this first
IN most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, REPUBLIC
CAS- sELF-GOyERNMENT.
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reaffirm our faith 10 the per-
manence of the federal union; our devotion
to the constitution Of the United States,
with its ameL dments universally accepted
az the final settlement Of the controversies
that engendered civil war, and do here re-.
cord our steadia.t confidence in the perpe.
tuity of republican selt-government.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
the msjority-ihe vital principle OF repub-
hes; in the supremacy Of the civil over the
military authority, in tle total separation Of
church and state. for the sake alike OF civil
and religious freedom; in the equality OF
all citizens before Just laws OF their own en-
sctment; in the liberty Of individual con-
duet, unvexed by sumptuary laws; in the
faithful education Of the rising generation,
that they may preserve, enjoy aud transmit
these best conditions Of human happiness,
and hope we behold the noblest products Of
Q hundred years OF changeful history; but
while upholdipg the bond OF our union and
great charter Of these great rights, i: be-
hooves q free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which is the price OF
liberty.
RRfoRM-CoRRUPTION
Reform IL necessary to build and establish
In the hearts OF the whole people the union,
eleven years ago happily rescued from the
danger of . sece ssion Of states but now 70
be saved from q corrupt centrsiism, viii Oh 3,
after infiicting upon ten States the rapacity
Of carpet-bAg tyrannies, has hone y-combed
the Offices o, the federal geyernnent itself
with incapacity, waste and fraud: infected
States aud municipalities with the conta-
glon Of misrtlle, and locked fast the pros
perify OF an industrious people in the pa.
ralysis OF hard times.
PAYMENTS.
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for all these eleven years 70
make good the promise Of the legal tender
notes, which are . changing standard OF
value in the hands OF the people, and the
non payment OF which is disrs ard OF the
phghted faith OF the nation
We deDounce the improytdence which in
eleven years Of peace has taken from the
people, Ii federal taxes, thirteen times the
| whoss amount Of the legal tender notes
| and sQuAndered foul tlfnes inns sum 10 use
less expense, without accommodating any re
serve TOR their redemption. We denounc,
the financial imbeeihty and immortality o
that party which, dlring eleven year. o.
peace. has made no advance toward re
| dempiion; no preparation for resumption
| put, instead, has obstructed resumption b,
| wasting our resources and eXhAusting al
our surplus income, and while annual,
protesting 70 intend q speedy return I,
specie payment, has annually enacted fresl
bindrances thereto-as such a hindrsnc
We debounce the II sumption clsuse OF th
act OF 1875. and we demand its repeal.
We demand q judicious system OF pre-
paraton. by public economies. by officis
retrenchment, and by the finances, whic
shall enable the nation soon to assure III
whole world Of its peifeet ability and II
perfect readiness TO meet any Of its prom
L
payment.
We believe such a system, well devised
and, above all, entrusted IN competeL
hands for its execution, Great ng ct no tim
AN artificial scarcity OF currency, and AZ n
time alarming the pubic mind into will
drawal OF that vast machinery Of credit
which rs per cent. of all our business tran
I actions are performed; q system open
the public and inspiring general confdenc
would, from ihe day OF its adoption, bril-
healing on its wings TO oil our hnrrsssed Il
y dustries, set 10 motion the wheels OF cor
n merce, manufactures and the mechanic
# arts, restore employment to labor, and Z
new in all its national sources the prospe
ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FRsR TRADE
Reform is necessary in the sum and mo,
e | OF federal taxation, to the end that capt.
: may be set free from distrust and lab
lightly burdened. We denounce the pre-
ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousau
], articles as q master piece of injustice, II
equality and false pretense. 1t yields
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue.
has impoverished many industries TO su
sidize q few; 1t prohibits imports that mig
- purchase :he products of American labor
1t has degraded American commerce iro
the first TO an inferior rank upon the hi
| seas; II has cut down the sales of Americ
manufactures At home an abroad, and q
pleted the returns OF American agricultuI
an industry followed by half our people.
costs the people five times more than il pl
duees to the treasury; ObstRucts the proct
\ Of production, and wastes the fruits OF
bori Il promotes fraud. fosters smugglir
enriches dirhOnsst officials and bankruI
honest merchants. We demand thst
custom house taxation shall be only |
revenue.
REFORM-ECONoMY IN PUBLIC ExPRNs
Reform IL necessary in the scale of pub
expense-federsl. State and municip
millions gold, in 1870, 70 four hundred a
hity millions currency, In 1870. Our agp
gate taxation. from one hundred and III
- four millions gold in l660, u seven hundI
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or.
one decade, from less than i've dollars
head TO more than eighteen dollsrs per he
81 since the peace the people have paid
Ae' sum OF the national debt, aud more Il
twice that sum tor the federal governm
alone. We demand vigorous frugalit,
every department, and from every OH
OF the government.
O., RKFoRM-PUBLIc LANDS TO ACTUAL 8
IN Reform Is necessary to put stop TO
pfonigate waste OF the public lands
q party In power, which has squande
j Soo,OO,OO0 acres upon railroads alone,
IN amount OF more than thrice that az
gate, has disposed Of less than q sixtb
mo rec'ly TO the tillers OF the soil.
kEFokM-ADOPrkD CITIZENS, REJRc1
MONGoLs.
mt Ager's 10 necessary TO correct the oml