The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-07-05
Democratic Platform.

Il need offmpediate reform ;sdo here.
by enjoin upon the nominees Of THIS
Convention and Of the Democratic
1 party in each State a Jealous effort
4 and cooperation to this end, and do
( hereby appeal to our fellow-citizeus
/ OF our former political connection to
undertake wilH ps this first and most
pressing patriotic duty for the De-
! mocracy OF the whole country. We
/ do here re-afIirm our faith in the per-
manancy of the Federal Union, our
/ devotion to the Constitution of the
4 United States, with its amendments
universally accepted as q final set
/ tlement Of the controversies that en-
/ eendered civil war, and do here re-
cord our steadfast confidence in the
perpetuity Of republican self-gOve1n-
ment; in absolute acquiescence in
the will Of the majority; the vital
principle Of republics in the suprem-
acy in the civil over the military au-
thority; in the total separation Of
church and State for the sake alike
of civil and religious freedom in
the equality of all citizens before
lust laws of their own enactment !;
in the liberty OF individual conduct,
unvexed. by the sumptuary taxes
I in the faithful education of the ris-
ing generation that they may pre-
serve, enjoy and transmit these best
conditions Of human happiness and
hope, we behold the noblest products
of hundred years of changeful his
tory, but while upholding the bond
of our Union and great, charter of
these our rights. it behooyes a free
people to practice. also, that eternal
vigilance, which is the price OF lib
erty. Reform is necessary to re-
build and establish in the hearts of
the whole people of the Union of
eleven years ago, happily rescued
from the danger of a corrupt cen
tralism, which, after inficting upon
ten States the rapacity of carpet-bag
tyranies, has honey-combed the Of
fees of the Federal Government,
filed Itself with incapacity, waste
and fraud, infected estates and mu-
inequalities with the contagion Of mis-
rule and locked fast the prosperity
OF IN industrious people in the par
alysis of hard times. Reform is nee
essary to establish q sound currency,
restore the public credit and main
tain the National honor. We de
nounce the failure for all these elev-
en- years to make good the promise
loe the legal tender, net (which are a
changing standard Of value in the
hands of the people and the non-pay-
ment Of which is a disregard of the
plighted faith Of the Nation We de-
nounce the inprovidence which, in
eleven years Of peace, has taken from
the people, in Federal taxes, thir-
teen times the whole amount of the
legal tender Gotes and squandered
four times the sum in useless ex-
benses without accHmulating any
reyenue for their redemption. We
-deneunce the fnaneial Rimbecility
and immortality Of that party, which,
during eleven years of peace, has
made no advance towards resump-
tion, that, instead, has obstructed
resumption by wasting our resources
and exhausting all our surplus in
come, and while annually protesting
TO intend o speedy return to specie
payments has annually enacted
fresh hinderances thereto. As
such a hindrance we denounce
the resumption clause of, the, act of
1878, and We here demand itsrepeal.
We demand ajudicioHs system Of
preparation by public economies, by
official retrenchmeuts and by wise
finance, which shall enable the Ma
ton to assure the whole world Of its
perfect ability and perfect readiness
to meet any of its promises at the
call Of the creditor entitled to pay
ment. We believe such a system
we'll devised. and above all, entrust-
ed to competent hands for execution,
creating at no time an ertificial scar
city Of currency, and at no time
alarming the public min into with
drawal Of that vaster machinery Of
credit by which ninety five per cent,
of all business transactions are per-
formed, q. system open, public and
Inspiring general confidence, and
would from the day Of its adoption.
bring healing on its wings to oil our
harrassed industry, and set in motion
/ the wheels of commerce, manufac-
lures, and the mechanical arts, and
restore employment to labor and re-
new in all its natural source the pros
/ perity of the people Reform is nee
essary in the sum and mode of Fed
/ eral taxation. to the end that capital
may be set free from distrust and la
Dor lightly burdened.- We denounee
! the present tariff levied upon nearly
/ four thoasaid al4ioies, and as q mas
terpiece Of flljustfce, inequality and
false pretence; ii yields dwindllng-
not7a yearly Using. reyenue-;' it has
+ impoverished many industriesto sub
side q few. 1t prohibits imports hat
might purchase the products of
American labor; it has degraded the
American commerce, from the first
.1oanfinferior rank upon sthe high
seas ;eit has cdG do&alythe sales OF
American manufacturers at home
and abroad, and depleted the returns
of the American agriculture or indus
/ try, followed by half of our peoples
il cots the people five times more.
than it produces TO the Treasury, OBJ
siructs the processes Of product and
wastes the fruits OF their labor; it
+ promotes fraud aud fosters SNUG
Cling, enriehes dishonest officials and
bankrupt honest merchants. We dc.
mand that all custom house taxation
slialr beonIy for revenue. Reform
Is necessary ia tile scale OF public
Federal, State and muDi-
oipal. Our Federal taxatiou has
swollen from 500, 100000 goldin 1860
J - ..-aA aan 900 n.,rrn1n.- In 1870 or