Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1878-08-02
PLATFORM,
A Declaration al Pr nc'ar0 Male By
the Democratic Convention Az
sembied at Arstin, July IL,

tfon u. n ayior, frcSluent OF tne Lem
-ocratic State Convention:
We, your committee platform, beg 10 sub
! init the following:
| friends of constitutional guvc:pmea; should
rea sse;t their devoiion to il aud 20 proclaim
the principles upon which /. should be admin
! Uttered: the. eipre he it
RESOLVED, by the Democratic patty in
convention assembled, thSt We have IN ahiG-
~ 80 aio~-a ia t'tc devotion of the Naiional
Democrats party 10 the lrreFt principles o.
government, and VIC pie i.e ourscive. To CO.
CO. ,t,eIa:e VIA L. a Il iu;egruI part thereof,
in lis efforts 10 restore TIE administration of
/ the government TO the principles upon which
il was founded.
:. That the powers Of the general govern
ment are restricted to the express EGants OF
the Constitution, and all powers pot granted
arc reserved TO the States and TO the people
thereof
s. That we pledge our devotion to tie
union OF the states under the Constitution,
and to the Constitution itself.
1. Thai a faithful aiherance to the follow
Ing rTiacipies Is necessary a an essential 10
to the pre- ;erva.ion of the government, viz:
Home rule; the supremacy Of the civil over
the military power; the separation OF the
church and state: the equality III al ci!IzenS
before the law; absolute ac1Iuiescence in The
lawfully expressed will of the majority, and
the maintenance and lei1ectlJH OF ! common
school system
3. That the investigation OF the fiauis com
mitied in the last presidential election in
Florida and Louisiana ought n have Decn
made by the Electoral Commission; Its retns-
al TO do so was violation Of the slilit oi t;ie
law under which it was organized. amt
gross outrage on the people of Tie uniieu
States: ana whilst tho decision WAS made by
the Soriy-foLrth Bongress, on the question OF
who should be president Of the Unfte;t states
for the present presidential Term should not,
in our Judgment, be disturbed, that decision
ought not TO preclude an inNes;isalion and
exposure by proper authority OF al tue frauds
connected with that election and the due ac-
cOunfability of all who were guilty connect
cd herewith.
O. That The commercials ard industrial
stacnasion which has So long lrevaiied
throughout the country, AID the consequent
widespread of want aht slIilei ing, are ;itA oi-
re CITY 10 the EelI,icions financial legislation
ofthe Republican party, which VIC Lescby ar
raign for lis acts and charge:
ARRANGEMENT OF THE E1;PC DLICAS rAETY.
/. That at 4 lime when the country was
weighed down with debt, created by the ba-
sis of the full volume of paper, added 10 beth
the precious metals as money, II enacted
sweeping change in the measure Of value,
wholly III the interest OF moneTed capital,
by demonetizing silver and decreeing the de-
structiOn of legal tender paper. and thereby
w1ungfuily added, in fact, hundreds of mil
lions to the burnden of debt and taxes upon
the people.
=, BY pursuing its merciless policy of con-
tracing the paper currency and boarding gold
it has greatly appreciated the value of money
and corresnondingly ceprecia.es Inc value OF
all other property, and especially of capital
designed for productive use ana requii cd for
tile employment of labor, thus REFRESHING ia
stead OF fostering industry, compelling Idle
ness Instead of sustaining trade and COM
merce and now this party declare that the
question has been settled. We deny this de-
claTation, and while We congratulate the
country that the downward course TO bank
ruptcy and ruin involved by the Republican
party has been partially are .ted by the DEM
ocra,ic measures passed. at the late session OF
Congress, restoring tile debt-paying powers
10 the silver dollar. made law in spite of the
presidents Veto, and stopping further reilIe-
ineut of greenbacks we demand, as further
acts of Justice as well as measures o! reitei,
the repeal of the resumption act. the lawful
Liberation of the cola h1apted i'll Inc treasury,
the removal Of all restrictions 10 the coinage
of silver, fraudulently Gemopeiized. the sub
stituIion of United States legal tender for Da-
Nonal bank notes, a1a is permanent reeS;ab-
lishnlenl as The sole Taper money oil the coun-
try, made receivable Tor al dues TO the gov
erumeni and OF equal tender with coin, the
amount of such issue TO be regulated by iegis-
iatige or organic law, as TO give the people
an assurance OF sufficieacy and stability in
the volume OF the currency and consequent
stability of val,e. No iurther increase IN the
bonded debt; no further sale Of bonds for the
purciiase of coin for resumption purposes,
but gradual reduction Of the public debt 10y
payment according TO the original contract
Dy WHICH II Va. ctrAASN. iis.As 49,
all branches of public service, anu ! iarii Tor
revenue only.
