The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-08-02
PLATE0Ra1
OF TIE
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WE. the Delegates Of tho Democratic
Party, in National Convention assembled.
do here declare the administration of the
Federal Government to he in urgent need
of immediate reform. do hereby cnioin up
in tl.c nominees Of this ConVentiou, and
of the Democratic party in each State, Il
Jealous effort and cooperation to this elitl.
and do thereby appeal to our teiiow'ritizeus
of every former political connection to I'M
dertake with us this fist and most press
ing patriotic duty. For the Democracy of
the Whole country we do here reatfrm our
faith in the perinanency of the Federal
Union; our devotion to the Constitution
of the United States with its amendments
! universally accepted as final settlement
| of the controversies that engendcrcu civil
war. ana we Go here record our steadfast
confidence in the perpetuity OF republican,
selfgOvernnient; in absolute acqniescence
| in the will of the majority, the vital prin-
ciple Of republics; in the supremacy of the
civil over the military authority; in the
total separation of Church and State for
the sake alike of civil and religious free.
dom; in the equality Of all citizens before
Just laws of their own enactment; in the
liberty of Individual conduct unyeXed by
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 noblest products of hum
dred years of changeful history. but while
unfolding tho bond of our Union and
great charter of those our rights, it be-
hooves free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which is tho price of
liberty.
SOS, REFORM rs 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 corrupt centralism which, after
nhicting upon ten States the Iapaclty OF
carpet-bag tyrannies, has iloneycombed
the officers of the Federal Government it.
self with incapacity, waste and fraud, i'll.
fected States and municipalities with the
contagion of misrule, aud locked fast the
prosperity OF all Industrious people in the
paralysis of hard times. Reform is neces.
sary to establish sound currency, restore
the public credit, and maintain the ma
tioHal honor. We denouuce tho 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 q disregard Of the plighte(
faith Of the nation. We denounce tn,
improvidence which in eleven years o
peace have taken from the people in Fede
raj taxes, thirteen times tho Who'll,
amount of the legal tender notes, AM
} squandered four times this sum III useless
e expense without accommodating any re
serve for their resumption. We denounc,
the financial imbecilty and immoralit!
of that party, which, during eleven year
of peace, has made no advance toward
!, resumption; that instead has obstructe.
= resumption by wasting our resources al.
Y exhausting all our surplus income, an,
D while annually protesting to intend
speedy return to specie payments. ha
!. annually enacted fresh hinderance there
I the resumption clause of the act of 1875
and we here
q DEMAND ITs REtEAL.
t We demand a judiciouS system of prepare
ton by public economies, by official re
trehchments and by wise finance whic
shall enable the nation to insure tn
whole world of its perfect ability and it
perfect readiness to meet any of its prom
T ises at the call of the creditor entitled
payment We believe such system we
devised, and. above all, entrusted to con
a petent bands for execution, creating at n
time an artificial scarcity Of currency an
at no tine alarming the public mind int
! a withdrawal OF that vaster machinery
Il credit By which IS per cent. of all busine:
:. transactions are performed-a systel
II open, public aud inspiring general cont
dence would from the day of its adoptio
bring healing on its wings to all our ha
assed industry and set in motion tt
wheels of commerce, manufactures an
tho mechanical arts, restore employmel