The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1878-08-15
The Democratic Platform.

The COMMITTEES on platform and
resolutions, after having carefully
considered the platform of the De-
mocratic party of South Carolina for
the year 1876, and the various reso.
]utions that were referred to them,
beg leave to make the following re-
port:
We recommend as the Democratic
platform of South Carolina in 1873,
enunciations of the same principles,
policies, and pledges, as were con-
tained in the platform Of 1875, which
is as follows, to wit: "The Demos
cratic party of South Carolina, in
Convention assembled, announces the
following as its platform of princi--
pies: We reiterate our acceptance
in perfect good faith of the Thir-
; teenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth
amendments, to the Federal Consti--
tuition, accepting and standing upon
them; we turn from the settled and
final past to the great, living and mo.
mentous issues Of the present and
the future. .a..
We reaf1irm the platform of princi
Piles announced by the National Demo
cratic party assembled at St. Louis,
and in accordance with the declara-.
tion ofthat platform and the utterances
and acts of our distinguished leader,
Wade Hampton, We call upon all OF
our fellow citizens irrespective of
race, color or previous condition, to
unite with us in continuing the work
of reform and redemption inaugn-
rated, by the Democratic party Of
South Carolina, tor it is evident that
substantial and lasting reform is i'm
possible within the ranks of the Re-
publican party of this State. We have
charged and convicted the Republi-
can party with arraying race against
race, creating disturbances and fo-
menting difficulties; with prostitut-
ing the elective franchise, 'ampering
with the ballot4box, and holding un-
fair and fraudulent elections; with
having accumulated an enormous
debt; mismanaged the finances, and
injured tue credit of the State; with
levying exorbitant taxes, and squan
dering them when collected, thus
wringing from the toll and liveli-
hood Of the honest poor man of the
State a large percentum of his hard
earnings without giving in return
any compensation therefor, and reck-
lessly involving in debt o majority of
the counties Of the State. lis man-
agement of our penal and charitable
institutions was {. shame and dis
grace. We charge its legislation as
demoralizing, partizan and Disgrace
tnl, and the venality and corruption
which characterized every branch of
the government, executive, legislative
and judicial, as having no parallel in
the history of nations. 1t created a
multiplicity OF unnecessary and use
less Offices. complicated in their syes
tenn and unnecessarily expensive,
and can never purify itself, give
good and impartial government, or
by its moral force and character ex-
ercise in its full sovereignty the law
of the land. We do not charge this
condition of things, which every pa
triot must deeply deplore, upon the
masses of the party, but upon their
leaders, who made such fatal use of
their confidence and trust, tor it is
our firm conviction that all the good
people of the State of both races de-
sire peace and prosperity. We
therefore call upon all Of our fellow
citizens, irrespective OF race or past
party utilization, to join with us in
preserving the good Eame- of our
State, and in maintaining her Dig
nifty and character among the CONS
monwealths of this great country
We disconntenance all disturbance
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