, 1876-08-05
psmGcRaT.c PLATFORM.
.dapted Ey the Democratic National Coz
v.ntieu i'm Session ut st. Louis. June

v.r,tiett in session at 81 Louis. June
as.h, 1876.
We. the delegates Of the democratic party Of the
United stsies, national convention ,nbied, 90
hereby declare tn administration OF the federal gov
.nT,rt TO be IN great need OF immediate reform do
hereby euOin upon the nom nees OF ths convention,
I'd OF the democratic party III each StAte an AT 81
IOnTs to make efforts, and cooperate 10 TINS tnd
.pd 3 hereby appeal fellow citizens OF every
former POLITICAL connection 10 undertake with us thus
r,t and most pressing patriotic duty for the beneht
of the whole country
W. rars sffi m our faith in the pernanency of the
federal Union; our deyuJion the constitution Of
the United States with Its amendments universally
acqep.ed ~ "A fin settlrmrut OF the eohVoFeIsles
that ,I.geDdered the oiSI war; and do mere eo'd our
steadnlst confidence IA tn lerIrtulty oi D. puohcln
ssl,,vsrurnrnt IN an ALSO ute acluirsctne IA the
will OF the majority, the pm lple OF rspuDilcs; IN
the supremac, ui the cIVil over the military au-
tlolty IN the total separation OF church AM Sta;e,
flr the S.ke alike OF civil and TellgouS freedom; IN
equality OF ala citizen before the Just laws thelT
own enactment Ia the iIOerty OF IndIy nIuct
ursv-N-l by sufnptualy laws IN the Lnthiui edacf-
tiOn of the rsln gtnuTuIlOn, that they may preserve,
enjoy aud transmit these bSst oondItloas oI human
LappInesS and lope
We uphold the noblest products of one hundred
wears OF chapSefui history, but while upEodlng The
hOnd OF unlOn, and lie great Character oi these
our llghts II b-hoOVSS iiec p7opie 10 prictlcr also
that eternal vlsianc which Is the pTlcs OF liberty
Reform Is necessary TO rebuild and establish IN the
hearts of the whole p-ople tie union, eleven years
lappllN lcScQEl llldl IaneC4 bl
ism winch alter e-lIs upon ten States he rIPac-
ity OF sl4pet-b.ss tyranny, has Aoney-yont-d the
offices The ieicId government sei with lnttl city
wo.- than II IND ct-l States ana municipalities
wUh the oout8gIOu OI mlsrule ami lOckei last the
property OF an Industrious p ope Ia the paraIl Sis Of
lard times. Reform Is necessity To establish sound
currency restore tn public credit anu MAINTAIN Inc
tOuti nOEOE-
" druOunoe the failure Of ali these ten years 70
make good the promises of he legal tender notes
which changing the STANDARD oI value N the
hands Of the peOp.e aI.a the Lon-payHeut OF which
Is dlsTtgtrI O tie pl gA.eI IA III u the nation We
denounee she EnpIov lLeLce Which ia eleven y Of
peace has taken ilUm tie IeOp III frauds ten tunes
the amount OF the legal tnvr notes and squinderi
four times The sum IN usei IS expense Without ac-
eumulstIug any reserve Tor their TcitmDtlon.
