American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-05-08
Platform Adopted by the New York
Democrats.


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 p incipies set forth by the
National Democratic Convention at St. Louis,
and approved by decisive popular majoritics
in the Presidential election in 1876 The vic
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 impcra-
tive necessity. 1t yet remains for a truly
Natiohai party 70 restore the NaIionIHoNcr
ment to the fraternu spirit, the Constitu-
tional principles, the frugal expenditure, and
Wnn,,hIc nt P fh OF dne nar of
York also declare their settled conviction that
he success of that conspiracy against
the people $ constitutional sovereignty which
by perjuries, forgeries, bribes and violence, did
in effect disfranchise T., % 3l6voring citizens,
large minority of ali-and which, by a false
count of the Electoral votes reversed the re-
suit of the last Presidential election, compeIs
the next to turn upon single commanding
issue. That issue precedes and dwarfs every
other. 1t imposes more sacred duty upon
the people of this Union than ever addressed
the cOnscicnccs of Nation of freemen. That
duty is to vindicate the right of the people to
elective self-goyernmcnt; that is, whether
the wrong-doing of those Republican party
lenders, who four years ago frustrated the
of their choice in the Supreme act of
their sovereignty; whether shall
our own glorious political heritage, or paralyze
the cause of popular sovereignty here and
throughout the world. Despite a century of
broadening presidents, 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 neyertheless foisted a defeated candi-
date into the chair of the chief magiStracy,
there to administer the Government according
to policy condemned by the people, through
mil ViSfn v-nNuu IInf nv hn
one of whom, contrivers. abcttors,
advocates and apologists, all were straight
in the conspiracy of fraud by the
foremost beneficiary of that unexamplcd
the care of their own desffnfes A govern
ment of the people for the people must be
government by the people; me lawin. exercise
through successive administrations of gov
ernment preserved by the peoples choice is
Democratic Republic. 1t is the political object
for which constitutions and laws are framed.
II is the first of popular rights; for besides be-
ing the greatest of them, it is the one without
which the others can not exist. 1t is that for
which a Republic is anywhere preferred above
monarchy, where the transfer is by here
ditary succession, as an escape from usurped
magistrates and civil wars. 1t is the substance
rule,. the peoples right to rule, is tine very
breath of its life. This, then, is the moment
and enjoy am elective enlightenment, with
out impeachment by force or fraud from any
quarter, Least of all by fraud and force fr1m
Shall tie conspiracy of 1o76 be sanctioned
as as precedent by the .,o immunity ds ~; OF
timss Its victims are the honest
citizens of all political parties. To destroy
iniiicting "a fatal blow upon The Republican
party, whose recognized and rewarded leaders
were guilty Of it, rs the supreme supreme duty Of
the nature of the case, it is lost forever.
Not now to make that crime odious is to in
lflVV
punished. sanctioned. must go on demoralizing
all political parties, putting their leadership
healthful contentious with diseass and delth.
The character, the futuIc of this Republic are
The nc ' pemocra ATTIC patty of New York add to
their condemnation of the Electoral e2pspir-
and fitness of that distingu shed citizen Of
New York, who wa then elected to the high
css Office IN the peoples Gift, and who was in
his own person the object of the joint attack
on his L party, his feilow-citizcns and The
cause free government. The blow which
deprived the country Of its chosen ruler
was mined not So much at him as at
hind him. While making no instructions as to
can ldutes and )mmittiDg TO our delegates, us
heretofore, the duty of joining in the deiiber-
fully suggest to our brethren of other States
Nation demand of them that they lake such
action us shall best present thi great issue
to the people. Higher than all other party
the free voters of the land All 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 no
doubtful voice.
The Democratic party of New York hereby
readopt their resolutions adopted in the state
Conventions of 1861, 1855, 1872 and 1876, as fol-
lows:
'Resolred, That the delegates to the Demo-
cratic National Convention TO be appointed are
hereby instructed to enter that convention as
q unit, and to act and vote as unit, in accord
ance with the will of IA majority of the members
thereof: and, in case any of its members shall
be appointed delegate by any other organiZa-
cline such appointment. his seat shall be re-
garded as vacated, and the delegates shall pro-
coed to fill the same; and 1t Is hereby also en-
powered to supply all vacancies by death, aD-
sence resignation or otherwise" And
Whereas, The Democratic party of this
State has, in the last four National contests,
instructed its delegations to the Democratic
National Conventions to enter the Convention
unit, for the purpose of protecting itself
thereby against fictitious and fraudulent CON
tests for seats of regularly appointed dele
gates: therefore,
ResO,ped, That in case any attempt should be
by contesting the seats of portion of the
delegates, and any of the delegates appointed
by this Convention should cOIntenance such
attempt by assuming to act separately from
the majority of the delegation appointed by
this Convention, or to enter the National Con-
ventiOn separately from such majority, or
should fail TO cooperate with such majority,
the seats of such delegates shall be deemed to
be vacated.