The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-06-18
The Maryland Democratic Platform.

The following is the platform adopted by
the Democratic State Convention, in Balti.
more, on the 9th of May:
The Democratic Conservative party of
Maryland, in State Convention assembled,
declares that
FHst-It firmly adheres to the principles
which have guided and controlled the policy
of the National Democratic party since the
formation of the Federal constitution.
Sec0nd-lt recalls to the recollection ofthe
people of this State the events of the Presi-
Dental election in November, 1876. The de-
cision of the people of certain ofour sister
States, lawfully expressed at the ballot box,
was reversed, after the polls were closed, by
fraudulent counts, deliberately planned and
executed. The Republican party of the
country instead of repudiating this great
wrong kept the advantage thus unlawfully
gained. Being in possession of the military
power of the government, it left to the great
majority of the people of the United States,
upon whom this wrong had been inflicted, no
choice except between civil war and such form
of arbitration rs the representatives of the Re-
publican party in Congress might see proper
to devise. These representatives in provid-
ing n tribunal for such arbitration, 50 formed
it and nodded its proceedings as to secure, by
n partial judgment, the fruits of an unlaw
full success. An offense was thus committed
against whole people, which ought never
to be forgotten or condoned.
1Hiid-The Republican party during its
tenure of power, has used the public money
and the public lands in fostering great monop-
olies it has filled the public treasury by
means of tariffs intended TO promote the adj
vantage of particular manufacturers and COM
munities at the expense of the producing
La. rs ,,,,a ,1,,,
which the national executive may unduly
and directly influence both Federal and State
elections; it has increased the number of its
officers until they form in every State an i'm
mense civil force, governed by and depend
ent upon its will, and it has used that force
to promote its political designs; it has EN-
ployed the Federal army rs means of in
creasng its political power it has centralized
the government and inaugurated an imperial
system of expenditures. The people of the
United States, brought more than once to the
verge of bankruptcy by the legislation and
policy of the Republican party, owe their re-
turning prosperity only to the blessing of
God and to their own increased economy and
untiring labor.
F0a1th-Tbe Democratic Conservative par
ty of this State, faithful to the supremacy of
the constitution of the United States, rests
its construction of that instrument upon the
express words of the tenth amendment,
adopted in 1791 "The powers not delegat-
ed TO the United States by the constitution
nor prohibited by it to the States are reserved
to the States respectively or to the people"
Fifth-We declare our belief that the Ma
tional Democratic Conservative party will
maintain the equality of all citizens before the
law and uphold and enforce their constitu-
tional rights that it will check the present
extravaganza in the expenditure ofthe public
money and restore the practice of economy
in all departments of the government; that it
will reform the injustice and inequality ofex-
isting tariffs and again build up the commerce
| of the United States; that it will maintain alb
solutely the supremacy of the civil over the
military power, and that it will check the
progress of Capitalization and keep the exec
utiye and Congress within the limit of the
powers confided to them by the Federal con-
stitution, We, therefore, commend the can