We deuouuce the fnareial policy aud immortality
of That party which, during eev years OF peace,
has made no advance ment toward rrsumptlo-, Eo
preparation Tor resumption, but instead- has OBJ
structed resumption by wasting oar resources
and exhaUsting all our surplus InoOmej and while
annually protesting 10 intent speedy return 10
specie payment, has annually aided 1Tesu hlniTdnoe
thereto As such 4 hinlraHoe, We denOunce tine It
sumption clause Ci the act OF lr95, ami deiaui is
repeal We demand Il iuiicOuS system OF preIari-
ti0I. by puyIc eoOnoIiss; 10y official retIenemrnts
aud by wise finance which shall ;ible the nation 10
assure tie w.Ole WOri Ot IT. perfect ability AMI ATS
perfect readiness 10 meet any OF It's pCises at The
cali OF its cleiIJor entitled 10 payment
We believe such a system we'll dev-sel and inrIlst
ed 10 competent hands fox execution, creating at 10
time an artifical scarcity OF eCrr rey, and ~ 10 tire
Alarming the public mind into withdrawal Ci that
vasrr machinery Of ere lat ty winch % pr cent. oi
all business TRANSACTIONS are peIiOrIn-d-i system
open public and inspiring general oOEhienee WOuli
from The day o; lis a.Opsion brlDS healnS us
WINS al LaTIss=k industries set IN N Ctun
HE wlltsis OI commerce. manufactures and tie
mechanic restOr- employ men; 70 !abJr AM pros
perity 10 the Ie.ple
Reioim necessary IL the and mol Ol federal
ttXatJn the eni that capital be st free from dis
trus, and Liu,r lightly Uurieued. We deuOunee the
present tdriH level upon nearly 4JUt articles 's
Intste. p.ect- Ui IniuSJIur and false pItjJEse. II
yieiis u dwlIdlng not yearly RISING IeNeAue- II
has Im.Oveglse! many industries L. ulsllze lew
Il pTUhIGIts Imports t.IaJ might pan chase tie pr
duets country II has reiUc-t American CON-
lG-ree fion the first To inferior riuk UDo1 th
hiyn seas. II has lowered the sale OF American
manui4rtur at some ami abroad, ami dep.et-s The
Of American agriculture aud industry H.
Lowell by half OI people. It costs the people i've
times one tAan II produces TO tie treasury. II Oh
s,Iucts the processes OF pro tuc ou and wastes tie
fruits OF abJr- IL promotes fraud, fosters SNUG
g.Iug, eH:icEeS GiS.oIyj officials and baukrupJs hon
merchants We de-luI Ilat cusJOIl-h- lss taxa
ton shall O= only T revenue
Rtf'TIa Necessary tie scale Of public expense,
national! State and .UucIp4L Our federal taxation
has swollen fTOm SOP Geo goi, III 100 To S45O,
90 0g1 euIie.ey IA 1870, Gec.ide IToI Irss
than - per head 10 mort Ii1n SIS per head Since
the Peace the pyOIle hive pad 20 the tax gathers
no than ihTre JIInuS the amount OF the nAJIuual
dr. and nl0rr than tWl,s ihe sum Of !eier OutayS-
Above al, We demand i.usill,E IN every Department
OF t;.e government.
Re.oru Is necessary 10 pat stop to r-oai-ate
waste oi puhic !sn Is and their diversion actual
settles by the party III power which has squa-:tertd
tysa hun he! millions upon railroads .ilUn,
ont OF mo. t.au three Tat aggregate has dis
Ios-i q Is t.ru sixth 20 yE- tl.-Es or the soil
Reform j. Necessary 10 correct tse C:is-.C:rs Oi =
repIulct. Congress aud the of treaties
AMI oar plumicy, uiel. have stripped fellow
citizens OF I.reis ui;t aud klnlr=i cr~-iu-;
t-. kJta-- Of -L. si-ss ~ An mean rl--grus aI-i
hIGc 1pJSg brethren Il the Pac.i cist to the
IucursIUus of a r.c-uuJ s!sikH, language fTUm the
great ptTeut stock. AMI, Ict, now by law de-
net citizenship through natuTalIZtgOI being
neither d'Cus s,ull.u 10 fr t-c-t-;Hs OF Frures9N
yIyIl rNrTc sci III lt:t ty under equal laws
Ne denCuuce the r.hcy which thus dIsy=sr,,s tn
!l:elty-Ovag German and toie-at-S The seytvti cI
the eOuIlr trade IN Monaghan women imported fug
immoral purposes AMI Mu:.- aItn ici To Itr-
form seIyIle iIior contracts, .ui demand such
mo in al uu ui The treaty VIII the Chinese LmpiIe,
OF such I-.i- on 10y CoUgTrsS wIyE.u cJuStItuI
limitations shall prevent the 1ur her Importation
or iiniIl ration OF l. M0ucul.au race
Ret Is Necessary aud never be eff etc but
By Hahlig II the c,utruGns OF the =I-ctsoIs
an. lIi'i It above the two use ISSUES with whci.
