The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-06-17
THE NATIONAL GREENBACK
CONVENTION.
The Platform of Principles as
AdnpIedIasIM week.

publish their platform as adopted at
Chicago last week, viz:
J. That the right to make and issue
money is a sovereign power to be main
tainel by the people for the common
benefit. The delegation of this right tC
corporations is a surrender of the cen
trail attribute OF sovereignty, void OF
constitutional sanction, comforting up
on "a subordinate irresponsible power
absolute dominion owe industry and
commerce. All money, whether metal.
lie or paper, should be issued and it,
volume controlled by the Government,
and not by or through banking cOrpO-
rations, aud when So issued should be
a full legal-lender for all debts, public
and private.
,. That the bonds Of the United States
/ should not be refunded but paid as rap
idly rs is practicable, according to con
tract. TO enable the Government to
meet these obligations, legal-tendcr
currency should be substituted for the
notes of the National banking system
abolished, and the unlimited coinage of
silver, as well as gold, established by
law.
3. That labor should be so protected
by National and State authority rs to
equalize its burdens and insure a Just
distribution of its results; the eight
hour law of Congress should be cnforc-
ed the sanitary condition of industrial
establishments placed under rigid con
troll the competition of contract con-
Wet labor abolished n bureau of labor
statistics established factories, mines,
and workshops inspected the employ
ment of children under fourteen wears
of age forbidden, and wages paid in
cash.
4. Slavery being simply cheap labor
and cheap labor being simply slavcy,
the importation and presence Of Chi
neSe serfs necessarily tends to butalize
and degrade American labor; therefore
immediate steps should be taken to alb
rogate the %Burltngame Treaty.
). Railroad land grants forfeited by
reason of non-fulhllment of contract
should be Immediately reclaimed by the
Government; and henceforth the pub
lie domain reserved exclusively as
homes for actual settlers.
6. It's the duty of Congress to regu-
late Interstate commerce. All lines of
communication and transportation
should be brought under such legisla-
tive control as shall secure moderate,
fair, and uniform rates for passenger
and freight traffic.
Z. We demOunce as destructive to
prosperity, and dangerous to liberty,
the action of the old parties in foster
ing and sustaining gigantic land, rail-
road, and money corporations and mo-
nopOlies, invested with, and exercising
powers belonging to the Government,
and vet not responsible to it for the
manner of their exercise.
s. That the Constitution, in giving
Congress the power to borrow money,
to declare war, to raise and support
armies, to provide and maintain Il navy
never intended that the men who loan
ed their money for an interest Consid-
Grafton should be preferred to the sol
dier AMI sailor who periled their lives
and shed their blood on land and sea il:
defense of their country, and we con-
denim the cruel class legislation of the
Republican party which, while profess
sing great gratitude to the soldier, has
mostiiniustly Disseminated againsthim
and in favor of the bOndhOldcr.
8. All property should bear its just
proportion of taxation, and we demand
Il graduated income tax.
10. We denOunce as most dangerous
the efforts everywhere manifest to re-
strict the right of suffrage.
II. We arc opposed to an increase Of
il,, ptn,,1i,,r npnnty in finln nt nnlpp
and the insidious scheme to establish
an emOrmou military power nnder the
guise OF militia laws.
II. We demand absolute democratic
rules for the government of Congress,
placing all representatives of the peo-
pie upon an equal footing, and taking
away from committees II veto power
greater than that of the President.
10. We demand a government Of the
people, by the people, and for the peo-
pie, instead of Il government OF the
bOndholders, by the b%ondholders, and
for the bondholders; and we denOunce
every attempt to stir up sectional strife
as an effort to conceal mOnstrous crimes
against the people.
II. In the furtherance of these ends
we ask the cooperation Of all fair-min-
died people. We have no quarrel with
individuals, wage no wal upon classes,
hut only against vicious institutions.
We are not content to endure further
discipline from our present actual rt-
lers, who having dominion over money
over transportation, over land and la
Dor, and largely over the press and the
machinery of government, WELD un-
%warrantablc power over our inStitu-
tions, and over our life and property.