The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-23
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text AZ Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted Mt ~. Louis. June IS. 1879,

con,entioL, and of the democratic party in
e sch state, n jealous effort and go opera
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal TO
our fellow citizens ct every former political
connection 10 undertake with us this first
an most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION. RRPUBLi-
CAS- SELf-GoNERNMkNT.
For the democracy Of the whole country,
| we do hereby reaffrln eur faith ia the per.
manence Of the federal union; our devotion
| to the constitution of the United States.
| with lis ameL dments universally accepted
| A. the final settlement Of the controversies
that engendered civil war. and do here re.
cord our steadisst confidence in the perpe.
tuity Of republican seli-government
1HE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
| the msjority-;he vital principle OF repub-
| lies: in the supremacy Of the civil over the
| military authority, in tle total sc psrAtion of
| church and state, for the sake alike OF civil
| aud religious freedom: in the equality OF
| all citizens before just laws of their own en-
| ac,ment: in the liberty OF individual con-
| duet. uuyexed by sumptuary laws; in the
| faithful education of the rising generation,
| thst they may preserve. EMO! and transmit
4 these best conditions Of human happiness
and hope We behold the noble>t products Of
| 4 hundred years OF changeiul history; but
| while upholding the bond OF our union and
| great charter OF these great rights, 1: be-
hooves 3 free people TO practise also that
| eternal vigilance which is the price OF
| liberty.
| REFoRM-CoRRuPTIO
| Reform is necessary to build and establish
! in 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 = corrupt eentralisD, which,
Il o. ...ls 80. 81
OF carpet-bag tyranniee, has hoae -combed
| the Offices OF the federal government itself
| with incspacity, waste and fraud: infecte d
! States and municipalities with the conta.
| g1on Of misruie, and locked last the pros.
4 perity OF an industrious people in the pa
ralysis Of hard times.
| REFORM OF THE CCRRKxCY-sPRcIE
PAYMENTS.
RC0rn IL necessary 20 establish @ sound
| currency, restore the public credit and
| maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for all these eleven year. 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 di.r. gard OF the
plighted faith Of the nation.
| We de0ounce the imDrovidence which Ia
eleven years Of peace has taken from the
\ people, 10 federal taxes, thirteen times the
\ WuDtc hAuouet vi toe lcSG te0ueI nOte =,
| and sGuandered foui times this sum in use
lees expense, without accommodating any re.
! serve Tor their redemption. We denounce
the financial imbeeiliIy and immortality oil
that p arty which. during eleven year. OF
peace. has made no advance toward re-
demption; no preparation for resumption,
but, instead, has obstructed resumption by
| wasting our resources and exhau.ting all
our surplus income, and while annually
protesting 20 intend q speedy return Ia
specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
hlndrances thereto-as such q hindrance
we denounce the rs sumption clause Of the
act Of 1873, and we demand its repeal
We demand judicious system OF pre-.
paration. by public economies. by oficia!
| retrenchment, and by the finances, which
shall enable the nation soon to assure the
whole world Of its perfect ability and Its
perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom.
lses at the call Of the creditor entitled to
payment.
We believe such a system, well devised.
and, above all, entrusted tn competent
hands for its execution, Great ng 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 20 per cent. OF all our business trans.
actions are perioImed' system open to
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 in motion the wheels of com
merce, manufactures and the me AM cal
arts, restore employment to labor, and re.
new IN all its national sources the prosper.
ity OF the people.
| REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADr
Reform is necessary in the sum and mode
Of federal taxation, to the end that CAPITA
may be Set free from distrust and labor
ngnuy oufdened. We denOunce the pres
ent tarin levied upon nearly four thousand
articles az mast II piece Of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. Ii Yields a
dwindllng, not yearly rising revenue. II
mas impoverished many industries to sub.
sidize few; II prohibits imports that might
purchase The products Of Anne rican l.bors.
~ mas degraded American commerce rom
the hrst 10 an interior rank upon the high
| seas; IL mas cut down the sales of American
manufactures at home an abroad, and de.
pleted the returns of American agriculture
an industry followed by halt our peopIe. II
costs the people five times more than II pro.
duces TO the treasury; Obstructs the process
OF production, and wastes the fruits OF la.
Dor; Il promotes fraud. fosters smuggling.
enrlches dishonest officials and BANK runt !,
honest merchants. We demand thar iii
custom house taxation shall be ONLY for
revenue. Wy '"'
| kEfOkM-EcoSoMY IN PUBLIC EXPENSE.
/ ASSSsSofy Tue OF puDtlc
| eNpense-federal. State and municinaI
| our federal taxation has swollen from sixty
millions gold, In 1850, 10 four hundred and
MY miiiions currency, In 1870. Our aggre.
| gate taxation. from one hundred and iiity.
four hiiiions gold In leG0. To seven hundred
anu thirty miillons currency in 1870; or, in
one decade, from less than five dollars ner
head TO more than eighteen dollars per head
| oihce the peace the people have paid 10
thelr tsx-gatherers more than thrice the
sum OF The national debt, and more than
twice that sum for the federal goverpme Mt
alone We demand y vigorous fruRality in
every department, and from every officer
OF the government.
HkfokM-PUBLIc LANDS TO ACIuAI srr-
TL1Ks.
Hg0rM Is necessary TO put a stop In IN.
piohigate waste Of the public lands AMI
their diversion from actual settler, Inv The
party IN power. which has sausnd.rsd
Soo,Vo'VO acres upon railroads alone. and
Gu amount OF more than thrice thst aovre-
gate, mas disposed Of less than a sixth AZ.
'eeuy 10 the uners OF the soil.
"HfoHM-ADoPTKD CITIZENS, REJECTED
Dr. A0NGOLs.
| "gv'm ie necessary to correct the ommis
soh OF republican congress and liza .rr"rs
our Heauss and our diplomacy. which
hsve stripped our ellow-citizen, Of torc,Sn
oirtn ana kindred race, recrossing r.
Isetic, Of the shield Of Amsrica,, .;,,,a.'
mp, soo have exposed our brsthsrn os a.
Iscne coast 70 the incursions of = rs.. ~
sprung from the same great parent ssnaS
| ana, IN TACT, now by law denied .i,i.s" 100,