DEMOCRATIC FINANCIAL ?oLIcY AND PRINCE
PIES
J. We favor one currency for the govern
ment and the people, the laborcr aud the Of
fce-holder, the peGsioner and the soldier,
the producer aud The bond holder
3 We hold that the right of States to tax
property in the stat 5 Is in yiolahle, and that
the United States bonds should bear the bur
den of the government eqnally with all other |
property, and legislation that exemp;s said |
bonds from taxa,ion is unjust and oppressive |
g. We declar that all bonds and Cbliga- |
tians of the national government ought TO be |
paid in legal tender notes of the United states,
except where 1t is otherwise pr0uided by the |
original law under which they were Issued; |
and all thst can be called and paid now /
should be paid q once, and the remainder IS |
soon a. ii can be lawfully done.
4. We heartily approve the action OF Con-
gress in passing the act known as the silver |
bill, thereby increasing the circulating rnet.i-
um of tie country and restoring TO Us the dol
lar of our fathers.
8. Wo demand of the United States gov
eminent ample ahd full protection of the
Texas frontier, and we recommend for t!,at
purpose law CT Congress authorizing the
raising ola sufficient cavalry force in Texas,
osicered by citizens of Texas; and should the
general government fail TO extend protection,
then The State of Texas should protect herown
borIiu.
We declare further that the United States
government should fully reimburse the State
of Texas for all sums of money spent in the
defense Of her frontier.
g. We deprccate the necessity which now
exists for keeping a roytian of the oonyicts
out of the walis Of the State penitcniiaries,
and dec,a,e that they should be confined
therein as soon IS practicable.
4, We declare that il Is the duty |
of lie Legislature OF this State to pass an
act regulating the rates of freight and tariff
on all railroads in the State, in obedience 10
the provisions of the Stale Constitution.
g. We pledge ourselves that no money shall L
borrowed or bonds issued TO meet the current
expenses Of the State government. The rate |
Of taxation shall not be increased, and the
cnrreut expenses should be confined within
the current Tevenue.
9. The inieres 81 of the industrial, wealth
producing classes Is the paramount Interest
of the people Of the United States. Tho-e
whose labor and enterprise produce wealth
should be secured in its enjoyment. Oar
warmest sympathy is extended to the labor
ing classes who have been thrown CUT of EN-
ploymcnt by the ruinous financial pOlics and
unjust legislation of the Republican party,
and We pledge the Democratic party to the re
versai OF thai policy and the restoration Of all
the rights they are entitled 10 upon its ascend
ancy to power.
10. We congratulate the country upon the
of the constitutional and pacific
policy OF local self government in the States
of the South so long advocated by the Demo-
cratic party, and which has brought peace
and harmony TO our section of the Union.
H. Upon this platform of principles the
Democratic party, feeling that the popular
heart beats in unison with it, appeals tn every
lovci of constitutional government, whatever
may have been his former affiliations, anu es-
pecially to those who bave hitherto acted and
believed with Us, but who now mistakenly
hope for relief from other Iar1ies, to unite
with us in our efforts to maintain just and
economic administration of the Stale govern
Iuent, and to recue the administration of the
k,svz 81.
scrupuluus party which has ruled il for seven
teen years, and which has hesiia!ed at no