, 1876-09-02
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
Adopted by the Democratic Nahohai ton-
yer,tiou in Session af ~. Louiss Suie
SSfh 1876.

S - ~ Jn6rratic party in each State and at st.
Louis 10 make efforts, and cooperate 10 thls emu
and 40 hereby appeal our fellow etzens OF every
former political connection TO under'ahe WIN Us this
+;t md most pressing patriotic duty fUr the henttit
of the whole country.
We here affirm our faith in the Permanency OF the
federal Union cur devotion to the constitution oi
tbe United States with It's amendments hhlNel>ail!
ec,errai A. final settlement OF the controversies
ri sDanIerei the civil war and 30 here record our
steadfast confidence the perpetulty OF Tepuolcan
seIfgoYeTnment an absolute ScqiiesetuSv III 'he
will OF the majority, the ptinclpIe OF repUu!Ns' III
I tha sur-ernacy OF the civil over the military au-
+orty in the total separation OF church and State,
for the sake alike Of evil and religious ireedom; IN
eauaIity Of all citizens before the JIst laws OF their
own enactment IN the liberty OF indlNanal cohIuct
rnvsxI by sumptuary laws III the faithful educi-
ton Of the rising generation, that they mag preserve,
on oy and transmit these best Conditions OF human
happiness and hope
We unbon the uoblest products of one hundred
wears of chaugeful history, but while upholdIn the
iond of our tn0n and the great character OF these
our rights Il behOOVes free people TO practice also
that eternal vigilance which the price OF liberty
RafyIn IS necessary 10 rebuild and establish III the
hearts Of the whole people the union eleven years
ago happily rescued from danger OF corrupt central
ism when after iDic-lnS upon ten States the Iapdc-
ity of cirpet-bag tyranny, has Eoney-eolnoed the
offices the federal government Sci win lnCipaltl
morse than fraud inflicted States and Municipalities
with the contaSiOn OF mIsru.e and locked last the
property of an Industrious people IN the paralysis of
hSCrNl nectS>ti. tStsiA4iSil a eNuhi
currency restore the public credit and maintain the
national honor
We denounce the failure of all these ten years TO
make good the promises of the iel tender notes
which are changing the standard of value IN the
hands OF the people and the uOn-paymeHt Of which
Is disregard vi the pllghted faith OF the nation We
deEOunce the mproyldence which III eleven years Of
peace has taken tIOm tine people III frauds ten times
the amount of the legal tender notes and squinderl
four times the sum in useless expense without
cumullting any reserve tor their reiemOtiCn-
We denounce the financial policy and immortality
of that party which, during eleven years Of peace,
has made no advance Inent toward resumption,
preparation Tor resumption, but instead, has Oh
structed resumption by wasting our reSourrts
and eXhauStIng all our surplus Income; ami while
annually processing; intend speedy return 10
specie payment, hs annually aided fresh hlniTance
thereto As such a ElniTduce, We deuOuEce the Te-
sumption clause OF the act OF 1875, and demand its
repeal We demand Il judiC.oUs system of prepIrl-
ton by public economies by official rerencuuents
and BY wise finance which shall enable the nation
the whole wOrlt Of It's perfect ability and Its
perfect readiness TO meet any of lis promises at the
cali OF its creditor entitled to payment.
We believe such system we'll devised aud intruSt-
ed TO competent hands FOR execution, creating ut nO
time artificial scarcity Of =ncy and
alarming the public mind into a withdrawal OF that
vtster machinery, OF credit by which - PER Cf
all business trsaus.irt rtIOns periOTmei-a system
o-GD, public and inspiring general confidence would
from - day Of Its adoption brDg healing its
wins 70 all or LaTaSsed industries set III motion
the wheels Of cummC'ce, manufactures and the
mechanic arts restUre employment to labor ami pros
perity 10 the people.
Reform Il necessary n the sum and mode O.! federal
TAXATION 10 the end that capital be set free from dis
trust and kbIr lightly bur5enei- We denOunce the
present tariff LEVIED upon nearly i0D0 articles
masterpiece OF injustice and false pretense. 1t
yields uwInGhng, not yearly rlSIUy revenue. 1t
has impoverished many industries "a subsllIZe few
1t prohibits imports that might purchase the pro
ducts Of the country. 1t has reduced American CON-
~ l.
high sesS. IL has lowered the Slle OF American !
manufactures at home and abroad, AMI iepletes the
return of American agriculture and ministry fuI-
lowed by half OF our people 1t costs the people five
times more than 1t produces 10 the treasury. II oh
strucS tie processes OF pTO-UcOn, and wastes the /
fruits oi hbOr- 1t promotes tGaul fosters SNUG /
CLING, enTIcheS dishonest officials and btukrupts hon
est merchants. We demand that custOu-hl use taxa
ton shall be only for revenue.
