The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-25
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
1 dopted at 81. Louis, June 2s. 1879.

COuNtntloL, auu VI Tue ueiuocIdtiC party III
CHI State. q Jealous effort and 90 opera
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal 10
our fellow.citizens of every former political
connection To undertake with us thi, first
an 1 most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, RHPUBIi-
Can sELF-GOvERNMENT.
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reaffirm our faith la the per-
manence of the ieueral union; our devotion
- the constitution of the United states,
with is aneL dments universally accepted
as the final sett cement OF the controversies
that engendered civil war. anu do bere re.
cord our steadast cor tidence in the perpe.
tuity of republican sell-gOSernment.
1HI FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
the msjority--the vital principle OF repnb-
lcs: in the supremacy 81 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 equalii. OF
all citizens before just laws OF their own en-
actment: in the liberty Of individual con-
du,t, unvexed by sumptuary laws; in the
faithful education OF The rising generation,
that tIey may preserve, enjoy aud transmit
these best conditions If human happiness,
and hope we behold the nob.est products OF
8 hundred yeas OF chaDgeful hi tory: but
while upholding the bond OF our union and
moves Lee people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which !, the price of
liberty.
REFoRM-CORRUPTfO N-cENTRALIsM.
Reform is necessary to build aud establish
| in the heart, of the whole people the union,
| eleven years ago happily rescued from The
| danger OF a secession vf states but now TO
| be eaved from corrupt ceutrailsn, viii h,
| after infiieting upon ten states the rapaci y
| of cirpet-bag tyrannies, has honey combed
/ the offices OF the federal government itself
| wittfincapaci'y, waste and frald: intecte q
| states aud municip alttits with the conta-
| gIon OF nj sru.e, and locked last the pros
! pcriiy OF all industrious people in the pa
| raiysls Of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRENCY-sPECIE
PAYMENTS.
| Reform is necessaly 10 establish sound
| currency, res.ore tue ,ubhc credit and
! nuaiItain the national honor. We denounce
! the failure for all these eleven year. TO
| make good ihe promise OF the legal tender
| notes, which are changing standard of
| value III the hands OF the people, aud lie
| non payment OF which Is q dir, gard OF the
| piighted faith OF the nation.
We denounce the improvidence which in
| eleven years Of peace has taken from the
people, 10 federal taxes, thirteen times the
| whole amount of the legal tender notes,
aud squanccTcd foul times this sum 10 use
hes expense, without accumuls.irg sny re-
serve Tor their redemption. We denounce
the financial imbeciiity and immortality Of
that party which, ouTlng eleven years Of
peace. has made no advance toward re-
| demption: no preparation fos Resumption,
but, n.teaI, has obsu u ted resumption by
| wasting our resources and eXnaustiDg all
| oar surplus income, and while annually
protesting to intend a speed return &c
specis paymen ut. has annually enacted frest
Llndrance- thereio-as SUCH a hin1Tancf
We denouDce the r. sumption clause OF the
act OF 1910. and We demand its repeal.
| We demand juuicious system oil pre-
paration. by public economies. by officia
retrenchment. and by the finances, which
bal enable the nation soon TO assure III,
whole world OF its perfect ability aud IL
perfect readiness 10 meet any OF its prom
i.es at the cali Of the creditor entitled Il
payment.
We believe such system, well devised
and, above ALL entrusted tn c0mpeten
liaIds for its execution, Great NJ at no tim,
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and at NJ
time alarming the pubic mind INTO with
dlawal o. that vast machinery Il credit b,
which % per cent. of all our business trans
actions are perioi med; system open t
the public and inspiring genera! contide u ce
, would, from he day OF its adopt on, brin
. healing on its wings 10 all our harrassed IL
dustries, set 10 motion the wheels Of CON
merce, manufactures and the me chanlcs
i arts, restore employment to labor, and Z,
Z new 10 sll IT. national sources the prosper
= ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE
Reform Is necessary in the sum and mod
OF feder. taxation, TO the end that capt.;
may be set tree from distrust and lab
e lightly burdened. We denounee the pre-,
: ent tariff leued upon nearly four thousan
articles a mat piece Of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. II Yields
| dwsndling, not yearly rising revenue.
y has impoverished many industries to SUI
sidize few; 4 prohibi Imports that mi /
purchase :he products Of American ! ,bOi
II has degraded American CONNIE. ce Iror
- The nrst 10 an Interior rank upon the hug
sea-: II has cut down the sales OF America
manufactures at home an abroad, and a.
pleted the returns OF American sgricullur
q an Industry followed by halt our people
costs the people fiye times more than il pr
duces 10 The treasury; obstructs the proce
OF production, and wastes the fruits of 4
Dor; it promotes lsud. fosters smugglin,
y enriehes di'honest officials and Uankrup,
| honest merchants. We demand III Al a
custom house taxation shall be only II
revenue.
RKFoRM-ECoSOMY IN PUBLIC EXpFSs,
Reform Is nece s,ary Ia the scale OF publ
expense-federal, State and municipa
Our federal taxation has swollen from ii
IN mons gold, IN 1850, TO four hundred an
nifty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggr
gte taxation. IRON ore hundred and mir
four millions gold in 1850 to seven hundre
, anu thirty millions currency 10 1870. or
10 one decade, from less than five dollars NJ
head TO more than eighteen doilarsl,e he !,
Since the peace the people have paid
toeir tax-gatherers more than thrice Il
IL sum OF the Daional debt, and more th
ar twice that sum tor the federal goyernme
get alone. We demand a vigorous frugality
every department, and from every offic
OF the government.
REPoRM-PUELiC LANDS TO ACTUAL sF
TLkks.
ct Rporm Is necessary 10 put stop TO /
. prom gate waste OF the public land. a
~ their diversion from actual settlers by
n. psriy In power, which ha- squander
= 200 ON, 900 acres upon railroads alone, a
IN amount more than thrice that agg
gaze; mas disposed OF less than q sixth
h rectly to the u lers Of the foil.
ExfokM-ADoPrED CITIZENS, REJECT
nd AOS6OLs
Epor'w IL Necessary 20 correct the omu
sion vi republican congres IS and The err
OF our treaties and our diplomacy, VIII
pot nave stripped our fellow citizens oil fore
en- rh and kindred race. recrossinQ ths
ern iantic, Of the shield OF American eli y
ib- nap, and have exposed our hrethern of
racine eoa't to the ineursious Of a race ,
n sprung from the same great parent sto
q ahu' ~ h;t, now by law denied eitzens