The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-10-18
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted at ~. Louis. June -. 1875.

We, the delegates of the democratic
party OF the nited States. in national con-
Vention assembled, do hereby declare the
administration CT The federal government
TO be in urgent need OF immediate reform;
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees OF this
convention, and of the democratic party in
esch state. u Jealous effort and co opera
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal TO
our feiow.citiZens OF every former political
connection 10 undertake with us this INST
All 4 most pressing patriotic duty
THE Union. THE CONSTITUTION, EEPUBLi-
cas- SELL GOVERNMENT.
Fer the democracy OF the whole country,
we do hereby reaflrm our faith il the per-
manence of the federal union; our devotion
to the constitution Ui the lnncd States,
with its amendments universally accepted
as the final settlement of tba controversies
that engendereu civil war, ana do Derc re-
cord our stcadtast confidence IN the perpc.
tuity OF republican sclt-goyernmcnt.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In 40 .oltte acquiesccDcc in the will OF
the nlajority--ihe vital principle oi repub-
hes; in the supremacy If the civil over the
military authority. in tie total separation of
church and state, for the sake alike OF civil
and religious freedom: in the equalitt OF
| all citizens before just laws of their own en-
actment; in the liberty Of individual con-
duct. unveXcd by sumptuary laws; in the
! faithful education of he rising generation,
that tbey may preserve, enjoy and transmit
these best conditions Of human happiness.
and hope We behold the noblest products Of
a hundred years oi changetul history; but
while upholdiDg the bond OF our union and
great charter OF th, sc great rights, i. be-
hooves fee people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which is the price OF
liberty.
REFoRM-CoRRuPT!O
| Reform is necessary 10 build and establish
| in the hearts OF the whole people the union,
| eleven years ago happily rescued from the
! danger of a secession OF states but now TO
| be saved from a corrupt centralism, viii b,
after inhicting upon ten States the rapaci.y
of carpet-bag tyrsngies. has honey combed
the offices OF the federal government itself
with incapacity, waste ard fraud: infecte Il
States aud municipalities with the conta-
gIon OF mi .ruie, and locked fast the pros
periry OF an industrious people in the pa
ralyss of hard times.
REFORM or THE CuRRENcy-sP
PAYMENTS.
Keform is necessary 10 establish soInd
currency. restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor We deipunee
the failure for all these eleven years TO
make good the promise OF the legal tender
notes, which are changing standard of
non payment of which is Il disrs gard OF The
plighted faith OF the nation.
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 tender notes,
and squandered foui times this sum in use
less expense, without actumulating any re-
serve tor their redemptiun. We denOunce
tue financial imbecility AID immortality OF
that arty which, during eleven wears Of
peace. has made no advance toward re-
uempllon; no preparation for resumption
| but, instead. has ubsttucied resumption by
wasting our resources asd eXhau,tpg ali
orr surplus income, and while annually
processing to intend speedy return 10
specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
hlndrances thereto-as such hindrance
| we denounce the It sumption clause OF the
act Of 1915, and we demand its repeal.
We demand juuicious system OF pre-
paration. by public economies. by official
| retrenchment, and by the finances, which
, shall enable the nation soon TO assure the
Whole world OF its perfect ability and its
| perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom.
ises at the call Of the creditor entitled to
payment.
we believe such system, well devised,
and, above all, entrusted to competent
nands Tor its execution, Great NJ at no time
an artlhclal scarcity OF currency, and at no
time alarming the public mind into with.
drawal oil that vast machinery Of credit by
winch 10 per cent. OF all our business trans
actions are performed; 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.
| dus'ries, sci 10 motion the wheels of CON-
merce, manufactures and the mechanical
| arts, restore employment to labor, and re.
new in all its national sources the prosper.
| ity OF the people
hEf OHM OF THE rAntFF-FRRE TRADE.
HJo,m Is necessary III the sum and mode
OIL federal taxation, 10 the emo that canita
may be set free from distrust an III
lightly burdcned. We denounce the Sre.
cut tariG levied upon nearly four thousar nd
articles as master piece of injustice, i'm.
equality and false pretense. 1t Yields ,
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue. /
has impoverished many industries 10 sub
sidize few; it prohibits imports that mirh
purchase me products of American labor :
" has degraded American commerce iron
tae nTst 10 an interior rank upon the higl
seas II has cut down the sales of America,
manufactures at home an / abroad, and de
plcted the returns of American agriculture
an industry followed by halt our people. i
| costs the people nye times more than il pro
Juices 10 the treasury; obstructs the process
OF production, and wastes the fruits of Ia
J nor; IL promotes fraud, fosters smuggling
ehrlches disnonest Officials and bankruni
| honest merchants. We demani tns, al
custom house taxation shall be only iOl
revenue.
REFORM IN PUBLIC EXPENsE
Reform is necessary in the scale of publ,
| eApense-federal, state and municipal
Our federal taxation has swollen from sixt,
millions gold, In 1860, TO four hundred anc
nifty millions currency, in 1870 Our aggre
gate taxation. from one hundred and fifty
four millions gold in 1850, to seven hundrec
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or, il
one decade, from less than five dollars PEI
mead 10 more than eighteen dollars per head
since the peace the people have paid Il
their tax-gatherers more than thiice Tho
sum OF the national debt, and more thar
twice that sum Tor the federal goyernme nj
alone. We demand vigorous frugality In
every department, and from every officer
OF the government.
REFoRM-PUBLIC LANDS TO ACTUAL SCI
TLxRs.
Rfo,na is necessary TO put stop to tn,
pronigate waste OF the public lands auc
their diversion from actual settlers by the
party In power, which has squandereC
1oo,0U,OOO acres upon railroads alone, spt
: nh amount OF more than thrice that aggre
gate. has disposed Of less than n sixth di
: rectly to the tilers OF the soil.
REFoRM-ADoPTED CITIZENS. REJECTED
MONGoLs.
J. REFORM Is necessary to correct the ommis
s,oh OF republican congress and the error
OF our treaties and our diplomacy, whits
nave stripped our fellow-eitizens OF foreign
: birth and kindred race. recrossing the Al
: ianiic, OF the shield OF American citizen
ship, and have exposed our hrethern Of the
Pacific coast 10 the incursions Of race no,
8 sprung from the same great parent stock
!, ana, In fact, now by law denied CITIZENSHIP
!. through naturalization. as being neither &C.
eust3ned to the traditions Of a progressive