Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-07-27
The Principles Of the Democracy
THE pLATFORM-RFPoRu

THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Immediately on the Resembling oil
the CONVENTION Judge Meredith of Va
presented the report of the Committee
on Resolutions, which says that agreaI
manr resolutions we're presented to thc
committee, all of which Lave been care
fully examined and dicussed befort
coming 10 an agreemeHt.a He then re
quesled Lieut. Gov. Dofsheimerof New
York to read it 10 tue Convention. as
follows:
We, the delegates of the Democratic
party of the United States, in national
convention OF the Federal Government
TO be in urgent need of immediate re.
form. We do hereby enjoin upon the
nominees of this Convention and of the
Democratic party in each State a zeal
Gus effort and cooperation TO this end
and do hereby appeal to our fellow cit
Izcns OF every former political conuec
ton ia undertake with us this first and
most pressing patriotic duty OF the De
mOcracy of the whole country.
We 10 here reafiirm our faith in the
permanency of the Federal Union, our
devotion 10 TIED Constitution of the Uni
ted States, with its amendments uniycr-
sally accepted as a final settlement Of
the controversies that ~eDgendered civil
war, and do here record our steadfast
confidence in the perpetuity OF republi.
can self government. In absolute ac-
quicscence to the will of the majority
the vital principle of republics; il the
supremacy of tue civil over the military
authority; in the total separation OF
church and state for the sake alike of
civil and religious freedom; in the equal.
ity of all citizens before just laws OF
their W enactment; in the liberty Of
individual conduct unveXed by sumpt-
uary laws; in the faithful education OF
the rising generation, that they may pre-.
serve, enjoy, and transmit these best
con ditions of human happiness and
hope, we beholdthe noblest products of
a hundred years of changelul history.
But, while upbolding the bond of our
union, the great charter Of these our
rights. it behooves a free people to pracy
tice also that e'enal vigilance which is
the price OF liberty. Reform is neces,
sary 10 rebuild and establish in the
hearts of the whole people of the Tn.
ion, eleven years ago happily rescued
from the danger Of a secession OF
States, but now to be saved from a cor.
rupt centralism, which, after INJECTING
upon ten States the rapacity of carpet
bag ~tyrannits, has h~oney-cnmbed the
Offices of the Federal Government itself
with incapacIty, waste and fraud, in
feClel States and municipalities with
The contagion of misrule, and locked
fast the prosperity of an industrious
people in the paralysis of hard times.
THE CURRENCY PLANK. THFT1
Reform is necessary to establish a sound
currency, restore the public credit, and
maintain the national honor.
We denounce the failure for all these
eleven years to make good the promise
of the LEGAL tender notes, which area
changing standard Of valuein the hands
of the people, and the nonpayment OF
winch is a disregard of the plighted
faith of the nation.
Wedcnounce the improvidence which
IN eleven years Of peace has taken from
The people in Federal taxes tbpteen
times the whole amount of the legal
lender notes, and'squandered four times
this sum in useless expense without &C.
cumulating any reserve for their reo
demption.
We denounce the financial imbecili,y
and immortality of that party which du
ring eleven years OF peace has made no
advance toward resumption that in-l
stead has Distracted resumption by /
wasting our resources and eXhausting1
MI III surplus income, and while aunu>
ally protesting to intend q speedy re-
turn to specie payments has annually
enacted fresh hindrances thereto. AS
such a hindrance we denounce the re-
umption clause OF the act of 1875, and
we here demand its repeal. We demand
II judIcious system OF preparation by
public economies, by official retrenchc
mcrts, and by wise finance, which snail
rnable the nation soon to assure the
whole world of its perfect ability, and
rs perfect readiness to meet auy of
= promises at the call Of the creditor
entitled to payment. sto N'
We believe such a system well devised
md above all entrusted to competent
ands for execution, creating at no time
IN artificial scarcity OF currency, and at
IA time alarming the public mind into
= withdrawal of that vaster machinery
If credit by which 90, per cent; of all
usiness transactions are p~eiformed-a
system open, public, and inspiring gen.
raj confidence, would from the day of
Us adoption bring healing on its swings
ro our harassed industry, and set In mo-
ION the wheelsol commerce, manuiac-
lures, and the mechanical arts, restore
employment to labor, and renew in all
us national source the prosperity OF the
rcople. .o.,c 81. .l. "a Il
Reform is necessary in the mode OF
Federal taxation to the end that capital
i nv he set free from distrust, and labor
J shtly burdened. We d%enounce the
resent tariff, levid upon nearly 1000
, %rticles, as a masterpiece Of injnstice in
, luality aud false pretence. 1t yields a
. winding. not o yearly rising revenue.
It has impoverished many industries to
: lbsidize q few, 1t prohibits imports
, rat might purchase the products OF
american labor. 1t has degraded Am
, lean commerce from the first to an in
rior rank on the high seas, 1t has