The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-10-17
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted ~ st. Louis. June rs, 1870.

NcntiOn assembled. do hereby declare the
administration of the federal government
to be in urgent need of immediate reform;
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees of this
convention, aud OF the democratic party In
esch state. q Jealous effort and go opera
ton TO this end. and Go hereby appeal TO
our felow.ciiizens OF every former political
connection to undertake with Us this first
al most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION. THE CONSTITUTION. REPuBLl-
CAN SCLr-CoNERSMEST.
For the democracy of the whole country.
We do hereby rea1Hrm our faith in the per-
manence OF the federal union; our devotion
t. the constitution OF the United States,
with tie amel dments universally accepted
a. the final ttement OF the controversies
that engendered civil war. ana do here re-
cord our stead'Gst confidence IN the perpe.
tuity of republican selt-goyelnment.
The FIRST CENTURY.
10 ab,ciute acQuie in the VIII Of
the majority-ihe vital principle Of repub-
lies: in the supremacy If the civil over the
military authority. in tle total separation Of
! church and state, for tie sake ankle OF civil
| and religious freedom: in the equality of
| all citizens before Just laws OF their own Ell.
aciment: in The liberty of individual coz
| duct unvexcd by sumptuary laws: in the
! faithful education OF the rising generation,
| that trey may preserve. EMO: and transmit
| these best conditions Of human happiness.
and hope we behold the nobiest products Of
| = hundred years OF chaEseiul history; but
| while UNFOLDING the bond OF our union and
! great charter OF these great rights, /: be-
! hooyes free people 10 practice also that
eternsl vigilance which j. the price OF
! liberty
| REFoRM-CORRUPTin CENTRALIsM.
! Reform is necessary to build and establish
| in the heart. o, the whole people the union.
/ .a1a m Z 4 no
| danger Of secession OF states but now TO
/ be saved from corrupt ceptralisD, viii eb /,
| after iDficting upon ten States the rapaei'y
Of carpet-hag tyrauaies, has houey-combed
the offices Of the federal government itself
with incaplcity, waste snd fraud; in 'acie d
States aud municipalities with the conta-
glon Of ni srulc. aud locked fast the pros
perity OF an industrious people in the pa
rJlysis of hard times.
REFORM or THE CURRENCY-srECTE
PAYMENTS.
Reform is necessary 10 establish soand
currency. restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for all these eleven Years 10
make good the promise OF the legal tender
notes, which are a changing standard OF
value in the hand. OF the people, and the
non payment OF which IL q dir. gsrd OF The
plighted faith ni the nation.
We GCuOu!lct Tue lilgFONiNcHce NuIcu 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 foui times this suin 10 USE
less expense, without accommodating any re-
serve TOR their redemption. We denounce
the financial imbecility and immortality OF
that party which, during eleven years OF
peace. nus made no advance toward re.
| demption; no preparation for resumption,
| but, instead. has Distracted resumption BY
| wasting our resources and eXhausting all
our surplus income, and while annually
| processing 10 intend speedy return 10
| specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
| hindrances thereto--as such hindrance
| we denounce the re sumption clause Of the
! act Of 1879, and we demand its repeal.
We demand judicious system OF pre-.
| paration. by public economies. by official
| retrenehment, and by the finances, which
| shall enable the nation soon to assure the
whole world Of its perfect ability and it,
! perfect readiness 10 meet any OF its prom.
ises at the call Of the creditor entitled 10
payment.
We believe such system, well devised
and, above all, entrusted n competent
| hands for its execution, creating at no time
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and at nc
time alarming the public mind into with
drawal OF that vast machinery of credit by
which 80 per cent. OF all our business trans
actions are performed; SYSTEM open Il
the public and inspiring general confidence
| would, from the day of its adoption, bring
healing on its wings 10 all our harrassed in.
dustries, set in motion the wheels Of com.
merce, manufactures and the mechanical
| arts, restore employment TO labor, and re-
new in all its national sources the prosper.
| ity oil the people.
| REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE.
Reform Is necessary in the sum and mode
n ~ "a 80. l.n A..l .l..s IL.
may be set free from distrust and labor
| lightly burdened. We denounce the pres.
eGt tarif levied upon nearly four thousand
articles as master piece of injustice. in
| equality and false pretense. 1t Yields a
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue. Ii
has Impoverished many industries TO sub
sidlZe few; IL prohibits imports that might
purchase me products OF American l,bors;
II has degraded American commerce from
the nrst TO an inferior rank upon the high
seas: II has 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 people, III
costs the people five times more than II pro.
duces TO the treasury; obstructs the process
OF production, aud wastes the fruits OF IL.
| Dor; II promotes fraud, fosters smuggling
enriches dishonest officials aud bankrupt,
honest merchants. We demand that al
custom house taxation ehall be only 10,
revenue.
REfoRM-ECoSoMY IN PUBLIC EXFESsE
Reform is necessary In the scale Of publi,
expense-federal, State and municipal
Our federal taxation has swollen from siYt,
millions gold, III 1850, TO four hundred an,
nifty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggre
gate taxation. from one hundred and 1fty
four millions gold in 1850, 10 seven hundre,
aud thirty millions currency in 1870; OF, II
one decade, from less than five dollars he
, head TO more than Gig hteen dollars per lie ad
since the peace the people have paid I
their taX.gatherers more than thrice Ia
sum OF the national debt, and more tina
. twice that sum for the federal governmen
J alone. We demand q vigorous frugality il
every department, and from every office
OF the government.
REFoRA-PpBLlc LANDS TO ACTUAL SET
TIERS.
Hefoim Is necessary 10 put stop to In
pronigate waste of the public lands an,
i thelr diversion from actual settlers by tn
;, party In power, which has squandere,
sOo,oOo 900 acres upon railroads alone, an,
: IN amount Of more than thrice that aggre
!. gate, has disposed Of less than a sixth al
rectiy 10 the tillers OF the soil.
RRFoRM-ADoPTED CITIZENS, REJECTr,
MONGOLs.
l., HgoTm - necessary 10 correct the olnmis
sion OF republican congress and the error
9 OF our treaties and our diplomacy. whiei
. nave stripped our fellow-eltizens OF foreigl
OHM and kindred race. recrossing the Al
: fantie, OF the shield Of American citizen
d snip, and have exposed our brethren Of III
Q racine coast TO the incuTsiobs Of race no
: sprung from the same great pareui stock
I, ana, IN ihct, now b. law denied cjti7enshiI
: thfoIgh NATURALIZATION, IS being Lsli her ~
1 a. at ry .Sx