The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-02-15
DEMeCRArIc plArFoRM.
Adopted By the National Dea.seraiie Conven-
tIon, June ss, 1875.

We the delegates of the Democratic party Of the |
United States, IN national convention assembled, do
hereby declare tae administration OF the Federal gov
nnlent 70 be in great need Of immediate reform do
hereby enjOin upon The nominees cf ths convention,
make EFFORTS and 10 cooperate 70 this end and do
hereby appeal TO fellow citizens Of every former
political connection 10 undertake with this rst and
most pressing p4hiotie duty for the benefit Of the
whole COUNTRY. We here affirm our iaith In the per-
maneney Of the Federal Union; our dcsofoa TO the
constitution Of the United States with It's amendments
universally accepted final settlement Of the con-
toversies that engendered the civil war, and do here
record steadfast confidence In the perpetaity Of
Republican self government in absolute acauiescnce
IN the viii Of tbs majority, the principle OF republics;
in the supremacy 81 the civil over the military author
y in the total separation Of Church and State tor
the sake alike Of civil and religious freedom in the
equality II all ctizens before the just laws Of their
unvexed by sumptuary laws ia the faithful education
q the rising generation, that they may preserve, en-
pfness and hope We uphold tho nablest products Of
one hundred years Of changing history, but while up
holding the bond Of our union, and the great charter
q these our rights II behoove fee people 10 prae
lice also that eternal vigilance which Is the piis Of lib
the hearts Of the whole people the union eleven years
ago happily rescued from danger Of corrupt ccntas
which, ater INJECTING upon ten States the raracity Of
caFetbag tyranny, has honey-conabed the Offices Of
the Federal Government itself with incapacity worse
than fraud inflicted States and municipalities with
the contasion Of misrule and locked fast the property
oi industrious people IN the paralysis Of hard times
Reform IS Necessary to establish sound currency;
store the public credit and maintain the national hon
We denounce the failure Of all these years to
make rood the promises Of the legal notes which are
changing the standard Of value in the hands of the
people, and the payment Of which Is a disregard
Of the blghted faith Of the nation Wo enounce the
improydence which in eleven years Of peace has taken
nom the people in funds ten times the whole amount
of the legal tender notes and sQcanderea four times
the sum IN useless expense without aecumuating any
reserves for their redemption. We denounee the
financial policy and immortality Of that party which,
during the eleven years Of peace has mae advance
isst bss os.,.sS ~ b rsst, nm, r
sources and exhausting all surplus income and
while annually protesting 70 intend seey return 10
specie payment has annually added fresh hindrances
thereto. As such = hindranee, we denounce the re-
sumption clause Of the Of 1875 and demand its
repeal We demand 1udicious system OF preparation
BY public economies; BY official retrenchmentS and by
wise finance, which shall enable the nation assure
the whole world Of its perfect ability and its perfect
readiness to meet any Of It's promises At the e Of its
creditor entitled to payment We believe such sys-
TEN well devised and intrusted to competent hands for
execution creating at no time an artificial scarcity Of
currency, and At no time alarming the public mind in
70 withdrawal Of that vaSter machinery Of credit by
tozred-a system open, public and inspiring general
confidence would from the day Of its adoption bring
healing on It's wings to all our harTassed industries
sets N motion the wheels OF commerce nanufactnres
and the mechanic arts. restore employment labor
and prosperity to the people
Reform is Necessary in the and mode Of Federal
taxation 70 the end that capital be set free from dis
trust and labor lightly bordelled. We denounce the
present tariff levied upon nearly 1000 articles,
masterpiece Of injustice and false pretenee. II yields
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue Il has i'm
povershed many industries "a s1Ihslize few Ii pro
hbs imports that might purchase the products Of the
country Il has reduced American commerce from the
hrst % inferior rank upon the high 1t has
and abroad, and depletes the returns OF American
agriculture and industry, followed by hall Of pso
pie It costs the people five times than it pro-
oaeeS . tne ArassT II oostruets the processes Of
production and the fruits Of labor IL promotes
