The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-07-20
Democratic Platform.


Convention in st. Louis. June 9th. 1876:
We, the delegates of the Democratic party
of the United States, in national convention
assembled, do here declare the administration
of the Federal Government to be in urgent
need OF immediate reform. and do hereby ell
Join upon the nominees ofthis- convention and
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, to undertake with
us this first and most pressing patriotic duty
for the Democracy of the whole country.
We do here re-affirm our faith in the perma-
nency of the Federal Union our devotion to
the constitution of the United States. with its
amendments. universally accepted, as final
settlement Of the controversies that engender-
ed civil war, aud do here record our steadfast
confidence in the perpetuity ofrepublican self
government; in absolute acquiescence in the
will of the majority as in the vital principle OF
republics in the supremacy of the civil over
the military authority in the total separation
of the church and state, for the sake alike of
civil and religious freedom; in the equality OF
all citizens before just laws of their own enact
ment; in the liberty of individual conduct, I'M
veNed by sumptuary laws; in the faithful ed
ncation 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 hum
dred years of changeful history, but while up
holding the bond of our union, and great char
ter Of these rights, it behooves free people to
practice also that eternal vigilance which is
the price of liberty. Reform is necessary to
rebuild and establish in the hearts of the
whole people of the Union, eleven years ago
happily rescued from the danger of corrupt
centralism, which after inflicting upon ten
States the rapacity OF carpet-bag tyrannies,
that honey-combed the offices of the federal
government itself with incapacity, waste and
fraud, infected States and municipalities with
the contagon Of msrule, and locked fast the
prosperity OF an industrious people, in the par
alysis of hard times. Reform is necessary to es-
tablish a sound currency, restore the public
credit. and maintain the national honor.
We denounce the failure, for all these elev-
en- years, to make good the promise of the le-
gal tender notes, which are Il changing stand
ard of value in the hands of the people, and
the non payment of which is disregard of
the plighted faith of the nation. We denounce
the improvidence which, in eleven years of
peace, has taken from them in federal taxes
thirteen times the whole amount Of the legal
tender notes, and squandered four times this
sum in useless expenses, without accumula-
ting any reserve for their redemption. We de-
nOilnce the financial imbecility and immorali-
ty of that party which, during eleven years of
peace, has made no advance towards resump-
ton; that, instead, has obstructed resumption
BY wasting our resources, and exhausted all
our surplus income and while annually pro-
Tossing to intend to a speedy return to specie
payments, has annually enacted fresh hinder
ances thereto. AS such a hindrance we de-
nounce the resumption clause OF the Act of
1873, and We here demand its repeal.
We demand judicious system of prepare.
ton by public economies, by official retrench-
ments and by wise finance, which shall enable
the nation to assure the whole world Of Its
perfect ability, and its perfect readiness to
meet any of its promises at the call Of the
creditor, entitled to payment. We believe
such system, well devised, and, above all,
entrusted to competent hands, for its eXecu-
ton, creating at no time an artificial scarcity
of currency, and at no time alarming the pub
lie mind into withdrawal of that vaster ma
chinery of credit by which ninety-five per
cent OF all business transactions are perform
ed. system open, public, and inspiring
general confidence, would from the day of its
adoption bring healing Oh its wings to all our
paralyzed industry, and set III motion the
wheels Of commerce, manufactures and the
mechanical arts; restore employment to labor
and renew in all its national sources the
prosperity of the people. Reform is neces-
sary in the sum and mode of federal taxation,
to the end that capital may be set free from
tistrust, and labor lightly burdened.
We denounce the present tariff levied upon
nearly four thousand articles as a master
piece of injustice, inequality and false pre-
tense, ityields dwindling, not yearly ris-
ing revenue. 1t has impoverished many i'll
(l,lstries to substitute few, it prohibits i'm
ports that might purchase the products Of
American labor, it has degraded American
commerce from the first to an inferior rank
upon the high seas, it has cut down the sales
of American manufactures at home and
abroad, and depleted the returns of American
agriculture or industry, followed by half our
people. 1t costs the people five times more
than it produces to the treasury, osstructs the
processes of production, and wastes tile fruits
OF labor, it promotes fraud and fosters SNUG
Cling; enriches dishonest officials and bank
rpts honest merchants. We demand that all
custom house taxation shall be only revenue.
Reform is necessary in the scale of public
expense, Federal, State and municipal. Our
Federal taxation has swollen from sixty mil
lions, gold, in 1860, to $50 million, currency,
in 1870. Our aggregate taxation from one
hundred and eighty-to millions, gold, in
1860, to seven hundred and thirty millions cur
rency, in 1870, or in one decade, from less
than five dollars per head, to more than eigh-
teen dollars per head. Since the peace the
people have paid to their tax gatherers more
than thrice the sum of the national debt, and
more than twice that sum for the Federal
government alone. We demand vigorous