St. Landry democrat., 1880-09-11
Platform of the Democratic Party of
the United States.


The Democrats of the United States i'll con-
ycntion assembled declare:
First-We pledge ourselves anew to the con
sttlltOnal doctrines and traditions OF Inc
Democratic party, as Illustrated by the teach
ing and example of a long line Of Democratic
statesmen and patriots and embodied i'll the
platform of the last national convention OF the
purity. .
STANDARDIZATION to ccntrazatlon and to
that dangerous spirit of cncro"cllmcnt which
tends to consolidate The powers OF all depart
ments in one, and thus to create, whatever be
the form OF government, a real dcsp0tlSln;
No stlmptuary laws; separation OF church and
State for tie good OF each; common SCHOOLS
fOStcrCd and protected.
Third-IIOiue rule: honest money, consisting
of gt Id and silver, and paper convertible into
coin on ,icmand strict ma intcnance nf public
faith, State and NATIONAL amt tillH lor
revenue only.
| Fourth suborlination Of the military to the
| civil power and general and thorough reform
+! of the civil service.
Fiftl-The right to free ballot is Il right pre-
| servatve OF all right, and must and shall he
maintained i'll every part OF the United States.
Sixtli-The existing administration Is Il rep
| resentative OF conspiracy only, and the claim
of right to surround the ballot boxes with
| troops and deputy marshais to intinlidate and
| ohstrl!ct electors, and the unprecedented use
| OF the veto to maintain its corrupt ana des-
potic power, insults the people and lmper1ls
| their institutions.
| Seycntll-Ihe great fraud Of 1867 by which,
j upon Il false count of the electoral votes OF twG
| States the candidate defeated at the polls was
declared to be President, and for the first time
| i'll American history the Will OF the people was
set aside under the threat Of military violence,
| struck a deadly blow at our system OF repre-
| sentative government. The Democratic party,
to preserve the country from civil war, summit
ted for the time. i'll tie firm and lG!lotlc liuIH
| that the people would punish this crime III
| 1880. This issue preccdcs and dWartS every
| other It imposes !: more sacred duty upon
! the people of the Union than ever addressed
the conscience OF a nation of frcenien.
| Eightll--Wc execrate the course Of this adj
ministratlon III making places Ill the civil ser,
wee a reward for political crime, and demand
| reform by statute which shall make 1t forever
| impossible for the defeated candidate to bride
his way to the seat OF the usurper by billitlng
| Williams upon the people.
| Niuth-rbe resolution of Samuel J. TilIen
| not again to be IA candidate for the exalted
place to which he was elected by Il majority of
his countrymcn, and from which he was c2;-
Guided by Tie leaders Of the Republican party,
| is received by the Democrats OF the United
States with sensibility, and they declare their
| confidence iii his wisdom, patriotism ana IN
tegrity, mistaken by the assaults OF a common
enemy ; and they further assure him that he IS
followed into the retirement he has chosen for
himself with the sympathy ana respect OF nus
| fcilOw-c;izens, who regard him as one who. by
clcVating the standards OF public morality ana
adjoining and purifying. the public service,
merits the lasting gratitude OF his country ana
his party.
| Tentll-Free ships and living chance for
American commerce on the seas and on land ;
no discrimination i'll favor OF transportation
lines. corporations on monOpOeS.
Eleventh-An amendment OF the Bnrlinsame
| treaty; 10 more Chinese irnmi grafton except
for travel, education and foreign commerce,
and therein carefully guarded.
Twelttll-iublic money ana public credit for
public purposes solely; and public land for &C
tlial settlers
Thirteentll-Thc Democratic party is the
friend of labor and the lahoring man, and
pledges itself to protect him alike against cor
morants and commune.
Fourtecnt-We congratulate the country
upon the honesty and thrift OF the Democratic
Congress, which has reduced the public eN-
pc1dituc s400oO,00O a year; upon the continual
ton of prosperity at home and national honor
abroad, and above all upon the promise of such
change i'll the administration of the govern
ment as shall insure lis genuine and lasting
reform in every department of the public
service.