The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-09
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by tho
Committee.
AJop,ed at 81. Louis. June "s. 1876.

We. the delegates of the democratic
party of the United States, in national con- !
Vention assembled, do hereby declare the | T,
OF The federal government +,
to be in urgent need of immediate reform; /
do hereby enjoin upon the nominees of this /,
cony eniioL, and of the democratic party in /,
e1ch 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 tins 1irst :
an most pressing patriotic duty
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION, REruBL-
CAN sELF-GoVERNMENT
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby rnaiiiiui our faith in the per-
manonce OF the federal union; our devotion |
to the constitution of the United States.
with its amendments universally accepted
as the final settlement of the controversies
that engendered civil war, and do here re-
cord our steadtast confidence in the perpe.
tuty of republican selt-government.
THE FIRST CENTURY.
In absolute acquiescence in the will of
the majority-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: i'll the equality OF |
all citizens before just laws OF their own en- |
! actment; 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 changeful history: but
| While unfolding the bond of our union and
| great charter of these great rights, i. be-
hooves free people to practice also that
| eternal vigilance which is the price of
liberty.
REFoRM-CORRUPTION-
Reform is necessary to build and establish
in the hearts OF the whole people the union,
eleven years ago happily rescued from The
danger of secession of states but now to
be saved from q corrupt centrallsm, whic h,
after ntlictng upon ten States the rapacity
of carpet-bag tyrannies, has honey.combed
the offices OF the 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
ralyss of hard times.
PAYMENTS.
t Refoyus is necessary to establish sound
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for all these eleven years to
make good the promise Of the legal tender
notes, which are u changing standard of
value in the hands of the people, and the
non payment of which is a disre gard OF the
plighted faith of the nation.
We denounce the improvidence which in
eleven years of peace has taken from the
| people, in federal taxes, thirteen times the
whole amount of the legal tender notes,
and squandered fouI times this sum in use
- less expense, without accumulating any re-
serve tor their redemption. We denounce
the financial imbecility and immortality OF
that party which, during eleven years OF
peace. has made no advance toward re-
dcmption; no preparation for resumption,
| but, instead, has INSTRUCTED resumption by
wasting our resources and eXhausting all
/. our surplus income, and while annually
|, protesting to intend speedy return to
specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
hindrances thereto-as Such hlndrance
we denounce the II sumption clause OF the
l. act of 1879, and we demand its repeal.
We demand juuicious system OF pre-.
- paration, by public economies. by Official
retrenchment. and by the finances, which
shall enable the nation soon to assure the
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 to
\ payment.
M we believe such system, well devised
v and, above all, entrusted to competent
hands for its execution, creating at no time
an artificial scarcity of currency, and at M
time alarming the public mind INTO with
draWal OF that vast machinery of credit by
which % per cent. of all our business trans
actions are performed; system open t
the public and inspiring general confidence
would, from lhe day OF its adoption, brin
' healing on its wings to all our harrassed in
dustries, set in motion the wheels of com
merce, manufactures and the mechanics
at arts, restore employment TO labor, and re
ne new in all its national sources the prosper
az | ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE.
Reform Is necessary in the sum and mod
of federal taxation, To the end that capita
- may be set free from distrust and labO
n. lightly burdened. We denounce the pres
@ ent tariff levied upon nearly four thousanC
articles rs a master piece of injustice, in
equality and false pretense. 1t yields
q dwindling, not yearly rising revenue. i
" has impoverished many industries 10 sub
sdize afew; 1t prohibits imports that Nigh
purchase The products of American libors
1t has degraded American commerce iron
l., the first TO an inierior..rank upon the higt
seas; it has cut down the sales of American
manufactures at home AMI abroad, and de
pleted the returns of American agriculture
nd an industry followed by halt our people. |
costs the people five times more than il pro
duces to the treasury; obstructs the process
OF production, and wastes the fruits OF la
Dor; it promotes fraud, fosters smuggling
~, enIsches dishonest officials and bankrupt
w honest merchants. We demand that al
custom house taxation shall be only 10
revenue.
Reform is necessary in the scale of publ
eXpense-federal, state and municipa
our federal taxation has swollen from SKI
millions gold, in 1860, TO four hundred an
nlty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggr
gate taxation, from one hundred and nit
four millions gold in 1860, to seven hundre
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or,
10 one decade, from less than ilye dollars p,
'ss head TO more than eighteen dollars per he "a
since the peace the people have paid
their taX-gatherers more than thrice Il
sum OF the national debt, and more TIL
Oh twice that sum tor the federal gOyernme
' GL alone. We demand a vigorous frugality
every department, and from every Ollie
OF the government.
: REFoRM-PUBLiC LANDS TO ACTUAL sE
Tiers.
Reform Is necessary TO put stop TO I
10, proiigate waste OF the public lands a
their diversion from actual settlers by I
RIP, party in power, which has squander
pm. 100000 900 acres upon railroads alone, a
- an amount of more than thrice that aggl
gate, has disposed of less than sixth
- rectly 10 the tillers Of the soil.
X REFoRM-ApoPrED CITIZENS, REJECT
/" MONGoLs.
HffOrDt Is necessary TO correct the omnl
sion of a republican congress and the err,
OF our treaties and our diplomacy, viii
have stripped our fellow-citizens OF iorei
birth and kindred race, recrossing the
vs. lantie, OF the shield Of American citz,
~ ship, and have exposed our brethren of
Pacific coast TO the incursions Of race