The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-07-06
REFORM.
/ The Platform Adopted By the Nation
al Democratic Convention.

NeDIlOHs
We, the delegates of the Democrat
ic party of the United States in Ma
tional Convention assembled, do here
by declare the administration of the
Federal Government to be in urgent
need of immediate reform, and do
hereby enjoin upon the nominees of
this convention, and of the Democrat
ic party in each State, Jealous effort
and cooperation to this end, and do
hereby appeal TO our fellow citizens of
every former political connection to
undertake with us this first and most
pressing patriotic duty.
For the Democracy of the whole
country we do here re-afirm our faith
in the permanence of the Federal I'm
ion, our devotion to the Constitution
of the United States, with its amend
ments universally accepted as a final
settlement of the controversies that
engendered civil war.
We do here record our steadfast
confidence in the perpetuity of repub~
lican self government; in absolute ac>
uuiescence in the will Of the majority,
the vital principle of Republics; in the
supremacy of the civil over the mili>
tary authority; in the total separation
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 enactment; in the liberty
of individual conduct unveXed by
sumptuary laws; in the faithful edu-
cation of the rising generation, that
they may preserve, enjoy and trans>
nit these best conditions Of human
happiness and hope; we behold the
noblest products of a hundred years Of
changeful history, but while uphold
ing the bond of our Union and great
charter 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
people the Union, eleven years ago
happily rescued from the danger of a
corruptcentralism, which, after infict-
ing upon ten States the repacity of
carpet-bag tyranny, has honeycombed
the offices of the Federal Government
itself with incapacity, waste and fraud,
infected States and municipalities
with the contagion Of misrule and
locked fast the prosperity Of an indus
trious people in the paralysis Of hard~
times. Reform is necessary to estab-
lish a sound currency, restore the pub
lie 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 area changing standard of val
ne in the hands of the people and the
non-payment of which is a pledge of
the plighted::fa faith of the nation.
We denounce the improvidence
which, in eleven years of peace, has
taken from the people in Federal tax
es thirteen times the whole amount of
the legal tender notes, and squander-
ed four times this sum in useless ex-
pense, without Faccumulating any re-
serve for their redemption.
We denounce the financial imbecili-
ty and immortality Of that party,
which, during eleven years Of peace
has made no advance toward re-
sumption, no preparation for resump-
ton, but instead has DISTRACTED re-
sumption by wasting our resources
and exhausting all our surplus income
and while annually protesting to in
tend speedy return to specie pay
ments, has annually enacted fresh
hindrance thereto.
We denounce the resumption clause
of the act of 1875, and we demand its
repeal. We demand a judicious sys>
lem of preparation by public econo-
mics, by official retrenchments and by
wise finance, which shall enable the
nation soon to assure the whole world
of its perfect ability and its perfect
readiness to meet any of its promises
at the cali of the creditors entitled to
poyment.
A system open to the public and
inspiring general confidence, it would
from the day of its adoption bring
healing on its wings to allour harrow
ed industries, set in motion the wheels
of commerce, manufactures, and the
mechanical arts, restore employment
to labor and renew in all its national
source the prosperity of the people.
Reform is necessary in the sum and
mode of Federal taxation to the end
that capital may be set free from dis
trust and labor lightly.burdened.
We demand that all Custom-house
taxat on shall be only for revenue.
Reform is necessary in the scale Of
public expense, Federal, State and
municipal. nj Our Federal taxation
has swollen from sixty millions gold
in 1860 to four hundred and fifty
millions currency in 1870, and our
aggregate taxation from one hundred
and fifty four millions gold in 1860 to
seven hundred and thirty millions
currency in 1870, or in one decade
from less than So per head to more
than SIS per head. Since peace, the
people have paid their taXgatherers
more than thrice the sum Of the Ma
tiOnal debt and more than twice that
sum fer the Federal Government
alone.
We demand vigorous frugality in
every department, and from every
officer of the Government.
Reform is necessary to put a stop
to the profigate waste of public lands
and their diversion from actual set
tiers by the party in power, which
has squandered 200,000,00 of acres
upon railroads alone, and ont Of more
than thrice hataggregate has dispos-
ed Of less than a sixth directly to till
ers of the soil.
Reform is necessary to correct the