Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-24
THE CINCINNATI PLATFORM.

The declaration of principles put forth
by the republican party at Cincinnati is
without doubt, the most remarkable
production of its kind.that ever emana-
ted from a political convention. We
have read it through very carefully
from its windy preamble to the end o.
the last resolution, and we must say, fo'
double readings, and studied ambigu'
tiles, and meaningless platitudes, it eN'
cells anything in the way Of a platform
| we have ever read.
In the present d%eplerable state Of the
country, brought on by republican mis-
management and intensified by the re
vealed corruptions OF republican admin
istration, we had a right to look to the
assembled wisdom Of the party for the
| announcement of a 'sdistinct policy
looking to our immediate relief. VIVA
policy did they announces? What prom
ises did they make that gives us any
assurance of relief? None, whatever
In fact, they hadn't the moral courage to
acknowledge that they ever committed q
blunder. Hence, from their standpoint
no change of policy is needed. There
fore, if we entrust them with the further
management of our affairs, we can have
no w~ell-founded hope of any change fol
the better. The causes which produced
the present distress will remain in active
force. No effort will be made to remove
them. So far as the republican party is
concerned, the very existence of those
causes is completely ignored.
The country, under republican mis-
management, is drifting, year by year.
into deeper and still deeper distress;
its agriculture is paralyzed its mechanic
arts are ruined, its manufacture s
are crippled; its commerce has been
swept from the seas in short, the wheels
of all its industries are locked; and the
party in charge of its affairs, and there
fore responsible for all these calamities,
has the assurance to point to its past
record as furnishing the basis of a claim
for a longer lease Of power. Could
brazen-faced impudence go further?
Let us now look a little more narrowly
at some of the extraordinary pretensions
set up in the platform.
The first section declares that stthe
United States is a nation" This declara-
ton, though innocent enough in itself.
and destitute indeed of any special sig
n~ificance in its ordinary acceptation, is,
in fact, a most ominous u~tterance when
given forth by a republican national
convention. Viewed in the light OF their
known hostility to the doctrine Of estate
rights" and their open advocacy Of a
.'strong central government" it must
be taken as the avowal on their part of
a covert purpose 10 change our free ere
publican system" into a consolidated
despotism.' This impression deepens
into conviction when we recall the re-
peated and persistent efforts OF republi-
can congresses to stamp out the life OF
state government in the south. Ii
further evidence were wanting, we have
it in what has been actually done in the
state of Louisiana. There, a cowardly
usurper Was placed in the chair Of state,
against the will of the people and at the
point of the bayonet. Wasted, ragged.
wretched and ruined, her situation ap-
pealed to the magnanimity of kindred
manhood and invoked the generous for
bearance of the federal government.
How was that appeal responded to? In
stead of forbearance there was active
lnterIereuuo-noL 10 maintain the Tight
full government of the state, but to
overthrow and destroy it. And yet, in
of the doctrine of estate rights" the
republican party, in the second section
of the Cincinnati platform, advances the
preposterous claim of having preserved
these governments"-state and federal
the hundredth anniversary of the
nations birth" How the party man
aged to do this for a period of more than
three-quarte rs Of a century before its
own birth, is not explained. Nor is there
the slightest attempt to explain away the
glazing absurdity of the claim in view of
the constant and deadly assaults of the
party on the very citadel of Estate gov
ernment."
The third section declares that s'The
permanent pa~cification of the southern
section of the Union" is one of the'.duties
to which the republican party stands
sacredly pledged" 1t is difficult to I'M
derstand precisely what they mean by
the expression permanent pacifica-
tion." If they had said it was the set
tied purpose of the republican party to
bring about the permanent alienation
OF the south, we could have readily under
stood them. Indeed, if they had usedthe
latter expression. we would for once have
given them full credit for sincerity. Such
a purpose tails so naturally and harmo-
niousiy into line with all the precedents
and teachings of the party that its simple
statement would have carried conviction
to the most skeptical mind. But when
they talk about the Specification" of the
south, as being one OF their objects, or
as being a possible result of their policy.
they talk the sheerest nonsense. The
path to a permanent ~paciication" of
the south does not lie through the stormy
gate Of sectional persecution.
The fourth section affirms that PRO
vision" must be made, 'at the earliest
practicable period, for the redemption OF
the United States notes in coin." When
that ''period' shall arive-whether in
two years or two hundred-they leave
US in b!issful ignorance. Indeed, the
action OF the convention, in this matter,
shows conclusively that they preferred
to leave it in doubt. The member of
the committee on resolutions. from
Texas. submitted a minority report, fix
ing this period so as to conform to the
date of the resumption act heretofore
passed by a republican congress-, but
his substitute was voted down.
The fifth section pledges the party to
the advocacy of "civil-service reform"
On what ground they can hope to be
credited with sincerity, in making this