tie ON c-loIing class ani tie party pJwrT seek
ing ~ s-uOrH-r
/ The tal>e issue vi h which hey W uld enkind E
sect'Iau STRIFE III IeSI ect 20 The public seAOO.s o.
which the establishment and support he ong eScu-
sIyely 10 the States Ich tn democratic party
cherished nom their ioun.itj on and resolved 70
maIutain without any p. tlt Hy Tsr c.tss, sect or
2. IL~ false ISSUE ty nh Thy se,k 10 ii-h
anew the dYIuas sm)trs OF s-ciIUuii beJWerI
klniIe1 people once unnaturliy e>tIaI=ei, but
united IN one IndIv.slUle republic and cUmIuo.
destiny.
Reform Is necessary in EVIL service Experi, nee
proves that tie eih--nt cniUct OF TIE
government IS not possible II its evil service h.
prize fought Tor ut lie ballot box, be bIi reward
OF putty zeal Insje al # posts Of honor assigned fO
proved cUInprteI cy, AMI held for !eAty III public
employ. That the dlFeH NJ OF pAtroIage sLoule
neither be tax ou the time ot puOiic men HOl
tii- instrument OF their ambition Here again pro
LESSONS falsiied IN the performance attest that
party IN power now can WOsk tut p:acJICa! @ !
satisfactory r-iOrm.
Reform n cesSiry even more IN hiyIer .sfafes
pubhe service-. resilient, Nloe President, lulle-
senators, representatives, cabinet Othcers-tese a1
al IN authority are tn peoples servants Then
Offices are IOL private perqusIt-s, they pubiI,
trust v hen the annals Ui Jlis republic show a.
disgrace and cersure Uf "A Wee President; Of a latt
Speaker o. the House OF X, pgsseHtstives IN rketiL
his ruling presiding Ctt-er; Of tree stnatOIs
IlrohtInS $ eret 10y their votes as law mIkeis q
nve chairu,n IA Oi the leing oulI.ttees Of tie lat,
House OF representatives. exposed IN robbery; OF /
ate secret OF the treasury forcing alanNe, in tn
publc aecuUn OF late IttoTn y-ytn neral nsappIo.
prlatlDg pull Iuuts; OF secretary Of the tlelsuT,
enriched eDrichiag friends by per ceuiage levIe
on the = ufts of contractors with his department ui
an ambassador 10 England sured fr d,SlOuGr.-
bic speculailon OF a PTs>li,nJs private secretary
barely escaping conviction upon tral tor guilty com
II lty IN sUis upon the revenu OF secretary oi
war nleaeh d Tor hgn crimes and confessed MS
meauoTs
The demonstration Is complete that the first step il
reform must be the ? Oplee c-cce for honest men IL
anoih1r party lest The dIsas- Of one political ort
zailon should inject the body polite and lest b,
ltAirS no change Of UT p rty get 10 change
OF measures and reform of all hse abuses wrongs
and erlines That the pro !ucJlOus Of sixteen Yea
OF ascetdeney OF the re ubilcan party necS-
sity Tor reform confessed by republicans tLeu-
selves, Out thar reiJrrnes voted down IN CONVEX
tloh aud displaced fr, the cabinet. he partyf~
mass OF oIest voters pOWerless % resist the 50 CO
on t-holdeIs, lis iea1eTs and guides Reform can
only be had By peaceful ciyic revolution " de- |
Tnand change OF parties that We may have chang,
OF measures and oT men