Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-07-02
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
Adopted as the Cincinnati Convention
june 81, 1850.

The Democrats of the United States in con-
vontion assembled declare:
|. We pledge ourselves anew to the con-
stitutional doctrines and traditions of the
Democratic party as illustrated by the teach
ings and example of long line of Demo
cratic statesmen and patriots, and embodied
in the platform of the last National Conven-
tion of the party.
Ii. Opposition TO centralizationism and to
that dangerous spirit of encroachment which
tends to consolidate the powers of all the do
partmcnts in one, and thus to create, what
ever be the form Of government, real des-
potism no sumptuary laws separation of
church and State for the good Of each COM
mon schools fostorcd and protected.
Ill Home rule, honest money, consisting
of gold and silver, and paper convertible to
coin on demand the strict maintenance of
the public faith, State and National, and a
tariff for revenue only.
". The subordination of the military TO
the civil power and n general and thorough
reform of the civil service.
V. The right to a free ballot is the right
prescrvative of all rights, and must and shall
be maintained in every part of the United
States.
VI. The existing Administration is the
representative of conspiracy only, and its
claim of right TO surround the ballot-boxes
with troops and deputy marshals, to intimi-
date and obstruct the electors, and the un-
precedented use of the veto to maintain its
corrupt and despotic power, insults the peo-
pie and imperils their institutions.
VII. The great fraud of 1867, by which,
upon 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 in American history, the will of
the people was set aside under tho threat of
military violence, struck deadly blow at our
system of representative government. The
Democratic party, to preserve the country
from the horrors of civil war, submitted for
the time, in firm and patriotic faith that the
people would punish this crime in 1880. This
issue precedes and dwRrfs every other. It
imposes more sacred duty upon the people
of the Union than ever addressed the con-
science OF nation of freemon.
VIII. We execrate the course of this Ad-
ministration in making places in the civil SER
vice reward for political crime, and demand
a reform by statute which shall make il for
ever impossible for the defeated candidate TO
bribo his way to the seat of a usurper by bill
letting villains upon the people.
TX. The resolution of Samuel j.. Tilden
not again to be a candidate for the exalted
place to which he was elected by majority
of his countrymen, and from which he was
excluded by the lenders OF the ltepuDlcnn par
ty, is received by the Democrats of the United
States with sensibility, and they declare their
confidence in his wisdom, patriotism and in
tegrity, uushnken by the assaults of q COM
mon enemy, aud they further assure him
that he is followed into the retirement he has
chosen for himself by the sympathy and re-
spoct Of his fellow citizens, who regard him
as one who by elevating the standards of
public morality, and adjoining and purifying
the public service, merits the lasting graft
tudo of his country and his party.
X. Free ships and a living chance for
| American commerce on the seas and on the
land. No discrimination in favor of trans
portation lines, corporations or mOnopolies.
XI. Amendment Of the Burlingame treaty.
No more Chinese immigration except fol
travel, education, and foreign commerce, and
therein carefully guarded.
XII. Public money and public credit for
public purposes solely, and public land for
actual settlers,
XIII. The Democrat party is the friend OF
labor and the laboring man, and pledges It.
| self TO protect him alike against the oormor
ants and the Commune.
XIV. We congratulate the country upOr
| the honesty and thrift of Democratic Con
gross, which has reduced the public expendi
ture $40, O0O, 900 year upon the continua
ton of prosperity at home and the nationa
honor abroad, and above all upon the prom
ise of such change in the administration o.
the government as shall insure us genuine
and lasting reform in overy department o
tho public service.