St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-08-21
Platform of the Democratic Parry of
tlse United States,


The Democrats of the United States in. con
vention assembled declare:
llrSt-Me pledge ourselves anew to the con
stltutlonal doctrines and traditions of the
Dem"cra1lc party,as Illustrated by the teach
ing and example OF Il long line of Democratic
statesmen and patriots, and embodied in the
platform OF the last national convention of the
party.
that dangerous spirit of encroacment which
tends to consolidate the powers Of all depart
ments i'll one, and thus to create, whatever he
the form of government. Il real despotiSln.
NO Sumptuary laws separation of church and
state for the good OF each; common schools
fostcrcl and protected.
ThlrtNHonie rule: honest money, consisting
of e Id and silver, and paper convertible into
coin on demand; strict maintenance of public
faith, State aud national, and tariff for
revenue only.
Fourth-Snbordinatlon OF the military to the
civil power and general and thorough reform
OF the civil service.
Fittil-The right to free ballot is d right pre-
servatlye OF all right, and must and shall he
maintained III every part of the United States.
SiXth-Thc existing administration is a rep
resentative of conspiracy only, and the claim
of right to surround the ballot boxes with
troops and deputy malshals to intimidHtc and
obstrlct electors, and the unprecedented Use
OF the veto to maintain its corrupt and dcs-
potlc power, insults the people and imperils
their institutions.
Sevcnth-Thc great fraud of l87G-77 by which,
upon Il false count of the electoral votes of two
States, the candidate defeated at the polls was
declared to be President, and for the first time
i'll American history the will of the people was
set aside under the threat of military Violence,
struck deadly blow at our system of repre-
sentative government. The Democratic party,
to preserve the country from civil war, submit
TED for the time, iii the firm and patriotic faith
that the people would punish this crime i'll
1880. This issue precedcs and dWarf> every
other. 1t imposes /; more sacred duty upon
the people Of the Union than eyer addressed
Elghth-We eNecrate the course of this ad-
mlnlstratlon in making places Ill the civil SER
vice reward for political crime, and demand
reform by statute which shall make 1t forever
impossible for the defeated candidate to brihe
his way to the seat of the llsurper by biliting
Williams upon the people.
Nnth-The resolution of Samuel J. Tiuen
not again to be Il candidate for the exalted
place to which he was elected by a majority of
his countrymen, and from which he was eN-
cluded ny the leaders of the Republican party,
is received by the Democrats of the United
States with senSibility, and they declare their
confidence in his wisdom. patriotism and i'll
tesrity. uliShakun by the ASSAULTS nf ii common
enemy; and they further assure him that he is
followed into the retirement he has chosen for
himself with the sympathy and respect of his
fellow cit liens, who regard him us one who, by
elevating the standards of nnblie morality and
adjoining and purifying the public service
merits the lasting gratitude OF his country and
his party.
Tenth-Free ships and a living chance for
American commerce on the seas and on land !;
no discrimination III favor of transportation
lines, corporations or nonopolies.
EleVenth-An amendment OF the Burlingame
treaty; no more Chinese Immigration except
for travel, edlli itIiOil 4nd foreign commerce,
and therein carefully guarded.
Twefth-Pu'lic money and public credit for
public purposes solely; and public land for ac
tuai settlers.
Thirteenth-The Democratic party is the
friend of labor and the aboring man, and
pledges itself to protect him alike against cor
mOralltS and commune.
FourteentilWe congratulate the country
upon the honesty and thrift Of the Democratic
Congress, which has reduced the public cN-
penditure s40.GDO0 a year: upon the continual
tloh OF prosperity at home and national honor
change in the administration of the govern
mrnt as shall insure lis genuine and lasting
reform i'll every department of the public
SerNicc.