Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-27
PLATFORM OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY OF MISSOURI.


The democratic party vf tn" state OF Missouri,
in convention assembled, declare, Its confidence
in and I'm stlakem aiirTrLre tu the great prlnci-
pies of Democratic representative government,
Its devotion 10 the national union, anl the con-
stItution with tile amendments thereto, Its an
swerving maintenance Of the following princi-
ple> namely: strict -ubordinatiOn OF the militia
ry 10 TIE c'll power opposition 10 Large stand
ing army III time oipeaCe; the purity OF elections
and their absolute freedom from all intcrirr-
by officers OF the Federal suvsr,.Incnt, evil
or military. profound respect Tor the popular
will fairly and legally expressed at the ballot
bon; fixed PURPOSE TO eArOse and punish all
political fraud and curruptiUn; the political
equality Of all citizens; the largest right OF in
divlduai liberty consistent with the rights of
others; universal education aud II general ami
active participation 10y the body OF the peo-
Pile IN public affairs.
S-c"ni-We congratulate the country on the
fact that. after nearly thirteen wears from the
cessation OF hDstiities, i state OF peace in
cor'Iancc with the constitution and laws has
been reached IN our southern states.
Third-We socInnly arraisn and condemn the
high electoral commission rs iaithless TO the
people OF the United states IN refusing to in
Sr-tIgate AMI cNpose the wicked and glaring
fraud, by which the will of the people al the last
Pre- hientiai election WAS defeated. Its refusal
To do 50. was in violation OF the spirit OF the
!aw under when 1t was organized, and while
the decision made by the iorty-iourth con-
.eS be- declared M @ Preside PrssIen: " of % the TnIrei E"I
states tor the present Presidential term
was. in our Judgment final, that decision ought
not 10 pr-cl ui" fn'i investigation and exposure
OF all frauds connected with that election and
| the.'lu- accountability of all who were guiltily
| concerned with them, ami We heartily commepd
the action Ofthc majority OF the House of Repre-
| seniatIves in pursuing such investigation.
Fourth-We regard the national banking sys-
| TEN rs oppressive and buritnsome. and demand
\ It's abolition and the retirement from circulation
of all national bank notes. and the IssEe OF legal
tender notes IN lieu thereof and IN quantities
from time to time sufficient to supply the whole
some and necessary business demands OF the
entire country. and that all gr-enbacks SO issued
| shall be used in the PURCHASE and retirement OF
bonds of the United States, so that the
| interest bearing debt of the country may
be lessen'd to the extent of the green
| backs thus put into circulation. Legal ten
den notes. commonly called grcenbacks, should
| be d legal t"ndcr IN the payment of all debts.
| public and private, except siich obligations
are, by the terms of the original contracts. .ex-
pre-sly made payable IN coin
! Flfth-That the right TO coin money and regu-
| late the value thereof can be exercised under
the constitution by congress alone. and that the
possession OF the power imposes the duty Of It's
| -Xercis. to the extent OF all the gold and silver
| bullion offered for coinage ut the mints OF the
United States, and we ,eSard the limitations ms
coinage of silver lmpOlItIc and unjust, and
they should at once De removed.
| Sixth-Ihat return to specie payments Is
impossible in the present iDancial condition of
the country, and we demand the immediate and
| unconditional repeal "t the act of congress Of
January Il, lSI5, known as the resumption act; Z;
| holding the same To be unwise and ruinous to
| tn" Interest ot the people.
seven,h--The policy inausuratcd and main
tanned by the republican party of contracting the
active circulating medium OF the country. con-
| stItuting, all admit it does, the standard of
| the value OF the property and products OF the
country, and regulating. well, the prices
paid for all labor. stands preemlnent in the long
list of It's oppressive measures. As the most
| stupid incXcusablc AMI oppressive OF them all
EIghth-Belng opposed to all mOnOpolies, and
| all laws discriminating in favor OF one class OF
our people at the expense of and to the prejudice
OF all others, declare our unqualified hosti-
ity to all protective tariffs. anu demand that
there shall be II tariff for revenue only.
Ninth-The democratic pai tenders to the
debtor and iaborinS classes of the country
its warmest sympathy. and pledges itself ut the
] earliest moment to reverse the cruel and dis
iructivc policy of the republican party, which
brought ruin upon them. We demand that all
legislation shall be enacted and adm nistered
| As 10 secure to each man AS nearly as practical
bic the just reward OF his own labor.
Tenth-That in view of the large appropria-
tions that have been made by the Federal gov
ernment for works OF public Improvement on
the scahoard and tn" lakes, justice to the people
OF the Mississippi Valley demands that appro..
| priaious should be made for the improvement,
of the Mississippi river and ITS tributaries CON-
mensurate with the commercial wants anu in
terests of this section Of the country
I power of the government to aid IN the
construction of national enterprises whicl
serve TO benefit large sections OF the country.
and which cannot be accomplished by inui.
vidual enterprise or -tate action. We favor sucf
| legislation in their behalf as will not increase
the national Indebtedness or impose any addI
tional burdens upon the people. Such policy
in our opinion, whilst 1t would cheaper the COS
OF transportation. and add 10 our agricultural
wealth. would afford remunerative employment
to the surplus labor of the country.
Elevonth-That there can be no legitimate EN-
poyment of organized force in this country
except to execute law and MAINTAIN the public
peace; that reform must lie made in national
state, county and municipal governments by tn
reduction of expenditures and taxes; the dis
missal OF unnecessary anu incompetent officer
and employees, and the strict enforcement OF OF
r hcia responsibility.
5 Twrith-In the language of the Indiana Demo
cracy We declare that the jurisdiction claime,
8 and exercised by the circuit courts of tn
8 United states over questions Of corporate an,
n individual rights. arising under the laws of tn
| states, tends 10 Cypress and burden litigants t.
such an extent ts To amount to practical den ia
y Of justice in many cases. and we consider tn
il legislation which has conferred such jurisdc
: ton As unwIse and hurtful to the true interest
| OF the people, and We demand such legislatio
rs will restrict and limit the Jurisdiction OF sue
| courts to such matters clearly contem
> plated by the constitution and expressed in tn
% judiciary act of 1889.
9 Thrteenth-We favor and invite immigratIo
. TO our state from all sections OF the country.