The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-02
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted at st. Louis, June -. 1876.

G ach state. a jealous effort and 60 opera |
tlon to this end, and do hereby appeal TO |
our w.citizens of every former political |
to undertake with us this first
an l most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, RErUBLI-
CAN sELF-GoVERNMENf
For the democracy of the whole country, |
we do hereby reaffirm our faith in the per- |
manence of the federal union: our devotion
to the constitution of the United States,
with its amendments universally accepted
a. the final settlement of the controversies
that engendered civil war, and do here re-
cord our stesdisst confidence in the Perpe.
tuity of republican seli-government.
The FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will OF
the msiority-thc vital principle Of repub-
hes: in the supremacy of the civil over the
military authority, in the total sc paraiion OF
church and state, for the sake alike OF civil
and religious freedom: in the equality OF
all citizens before Just laws OF their own en- |
actment; in the liberty OF individual con- |
duet unveXed BY sumptuary laws; in the
faithful education of the rising generation,
that they may preserve. enjoy and transmit
these best conditions of human happiness.
and hope we behold the noblcst products OF
a hundred years OF changeiul history; but
while upholding the bond OF our union and
great charter of these great rights, /. be-
hooves a free people TO practice also that
eternal vigilance which Is the price OF
liberty.
REFoRM-CoRRUPTIoN
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 3 secession of states but now to
| be saved from corrupt centralism, viii n,
| after inficting upon ten States the rspacliy
! Of carpet-bag tyranuies, has honey combed
| the offices OF the federal government itself
| with incspacity, waste and fraud: infected
| States and municipalities with the conta-
| glon Of mi srule. and locked fast the pros
| perity OF an industrious people in the pa
| ralysis of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRENCY-sPECIE
| PAYMENTS.
| Reform. 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 changing standard OF
value in the hands OF the people, and the
non payment OF which is di-rs gard OF the
p,ighted faith of the nation.
| We denounce the improyidence which in
eleven years of peace has taken from tho
| people in federal taxes, thirteen times the
| whole amount of the legal tender notes,
and ,quandered fouI times this sum in 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. has made no advance toward re-
denption: no preparation for resumption,
but, instead, has obsuucted resumption by
wasting our resources and eXhausting all
our surplus income, and while annually
processing TO intend a speedy return 10
| ma n enacted :
hindrances thereto-as such hindrance
We denounce the rt sumption clause OF the
act of ls15, and We demand its repeal.
We demand judieious system OF pre-.
paration. by public economies, by official
retrenchment, and by the finances, which
shall enable the nation soon TO assure the
whole world of its perfect ability aud it:
perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom
I ises at the call of the creditor entitled tc
payment.
We believe such q system, well devised
and, above all, entrusted 70 competen
hands for its execution, creating at no tim,
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and at N
time alarming the pubic mind into with
drawal OF that vast machinery of credit b
which % per cent. OF all our business trans
actions are performed: a system open t
the public and inspiring general confidence
would, from the day Of its adoption, brin
healing on its wings TO all our harrassed in
y dustries, set in motion the wheels Of CON
g merce, manufactures and the mechanics
+ arts, restore employment to labor, and re
new in all its national sources the prosper
ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARHF-FREE TRADE
Reform is necessary in the sum and mod
e OF federal taxation, To the end that capita
may be set free from distrust and labO
lightly burdened. We denounce the pres
| tor cd rlx bn,
!, | articles a. mast ,r piece of injustice, in
' equality and false pretense. Ii yields
| dwindling, not yearly rising revenue.
has impoverished many industries to sub
sidize few; 1t prohibits imports that nigh
- purchase The products OF American labor,
il has degraded American commerce lroI
the 1irst TO an inferior rank upon the hig
seas; ii has cut down the sales of America
manufactures at home an abroad, and d,
pleted the returns OF American agricultur,
an industry followed by halt our people.
costs the people five times more than il pr,
duces to the treasury; obstructs the proce,
Of production, and wastes the fruits OF |;
n Dor; 1t promotes fraud, fosters smugglin
enriches dishonest officials and bankrup
honest merchants. We demand that
custom house taxation shall be only 4
revenue.
REFORM-ECoNoMY IN PUBLIC EXPENs
Reform Is necessary in the scale of publ
eXpense-federal, state and municipi
our federal taxation has swollen from SIX
millions gold, in 1862 10 four hundred a,
fifty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggI
u gate taxation. from one hundred and nj,
'ss four millions gold in 1860, to seven hundr
and thirty millions currency in 1870; oil,
one decade, from less than five dollars |
head TO more than eighteen dollars per he,
SE | since the peace the people have paid
,ket their tax-gatherers more than thrice
sum Of the national debt, and more II
twice that sum tor the federal goyernm,
!. alone. We demand vigorous frugality
every department, and from every OH
OF the government.
,s, REPoRM-PUBLiC LANDS TO ACTUAL 5
TIERS.
IN Reform Il necessary TO put stop TO
pronigate waste Of the public lands :
= their diversion from actual settlers BY
party in power, which has squande
al 200 900 900 acres upon railroads alone.
~ an amount OF more than thrice that agl
gate, has disposed Of less than a sixth
ana recty TO the iillers Of the soil.
REFORM-ADoPTED CITIZENS, REJRc1
AONGOLs.
.I Reform Is necessary TO correct the ouf
~ sion OF republican congress and the err
,ers OF our treaties and our diplomacy, wi
,e,n have stripped our fellow citizens OF fore
birth and kindred race, recrossing the
lantic, OF the shield Of American citl7
aAt