Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-07-07
THE ST LOUIS CONTENTION
TIIden and Hendricks NOmInated-Thc
pBInrfOruh.

THE ST LOUIS CONVENTION
TIIden and Hendricks Nominatcd-Thc
Platform.
Tho first day of the Democratic National
Convention, which assembled at st. Louis
on Tuesday of last week, was occupied
with the organization. On the second day
the first business in order was the report OF
the committee on resolutions, but the COM
mlttee were not ready to report, aud va
riety of resolutions concerning the order OF
business and other matters were offered
and disposed of John Kelly offered a me-
mortal from influential Democrats in New
York, protesting against the nomination Of
| TlldeB, but it was declared out of order.
Much wrangling took place, but it was fin
| ally ended by the announcement that the
committee on resolutions would be ready
to report at 2 o'clock. A recess was taken
until that hour. On reassembling the COM
mitteo made a majority and minority re-
port, the point of difference being the finan-
cial plank Of the platform. The majority
report condemned the Republicans for
their imbecility in not returning 10 specie
payment, accused them of placing hin-
drauces in the way of resumption, de-
nouuced these hindrances, and demanded
the repeal of the resumption act. Tho mi
nority report declared that this act was in
furious TO The country and demanded its
unconditional repeal. After great coDfu-
sion on the motions and counter motions,
the majority report was adopted by decis-
i've vote. The nomination of candidates
then commenced. Thomas Francis Bay
ard, of Delaware, was The first nominee I;
Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana, came
next; Joel Parker OF New Jersey, follow
ed then came Samuel J. Tilden of New
York, who was followed by William AL
len, of Ohio, aud Gen. Winfield Scott Han
cock, of Pennsylvania. This completed
the list of nominees, and the balloting en-
sued. On the first ballot there was no
choice on the second Samuel ]. Tilden
recsived more than the necessary two
thirds Of the votes, and was declared the
candidate of the Democratic party.
On the second day Thomas A. Hendricks
OF Indiana was unanimously nominated
for Vice President on the first ballot. The
platform adopted is as follows:-
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
We, tue delegates of the democratic par
ty of the United States, in national conNe en-
ton assembled, do hereby declare the ad-
minstraiion of the federal government 10
be in urgent need of immediate reform.
We hereby eDjoin upon the nominees of
this convention and the democratic party q
jealous work and cooperation to this en- d,
and do hereby appeal 10 our fellow citizens
OF every former political connection, to un-
dertaEe with us this first and most press
ing patriotic duty of the democracy of the
whole country.
We do here reaflirm our faith in the
permanency of the federal Union, our de-
yotiOn to the constitution of the United
States, with its amendments universally
accepted as final settlement of the contro-
versies that engendered civil war; and do
hereby record our steaIfast confidence in
the perpetuity Of republican self-govern-
ment, in absolute acquiesence TO the will
of the majority-the vital principle of re-
publics; in the supremacy OF the civil over
the military authority; in the total separa-
tion of church aud stale, for the sake alike
of civil and religious freedom; in the
equality of all citizens before just laws of
their own enactment; III the liberty of in
dividaal conduct, unvexed by sumptuary
laws; in the faithful education OF the ris-
ing generation, that they may preserve, en-
JOY and transmit these best conditions of
human happiness and hope. We behold
the noblesi products of a hundred years of
changeful history, but while upholding the
bond of our Union, and the great charter
OF these our rights, 1t behooves free peo-
pie To practice, also, that eternal vigilance
which is the price of liberty.
Reform is necessary If we would rebuild
and establish in the hearts of the whole
people the Union. eleven years ago happi
ly rescued from the danger of secession
OF States, but now TO be saved from a cor
rupt centralism, which, after infiictInE up
on ten States the rapacIiy of carpet bag ty-
rants, has honey combed the offices of the
federal government itself with incapacity,
waste and fraud, infected States and mu-
inequalities with the coniagiOn or misrule,
and locked fast the prosperity of an indus
trious people in the paralysis Of hard times.
Reform is necessary To establish a sound
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor We denounce
the failure for all these IL 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 nOD-pay-
ment Of which is u disregard of the plight
ed faith of the nation. We denouuce the
improvideuce which, in IL years of peace
has taken from the people in federal taxes
thirteen times the whole amount of the le-
gal tender notes, and squandered four
times this sum in useless expenses, with
out accumulating any reserve for their re-
demI ton. We denounce the financial i'm
becility and immortality OF the party which,
during IL years of peace has made no ad-
vance toward resu nplion, but instead has
obstructed resumption by wasting our re-
sources and exhausting all our surplus
income, and while annually protesting TO
intend a speedy return 10 specie payments,
has annually annexed fresh hindrances
thereto. As such hindrance we denounce
the resumption clause of the act of 1875,
and harahu damaOh lie No do
mand a judicious system of preparation
by public economy, by official retrench-
ment and by wise finance, which shall ena-
Bile the nation saon 10 assure the whole
world of its perfect ability and its perfect
readiness TO meet any OF its promises at
the call OF the creditor entitled 10 payment,
We believe such system, well devised.
and above all entrusted to competent hands
for execution, creating at no time an arIifi-
cial scarcity of currency, and at no time
alarming the public mind into a withdraw
al of that vast machinery of credit by
which 80 per cent of all business transac-
lions are performed, and inspiring general
confidence, would, from the day of its
adoption, bring healing on its wings TO all
our harassed Industries and set in motion
the wheels of commerce, manufactures
and the mechanical arts, restore employ
ment to labor, and renew in all its natu raj
force the prosperity of the people.
Reform is necessary In the SUN and mode
OF federal taxation, TO the end that capital
may be set free from distrust and labor
lightly burdened. We denounce the pres
ent tariff, levied upon nearly four thousand
articles, as masterpiece OF injustice, ine-
quality and false pretenses. 1t yields a
dwindling, not yearly rising, revenue; it
h has impoverished many industries to sub
sidize few; it prohibits imports that
might purchase the products of American
labor 1t has degraded American commerce
from the first TO an inferior rank on the
high seas; it has cut down the sale OF