The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-10-14
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted "a, st. Louis. June IS. 1876.


yention assembled, DO hereby declare the
OF the federal government
TO be in urgent Deed of immediate reform;
10 hereby enjOin upon the nominees of this
and of the democratic party IN
sch state, Jealous effort and co opera
hon TO this end, and do hereby appeal TO
our fellow-citizens of every former political
TO undertake with us thi, fist
an / most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, RKrUBLi-
CAS- SELf-GONERNMENT.
For tue democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reafiirm our faith in the per-
of the federal union: our devotion
to the constitution of the United States.
with its ameL dment> universally accepted
rs the final settlement of thc controversies
that engendered civil war. anu do here re-
cord our stoadiast confidence in the pcrpe.
tuity Of republican selt-goNernmcnt
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
the msjority--the vital principle OF rcpub-
lies: in the supremacy Of the civil over the
military authority, in the total separalion 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-
actmont; in the liberty of individual cou-
duet, unyeXcd by >umptuary laws: in the
faithful education of the rising generation,
these best conditions Of human happiness.
and hope we behold the nobcst products Of
a hundred years OF cbanCeiul history; but
while UNFOLDING the bond OF our union and
great charter OF these great rights, j: be-
booyes free people 10 practi e plso that
eternal vigilance which l. the price ,of
liberty.
REFORM CCEEUTl!nN-CEN
Reform lie necessary to build aud establish
in the hearts o. the Whole peoi lie the union,
eleven year, ago happily Rescued from the
danger Of a secession Cf states but now to
be saved from corrupt ceutralism. whir h
after ilrtiicting upon ten states the rapaci Y
of carpet.baG tyrannie-, has hone .combed
the offices OF tue federal government Itself
with iUcspacity, waste and fraud: Injected
States aud muuicipaitit, with the cont1-
glon of misru!c. and locked fast the pros
perity OF an industrious people in The pa
ralysis Of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRTNCN-srECIE
PAYMENTS.
Rc'orH Is ucCc>saly to establish a sound
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for all these eleven wears 10
make good the promise OF the legal tender
notes, which are q changing standard of
value in the hands OF the people, and the
non payment OF which il a dire gard OF the
plighted faith OF the nation.
We denounce the iiuuroNidcncc which in
eleven Years of peace has taken from the
| people, in federal taxes, thirteen times the
whole amount of the legsl tender notes,
| and s4uandered foul times thi. sum in use
! lees expense, without accommodating any re-
serve Tor their redemption. We denounce
the financial imbecility and immortality OF
that party which, during eleven years %
peace. has made no advance toward re-
demption; no preparation for resumption,
but, instead, has ob>tructed resumption bv
wasting our resources and cNhau>ting all
our surplus income, and while annually
protesting 10 intend a speedy return TO
specie payment. has annually enacted fresh
hindrances thereto-aS sucn a hindrance
we denOunce the II sumption clause OF the
act of 1873. and we demand it, repeal.
We demand iudicious system oil pre-
paration, by public economies, by official
retrenchment. and by the finances, which
shall enable the nation soon 10 assure the
Whole world OF its perfect ability aud its
perfect readiness TO meet any OF its prom
ises at the call Of the creditor entitled TO
payment.
We believe such 4 system, wen devised,
and, above all, entrusted To competent
hands Tor it, execution, creating st no time
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and al no
time alarming the public mind into with.
draWal OF that vast machinery OF credit by
which % per cent OF all our business trans
actions are pertormed; a system open to
the public and inspiring general confidence,
would, from the day OF its adoption. bring
healing on its wings 10 all our hsrrassed 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 OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE.
Reform 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 rs master piece of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. 1t Yields a
| dwindling, not yearly rising revenue. Ii
| has impoverished many industries 10 sub
sidize few; II prohibits imports that might
| purchase me products of American l.bors:
II has degraded American commerce rom
| the nrst 10 an interior rank upon the high
seas; II has cut down the sales Of American
| manufactures at home an 1 abroad, and de-
pieted the returns OF American agriculture.
| an industry followed by halt our people. Ii
costs the people five times more than il pro-
duces 10 the treasury; obstIucts the process
of production, and wastes the fruits OF la
Dor; II promotes fraud, fosters smuggling.
enrlches dishonest officials aud bankrupts
custom house taxation shall be only Tor
| revenue.
| REFORM IN PUBLIC EAPENsE.
Hg0Jm Is necessary in the scale of public
! eNpense-fcderal, state and municipal.
| our federal taxation has swollen from sixty
| millions goid, IN lsGD, TO four hundred and
| MY millions currency, in 1870. Our aggre-
gate taxation. from one hundred and tifty
lour millions gold In 1850, To seven hundred
| millions in
\ one decade, from less than five dollars per
head TO more than eighteen dollars per head
since the peace the people have paid (,
| thelr taX-gdtheTeTs more than thrice the
sum OF the national debt and more than
| twice that sum TOR the federal goyernme nj
alone. We demand a vigorous lrugality in
every department, and from every Office
| OF the government.
RKFoRM-PUBLIC LANDS 10 ACTUAL STI'
| ILgRs.
Reform Is necessary TO put a stop 10 the
profigste waste Of the public lands and
their diversion from actual settlers by tbs
| party IN power, which has squandered
zoO,OOO,OOO acres upon railroads alone. and
sh amount OF more than thrice that aggre.
gave, mas disposed OF less than a sixth di.
feety 10 the ullers of the soil
RRFoRM-ADoPTED CITIZENS, RFJRcyru
MONGOLs.
| HcforW Is necessary 10 correct tho ot,nis.
sion Of republican congress and the errors
on our treaties and our diplomacy, Mhl,s
nave stripped our fellOW-citizens of foreign
phll ana kindred race, rccros>ing The Al.
lanuc, ol the shield OF American citizen.
snlp, and have exposed our brethcrn of The
Iaeihc coast 10 the ineursions of a race not
sprung from the same great parent stock.
anu, IN fact, now by law denied citizenship
through naturalization, a. being neither &C.
customeu 10 the traditions OF progressive