Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-09-18
= =
Democratic Platform.

country:
First-The Democratic party was founded
oy INDUSTRIOUS statesmen in the early DAYS oil
the republic to settle and perpetuate political
ideas and customs calculated to secure sell
government to the people. and the largest
measure of individual political liberty and
equality to every citizen. regardless of birth
rank, or wealth, and in express and unfalter.
ing antagonism to all those politicians, by
whatever party name designated, who asser,
and support the aristocratic doctrine OF cen.
tralization Of political power in the hands Of
few for the government of the many and
1t maintains against its adversaries, now, as
heretofore, the right of free citizens to loca
self government.
Second-TO secure and perpetuate the
blessings of.such liberty and equality our sys
tenn Of government was founded that in tina,
system the national government is an inds.
soluble union; that within the limit of powers
delegated by the constitution and its amend
ments the national government is supreme
that all powers not thereby delegated to the
United States, nor prohibited to the States
are reserved to the States respectively or tc
the people; and that the preservation of the
just powers of the federal union and the rights
OF the States, as vital parts of one harmoniou.
whole, is essential to the protection of liberty
for ourselves and its transmission TO our pos
terity.
Third-The Government of the Union has
proved itself strong enough to cope with and
overthrow the most powerful attempt at dis
| ruDtion by force which can be aimed against
it the danger of Democratic liberty and self.
government from centralized power and op.
pression-shown by all history to be the most
fatal-has yet to be encountered. And We
charge upon the leaders of the Republican
party the responsibility for the most perilous
steps towards that end. They have sane
toned the use of the military to operawe
electors and control elections; they have de.
tended fragrant outrages in the counting Of
votes by illegal returning boards; they have
upheld and supported fraudulent State gov.
ernments by military aids which have fallen
before the popular will so soon as the military
power was withdrawn; they have established
a horde of Infamous partisan officials at the
polls in divers cities, chiefly in the Northern
States, at the expense of the National Treas.
ury, with power to imprison free citizens, their
opponents without warrant, in order to in,
timidate electors and control elections they
have, by reasonable conspiracy, defeated the
popular voice in the election of President
and placed in the Executive Office defeated
candidate; and they have, by forcing him
to The unjustIlable exercise of the veto power
defeated the will Of the people, expressed by
decisive maiorities in both houses of Congress,
in an effort to secure the freedom of the bal
lotbox from interference by the central
power, while by various acts at different times
they have rnreasonably multiplied the num-
Der of federal officials and justiiably increased
and concentrated political power in their
hands. and imposed grievous burdens upon
the people.
Fourth-That the Inauguration of Ruther-
ford b. Hayes in the Presidential Office. to
which Samuel j. Tilden was constitutionally
elected, was the highest crme ever success
fully perpetrated against the spirit of the n>
situations OF our republican liberty, destruc-
tive of confidence in free suffrage, imminently
dangerous to the life of the nation and shoe K.
ing to all moral sense. And we solemnly de-
clare that as that crime has never been CON
doned, so it shall never be forgotten, and
that the same spirit Of patriotism which fore>
bore the contest upon the first offense will
resist and punish any attemptat its repetition.
Fifth-The Democracy Of Wisconsin de-
nounce and condemn whatever of intimida.
ton, violence or fraud has been practiced by
lawless ard INSCRIPTIONS partisans on either
side, and whatever done they also stigma
tie as wicked, atrocious, and demanding
summary and condign punishment all deeds
of violeace on political adversaries; they
would, however, for all such, pursue the rem
edies given by law; and they cali upon the
authorities of the States and localities where
any such offenses have been perpetrated to
justify the law and unrelentingly prosecute
and punish the offenders. But alleged frauds
do not warrant political conspirators to de.
eide how State ought to have cast its vote,
or so declare it by fraudulent count in favor
of some candidates and against others on the
same ticket, who received the same or a
greater vote nor do occasional deeds OF
personal violence, though springing from po-
ltical animosity, authorize usurpaton or nn-
iustfiable interference with local govern
ments by federal officials. And in the turbu-
lence and disorder of some portions of some
Southern States, we recognize the legitimate
and natural fruit of the unlawful carpet bag
authority and misrule to which they have
been fraudulently subjected by the leaders of
the Republican party.
Sixth-The Democratic party is unaterably
opposed to the assumption or payment by
the United States of any claims of any char
acter to States or individuals engaged in or
supporting the late rebellion against the
Union, resulting from or growing out of the
injury or destruction of property in war--not-
withstanding an enormous amount of such
claims was allowed and paid under authority
of Congress. while in the hands of the Repub
lican party.
Seventh--Thst rs the Democratic party
adheres to the financial doctrine which it es-
tablished when in power, that the constitu-
tional currency of the country and the basis
Of all other should be gold and silver coin, so
we maintain that all national treasury notes
and authorized currency should be c,nverti-
BILE into the same on demand.
Eighsh-That the Democracy does not for.
get that to the promptness, valor, endurance
and noble devotion of the patriotic volun-
teers of the army and navy, in the late war,
this country Is indebted under Providence,
for the salvation of its form of government
and the constitutional liberty and prosperity
now enjoyed by all its citizens; and thank
fully acknowledges the debt of national and
individual gratitude which is due TO the liv-
ing and dead heroes Of the nation, and obi
CATION which increases with years, and which
entities the survivors to receive all the m arks
of appreciation and honor which grateful
people can properly bestow
Ninth-That the administration of State
affairs ought to be conducted with greater
economy, and greater effort made to diminish
the burden of taxes; that all official salaries
and fees, and all expenditures for State char
table, educational, and penal institutions.
raised to meet the necessities of high-prieed
times, must now be correspondingly reduced,
and all useless boards and commissions
abolish, {; and that the candidates of this
convention pledge their best endeavors TO
pursue course of rctrenehmeu. in public
expenditures.
Tenth-We should protect our natnralized
citizens as we do our native born, in every
part OF the civilized world; and we should
resist all improper claims upon them by gov
ernments TO which they no longer owe ale
glance
Eleyenth-Thst as the Democratic party,
being founded on those principles which hest
support the liberty and welfare of the citi-
zen, has hitherto survived all former adter-
saries. so By a faithful adherence to its time
honored doctrines and the selection OF honest
and competent men for public Offices, It looks
forward with abiding confidence TO its final
and complete triumph over all who now OPP
pose those principles.
BEAUTiffBRs.