The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-27
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted at st. Louis, June Is. 1879.

vcntion assembled, do hereby declare the
administration of the federal government
to be in urgent peed OF immediate reform;
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees OF this
convention, and of the democratic party In
each state. Jealous effort and eo.opcra-
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal to
our fellow-citizens of every former political
connection to undertake with us this first
an most pressing patriotic duty.
| THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, REPuBLi-
CAS- sELF-GOvERNMENT.
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reaffirm our faith ia the per-
manence of the federal union; our devotion
to the constitution of the United States.
with its amendments universally accepted
| a. the final settlement of the controversies
that engendered civil war. and do here re-
| cord our steadfast confidence in the perpc.
| tuity of republican selt-government.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
| the msjority--the vital principle of repub-
| lies; in the supremacy of the civil over the
military authority. in tle total separation OF
| church and state, for the sake alike OF civil
| and religious freedom; in the equality OF
| all citizens before just laws of their own en-
| ac,ment; in the liberty Of individual con-
| duct. unvexed 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
\ a hundred years of changeiul history: but
| while UNFOLDING the bond OF our union and
great charter OF these great rights, /: be-
| hooves a free people TO practice also that
| eternal vigilance which IL the price OF
| liberty.
REFoRM-coREUPIIoN
Reform Is necessary to build aud establish
in the hearts OF the whole people the union,
| eleven years ago happily rescued from the
| danger of Q secession OF states but now 10
be saved from a corrupt centrslism, W hi b,
after infieting upon ten states the rspaciiy
| of carpet-bag tyrsnnies, has houey -combed
the Offices OF tie federal government itself
| with incapacity, waste and fraud: infected
States and municipalities with the conta-
glon Of mi srule. and locked fast the pros
perity OF an industrious people in the pa
| ralysis OF hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRESCY-sPECIE
| PAYMENTS.
Reform is necessary to establish q sound
| currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for ali these eleven year. 10
make good the promise Of the legal tender
notes, which are Q changing standard of
| value in the hands OF the people, and the
non payment OF which is n di.ry gard OF the
| piighted iaitn OF the nation.
We denounce the improyidcnce which in
eleven years Of peace has taken from the
| people in federal taxes, thirteen times lht
whole amount of the legal tender notes
aud squandered fouI times this sum in use
lees expense, without accommodating any re
serve tor their redemption. We denounct
the financial imbeciiIy and immortality o
that party which, during eleven years o
. | peace. has made no advance toward re
demption; no preparation for resumption
J. but, instead, has ob,uucted resumption b.
' wasting our resource. and eXhausting al
our surplus income, and while annual,
protesting to intend speedy return I,
specie payment, has annually enacted fresl
= lindrancss thereto-as such a hindranc
we denounce the RI sumption clause Of tn
= act of 1873. and we demand its repeal.
We demand judicious system OF pre-
paration. by public economies, by officia
I retrenchment. and by the finances, whicl
shall enable the nation soon to assure tn
whole world OF its perfect ability aud it
perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom
A ises at the call Of the creditor entitled 4
u payment.
We believe such a system, well devised
and, above all, entrusted tn competen
hands for its execution, Great ng at no tim
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and at n
time alarming the public mind into with
drawal OF that vast machinery of credit b
which o. per cent. of all our business tram
actions are performed; a system open
the public and inspiring general confidence
would, from The day of its adoption, brin
healing on its wings to all our harrassed in
al dustries, set in motion the wheels Of con
ie merce, manufactures and the me2hanIci
~ arts, restore employment to labor, and r,
new in all its national sources the prosper
ity OF the people.
REFORM OF TIE TARIFF-FREE TRADE
Reform is necessary in the sum and mod
he OF federal taxation, to the end that capt.;
& may be set free from distrust and labo
lightly burdened. We denounce the pre-
ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousan
ID, | articles a. mast n piece Of injustice, IN
" equality aud false pretense. 1t yields
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue.
has impoverished many industries to SUI
} sidize sfew; II prohibits imports that mig
'r purchase .he products of American labor
II has degraded American commerce iro
the first TO an inferior rank upon the his
seas; IL has cut down the sales of America
40 manufactures at home an 1 abroad, and d
pleted the returns Of American sgricultuT
an industry followed by halt our people.
costs the people five times more than II pr
duees TO the treasury; obstructs the proce
~ OF production, and wastes the fruits OF
N | Dor; IL promotes fraud, fosters smugglin
enriches dishonest officials and bankrul
honest merchants. We demand thst
custom house taxation shall be only
revenue.
BEfoRM-ECoSoMY IN PUBLIC EXPESs
Reform lie necessary in the scale of pub
eXpense-federal, State and munich
Our federal taxation has swollen from 81,
millions gold, In 1850, 70 four hundred a
fifty millions currency, 10 1870. Our agg
10 este taxation. from one hundred and III
6ss four millions gold in lsG0, to seven hundi
and thirty millions currency in 1870, or,
one decade, from less than live dollars
head 10 more than eighteen dollars per he
I'll Since the peace the people have paid
ar their tax-gatherers more than thrice
sum OF the national debt, and more Il
twice that sum tor the federal governm
!. alone. We demand vigorous frugalit,
every department, and from every Off
OF the government.
a.. REPoRM-PUBLic LANDS TO ACTUAL S
TLkRs.
RP,
Us proflgate waste OF the public lands ,
their diversion from actual settlers BY
party In power, which has squande
Sl S0o,VoO,OO0 acres upon railroads alone,
IN amount OF more than thrice that az,
gate, has disposed Of less than n sixth
Anu recty to the tillers Of the soil.
kEFokh-ADoPTED CITIZENS, REyECl
AOSGOLs.
ann, Hgof7a IL necessary 70 correct the omI
- sion VI republican congress and the err
ssrn OF our treaties and our diplomacy, wi
a.. have shipped our iellow-eitizens OF Tor,
birh ana kindred race, recrossing the
iantie, OF the shield Of American citi
~ chip, ana nave exposed our brethern Of
an Pacific coast TO the incursiops Of a race
III, | sDruug from the ssne usa.t r.ran, -.