Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-08-17
Tho Principles Of the Democracy.
THE PLATFORM

Immediately on the Resembling Of
tLe Convention Judge Meredith OF We.
presented the report of the Commute.
on Resolutiep which says that a great
many resoIulitAs we're presented to the
committee. all Of which ave been care
fully examined and dicussed before
coming 10 an agreement. Heilhen re
dnes,ed Lieut.. Gov. Dorsheiniefoi New
York to read it to the Convection. as
follows:
We. the delegates Of the Democratic
party of the United States, in national
convention Of the Federal Government
10 he in urgent need OF Immediate re-
form. We do hereby cnioin upon the
nominees of this Convention and nf the
Democratic party in encb State a zeal.
ous effort and co,operatinn TO this end
and do hereby appeal to u felipw-cit-
nens of every former political connec'
tim to undertake with lis this first and
mos, pressing pariotic duty OF the De
m,ac acy OF the whole country.
We 10 here reafirm our faith in the
3ermanency of the Federal Union, our
ievution to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States. with its amendments uniyer-
sally accepted as a final settlement OF
the controversies hat eneendered civil
war, and do here record our steadiast
confidence in the perpetuity OF republi-
can self government. In ahso,u e ac-
auiescencP TO the will of the majority
the vital principle of republics; IL The
supremacy of the clvil over the military
authority; in the total separation o.
church antFstatc for the sake alike of
civil and religious freedom; in the equal
'ity of all citizens before just laws OF
their own 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. !itions of human happiness and
hope, we behold the noblest products OF
O hundred years of %changelul history.
But, while unfolding the bond Of our
union, the great charter OF these our
rights. it bebooves a free people to prac'
tice also that c email vigilance %ticb is
the price OF liberty. Reform is neces,
10 rebuild and establish in the
heats of the whole people of the I'm
ion, eleven Sears ago happily rescued
from the danger OF a secession OF
States. but now to he saved from a cor
rupt centralism, which, alter inhicting
1upon ten States the rapacity OF carpet
BAG ~tyranniCs, has h~oney-combed the
offices of the Federal Government itself
with incapacily, waste and fraud, in
tfec,eI States and municipalities with
the contagion of misrule, and locked
fat the prosperity of an industrious
people in the paralysis of hard times.
THE CURRENCY PLANK.
Reform is necessary to establish a sound
currency, restore the public credit, and
.maint,i n the national honor.
We denounce the failure for all these
eleven years TO make good the promise
of The LEGAL tender notes, winch are a
changing standard Of valuei in the hands
.of the people, and the nonpayment OF
winch is a disregard of the pHghted
faith OF the nation.
Wedcnounce the improyidence 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 four times
this sum in useless expense without &C
cumulating any reserve Tor their re"
,demption.
We denounce the financial imbeciliiy
and immorality of that party which du
ring eleven years OF peace has made no
advance toward resumption; that IN
stead has DISTRACTED resumption by
wasting our and eXhausting
all our surplus income, and while
allv protesting to intend n speedy re-
turn to specie payments has annually
enacted fresh hindrdnces thereto. As
.spch a hindrance we denounce the re-
oumption clause OF the act Of 1879 and
we here demand its repeal. We demand
a iudnc,ous system OF preparation by
nnblic economies, by official retrench"
smcrts, and by wise finance, which snail
enable the nation soon to assure ne
whole world Of its perfect ability, and
ITS perfect readiness TO meet ally oil
jts promises at the call of the creditor
entitled to payment. =,
We believe such a system well deVlsei
and above all Entrusted to competent
hands for execution, creating at NJ time
an artificial sea city OF currency, ana AT
no time alarming~th the public mind into
n withdrawal offthat vaster machinery
,or credit by which 05 per cent OF all
rbusinpss transactions are peitormed-a
system oren, public, and inspiring gem
,rral confidence, would from the day Ut
its adoption bring healing on its wings
no our harassed industry, and set in mo-
'tion the wheels oil commerce, manulac-
tures. and the mechan cal ar 8, restore
.~rmployment to labor, and renew in all
its national source the prosperity oil the
cople d,
Reform is necessary in the mode OF
Federal taxation tothe end that capital
INV he Sc. free from distrust, and labor
1iphtlv h~urdened. We denounce the
present tariff, levid upon nearly 1000
articles. as n masterpiece Of injnstice IN
ouality and false pre- encc. 1t yields a
dwindling. not o yearly rising revenue.
It. has Impoverished many industries tr
.n,bsidize a few, 1t prohibits imports
hat might purchase the products OF
american labor. 1t has degraded Am
lean m from the first to an in
rior rank on the high seas, 1t has
q 1t down the sale Of AmericOn manu-
ctures Mt home and abroad, and deple-