The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-28
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted at 81. Louis. June -. 1879.

party OF the uited states, in national con-
Vcntiou assembled. do hereby declare the
administration OF The federal government
to I've in urgent reed of immediate reform:
10 hereby cniuiu upon the nominees OF this
convention. AMI oi the democratic party IN
each state y Jealous effort and 50 opera-
ton to this end. ami do hereby spp-al 10
our fellow-cuiZens OF every former political
connection 10 undertake with u. lhi. hrsi
an most pressing patriotic duty.
me UNToN. THE CONSTITUTION, RETTfL:-
CAS- sELF-GoVKBNNENI
For the democracy OF the whole country.
we do hereby reaiiirm our faith in the per-
manence OF the federal union: our devotion
To the constitution of the United states,
with l.. auei dmen,s universally accepted
as the final sett ement OF the controversies
that engendered civil war. sni 10 here re-
cor our sieadiast confidence IN the perpe-
tuity OF republican selt-C0vernment.
The FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute aequiescence in tue will OF
the N aj0rity-the vital principle OF repub-
lc,; ia the supremacy # the civil over the
military authority. in tie totsi separation of
church and slate, for t1e sake alike OF civil
and religious freedom: in the equality OF
all citizens befcre just laws OF their own en-
sc,ment; in the liberty Of individual coz
duet. unyexcd by sumptuary laws; in The
faithful education of The rising generation.
that tHey may preserve. enjoy aud transmit
these best conditions # human happiness.
ard hope we behold the noblest products Of
s hundred years of cLangeiul hi-tory: but
while unfolding TIE bond Of our union and
reat charter OF these great rights, i: be-
hooves fee people TO practice also that
eternal vigilance walch Is the price of
| liberty.
RgFoRM-CoRRUFIIo
| Rsf5-ra /. necessary to build aud establish
| in the hearts OF the whole people the union,
eleven yfar- ago happily rescued from the
| danger Of secession Oi states but now TO
1 be -avef from corrupt ceutrslisrn, viii b.
| after infiictin; upon ten States the rspaci Y
| Of carpet bag tyTan1ies, has hone y-combed
| the Offices OF the federal government itself
with incApa city. waste sEd trald: infecte q
States aud municipl lities with the con;s-
glon OF mi -rule. sni locked fast the pros
| perity OF an industrious people in the pa
| ralysis OF hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRgNCY-sPECIE
PAYMENTS.
| reform is necessary 10 establish sound
| currency, restore 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 4 changing standard of
! value in the bands OF the people, aud the
1
pughted faith OF the nation.
| We denounce the improNldcnce 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 squandered fouI times this sum 10 use
| les expense, without accommodating any re-
serve tor their redemption. We denounce
| the financial imbecllity and immortality OF
| that party which, during eleven years OF
peace. has made no advance toward re-
demption; no preparation fos resumption
but, instead, has obstructed resumption By
wasting our resources and cXhausting al
oar surplus income, and while annually
processing TO intend speedy return tC
specie payment, has annually enacted fresl
bindrances there;o-as such hintrancs
we dcnouncc the RI sumption clause OF th'
act of 1873. and we demand its repeal.
| We demand judiCious system OF pre-
paration, by public economies, by othcia
retrenchment, and by the finances, whicl
shall enable the nation soon to assure tn,
| whole world OF its pclfect ability aud il
perfect READINGS, to meet any OF its prom
ises at the call of the creditor entitled L
lpaymeDt.
| We believe such a system, well devise q
and, above all, entrusted tn competen
hands for its execution, creating at no tim
an ARTIFICIAL scarcity OF currency, and at III
time alarming the public mind into a with
drawal OF that vast machinery Of credit b
which % per cent OF all our business tran.
actions are performed; a system open I
the public and inspiring general confidence
would, from the day OF its adoption, brin
healing on its wings to all our harrassed in
' dustries, set in motion the wheels Of con
merce, manufactures and the me chanic,
arts, restore employment TO labor, and n
At new in all its national sourccs the prosper
re ity OF the people.
Of REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE
Reform Is necessary in the sum and mod
OF federal taxation, 10 the end that capt..
may be set Tree IRON distrust and lab
j. lightly hardened. We denounce the pre-
70 ent tariff levied upon nearly four tholisan
: articles n mast Il piece OF injustice, in
equality and false pretense. II yield.
dwindllng, not yearly rising revenue.
, has impoverished many industries TO sui
y sidiZe a few; 1t prohibits imports that mi gl
purchase me products of American labor
1t has degraded American commerce lrol
the hrst TO an inferior rank upon the hig
>. seas; IL has cut down the sales of America
manufactures at home an abroad, and a.
pleted the returns Of American sgricultur
an industry followed by halt our people.
4 costs the people i've times more than IL pr
duces to the treasury; obstructs the proee
Of production, and wastes the fruits OF /
Dor; it promotes fraud, fosters smugglin
enriches dishonest officials and bankrup
~ honest merchants. We demand that
custom house taxation shall DE only 4
revenue.
REFORM ~ PUBLIC EXPESs
Reform Il necessary in the scale OF publ
eNpense-federal, State and muncipt
Our federal taxation has swollen from six
millions gold, In 1850, 70 TOUR hundred al
fifty millions currency, in 1870 Our aggr
gate taxation. IRON one hundred and Mt
four millions gold in 1860, to seven hundr
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or,
one decade, from less than five dollars p
4 head 10 more than eighteen dollars per he
since the peace the people have paid
tnelr tAx-gatherers more than thrice
sum OF the national debt, and more tn
twice that sum tor the federal goyernme
~ alone. We demand a vigorous frugality
"a, every department, and from every otdc
ny OF the government.
REPoRM-PuBLIC LANDS TO ACTUAL 81
TLxRs.
Reform Is necessary 10 put a stop TO
pronigate waste OF the public lands a
ut thelr diversion from actual settlers by
party In power, which has squander
kf, lOO,0p,OO0 acres upon railroads alone, q
N eh amount OF more than thrice that sgg
gate, has disposed Of less than q sixth
III rectly 10 the tillers OF tue soft
- kKFoRM-ADoPTKD CITIZENS, REJECT
AoNGoLs.
AgorM i necessary 10 correct the omu
sion OF republican congress and the err
OF our treaties aud our diplomacy, VIII
mn, nave stripped our felIow-citizens OF fore
IN plrlh And kindred race. recrossing the
ern shin and bsva sxnosat go 49,. -" ei.,S
-ib- Paeifie coas, 70 ~ in, oui nietuern Oh
sprung from the same great parent sto
y anu, In Tact, now by law denied eitizeps
"a through naturalization, as being neither