San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-08-03
Platform Adopted by the Dcnl.
Ocraiic State Convention.

ernment should reassert their devotion
to it and to proclaim the principles
upon which it should be administered !;
therefore be it
Rcsolvea, BY the Democratic party
of Texas in convention assembled,
that we have an abiding confidence in
the. e.devotion of the National Demo-
cratic party to the correct principles of
government, and We pledge ourselves
to co operate with it as m integral part
thereof, in its efforts to restore the ad-
ministration of the government to the
principles on which it was founded.
2. That the powers of the general
government are restricted to THE ex-
press grants of the Constitution, and
all powers not granted are reserved to
the States and the people thereof.
3. That we pledge. our devotion to
the union of the States under tine
Constitution, and to the Constitution,
itself.
1. That d faithful adherence to the
following principles is necessary as an
essential to the preservation of the
government, viz: Home rule; the su-
premacy Of the civil oyer the military
power; the separation of church and
State; the equality .f all citizens be-
fore the law; absolute acquiescence in
the lawfully expressed will of the ma
iorlty and the maintenance and per-
fection of common school system.
5. That the investigation of the
frauds committed at the last presiden-
tial election in Florida and Louisiana
ought to have been made by the electo
raj commission; its refusal to do so
was a violation of the spirit of the
law under which it was organized, and
a gross outrage on the people Of the
United States; and whilst the decis-
ion, as made by the Forty fourth Con-
gress, on the question as to who
should he declared President Of the
United States for the present presi-
dental term should not, in our judg-
ment, be disturbed, that decision
ought not to preclude an investigation
and exposure by proper authority Of all
the frauds connected with that cleo
ton and the due accountability of all
who were guiltily connected Herewith.
6. That the commercial and indus
trial stagnation which has so loug pre-
vailed throughout the country, and
the consequent widespread want and
suffering, are due directly to the per-
nicious financial legislation Of the Re-
publican party, which we hereby ar
raign for its acts and charge:
l. That at time when the country
was weighed down with debt, created
on the basis of the full volume of pa
per, added to both the precious metals
as money, itenacted sweeping change
in the measure of value, wholly in the
interest of moneyed capital, by de
monctiziDg silver and decreeing the de-
struction of legal tender paper, and
thereby wroncfully added, in fact,
hundreds of millions to the burden OF
debt and taxes upon the people.
2. By pursuing its mercilcss policy |
of contracting the paper currency and
boarding gold. it has greatly appreciat-
ed the value of money and correspond
ingly depreciates the value of all 9th.
er property, and especially of capital
designed for productive use and re-
quired Tor the employment of labor,
thus repressing instead of fostering in
dustry, compelling ijleness instead of
sustaining trade and commerce, and
now this party declare that the ques-
ton OF finance has been settled. We
deny this declaration, and while we
the country that the
downward course to bankruptcy and
ruin involved in the Republican policy /
has been partially arrested by the Dem
ocratic measures passed at the late ses-
sion of Congress. restoring the debt
paying powers to the silver dollar,
made a law in spite of the Presidents
veto. and stopping the further retire
nent Of greenbacks, We demand, as
further acts Of justice as well as meas
lres Of relief, the repeal Of the re- ]
sumption act, the lawful liberation OF