The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-07-04

been read, examined, considered and de-
liberately discussed, and they have finally
agreedupon the following declaration of
principles, which am instructed to re
port. | will ask Gov Dorsheimer to read
the resolutions for me.
Gov. Dorsheimer then read as follows
- TIE PLATFORM. +'
We, 1.-The delegates of the Democratic
party of the United States, in National
Convention assembled, do hereby de-
clare the administration of the Federal
Government to be in urgent need of i'm.
mediate reform do hereby enjoin upon
the nominees of this Convention, and
OF the Democratic party in each State,
Jealous etort and cooperation to this
end, and do hereby appeal to our fellow
citizens of every former political con-
nection to undertake with us this first
and most pressing patriotic duty. For
the Democracy Of the whole country,
We do here reaflirm our faith in the per
manency of the Federal Union, our de-
votion to the Constitution of the United
States, with its amendments, universally
accepted as final settlement of the con
troversies that engendered civil war, and
do here record our steadfast confidence
in the perpetuity of republican self gov.
ernment; in absolute acquiesccnce in the
will of the majority, the vital principles
Of Republics; 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
freedom, in the equality Of all citizens
beforejust laws Of their own enactment
in the liberty of individual conduct un-
yexed by sumptuary laws; in the faith
ful education of the rising generation,
that they may preserve, enjoy and trans.
nit these best conditions of human hap.
piness and hope. I'VE behold the. no.
blest products of a. Hundred years oi
changeful history, but while upheliins
the bond of union, and the great char.
ter of these, our rights, it behooves a
free people to practice, also, that eternal
vigilance which is the price of liberty.
Reform is necessary to rebuild and
establish in the hearts of the whole peo.
pie in the Union, eleven years ago, hap.
PLY rescued from the danger of seces.
sion Of States, but now to be saved from
a corrupt centralism, which, after inflict-
ing upon ten States the rapacity of car.
pet-bag tyranny, has honeycombed the
offices of the Federal Government itself
with incapacity, waste and fraud infect.
ed States and municipalities with the
contagion of misrule, and locked fast
the prosperity of an industrious people
in the paralysis of hard times.
Reform is necessary to establish q
sound currency, restore the public cred
It, and maintain the National honor. ~
We denounce the Republican party
for its failure for all these eleven years
to make good the promise Of the legal.
tender notes which are changing stan
dard OF value in the hands of the peo.
PIE, and the non payment OF which is q
disregard Of the plighted faith OF the
Nation. i Il
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 ten:
der notes, and squandered four times
this sum in useless expense without ac.
cumulating any reserve for their re.
demption ssa ~ - ie1ss l5Ea
= We denounce the financial imbecility
and immortality Of that party which, du
ring eleven years of peace, has made NO
advance toward resumption, no prepara
ton for resumption, but, instead, has
obstructed resumption by wasting oul
resources and exhausting all our sur.
plus income, and, while annually pro.
Tossing to intend a speedy return to spe
Gle payment, has annually enacted fresh
hinderances thereto. As such hin.
drance we denoance the resumption
clause of the act OF 1875, and we hereby
demand its repeal aii exc aF9
We demand judicious system o
preparation by public economies, by of
fetal retrenchments, and by wise finance
which shall enable the Nation soon to
assure the whole world Of its perfec,
ability and lis perfect readiness to NEE,
any of its promises at the call of the
crediter entitled to payment. 95s s
lWeibelieve such system, well devils
ed, and, above all, intrusted to compe
tent hands for execution, creating at nc
time an artificial scarcity of currency
ard at no time alarming the public minG
into withdrawal of that vaster machin
cry Of credit by which ninety-fiye PEE
cent. Of all business transactions ar,
Iperformed-a system open, public, ant
inspiring general confidence, would
from the day of its adoption, bring heal
ing on its wings to all our harassed in
ldustry, and set in motion the wheels o
commerce, manufactures, and the ne
chanic arts, restore employment to la
Dor, and renewing in all its natural sour
ces the prosperity of the people. &
Reform is necessary in the sum ant
mode Of Federal taxation, to the ent
that capital may be set free from dis
trust and labor lightly burdened.
We denounce the present tariff, leviet
upon nearly four thousand articles, as
masterpiece of injustice, inequality ant
false pretense. It yields a dwindling
not yearly rising, revenue. II has i'm
poverished many industries to subsidiz
q few. 1t prohibits imports that Nigh
purchase the products Of American Ia
Dor, 1t has degraded American CON
merce from the first to an inferior ran
upon the high seas IT has cut dow
the sales Of American manufactures a
Ihome and abroad, and depicted the rs
turns of American agriculture, an indus
TRY followed by half our people.
| It costs the people five times NOR
than it produces to the Treasury, oil
lstruets theiprocesses of production, an
j wastes the fruits Of labor. 1t promote
fraud, fosters smuggling, enriches dil
4 honpet officia1, and hankrunto homo.