The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-24
Platform of the National Democratic
Party.


ic party Of tho United States, in na-
tional convention assembled, do horo
declare the administration of tho Fed
cral government to bo in urgent need
of immediate reform; do hereby cnoin
upon tho nominees of this convention
and of tho Democratic party in each
State, Jealous effort and Corpora
tion to this ond, and do hereby appeal
to our fellow citizens of every formor
political connection to undertake with
us this first and most pressing patriot
ic duty for the Democracy of the
whole country. We do hero rcaflirm
our faith in tho permanoncy of the
Federal Union, our devotion to the
constitution OF tho united States, with
its amendments universally accepted,
ms final settlement of the controvcr~
sizes that cngondorcd civil war, and do
here record oul stcadfust confidence in
the perpotuity of Republican self gov>
ornmcnt; in absolute acquoScencc in
the will of tho majority, the vital prin.
ciplo Of the republic; in the supremacy
of the civil over the military author-
ty; in tho total separation of church
and State, for the sake alillo Of civil
and religious freedom; in the equality
of all citizens before Just laws of their
OVID enactment, in the liberty of indi~
vidual conduct, unvcXcd by sumptuary
laws; in tho faithful education Of the
rising generation, that they may pres
serve, enjoy and transmit these best
conditions of human happiness and
hope. Wo behold tho noblcst pro
ducts Of a hundred years of changelul
history, but, while upholding the bond
OF our Union and great charter OF
these our rights, ii bchoovc8 free
people to practice also that eternal
vigilance which is the price of liberty.
Reform IS necessary to rebuild and
establish in the hearts of the whole
people the Union eleven years ago
happily rescued from tho danger OF q
corrupt ccntralism, which, after innict-
ing upon ten States tho rapacily of
carpet bag tyrannics, has hcncycomb-
&C tho Offices of tho Federal Hovcrn-
mcnt itself with incapacity, waste and
fraud; infected States and municipal-
itics with tho contagion Of misrulc,
and locked fast the prosperity Of an
industrious people in the paralysis OF
hard times. Reform is necessary to
establish Il sound currency, restore the
public credit and maintain the na~
tional honor. We dcnouncc the fail
urc of all these eleven years to make
good the promise Of the legal tender
notes which arc q changing standard
of value in tho hands of the people,
and the non payment of which is Il
disregard of tho plightcd faith Of tho
nation, We donouncc the imrrovi-
dcnco which in eleven years of peace
has taken from the people in Federal
taxes thirteen times the whole
amount of tho legal Lcndcr notes, and
squandcrcd four times this sum in
useless expense, without tho accumu-
latiOn of any reserve for their rcdcmp-
ton. We denOunce tho financial inns
bcciity and immortality of that party
which during the eIcvcn years ofponcc
has made no advance towards rcSump-
ton; that, instead, has obstructcd re-
sumption by wasting our resources
and cxhaustng all our surplus iucomc
and, while annually protesting to in
tend speedy eturn to specie pay
ments, has annually enacted fresh
hlndranccS thereto, as such n hin
drancc wo dcnouncc the resumption
clause of the Act of 1875, and we
here demand its repeal. We demand