Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-06-20
RESOLUTIONS
Adopted by tie Vest TIryinia Democratic.
Conservative SLATE Conreution.

L. That the Democratic Conservative nartv
of West Virginia is not two parties in alliance.
but IS and shall remain one homogeneous marty
thoroughly united and harmonious in its prin.
clples, lis aims, and its organization, aud that
1t is the duty of all its members to discourage
every reference to local questions, personal
anlmoslties, or political divisions upon mat
ters now either obsolete or which ought to be
subordinate to the more vital issues of the
day.
2 That the great principles which, in our
opinion, underlie and must sustain the Ma
tlonai Democratic party of which we are an
integral part, are (D restriction of the Fed
erai government TO its original sphere of sc>
tion, and to the powers prescribed and limited
by the Constitution, (2) the independence of
the Supreme Court of the United States
against intimidation and undue Influence ON
the part OF the coordinate departments of the
general government. (3) Subordination of
the military to the civil power; az the
equality and constitutional self f-goyernment
of the States, leaving to each of them the So
luton of questions and difficulties arising
therein, subject only to the Constitution of
the United Sites.
D. No occupation of State or Territory by
United States forces except in aid of civil au>
Constitution prcscribcs.
g. Reform of civil service in such manner
that honesty and competency shall again be
regarded in the selection of Federal officers,
and that such officers shall not be permitted
to Interfere with the freedom of elections, nor
be subjected 10 contributions to further the
political aims of the appointing power.
Z. Complete and universal amnesty for all
those " hO ta1 in bo o;,;l ,u..
basis of mutual reconciliation, such as the
spirit OF the age demands, and tho porna-
nency of our institutions requires.
8. a return to the old land marks of Anglo
Saxon liberty, viz: No suspension of the writ
OF h"OcdS corpus IN times of peace; trial by
jury of the vicinage when the prisoner de-
maEds 1t; freedom of the press, and no re-
iiglous or expurgatory political tests for suf>
frage or Office holding.
.. No interference by the general govern
mcnt with education and religion in the States.
upon any pretext whatever, however plausible.
10. a firm and uncompromising resistance
to the further infection of the American mind
with the sPiritzoE speGnlatioD, plunder aud
universal corruption in office inaugurated by
the Republican party. fOstcred by the war,
and eliminating in the indcccncy practiccd
by the present administration.
IL 4Hat "hile we belong to 4 debtor
State, and believe that the republican party
has treated such States unfairly and uniustly
by It's financial policy, and while we favor an
immediate repeal of the specie resumption
act, the taxation Of United States bonds like
other property, and the abolition of the
present banking system, yet at the same time
we cmphatically Geprecate the effort to divide
the democratic party upon the issues involv>
ing money only, and recommend that such
Issues be remitted to the congressional dis
trlcts or otherwise subordinated to those great
moral and constitutional questions which un-
deriIc the very existence Of the Union and its
institutions.
II. That We arraign and oppose the Repub.
liCan party as having violated all the con-
scrvative princi pies herein announced, and
that the thanks of the whole people are cmi-
nently due to Democratic House of Repre.
sentaiiVeS for exposing such a condition of
corruption in the dominant party as renders
their continuance in power dangerous to the
Liberties of the people that VIC have conf
dence that our delegates to the National Con-
vcntion will support those who are proper rep
resentatives of the foregoing principles, and
we leave them free to exercise their discretion
as to the choice of men best fitted to bring
about thorough reform in tho adminis,ra-
tion of our National affairs that in the in>
terest of pure government and cut of regard
for free institutions impcrilied, and to redeem
the American name from the stigma attached
to 1t by the corruption of that party now in
power, We do cordially and earnestly invite
all honest men, irrespective Of former party
affiliations, to unite with US in the coming
campaign.