Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-05-01
The New York Democratic Platform.
The following is the platform adopted
by the late New York State Democratic
Convention:

The following is the platform adopted
by the late New York State Democratic
Convention:
The Democratic party of New York renew
their fidelity to the principles set forth by the
National Democratic Convention at ST. Louis,
and approved by decisive popular maJorltleS
in the Presidential election in 1876. The vic
tory then won was in the name and for the
sake of reform. The people were defrauded
OF the fruits of that victory by false count
of the electoral votes. Reform throughout
the Federal Administration is still an impera-
tive necessity. 1t yet remains for a truly
ment to the fraternal spirit the Constitu-
tional principles, the frugal expenditures, and
Republic. But the Democratic party of New
York also declare their settled conviction that
the Wheh
by perjuries, forgeries, bribes and violence, did
in effect disfranchise T., 90 316voting citizens,
count of the Electoral votes reversed the
suit of the last Presidential election, compels
the next to turn upon Il single commanding
issue. That issue precedes and dwarfs every
other. 1t imposes more sacred duty upon
the people of this Union than ever addressed
duty is to vindicate the right of the people to
elective self-government; that is, whether
this generation shall condemn or sanction
the wrong-doing of those Republican party
leaders, who four years ago frustrated the
of their choice in the Supreme act of
their sovereignty; whether we shall
preserve ana transmit to coming generations
our own glorious political heritage or paralyze
the cause of popular sovereignty here and
throughout the world. Despite a century of
broadening precedents, despite the guarantees
of the Declaration of Independence of every
bill of rights, of the Federal Constitution and
of every State Constitution, establishing the
right of the people to govern themselves and
to change their rulers at will, those party
leaders nevertheless foisted defeated eandi-
date into the chair of the chief magistracy,
there to administer the Government according
to policy condemned by the people, through
Tho
one o'sf Of WHOM whom. g eontriyers, s' abettors,
advocates and apologists, all were straight
the Of faud by tSe
foremost beneficiary of that unexampled
political crime. Republics, cannot shirk
ment of the people for the people must be
government by the people: The Lawful, exercise
through successive administrations OF gov
| ernment preserved by the peoples choice is
the fundamental condition OF representative
| for which constitutions and laws are framed.
1t is the first of popular rights; for besides be-
| which the others can not exist. 1t is that for
/ which Republic is anywhere preferred above
ditary succession, as an escape from usurped
| magistrates and civil wars. 1t is the substance
of civil liberty; as for Democracy 9he peoples
rule). the peoples right to rule. .is the very
breath of its life. This, then. is the moment
Gus issue, the right of the people to exercise
out impediment by force or fraud from any
quarter, least of all by fraud and force from
sha ten Of ea
is authors ana the submission Of its vic
citizens of all political parties. To destroy
and stigmatize that corrupting. precedent by
party, whose recognized and rewarded leaders
were guilty of it, is the supreme duty OF
the an people Negsctsa ed now in
Not now to make that crime odious is to in
vite its repetition. The polluting infamy, un-
punished. sanctioned. must go on demoralizing
all political parties, putting their leadership
at the mercy OF brigands, and injecting their
The character, the future of this Republic are
all at stake in the next Presidential election.
The Democratic party of New York add to
| their condemnation of the Electoral cOnSpir-
acy of 1876 an emphatic declaration Of their
confidence in the character, ability
New York, who was then elected to the high
est office in the peoples gift, and who was in
his own person the oa1ee5 OF the 5ona LAT attack h
cause o free government The blow which
deprived the country of its chosen ruler
the Democratic millions who stood be-
hind him. While making no instructions as to
| candidates, and committing to our delegates, as
heretofore, the duty of joining in the deliber-
| ations of the National Convention, we respect
fully suggest to our brethren of other States
that the dignity and welfare of the party and
Nation demand of them that they take such
action as shall best present thI' great issue
| to the people. Higher than all other party
duties is the solemn obligation to give to
the free voters of the land an opportunity to
pass their judgment upon this monstrous
| crime against popular rights. On any such is
sue the State of New York will speak with nc
doubtful voice.
| The Democratic party of New York hereby
| readopt their resolutions adopted in the State
Conventions of 1864, 1868, 1872 and 1876, as fol
| lows:
.sResolred, That the delegates to the Demo
| cratic National Cony yention to be appointed are
hereby instructed to enter that conv entlon as
| a unit, and to act and vote as q unit, in accord
ance with the will of Il majority of the membc
thereof; and, in case any of its members shall
be appointed il delegate by any other organiZa
ton, and shall not, forthwith, in writing, de
cline such appointment, his seat shall be re
garded as vacated and the delegates shall pro
ceed to I'LL the same; and it is hereby also EN-
| Scnce, resignation, or otherwise" And
| Whereas, The Democratic party OF thl:
State has, in the last four National contests
instructed its delegations to the Democratic
National Conventions to enter the Convention
as unit, for the purpose of protecting itsei
| thereby against fictitious and fraudulent con
tests for seats of regularly appointed dele
| gates: therefore,
Resoued That in case any attempt should bt
by contesting the seats of a portion Of thu
delegates, and any of the delegates appointet
by this Convention should countenance Sucf
attempt by assuming to act separately IRON
the majority of the delegation appointed b.
this Convention, or to enter the National Con
vention separately from such majority, O.
should fail to cooperate with such majority
the seats of such delegates shall be deemed II
be vacated.