Reform Is necessary in the scale Of public expense
national, State and municipal Our federal taxation
has swollen from S6O,0OOCCO gold, IN 1860 To SijG-
OOt,Ja0 currency IN lS5O, IN decade E0m less
tha - per head TO Jiu4l SIS per head Since
the pelce tie people nave paid to the tax gathers
mOle than :lree :fnes the amount of the national
debt, and than the sum Of federal outlaws
Above all We demand fruSality IL every department
of tie government
Reform Is necessary to put stop to pref gate
waste OF public lands and their diversion from actual
settlers 10y the party III power which has ut-;eytd
two hundred millions OF acres upon railroads alone,
IoS-I OF less than sixth to th- t.licFs II the soil
Reform Is Necessary 10 correct the omissions of i
republican Congress aud tie OF our treaties
and our diplomacy, which have stripped our fellow
citizens OF foreign birth and kindred crossing
t-e Atlantic Of the shield of Am mean rtzeus and
have EXPOSED brethren Of the Paci, ciS: to the
lncurslOEs ~ not Spei king language from the
sam great parent stock. and fact by laW de-
ned cltZyD>:lD through nattriilzI; Ou rs being |
neither Gust o-aed 10 the traditions of prUres> i've
ciyiz'i Il nor exercised III liberty under equal laws
We denounce the policy which thus dl>,=rls the
liberty LOVING German and tolerateS the .-yyaI Of
the cUulle trade Ia MOnlguliau women imported FOR
immoral purposes and Monaghan men held Ia per-
fOrIn Servlie labor contracts, aui demand such 4
InotIt, at ON II the treaty with the Chinese Empire
or such legislation by Congress within col;Sttut oual
limitations sha! prevent The further importation
or lmInl=ratIOn OF the MOngol&In race
Reform Is necessary, and can never be etfcteI but
by making 1t the controlling issue Of the elections
ana lifting II above the two .lsy issues with which
the otiee-hoding class an3 the party power seek
ing 10 smother II.
l. The false issue with which they would enkinlIe
sectarIan STRIFE IN respect the public schools OF
which the establishment and support belong exclu-
svely to the States which the democratic party has
cherished nom their foundation, and Is resolved TO
MAINTAIN without any pZ, ttiIty for class sect OF
creed, and without contributions from the treasury
> The false issue by which they seek TO light
anew the dyInS eiabtrs OF sectional hate between
kindred people once uunaturaly estIansed, but now
united IN one lndivSlble republic and a common
destiny
Reform Is necessary in civil service Experience
proves that the efficient economical conduct OF tie
government IL not possible If It's civil service be
prize fought Tor 1T The ballot box Le brief reward
OF party zeal instead Of posts Of honor assigned for
proved competency, and held fox t!e.ity In pubic
employ. That the dispensing OF patronage should
neither be tax on the time of public men nur
the instrument OF their ambition. Here again pro-
LESSONS tatSed IN the performance attest that the
party IN power now can woik out no practical or
reform.
Reform necessary even more in hislcr o aIeS ,f
public servlce-FTeSIdent, Wee President, Judges,
senators, representatives, cabinet officers these and
al III authority the Y-6plr's servants Their
otnces are not private ptrqUlSIts, they public
uust When the annals Of tins republic show the
dlsSTace and ceuSuTe Of Wee President; Of a lat e
lsiker OF the House OF Re- representatives. marketing
Ills rulings presiding officer; Of three senators
prohtng secretly 10y their votes as law makers: Of
hve chairmen ot the leading committees Of the late
House OF Representatives exposed IN robbery: Of a
late secretary OF the treasury forcing fatue IN the
pubuc ACCOUNT OF late attCTlr y-yrneral Esauur0-
pTlhtlHg pubic funds OF secretary Of the treasury
enriched, or enrchIng Trends, by per Ceutage levied
on the ptOnts OF contractors with his apartment of
an eihLdssuior 10 England ensured fT a dlshOn0r4-
bic speculation; Of Presidents private secretary
barely escaping CONVICTION upon trial Tor guilty COM
pillty IN frauds upon the revenue. of sscre:ry Of
meanoTs.
The demonstration IS complete that the first step IN
reform must De the p4Opiee cOce fOr honest men IN
another party, lest the disease of one political or
--4-e't e44e LSAi. iolll4', an. itSt bY !
iilAiiiS no change Of men panty We get 10 change
oI measures AMI no reform Of all these abuses wrongs
ana cranes hat the productions Of sixteen wears
OF ascenHency OF the reI ub!Ican party create Daa
sly -oT reform IS confessed by republicans Them
selves, out their reformers voted down in cuye-
non ana displaced from the cabinet The u4rty's
lniss OF honest voters Is p0weTes 20 resist the 50 900
its leaders and guides. Reform ear,
only ce had by peaceful, eve revolution Ne de-
irand a change OK parties that we may have change
OI measures ant OF Inen
democratic Territorial Convention.
The democratic territorial convention viii ba barl
at Vancouver, on the 2lst day Of September payt m
ne purpose OF nominating candidate for d.Is-ta
- H.. e. - - z