National Republican., 1880-07-14
Tho Democratic Platform.
TO hc Editor of qRe Naiional ReguSgcas,

| TO hc Editor Of The National Republican:
SIR: Section of the Cincinnati platform
is, to say the least, s. curiosity IN campaign
literature. 1t reads as follows: Opposition
| TO contralisatiOnism and to tho dangerous spirt
| OF oncroachmcnt which tenls 10 consolidate
the powers of all the departments in one. aud
thus TO create, whatever be the form Of tho
government a real despotsn no sumptuary
laws; q separation of church and state Tor tho
good Of each; common schools IUstcred aud pro-
tcctcd,"
To say nothing OF the bad grammar and worse
rhetoric OF this section, there is in it total
want Of logical sequence throughout. This
sort Of fjumb!cd jorky, disconnected style may
be suited to democratic declaration Of prin-
cples, but certainly it manfestS wonderful
confusion OF idoN. IL tho dem Jcracy thinks
that this section is creditsble to tho taste aud
logical acumcn OF the convention By which it
was adopted we can only say de guSti6AS non dis
putand,un.
But 1t is said that bad grammar docs nOa
vitiato legal documents, and, perhaps, iu DOM
ocIatic estimation, lame logic is ps little iatd
TO democratic platforms
But seriously: This howl about ccntraiZa.
ton, consolidation aud imperialism is as old
as tho democratic party. IL was hurled at
Washington Hamilton and their associates
by him whom the democrats claim rs tho
father of the democratic party, II has boon
from that day 10 this ono of the chief items
OF political capital in trade, so far as the demoo-
racy is concerned. Still the republic lives,
notwithstanding the hcrcsy Of state rights
which eliminated Ia the doctrine OF ,hi right
of secession and an open assault by force oC
arms ON tho life of the nation. IL II fell
| within tho scope Of theEo brief papers to do 80
| II would DO an easy task to show TINT demo-
cratic principles and democratic measures
have had stronger aul more dangerous
tendency 30 Capitalization than any doctrines
or moG,uroy advocated by republicans
We dGnv the impeachment that the repub-
lican party Is IN favor OF Capitalization, con-
solid1tion or imperialism. Nothing 10 It's his.
tory shows any such tendency The ropubli-
can parry would not give to the general gov
emmont as much more p0wor than is givon 10
II by the constitution ~ you could hold in the
hollow Of your hand. 10 would not tatO
from the statcS a single right which has
been reserved 10 them In the constitution.
But tho republicans do hold that the adoption
Of the constitution made tho American people
Il nation, and not simply confederation Of
Independent states, In other words, thsY
rcject tha mjschievons doctrine oil state SUI
premacy. That is the whole Of IL, and il is
tho only ground upon which tho repUb-
hcan party cen be charged with favor
ing Tho doctrine Of cons0liddtion. II "0pposi-
tion 10 centFsllaNtonlsn" In tho domccritie
platform means anything IL means state SUI
premacy and the right VI secession ln aoy
other sense tho republicans ars Just rs much
opposed to "ceuirAlis,tionism" as democrats.
In conclusion, tho rsisljhcau party holds IA
10 a constitutional application Of tho doctrine
OF state rights THAT we arc, In no slight degree,
to attribute TO our rapid growth 10 all the eie-
ments wealth aud power. Hence the Fopubli-
can party Is for maintaining tho cOns.itotlpn
in its true intont aud meaning rs II was de-
liyercd to us by the fathers, w.