The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-07
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted at ~. Louis. J"uc IS. 1870.

q ch State, jealous effort aud co opera
ton to this eud, and do hereby appeal to
our fellow. citizens of every former political
injection to undertake with Us this first
an | most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, RRPuBLI-
CAN sELF-GoVERNMENT.
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reaffirm our iaith Ia the per-
manence of the federal union; our devotion
t. the constitution of the United states,
with its ameI dments universally accepted
as the tiual sett ement OF the controversies
that engendered civil war. ami do bere re-
cord our steadiast confidence in the petpe.
tuity of republican sel!-government.
The FIRST CENTURY.
In alb .olute acQuie sccnce 10 the will OF
the maiority-the vital principle of rep 40.
Les; ia the siI, remscy the civil over the
military authority, in tie total separation OF
church and state, tor the sake alike Of civil
and religious freedom; in the eQualitt Of
all citizens before just laws OF their own en-
&C ment; in the liberty Of individual con-
du, t, unvexed by sumptuary laws; In Inc
faithful education OF III, rising generat0n,
that ey may preserve, eljoy and transmit
these best conditions # human happiness,
aud hope we behold the nOblest products OF
"A hundred years of changetul hi tory; but
while u,holdiDg the bond OF our union anu
or, ut charter OF these great rights, i: be-
hooves q ee people to practi &c also that
eternal vigilance which Is the price OF
liberty.
RkFoRM--coRRUPTION -cENTRALISM.
Reform l. necessary to build and establish
in the hearts of the whole peoLl the union,
eleven years ago happily rescued from he
danger of u secession IL states but now 10
be saved IRON corrupt cehtralsm, Will ID,
: after infficting upon ten States the rapaci
of carpet bag tyrannies, has honey combed
the office. OF the federal government itself
with incapacity, waste and fraud; infected
states ard municipalities with the conta-
c,on OF mi srule, and locked fast the pros
periiy OF an industrious people in the pa
ralysis of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRENCY-sPECIE
PAYMENTS.
Reform is Necessary to establish sound
currency, res ore the public 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 are o changing standard OF
value in the hands OF the people, and the
non payment of which IL cisr. gard OF the
plighted faith OF the nation.
We denuunce the improvidcnce which in
eleven years Of peace has taken from the
people, Ia federal taxes, thirteen times The
| whole amount OF The legal tender notes,
| and s9usndered lou, times this sum in use.
| le.s expense, without accumulstiDg any re-
| serve Ior their redemption. We denounce
the finsncial imbeciiity and immortality OF
tina, party which, uuring eleven years Of
peace. has made no advance toward re-
| uemption; no preparation for resumption,
! but. instead, has obsuueted resumption by
| wasting our resources and eNhaustiDg all
| or .urplu> income, aud while annually
protesting TO intend speed return TO
| naci. y-m m a lall hh
| Liudrsnc, thereio-as such q binJrance
We deDounce The n sumption clause OF the
act OF 1873, snd We demand its repeal.
We demand Q juuicious system OF pre-
psrsiion. by public economies. by official
reireDehment. and by the finances, which
shali enable the nation soon TO assure the
| whole world of its perfect ability aud its
perfect readiness - meet any OF its prom.
ise- at the cali Of the creditor entitled 10
payment;
and, above all, entrusted II competent
hand. for its execution, Great ng at no time
An artificial scarcity OF currency, and at nc
time alarming the pubic mind into a with
drawal OF that vast machinery II credit by
which rs per cent. Of all our business trans
actions are performed; system open L
the public and Inspiring general confidence
would, from he day OF it's adopt on, brine
healing on its wings TO all our hsrrassed III
| uuelftts, stt III uOtlOu the wheels OF com
merce. manufactures and the meehanIca
arts, restore employment to labor, and re
new in sll its national sources the prosper
! ity OF the people.
REFORM or THE TARIFf-FRHE TRADE.
Reform is necessary in the sum and mod,
Of fed.rI taxation, TO the end that capita
may be set tree IRON distrust and lab i
lightly bDrdened. We denounce the pres
eEt tariff levied upon nearly four thousanC
articles ~ a mat r piece Of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. II yields
owIndhng, not yearly rising revenue.
! has impoverished many industries TO sub
sidiZe few; IL prohibits imports that mig b
purchase me products of American llb0i s
IL has degraded American commerce IRON
A., the first to an inferior rank upon the hig
seas; it has cut down the sales Of America
manufactures ut home an 1 abroad. and dc
pleted the returns of American agriculture
1 an industry followed by halt our people. l
costs the people five times more than il pre-
duces to the treasury; obstructs the process
of production, and wastes the fruits OF Ia
Dor; ii promotes fraud, fosters smuggling
!. enricues di- honest officials and bankrupt
honest merchants. We demand that q
custom house taxation shall be only I,
revenue.
REFORM -ECoNOMY IN PUBLIC EXPENSE
Reform is neces airy in the scale of publ
Our federal taxation has swollen from six
millions gold, in 1860, 70 four hundred an
fifty millions currency, in 1870. our aggr
Z tie taxation. from Oue hundred aud nit
four millions gold in 1860. u seven hundr,
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or,
q . one decade, from less than five dollars .
head to more than eighteen dollars per hea
Since the peace the people have paid
TIER tax-gatherers more than thrice /
n sum OF the rational debt, and more tn
ar twice that tun tor the federal governme
ket alone. We demand vigorous irugality
every department, and from every offfc
OF the government.
REFokM-PUBLIC LANDS TO ACTUAL 81
TLSRs.
Reform L. necessary to put o stop 10 1
1t prod gate waste Of the public lands q
20 their diversion from actual settlers by I
y, party In power, which has squapder
u 900 900 acres upon railroads alone, q
On amount OF more than thrice thst agg
!. gate, has disposed OF less thau q sixth
rectly to the tillers OF the soil.
AONGOLs.
no Reform 1. necessary to correct the omm
sion Of republican congress and the err,
OF our treaties and our diplomacy, viii
have stripped our fellow-citizens of torei
POT birth and kindred race. reer0ssing this 4
en. lantic, OF the shield Of American citlzs
IN ship, and have exposed our ethern Of I
io- PACING coast TO the iaeursiOns Of o race .
sprung from the same great parent stoe
; and, In fact, now by law denied citizensh