The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-10-21
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted al ~. Louis. Jane -. 1879.

ton to THIS emu, anu 90 neleOy appeal 10
our fellow. citizens ot every former political
connection u undertake with III this htst
| an most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION. RHrUBLi-
cas- sEIE-GOt EgNMENT
Tor tue dcmocrac, of the whole country,
we do hereby fcailirm our faith in the per-
mancncc of the federal union; our devotion
to the constitution oi the uiicd states,
with its amCtd mentS universally accepted
~ the final settlement Of thu controversies
that cngendcrcd civil war. ami do here re-
cord our stcadia.t confidence IN the porpe.
tuitv of republican seli-goyernment.
1UE rIRsT CENTURY.
In absolute arquiesccncc in the will OF
the luslorlty-the vital principle of rcpub-
lies: 10 tho supremacy ol the clNil over the
military authority. in the tota, separation of
church and state, for the sake alike oi civil
Sud religious freedom: in the equality OF
all citizens before lust law, al their own en-
,ctmcnt; in the liberty Of individual con-
duct. unvcNcd by >umptuary Laws; IN the
| faithful education oi Tie rising generation,
that they may preserve, cnloy aud transmit
| these best conditions "f human happiness.
and hope we behold the noblc-t products OF
a hundred years OF cbangeill hi-tory; but
while uyholding the bond OF our union and
great charter OF these great rights, i: be-
| hooye> flee people 10 praCii C biso that
| eternal vigilance which |, the price Of
| liberty
| RRFuRN-CoERUPr! uN-CRNIRALIsN.
| Reform il necessary Ia build and establish
| in the hearts Ga the whole people the union,
| eleven years ago happily rescued from ihe
| danger of u secession Uf states but now to
be saved from corrupt centrall>m. Will h,
after iiTf1ictiny upon ten states the rapaci;y
| of carpet bag tyrannies, has honey combed
| the offices of the federal government itself
| with incapacity, waste and fraud; injected
| States and municipalities with the conta-
| gion of mi srulc, and locked fast the pros
| perty OF an industrious people in the pa
| ralysis Of hard times.
! REFORM OF THE CUERHNCY-SPECIR
| PAYMENTS.
| he form is necessary TO establish a 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 o changing standard OF
[ value in the hands of the people. and he
| non payment OF which is q dir. gard OF The
| plighted faith OF the nation.
| We denounce the imuro,idence which in
! eleven years of peace has taken from the
people, in federal taxes, thirteen times the
4 whole amount of the legal tender notes.
| aud squandered i0ui times this sum ia use
| lees expense. without accumulstibg any re-
/ TNhN IVi thti 1tutaDBNlbu. W e ttUDunce
\ the financial imb"cility and immortality OF
| that party which. curing eleven years Of
| peace. nus made no advance toward re-
l dernpnOn; TO preparation TO. resumption.
| but, instead, has ohsuucted resumption by
1 wasting our resources and eNhau>ting all
! o r surplu> income. and while annually
! PROCESSING 10 intend "a speedy return 10
| speoie payment. has annually enacted fresh
| blnurancrs there, 0-as such a hindrance
| we dennllnce the r. sumption clause OF the
act of 1873. and we demand its repeal.
| We demand juuiciOus system OF pre-.
paration. by public economies. by official
| retrenchment, and by the finances. which
small 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 a system, well devised,
| and, above all, entrusted - competent
hand. 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; 3 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
dustrie-, set in motion the wheels OF com
merce, manufactures and the mechanical
| arts. restore employment to labor, and yc-
| new IN all IT. national sources the prosper
| ny oi the people.
| RFFORM OF TIKI TARIlF-fERE TRADE
Reform Is necessary IN the sum and mode
| oil federal taxation, TO the end that capital
| may he BET free from distrust and labor
| lightly burdencd. We denOunce the pres.
ent isrlh levied upon nearly four thousand
| articles a. master piece of injustice in
equality and false pretense. IL Yields A
/ "A lSln
has impoverished many industries to sub
sldlle lew u prohibits imports that might
| purchase .he products OF American l,bors:
II has degraded American commerce from
the hrst TO AN inferior rank upon the high
seas; IL has cllt down the sales of American
| manufactures al home An l abroad, and dc.
| pleted the returns of American agriculture.
an industry followed by halt our people. II
| costs the people i've times more than il pro-
h,lccs To the treasury; Obstructs the proces.
oi production, and wastes the fruits OF la
| Dor: 1t promotes fraud, fosters smuggling.
enfiches dishonest officials and bankrupt,
honest merchants. We demand that all
| custom house taxation shall he only tor
revenue.
| REFORM -ECoNOMY IN PUBLIC EXrENsF.
HrI,'rDt is necessary in the scale Of public
| eApsnse--icd-ral. state and municipal
| our federal taxation has swollen from sixty
| millions gold, IN 1861, to four hundred and
| MY unions currency, IN 1870. Ourag.rc-
gate taxation. from one hundred and nifty.
| four millions gold IN 1860. To seven hundred
aud thirty millions currency in 1870; or, in
| one decade, from les than I'VE dollars ner
head TO more than eighteen dollars per he sd.
since the peace the people have paid I,
tneir tax-gatherers more than thrice the
sum OF the national debt, aud more than
twice that sum for the federal government
alone. We demand vigorous frupaIity i'm
every department, and from every officer
oil the government.
kEfoRh-fuBLiC LANDS 10 ACTUAL sYT'
| Tiers.
| HyVym II necessary TO put a stop 10 ths
prohiSate waste of the public lands and
thelr diversion from actual settlers by the
party In power, which has squandered
Soo,ooo'OOo acres upon railroads alone, and
IN amount OF more than thrice that aggre.
gaze, has disposed OF less than u sixth di
rectiy 10 the tillers OF the Soil.
hEFohM-ADoPTED CITIZENS, REJECTED
hONGOLS.
HJor0s II necessary 10 correct the onmi.
sioh OF republican congress and the error,
OF our treaties and our diplomacy, whits
nave stripped our lOw-citizens oi foreign
phtii and kindred race. recrossing the AT
hthtlc, oil the shield OF American citizen
Emp, and have exposed our hrethern OF tho
racihe eoas, To the incursions of "A race no,
sprung from the same great parent stock
and, In fact now by law denied citizenship
IA n Et.ln o. Ion. l..t...