maud, fosters smuggling enriehes dishonest oiiea
and bankrupts honest merchants. We demand that
custom house taxation shall be only for Re
form 4 Necessary in the scale Of public expense, ma
tionS state and municipal Our FEDERAL taxatlon has
swollen from so 900 gold in 1850 Sf5o 600
currency IN 1870, in decade from less than IS
per head to more than Sls per head Since the peace
the people have paid TO the tax gatherers more than
three times the amount Of the national debt and more
than twice thst Of federal outlays- Above eH
demand frugakty in every department of the Govern
nent Reform necessary put stop the profit
gate waste Of public lands and their diversion from act
ual settlers by the party in power which has squandeT
ed two numbered millions Of acres upon railroads alone
and out Of more than thrice that aggregate has dispss
ed Of less than sxth directly the tlers of the soi
Reform Is necessary to correct the emission Of Re
publican Congress and the errors Of our treaties and
our diplomacy which have stripped fellow citizens
q foreign berth and kindred crossing the Atlantic
Of the shield Of American citizens and have exposed
our hretheIn Of the Pacific coast to the incurons Of
Fneo net speaking language from the same great par
ent stock, and IN fact BY denied citizenship
through naturalization being neither accustomed
the tditlo1s Of progTesive civilization eNsreis
edin liberty under equal laws. We denounce the poll
ey which thus diseards the HberEyloving German and
tolerstes the revival Of the eo(e trade n Nrg,lian
woEnsn imported for immoral pur1oses and Mlasoiian
held perform servile labor contracts and We de-
mand such mobilization Of the treaty with the Chinese
stltuhcnSl limitations shall prevent the further i'm
pertaton or immigration OF the Nongoliaa r7e= Re
making It the controlling issue Of the elections and
lifting il above the false issues with which the Of
eT II / The false issue with which they would en-
Enle seearan strife respect the public schools
e.slyy 70 the States which the Democratic party has
eeistei from their foundation, and is resolved 70
ana Without contributions from the Treasury. The
talSe issue BY which they seek light the dying
enbers Of sectional hate between kindred people
Die republic and common destiny Reform Is naees-
aFy IN civil service. Experience proves that the ef
heent eeonoInieal conduct OF the government IS not
possible If its civil be prize fought
ballot box, be brief party zeal instead Of
posts honor assigned for proved eomI,etepev and
held Tor hedlty IN public employ. That the dispeis
ing Of patronage should neither be tax on the time
Of our public men nor the instrument OF their asnbi
anee attest that the party in power work
no practical satisfactory reform Reform is peces
aTy even more in higher grades of public service
Fradent Vice Presidents. Judges, Senator'S ReFresen
tatiFes Cabinet 0eers-hese and all in authority are
the peoples servants Their Offices not private
lelsltless they are public trust When the annals
q ts Republic show the disgrace and ceTsure Of Vice
President; OF late Speaker Of the House Of Repren-
ttfes marketing ms rulings as presiding 0feer; of
three Senator's protiRg secretly by their votes As law
Inaerss Of i've elaimsn of the esding committees Of
the late House Of Representative eSsed in robbery
q late Secretary Of the Treasury forcing balances m
the public accounts: of late Attorney General mis-
Si1feIrletlng public funds Of Secretary OF the
Navy enriched enriehing friends by per eentae levied
On the profits OF contractors with his deTartsnent OF
Al In hassador TO England censured for ishonorae
speenladon; Of Presidents private secretary bare
u escaping conviction upon trial fer guilty eon;lieity
n ir2uds upon the revenue; OF a Secretary OF War
lnpeaened for high crimes and confessed Inisieeau-
ors The demonstration is complete that the first step
IN reform must be the peoples choice for honest men
from another party lest the disease of political
organization should infect the body polite and let by
making no change Of men or party get no change
OF measures and no reform Of all these abuses wrongs
and crimes That the productions Of 1G years Of
sseendaney Of the Republican party create necessity
Tor reform is confessed by Republicans themselves
but their refermers voted down in Convention and
displaced from the Cabinet The paIty's mass Of
honest voters is powerless resist the so 900 Office
holders, the leaders and guides Reform can only be
had by peaceful civic revolution. We demand
change Of parties that may have change of meas
ures and Of men.