The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-18
w EST VIRGINIA.
PLATFORM ADOPTED BY THE oREHNpACx CON.
vENrION.

PLATFORM ADOPTED BY THE oREENpACx CON.
vENrIoN.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, August Is, 1877. I
A State Convention OF the .indcpeudcnt greenback
party' Of Yves. Virginia vas held in this city to-day
About sixty delegates, nearly ell Of this county
and ncighborhood wore III attendance. J. L. Severns
OF Wood county, was chosen president, and James Il.
Middleton, of Kanawha, secretary. Short ana few
were the speeches that were made but the Convention
unanimously adopted tho following -
PLATFORM AND RESOLUTIONS
The independent grcenback party Of West Virginia
acknowledge allegiance TO no other organization. Re.
praise upon the ''doliar Of tho fathers, -
laud gold and facility accept national bank
notes 'truc money, while democratic platforms
20 little further aud condemn .'contrac.
tion, demand the repeal OF tho Resumption and
tho abolition OF national banks Both parties profess
willingness to accord TO labor It's just rewards bat
neither OF them proposes practical method, whilo
demand, As tho only means Of attaining that end
RESTORATION 10 tho people Of tho money government
We hold thut decay Of wealth or shrlnkago in the
Value OF property and labor 10 be tho NECESSARY result
Of tho destruction by government OF money, and
that bankruptcy, poverty, idleness riots aud crimes
arc us legitimate truit.
that dIoness !nduces wealth ~ shat ovcrproducsion
creates hard times
That u domestic system Of finance Is the best safe
guard against instability In values
That ns Is not tho material TINT constitutes money,
but the sovereign will that uttors It, the declaration
by government that the greenback shall 10 equal
In All its monetary functions with gold Ia tho only
sure method OF bringing paper money to par.
That yerproduction Is herosy IN political
economy, and affords solution To admitted depres-
sion in business, but in under and
money We nnd moro simple solution.
One dollar now whether IL be gold, silver paper,
cannot perform the functions Of IS tcu years ago.
We further hold that proiesscd resumption IN the
existing supply OF tho precious metals will entail
national Disgrace. Specie payment has never
been honest monetary system In this
country or In England, where commerce has
sought the most convenient oxpedlents II the
system is again to be inflicted upon Inc country Il is
better that have 1t ut once for tho Lwoold reason
that II may stop tho destruction Of the peoples
money and ut tho Same timo put 1t IN tho power OF
money capitalists by run upon ,ho federal Treasury
for gold " show to the world that tho system radi
cally dishonest
We hold that tho general government, Us the su-
premo exponent OF tho public Will. IS competent to
confer upon the emana,ions Of It's excbcquer
metals; that tho most effective mode OF
giving circulation TO gold declare tho paper dol
Lar It's equivalent for all purposes aud that this be
done by emitting tho prOmisc 10 pay' AS veil from
tho paper dollar as from the gold aud silver delar
We further hold that the payment Of national, as
legal enactinens. We therefore appeal to Tho moral
sensc Of the public. when We demand that cach shall
DO paid in money Of no higher purchasing power than
that IN which thoy we're contracted
That, while under ordinary circumstances We do not
hold That national debt Is u rational blessing" in
the presont condition OF people and government We
believe our national debt can be made three fold
source OF good by tho Issue OF Treasury notes IN
volume equal 10 the same.
FSrst-By placing within tho reach OF the pco pic the
medium OF dscbarging individual iudebi oiness
the sanic timo providing for the growing wants Of
commerce.
Second--By tho reduction oil taxation TO the extent
Of tho annual interest upon tho national dobt
Third--By avcrting the ISSUE OF national ropudia-
ton which will inevitably become plank IN American
politics unless monetary relief is speedily brought to
tho people.
l. We therefore In favor OF the Immediate pay
mn m M In n in fnF ho
IN good faith TO both debtor and CREDITOR strict pur
suanco OF tho contract, IN Law iul money.
=. As lawful money meant Rrcenbacks when large
portion OF the debt was contracted II cannot Justly
have u different meaning now. Hence the further
OF Treasury notes necessary for this portion OF
the public debt should be stamped With the prov so
OF inability 10 pay import duties and interest tho
public debt.
3. 80 much of the public debt ms was originally
pay abIo In coin" 70 DO discharged forthwith by the
sale Of full legal tenders Tor silver bars found to
the cheapest material for coinage.
4. The payment OF such part OF the public debt as
calls tor gold" 10 DO pad 10 that material II the same
be IN tho Treasury If no then that sale be made OF
full legal tenders al thcir market value DO Issued
tor that purpose FOR tho pun chase OF gold tu
lion, so tar al may DO necessary.
8. The speedy Withdrawal Of all bank circulation and
pay nirnt vi the bonds deposited tor security thereof
o. When tho grecnbacks reach tho federal Treasury
e same 10 be replaced Tor circulation by tho issue
u legal tenders AS tho iuturo paper circulation oil tho
country.