National Republican., 1881-08-30
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Senator Elmunus' Platform,


In his letter to the Massachusetts Re-
publicans Senator Edmunds said:
The contest for the practical supremacy of our
principles is one that in the nature of things
rarely ends, for in some form or other the safety
Of equal rghts-equal in benefit aud equal in
burden-is always menaced. Some of the inn
mediate measures for these final objects of good
government, think, ought TO be To preserve and
improve the laws for the security of national civil
rights; to make as effective possible provisions
for the purity and fairness of congressional cleo
tions; to establish by law the methods OF ascer-
tanning the result presidential elections to
give the conclusive effect tho Constitution de.
mands TO the action of each State aud to prevent
the exercise by the Houses of Congress Of anything
in the nature of appellate or revisory power over
the action the constituted authority ofthe State in
such cases TO so improve the civil service rs 10
diminish, and If possible remove the evils OF
place. hunting aud the interchange Of favors be-
tween the members Of the legislative and eXecu-
tive branches of the Government and to free the
tenure Of n great number of officers from depend
ence upon political favor or political opinion; TO
feadjust the revenue laws upon the basis of pro-
ducing the greatest revenue with the least and
nearest equal burden to the people, and Of de-
reloping and encouraging the industrial pursuits
of every calling Of our citizens; to bring both the
theory and practice Of tho Government in regard
to the currency to the point Of fixed and uniform
metallic standard Of values and making coin only
"A lcga-tender In the payment of debts; and TO
promote, so far rs the National Government can
lawfully do so, the increase and diffusion of cdu-
cation among all the citizens and in every pNrt Of
the Republic
Commenting on this the Washington
Post says:
II is not less worthy OF remark because 1t is
soundly DcmocrAtic-so Democratic that it is in
e
the Democratic fathers; so Democratic that 1t Is in
harmony with the views Of the Democratic states.
men of our own time and would constitute an ac-
ceptable Democratic platform for State or ma
tional campaign.
The assertion is characteristic of the
Democratic press. The Democratic party
was not, however, the old original Aboli-
tion party, as the Post would have its
the slave power from 1874 to 1861. 1t was
the tool of rebellion from 1861 to 1865,
and has been the tool of the soured and
irreconcilable clement of the South from
1865 to the present time. Itwas for CEN
tralization when it made the General
Government the catcher of its runaway
slaves, but for State rights when the
emancipated slaves were being reduced
to new form of slavery by local black
codes enacted after the war.
"The laws for the security of National
civil rights" were bitterly opposed by
every Democrat in Congress, and de-
nounced as favoring "nigger equality"
The provisions for the purity and fair
ness Of congressional elections" were as
sailed as "the bayonet BILL" and every
Democrat voted against them. Only two
years ago they threatened to break up
the Government if these laws were not
"wiped out"
The members of the Electoral Commits
sion, who insisted that Congress should
the States, were held up to eXecration by
the State Rights Democratic party, whose
members of the Commission insisted that
Congress could amend State returns
The Democratic centralzers being but
seven in number, the eight State Rights
Republicans We're charged with criminal
perverson of the law which made them
commission ofinquiry, and which pro.
vided that their findings should be
deemed the action Of both Houses, unless
disapproved by both. This law, voted foi
by q Democratic House and by every
Democratic Senator save one WAS spit
upon when it failed to grind out Demo
cratic President and the majority deci
sion WAS dcrided by the pointless cry o
"eight to scyen." With the Democratic
party no law is constitutional which does
not agglandi2e them no decision is hon
est which is not in their favor; no major
ity worthy Of respect when they ule thC
minority.
"Thc Interchange Of layors between INK
members Cf thc legislative and executive
branches OF the Government" is re-
minder Of the nniiagrant days Of Bu
chanan, when the tccrce vent fort
throughout the bud ihat whoever ad
hered 10 the Cincinnati platform Will
Stephen A. Douglas should be put to po
litical death, and executive favors were
given or withheld rs they served or OPP
posed the executive master The desire