The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-10-25
OR M
OF THE
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

WE, the Delegates Of the Democratic
Party, in National Convention assembled
do here declare the administration of the
Federal Government to be in urgent need
of immediate reform, do hereby enjoin up
on the nominees of this Convention, and
of the Democratic party in each State, a
Jealous effort and CO. operation to this end
and do hereby appeal to our fellOw-Citizens
of every former political connection to un.
dertake with US this first and most press.
ing patriotic duty. For the Democracy Of
the whole country we do here reaffirm our
faith in tho peTinanency of tho Federal
Union; our devotion to the Constitution
of the United States with it's amendments
universally accepted as q final settlement
of the controversies that engenGered civil
war, and we do here record our steadfast
confidence in the perpetuity of republican
self-governmept; in absolute acguescence
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 al citizens before
Just laws of their own enactment; in the
liberty of individual conduct invoked by
snmptuary 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 q hun.
dred years of changeful history, but while
upholding the bond of our Union and
great charter Of those our rights, it be.
hooyes free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which is the price Of
liberty. i
REFORM IS NECESSARY
to rebuild and establish in tho hearts O.
the whole people of the Union, clever
years ago happily rescued from the dan
ger of O. corrupt centralism which, after
| infiicting upon ten States the rapac1ty O
carpet-bag tyrannies, has honeyeombeG
the officers of the Federal Government it
self with incapacity, waste and fraud, in
fected States and municipalities with the
contagion of misrule, and locked fast TIT
prosperity of an industrious people in The
paralysis of hard times. Reform is neces
sary to establish sound currency, restore
the public credit, and maintain the na
tional 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 th.
hands of the people, and the non payment
of which is a disregard of the plightet
faith of the nation. We denounce thu
| improvidence which in eleven years O
peace have taken from the people in Fede
raj taxes, thirteen times the whole
amount of the legal tender notes, ant
souandered four times this sum in useles!
expense without accommodating any re
serve for their resumption. We denounc,
the financial imbecility and immortality
of that party, which, during eleven year,
of peace, has made NO advance TOWARD
resumption; that instead has obstructet
resumption by wasting our resources ant
eXhausting all our surplus income, ant
while annually protesting to intend {
speedy return to specie payments, ha'
annually enacted fresh hinderance there
to. AS such a hinderance we denounct
the resumption clause of the act of 1875
and we here
DEMAND IT'S REPEAL.
| We demand q judicioas system of prepare
ton by public economies, by official re
trenchments and by wise finance which
shall enable the nation to insure thu
whole world of its perfect ability and it.
perfect readiness to meet any Of It's prom
| ises at the call of the creditor entitled tx
payment. We believe such system wei
! devised, and, above al, entrusted to com
petent hands for execution, creating at NJ
time an artificial scarcity of currency ant
at no tine alarming the public mind int
withdrawal OF that vaster machinery o
credit by which IS per cent. of all business
.r,pS a otinps ara uarfnrmed.- Svsfeu
open, public and irsniring 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 tn,
wheels of commerce, manufactures ant
the mechanical arts, restore employment
to labor. and renew in all it's nationa
source the prosperity of the people. Re
form is necessary in the sum and mode o
Federal taxation, to the end that capita
may be set free from distress aud labo1
lightly hardened.
WE DENoUNCE THE PRESENT TARIFF
levied upon nearly four thousand articles
as a masterpiece of injustice, inefualit,
and false pretence. 1t yields dwindling
not o yearly rising revenue; it has impov
erished many Industries to subsidize
few; it prohibits imports that might pur
{ chase the products of American labor
it has degraded American commerce Fl IN
the first to an inferior upon the high seas
it has cut down the sales of America,
manufactures at home and abroad, ant
depleted the returns of American aericul
ture, an interest followed by half on
!people; it costs the people five times nor,