The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-10-10
The Tennessee Democratic Platform.


In the name of the Democratic party of
Tennessee, we, Its delegates, in convention
assembled, most solemnly arragn the Rudi.
cal Republican party, National and State,
before the b9r Of public opinion, as the
author OF all the misfortuneS which now
oppose and threaten the people.
Protesting its friendship for the Federal
Union, il sought to destroy it in central.
iSntion. Declaring its purpose to "cs.
tablish justice" 1t trampled it under its
feet, To ensure domestic tranquility"
its proclaimed mission, IL preached the
gospel OF hate, and filled the land with
blood, misrule and anarchy. Pretending to
"provde for the common defense il
fruitlessly squandered millions OF the peo.
pies money. Affecting to "promote the
general welfare" tbetrayed the public veal,
Affirming it's designs to Secure the blessings
Of liberty to ourselves and posterity," it
forged for the people the chains Of perpetual
slavery. Ostensibly the financial agent of
the people, IL was in fact the plant tool of
the money power. 1t betrayed its trust when
it converted non.nterest bearing debt
into an interest bearing debt, which is II
blighting public curse. It betrayed its trust
when it repudiated contract which was
dischargeable in Treasury notes and substi.
tuted contract in its stead to the reudiCe
OF the people. 1t betrayed its trust when il
demOnetiLed silver and forbade payment to
the public creditors in the cheaper metal
provided for in the contract. 1t betrayed its
trust when it organized n privileged class
into close banking corporation, aud
usurpng all banking power, invested its
creatures with exclusive corporate power
to destroy the business and property Of
the people, 1t betrayed its power when it
Il a
II has squandered the public wealth by
wrung enormous taxes from the people and
applied them to unworthy partisan pur.
poses.
Under the pretense of protection to home
industry, it has systematically robbed the
many in the interest OF the few.
BY unfriendly legislation ii has driven
American ships from the high seas, and
utterly destroyed our foreign commerce.
ltmade the army an instrument in the
annlhilatiOn OF republican government in
the South. By the use of the army it put
the people Of the United States in fear and
robbed them of the Presidency. It in.
suits the laboring people of our country by
demanding an increase of the army for the
avowed purpose of Il standing menace to
them. BY the levy of excessive excise
duties upon tobacco and alcoholic produc-
tions, il has encouraged violations Of the
revenue laws, and under the false pretense
Of protecting revenue service, it has turned
loose upon our people irresponsible, blood.
thirsty men, who kill and MAIN our people
and destroy their property at will, and con.
Tossing the want of jurisdiction in the Fed.
eral courts to punish them yet it refuses to
allow these enemies TO society to be Chal-
| lenppl anywhere TOR their crimes
Acquiring power by accident, il has per
petuated it by fraudulently deceiviug the
ignorant blacks Of the South, and mislead.
ing the credulOus masses Of the North, and
it has uniformly abused its power by admin.
istering the government in the interest of
the creditor against the debtor class; in the
interest OF the tax consumer and against the
taxpayer; in the interest of the rich and
against the poor; in the interest of the strong
and against the weak in the interest of the
few and against the many.
AS the legitimate fruit OF il maladminis.
tration it has paralyzed all our industrial
pursuits it has destroyed the value of our
property it has deprived labor of employ.
ment and reward; it has impOy ershed and
bankrupted the country il has denied the
poor an opportunity to earn bread it has
filled the land with unrest, discomfort and
%. .;,,,,,,, iai,,. ~ l:
| Justice and wrong.
| For these crimes against humanity and
good government, we denOuncc the Radical
Republican party "a unworthy the trust
and confidence OF an intelligent and patri.
otic people. As the representatives Of the
Democratic party, We congratulate the
people that our party has at last won a
100 roa d .he ~, oII, .I, '"e nio"i .ep"V, M
,,'a, p o ", ~ TIa",l "m" Wv,
nnI;a;yos JI;;y pof ~ Dan,orot; ~ ,a'Jas Ia; "u"
i,o por,U."S ", W.. ,'hI,o ''i P",;yi '"nenon om
s ro.n' Lasn' op,' ,aa,nI H. S,, 90
nI'I ,s no. W u,'u ii
IN ,hs FoderaI oi,"ie ,r,h funotnp ond
rights co.enual with the other members of
the Jrnion For tbe acromnIisbment of
This great work. This poIitical organization
deserves tho gratitude of the S,ufb and the
resnectful Consideration of the whole 70.
nuhlic. the Gratitude of the former is due
because il was the direct recipient Of the
blessings Of restored politicoi and civil
liberty: the respectful consideration of the
national republic is due because by the
success of Democratic policies i'm this |
regard, the sword was eliminated from its |.
internal administration. naturalization ar.
rested. and the ancient forms and methods
of the Federal system re.establisbed. We
pledge the people that our grand old party
will never lower it's banner nor take |
A step backward. until the prosperity
of the whole people shall be held |
TO he the supreme law of political ad. |
ministratiop. In the name of Democracy
we d.nounce an interest.bearinr public
debt a nublic curse. we denounre nrotec.
tion public robbery we denounce monop.
olies az hateful and destructive IN public
liberty, and demand that thew he mi away
from amonu the neonle We demand The
restoration Of The Federal Government 10
lis constitutional limits. and return of it's
administration to its original economy, sim.
nI;citv and ;mnart;aIitv
~ 49, =, 80.
we demand tnat tne military authority De