The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-20
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted ~ ~. kOuts. Inne %. 1874.

We, the delegates Of the democratic
party Of the United States, In national con.
yention assembled, do hereby declare the
administration OF the federal government
TO bs In urgent need OF immediate reform;
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees OF this
convention, and OF the democratic party In
esch State, jealous effort and 60 opera
ton to this end. and DO hereby sppeal 10
our fellow.ci,ilens Of every former political
come elton TO undertake With us tiis first
an most pressing patriotic DUTY.
The UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, RErrBL..
CAS- sELE.GOvRBNAEST.
For tho democracy of the whole country,
wo do hereby reaffirn our faith Ia the per.
manence of the federal union; our devotion
{, the constitution of the United States.
with its ameL dments universally accepted
ss the final settlement OF tho controversies
that engendered civil war. ana do here re.
cord our steadiast confidence in the perpe.
tuitv of republican selt-government,
1ug FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will Of
the maority--the vital principle OF repub-
lice; 10 the supremacy Of the civil over the
military authority, IN tae 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-.
dCtutut, III Tue VI Cou'
duct, unvexed BY sumptuary laws; in 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
Q hundred years OF chanyefui hi. tory; but
while upholding the bond OF our union and
great charter Of these great rights, i: be.
hooves free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which Is the price OF
liberty.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Reform Is necessary to build and establish
in the hearts OF the whole people the union,
eleven years ago happily rescued from he
danger Of secession VI states but now to
be saved frem corrupt ccntralism, viii b,
after inflictlny upon ten States the rapaci y
Of carpet bag tyrsnnies, has honey combed
the offices oil the federal government itself
with incipacity, waste and fraud; intecte d
states ard municipalities with the conta.
gIon OF mi arule, and locked fast the pro-.
perity OF an industrious people in the pa.
rslysis Of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRRHCY-srECIE
PAYMENTS.
Rtform is necessary to establish . soand
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 are q changing standard of
value in the hands of the people, and the
non payment of which is a ders gard OF the
plighted faith OF the nation.
We denounce the fmprOyidence which in
eleven years of peace has taken from the
people, ia federal taxes, thirteen times the
whole amount Of the legal tender notes,
and squandered ioui times this sum iu use
less expense, without accommodating any re-
far hair do ".
the financial imbecility and immortality OF
that party which, during eleven years Of
peace. has made no advance toward re-
demption; no preparation for resumption,
but, instead, has obstructed resumption BY
wasting our resources and eXhaustiDg all
our surplus income, and while annually
protesting to intend speedy return to
specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
htndrances thereto--as such hindrance
we denounce the re sumption clause OF the
act OF 1870, and We demand its repeal.
We demand juuiciOus system OF pre-.
parstion, by public economies. by official
retrenchment, and by the finances, which
shall enable the nation soon TO assure the
whole world OF its perfect ability and It's
perfect readiness to meet any OF Its prom.
ises at the call Of the creditor entitled to
payment.
We believe such system, well devised,
and, above all, entrusted T. c1mpetent
hands for its execution, Great ng al no time
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and nj no
| time alarming the public mind into with.
dra~h OF that vast machinery OF credit By
which 70 per cent. OF all our business trans.
actions are performed: q system open 10
the public and inspiring general confidence.
would, from the day OF It's adoption, briny
healing on its wings to all our harrassed in.
dustries, set 10 motion the wheels OF com.
merce, manufactures and the mechanical
arts, restore employing 10 labor, aud re-
new In all It's national sources the prospcr.
ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIrF-FrRE TRADE.
Reform is necessary In the sum end mode
OF federal taxation, to the end that capitsl
may be set free from distrust and lab n
lightly hardened. We denounce the pres.
ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousand
articles as a master piece Of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. 1t yields a
dwindlinS, not yearly rising revenue. II
has impoverished many industries to sub.
sidise few; 1t prohibits imports that might
purchase :he products of American liboIs;
II has degraded American commerce rom
the FIRST 10 AN inferior rank upon the high
seas; II has cut down the sales Of American
manufactures at home an abroad, and dc.
pleted the returns Of American agriculture,
an industry followed by halt our people. Ii
costs the people five times more than IL pro-
duces to the treasury; obstructs the process
OF production, and wastes the fruits OF la.
Dor; it promotes fraud, fosters smuggling,
enriches dishonest officials aud osnErupts
honest merchants. We demand that all
custom house taxation shall be only Tor
revenue.
REFORM -ECoNoMY IL PUBLIC EXPENSE.
Reform Is necessary In the scale OF public
expense-federal, state and municipal.
Our federal taxation has swollen from sixty
millions gold, In 1850, to tour hundred and
tity millions currency, In 1870 Our aggre.
gate taxation. from one hundred and nfty.
four millions gold In 1850, to seven hundred
and thirty millions currency 10 1870; or, in
one decade, from less than tve dollars per
head to more than eighteen dollars per head.
Since the peace the people have paid to
their taX-gstherers more than thrice the
sum OF the national debt, and more than
twice that sum for the federal governme nj
alone. We demand q vigorous frugality in
every department, and from every officer
OF the government.
REfoRM-PuBLiC LANDS TO ACTUAL skT'
TIERS.
Reform Il necessary to put stop to tht
prom gate waste Of the public lands anc
their diversion from actual settlers by thu
party IN power, which has sQuandereC
loo,ooo'Ooo acres upon railroads alone, snc
| en- amount OF more than thrice that aYgre
gate, has disposed Of less than q sixth di
recty to the ullers OF the soil.
hksokM-ApoPTRD CITIZENS, REJKCIEI
| MONGOLIA
| E1orm IL necessary TO correct the ommis