The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-15
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Of3cial Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted At ~. Louis. June Is. 1870.

party of the United States, in national con-
vention assembled, do hereby declare the
administration Of the federal government
to be in urgent need Of immediate reform
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees of this
convention, and OF the democratic party in
eNch State, 8 jealous effort ana 60 opers-
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal TO
our fellow-ci;izens Of every former political
connection to undertake with US thi. first
an most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, REPUBL!-
CAN sELF-GOyERNMENT.
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reaffirm our faith In the per-
manence OF the federal union; our devotion
to the constitution Of the United States,
with it's amendments universally accepted
| as the final settlement of the controvef sizes
that engendered civil war, ana do here re-
cora our steadiast confidence in the perle.
tuitv of republican seii-gOvernment.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In alb solute acquiescence in the will of
| the msjority-the vital principle OF repub-
| lics; in the supremacy Of the civil over the
| military authority, in the total separation of
church and state, TOR the sake alike OF civil
| and religious freedom; in the equality of
| sll citizens before Just laws OF their own en-
duet, unvexed by sumptuary laws; IN The
faithful education OF The rising generation,
| that tley may preserve, enjoy aud transmit
these best conditions Of human happiness.
| aad hope We behold the nob.est products of
| hundred years OF changeful hi toy; but
while upnOiding tn bond Of ouI unio. anu
great charter OF these great rights, i: be-
hoOves = free peop,e to practice elsu that
eternal vigilance which Is the price OF
| liberty.
RkFoRM-CORRUPTION
| Reform 10 necessary to build aud establish
in the hea.ts OF the whole people the union
eleven years ago happily rescued from The
danger of y secession vi states but now to
| be saved from corrupt ceotraiis N, viii 4 ,
| after infilctlng upon ten States the rapaci y
Of csrpet-bag tyranhies, has boae v combe d
the offices OF tue federal government itself
| with lncapacity, waste and fraud; intecie Il
! States AID municipalities WITH the conta-
glon OF misrule, and locked last the pros
perity of an industrious people in the pa
rally Sis of hard times.
Reform OF THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
| PAYMENTS.
| Reform is necessary to establish sound
currency, restore the pubic credit aud
| maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure fOf all these eleven years to
make good the promise Of the legal tender
noIes, which are . Changing standard of
value in the hands OF the people, ard lie
non payment OF which il ti.r. gard OF the
| plighted faith OF the nation.
| We denounee the iinprovidence which in
| eleven years of peace has taken from the
people, la federal taxes, thirteen times the
| who's amount of the legal tendsr not. q
and sQuaniered ioui times this sum 10 USE
iess expense, without accumulat;ng any re-
serve ior their redemption. We denounce
the financial imDeciity and immortality OF
that party which, curing eleven years Of
peace. has made no advance toward re-
| uempt1on; no preparation for resumption,
| but, instead, has obstructed re resumption by
| washing our Resources ana eXhaustng all
OR surplus income, and While annually
protesting TO intend u speedy return to
| specie payment. has annually enacted fresh
Lindrances there.o-as sucn q hindraE ce
| We denOuGce the II sumption clause OF the
act OF 1873, and we demand its repeal.
We demand juuiciOus sy stem OF pre-
paration, by public economies, by official
retrenchment, and by the finance, which
sDAh enable the nation soon to assure the
whole world of its perfect ability and its
perfect readiness 10 meet any Of its prom.
ises ut the call of the creditor entitled to
| payment.
We believe such system, well devised,
and, above all, entrusted tn competent
nands ior Its execution, Great ng at no time
an artificial scarcity OF currency, and ut no
time alarming the public mind into with.
dtawal OF that vast machinery Of credit by
| which 30 per cent. OF all our business trans.
actions are performed; a system open to
the public and inspiring general confidence,
would, from the day OF its adoption, bring
healing on Its wings to all our harrassed In.
dustries, set in motion the wheels of COM
merce, manufactures and the me chanlcal
| arts, restore employment to labor, and re-
new In ali Its national sources the prosper.
ity OF the people.
REBORN OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE.
| Reform Is necessary in the sum and mode
| OF federal taxation, to the end that capt., a
may be set free from distrust and labor
lightly burdened. We denounce the pres
ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousand
articles as a mast II piece of injustice, in
equality and false pretenss. 1t Yields a
awindlng, not yearly rising revenue. 1t
has impoverished many industries to sub.
sidize al few; 1t prohibits imports that might
purchase The products Of American liboJs;
| II has degraded American commerce rom
the hrst 70 an inferior..rank upon the high
seas; 1t has cut down the sales of American
manufactures at home an abroad, aud de.
p.eted the returns Of American agriculture.
AN industry followed by halt our people. Ii
costs the people five times more than it pro.
uuces 10 The treasury; obstructs the process
| OF production, and wastes the fruits OF la.
Dor; il promotes fraud. fosters smuggling.
| enriches dishonest officials aud bankrupt,
honest merchants. We demand that ali
custom house taxation shail be only Tor
revenue.
REFORM ECONOMY IN PUBLIC EXPENSE.
Reform Is necessary in the scale of public
| cXpense-federal, State aud municipal
Our federal taxation has swollen from SIXTY
miiiions gold, IN 1850, 10 four hundred and
nifty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggre-
gate taxation. IRON Que hundred and nity-
four millions gold in 1860, to seven l,ludred
and thirty millions currency 10 1870; or. in
one decade, from less than i've dollars per
head TO more than eighteen dollars per III cad.
since the peace the people have paid to
| their tax-gatherers more than thrice the
sum OF the national debt, and more than
| twice that sum for the federal gOyeTnme mt
alone. We demand a vigorous irugality in
every department., and from every officer
| OF the government.
RHFoRM-PUBLIC LANDS TO ACTUAL SET.
TLkRs.
Rsforn' Is necessary 10 put stop to the
pron'gate waste Of the public lands and
| their diversion from actual settlers by the
party in power, which has sQuandered
Soo,0Oo'OC0 acres upon railroads alone, aud
IN amount OF more than thrice that aygre.
gate, has disposed Of less than q SIKH III.
reetly to the tillers Of the soil.
kkfokM-ADoPTRD CITIZENS, REJECTED
AONGOLs.
| HgorW Il necessary to correct the ommis-
| sion OF republican congress and ths error.
OF our treaties and cur diplomacy, which
nave stripped our fellow citizens Of foreign
plnn ana kindred race, reerossing the At
.enuc, Of the shield Of American citizen.
Pacific coast to the iucursious Of = race NOT
| sprung from the same great n.rans s,,,.L