The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-05

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yentiop assembled, do hereby declare the
administration of the federal government
TO be i'm urgent need of immediate reform;
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees Oh TINS
and OF the democratic party IN
each state. a jealous effort and 60 opera-
t,on to this end. and do hereby appeal to
our fellow citizens of every former political
come ction to undertake with US this first
an most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION. THE CONSTITUTION, RKfuBLi-
Can sELF-GoVERNMENT.
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reafiirm our faith in the per-
manence of the federal union: our devotion |
to the constitution of the United States, |
with its amendments universally accepted |
as the final settlement OF the controversies
that engendered civil war, and do here re-
cord our steadfast confidence in the perpe- |
tuity of republican selt-government.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence In the will OF
the msiority-the vital principle OF repub-
hes: in the Supremacy of the civil over the
military authority, in tle 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-
actment; in the liberty of individual con-
duct, unvexed by sumptuary laws; In the
faithful education Of the rising generation,
tnht tneN may DTtsciNC, CbJos "ob ti"hnhhi
these best conditions of human happiness,
and hope we behold the noblest products OF
a hundred wears of changeiul history; but
while unfolding til o bond of our union and
great charter OF these great rights, i: be-
hooves a free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which is the price OF
liberty.
RRFoRM-Co UPT!ON-cENTRALISM.
Reform is necessary TO build and establish
! i'm the hearts of the whole people the union,
| eleven years ago happily rescued from the
| danger of \ secession OF states but now to
| be saved from a corrupt centralism, viii CHI,
! after ihflicting upon ten states the rapacliy
1 of carpet.bag tyrannies, has boney-combed
| the offices OF tue federal government itself
| with incapacity, waste and fraud; infected
| States and municipalities with the cOnta-
| mon of mi srule, and locked fast the pros
perity OF an industrious people in the pa
ralysis of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRENCY-SPECIE
| PAYMENTS.
Reform is necessary to establish q 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 are changing standard of
value in the hands OF the people, and the
| non payment of which is a disregard OF the
| plighted faith of the nation.
We denounce the improvidence which in
eleven years of peace has taken from the
people, in federal taxes, thirteen times the
whole amount of the legal tender notes,
| and squandered foui times this sum in USE
less expense, without accommodating any re-
serve Tor their redemption. We denounce
the financial imbeciity 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 Distracted resumption by
| wasting our resources and eXhaustiDg all
our surplus income, and while annually
protesting to intend a speedy return to
specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
hindrances thereto-as such hindrance
we denounce the re sumption clause OF the
act of 1875, and we demand its repeal.
We demand a judiciOus system oil pre-
paration, 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 aud its
perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom
ises at the call of the creditor entitled to
payment.
We believe such system, we'll devised,
and, above all, entrusted to competent
hands for its execution, creating at no time
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and at no
time alarming the public mind into with.
drawal OF that vast machinery of credit by
which % per cent. OF all our business trans.
actions are performed; system open tC
| the public and inspiring general confidence
would, from the day of its adoption, bring
healing on its wings to all our harrassed in
dustries, set 10 motion the wheels Of com
merce, manufactures and the mechanlca
! arts, restore employment to labor, and re
s new in all Its national sources the prosper
+ ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIfF-FREE TRADE.
Reform is necessary in the sum and mod,
Of federal taxation, to the end that capita
may be set tree from dstrust and labo
70 lightly burdened. We denounce the pres
: ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousanC
articles as a master piece of injustice, in.
equality and false pretense. 1t yields
, dwindling, not yearly rising revenue.
y has impoverished many industries to sub
sidize a few; 1t prohibits imports that nigh
purchase The products of American libors
1t has degraded American commerce iron
., the first TO an inferior rank upon the hig
seas; il has cut down the sales of America
manufactures at home an abroad, and d,
pleted the returns of American agricultur,
d an industry followed by halt our people.
costs the people five times more than it pre-
duces to the treasury; obstructs the proce,
of production, and wastes the fruits OF |,
Dor; it promotes fraud, fosters Smuggling
mn enriches dishonest officials and bankrupt
WI honest merchants. We demand that q
custom house taxation shall be only I,
revenue.
kEFORM-ECONOMY IN PUBLIC EXPENs
Reform is necessary in the scale of pub
eNpense-federal, State and municipi
Our federal taxation has swollen from six
millions gold, In 1850, TO four hundred al
fifty millions currency, in 1870 our aggl
gate taxation. from one hundred and MI
four millions gold in 1860, to seven hundr
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or,
Al. one decade, from less than five dollars
head to more than eighteen dollars per he,
Since the peace the people have paid
their tax-gatherers more than thrice
.cr | sum OF the national debt, and more Il
Car twice that sum for the federal goyernm,
rket alone. We demand vigorous frugality
every department, and from every OIL
OF the government.
. RKFoRM-PUBLIC LANDS TO ACTUAL 81
TL1Rs.
Reform, Is necessary to put a stop to
lgt proiligate waste OF the public lands q
pp their diversion from actual settlers by
" party in power, which has squande
~. 200, 900 900 acres upon railroads alone, ,
gate, has disposed Of less than q sixth
III rectly To the tillers Of the soil.
~ IEFORM-ADOPTHD CITIZENS, Reject
ra MONGOLs.
Reform Is necessary TO correct the omn
sion OF republican congress and the err
OF our treaties and our diplomacy, VIII
have stripped our fe!iOw-eitizens oil fore
.po' birth and kindred race, recrossing the
e. lantic, OF the shield Of American citiz
Gu ship, and have exposed our brethren Of
-io' Pacific coast to the ineuTsions OF race
sprung from the same great parent sto
r. and, In fact, now by law denied citizens
10 through naturalization, as being neither
H. customed - the traditions OF progress