The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-06
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.


We, the delegates OF the democratic |
party of the United States, in national con- |
yention 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, and OF the democratic party in |
each state, a Jealous effort and 60 opera |
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal To
our fellow-citizens of every former political
connection TO undertake with us this first
AN most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, RErUBLI-
CAN sELF-GOvERNMENT.
For the democracy Of the whole country,
we do hereby rcailirm our faith in the per-
manence OF toe federal union; our devotion
to the constitution of the United States.
with its amendments universally accepted
as the final settlement OF the controyers
that engendered civil war, ana do here re.
cord our steadiast confidence in the perpe.
tuity of republican selt-government.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
the majorty-the vital principle of repub-
lies; in the supremacy of the civil over the
military authority, in the total separation of
church and state, for the sake alike OF civil
and religious reedom; in the equality of
all citizens before just laws OF their own en-
actment; i'm the liberty of individual con-
duct, 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 nObest products of
a hundred years of changeiul history; but
while upholdng the bond of our union and
great charter OF these great rights, i. be-
hooves free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which Is the price of
liberty.
REFoRM-CORRUPTION
Reform is necessary to build aud establish
in the hearts OF the whole people the union,
| eleven years ago happily rescued from the
| danger of n secession of states but now to
| be saved irons corrupt centralism, viii ch,
after inflicting upon ten States the rapaciiy
of carpet bag tyrannies, has hOney. cOmbed
the offices OF the federal government itself
with incapacity, waste and fraud; infected
States and municipalities with the cOntu-
glon of misrule, 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 q 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 a disrs gard OF the
pllSnttu IulLh VI tnt ndtlOu
We denounce the improvidence which 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 foul 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-
| demption; no preparation for resumption,
| but, instead, has obstructed resumption by
wasting our resources and eXhausting all
| our surplus income, and while annually
protesting TO intend a speedy return to
| specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
| hindrances theretO-as such a hindrance
we denOunce the re sumption clause Of the
| act of 1873, and we demand its repeal.
We demand q judiciOus system oil 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 and its
| perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom.
ises at the call of the creditor entitled to
payment.
We believe such system, well devised,
and, above all. entrusted to competent
hands 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 30 per cent. OF all our business trans
actions are performed; a system open to
| the public and inspiring general confidence,
would, from the day Of its adoption, bring
healing on its wings to all our hsrrassed in
| dustries, set in motion the wheels of COM
merce, manufactures and the me chanIcal
arts, restore employment to labor, and re-
new in all its national sources the prosper
| ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE.
Rgorm Is necessary in the sum and mode
| Of federal taxation, to the end that capital
may be set Tree from distrust and labor
lightly burdened. We denounce the pres
ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousand
articles as master piece of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. 1t yields q
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue. 1t
has impoverished many industries TO sub
sidize u few; IL prohibits imports that might
purchase he products Of American laboIs;
| II has degraded American commerce rom
| the hrst 10 an lnferlor-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. Ii
costs the people live times more than il pro.
duces to the treasury; obstructs the process
OF production, and wastes the fruits OF Ia
| Dor; IL promotes fraud. fosters smuyg,inp
ennches dishonest officials and oankrupts
honest merchants. We demand that all
custom house taxation shall be only tor
revenue.
EEfoRM-ECoNoMY IN PUBLIC EXPENSE.
Reform is necessary in the scale of public
eNpense-federal, State and municipal
Our federal taxation has swollen from sixty
millions gold, In 1860, 10 four hundred and
nifty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggre.
| gate taxation. from one hundred and fity-
| four millions gold In 1860, to seven hundred
| and thirty millions currency in 1870; or, in
| one decade, from less than five dollars per
head to more than eighteen dollars per head.
since the peace the people have paid to
| their tax-gatherers more than thrice the
sum OF the national debt, and more than
twice that sum tor the federal government
alone. We demand a vigorous trugality in
every department, and from every officer
| OF the government.
RRFoRM-PUBLIC LANDS TO ACTUAL SIT
| TLxRs.
| Reform Is necessary 10 put a stop TO the
| profigate waste of the public lands and
Their diversion from actual settlers by the
party IN power, which has sQusndered
| SOV,OJO,OOO acres upon railroads alone, and
| an amount OF more than thrice that aggre-
gate, has disposed Of less than Q sixth d.
rectly TO the tiilers Of the soil.
REFoRM-ADOPTED CITIZENS, REELECTED
AONGOLs.
4 Reform 10 necessary 10 correct the ommis-
o2n OF republican congress and the errors
srr treaties and our diplomacy, which
| hi,,L tr1pped our felIow-citzens oil foreign
| IaaH I'd kindred race, recrossing the Al.
hin 40, the shield OF American citizen.
paip,s" nu ave exposed our brethren of the
snr,ne ,,ao the ineursions of a race not
and in lac, no nov same great parent stock,
through nsturalizsiios~, az asenied citizenship