The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-09-27
PLATFORM
OF THE
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTF

We, the Delegates of the Democratic
Party, in Nationa! Convention assembled,
do here declare the administration of the
Federal TO, erument to he in urgent need
of immediate reform, do hereby emjoin up
on the nominees of this Convention, and
Of the Democratic party in each State, a
Jealous effort and co-opcration to thus end,
and do hereby appeal to our fellOw-citizens
of every former political connection TO un-
dertake with us this fist and most press
ing patriotic duty. For the Democracy of
the whole country we do here reailirn our
faith in the Ier,nanency of the Federal
Union; our 4.eyotion To the Constitution
OF the United States with its anne edments
universally accepted as q final settlement
of the controversies that eugeuaered civil
war, and we do here record our stcadiast
confidence in the perpetmty of republican
self.s0vernment; in absolute acqueScence
in the will of the majority, the vital prin-
ciple Of republics; in the supremacy of the
civil over the military authority; III the
total separation of Church and State for
the sake alike Of civil aud religious free
dom; in the equality Of all citizens before
lust laws of their own enactment; in the
sumptuary laws; in the faithful education
of the rising generation that they may
preserve, enjoy and transmit these best
conditions of human happiness, and hope
| we behold the n0blest products of a hun
dred years of changeful history. but while
unfolding the bond of our Union and
great charter of those our rights, it be-
hooves free people to practice also that
Toll lai.,l, 80 of
liberty.
REFORM 10 NECESSARY
to rebuild and establish in the hearts of
the whole people OF the Union, eleven
years ago happily rescued from the dan
ger of a corrupt centraiism which, alter
inhicting upon ten Suites the iapaclty of
carpet-bag terannies, has honeycombed
the officers of the Federal Government it,
self with incapacity, waste and fraud, III
fected States and municipalities with the
contagion of ulisrule, and locked fast the
prosperity of an industrious people in the
| paralysis of bard times. Reform is nects-
sary to establish II sound currency, restore
the public credit, and maintain the ma
tionaI honor. We denounce the failure
for these eleven years to make good the
promise of the legal tender notes, which
are changing standard of value in the
hands of the people, and the non payment
of which is disregard Of the pllghted
faith of the nation. We denounce the
improvideuce which in eleven years of
peace have taken from the people in Fede
raj taxes, thirteen times the whole
amount of the legal tender NOTES, aud
squaudered four times this sum in useless
expense without accommodating any re-
serve for their resumption. We denOunce
the financial imbeeility and immortality
of that party, which, during eleven years
of peace, has made no advance toward
resumption; that instead has 0bstructed
resumption by wasting our resources and
exhausting all our surplus income, and
while annually protesting to, intend Il
speedy return to specie payments, has
annually enacted fresh hinderalice there's
| to. As such hinderance we denounce
the resumption clause of the act of 1875,
! and we here
DEMAND gTs REPEAL.
| We demand q iudicious system of prepare
! ton by public economies, by official re-
| treuchments aud by wise finance which
| shall enable the nation to insure the
whole world of its perfect ability and it's
perfect readiness to meet any of its prom
| ises at the call of the creditor entitled to
payment. We believe such a system well
devised, and, above all, entrusted to com
petent hands for execution, creating at no
time an artificial scarcity of CURRENCY and
at DO tine alarming the pnblic mintl into
4 withdrawal OF that vastrr machinery of
credit by which 95 per cent Of all business
transactions are performed-a system
open, public and inspiring general conf.
dence would from the day of its adoption
bring healing on its wings to all our har-
aSsed industry and set in motion the
wheels of commerce, manufactures and
the mechanical arts, restore employment
to labor. and renew in all it's national
source the prosperity of the people. Re
form IS necessary in the sum and mode OF
Federal taxation, to the end that capital
may be set free from distress and labor
lightly burdeneG.
WE DESOuNCE ritz PRESENT TARIFF
levied upon nearly four thousand articles
as masterpiece of injustice, inequality
and false pretence 1t yields dwiLdling
not n yearly rising revenue: it has iynDoy.