American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-09-03
The Virginia Platform.
At the recent State Convention the
Virginia Democrats adopted the follow


Virginia Democrats adopted the follow
ing platforms:
ginia, Democratic in its Federal relations and
Conservative in its State policy, assembled in
of the Union and of this Commonwealth for
clear and distinct assertion Of its political
principles doth declare that we adopt the fol-
lowing articles of political faith:
l. Equality of right, and exact justice to all
men, special privileges TO nome freedom Of
religion, freedom of the press and freedom Of
person. under the protection of habeas corpus.
of trial by juries, impartially selected, and of
pure, upright and non-partisau Judiciary;
election by the people free from force or fraud
of citizens or of military and civil officers of
ficers of those who are honest and best fitted
10 fill them; the support of state Governments
illustrators of our domestic concerns and the
surcst bulwarks against anti-republican ten
denotes, and preservation OF the General Gov
eminent in its whole constitutional vigOr rs
the sheet anchor OF our peace at home and our
safety abroad.
=. That maintenance of the public credit of
Virginia is an essential means to the protec-
tion of her prosperity. We condemn repudi-
alton in every shape and form as u blot upon
her honor, as IA blow at her permanent welfare
and an obstacle to her progress in wealth, in
fuencc and power; and that We will make
every effort to procure n settlement of the
public debt with the consent OF her creditors,
which Is consistent with her honor and die
it it's is desirable and proper that tn several
classes of debt now existing should be unified,
in the annual payment of the interest and
ultimate redemption of the principal; that
with view to securing such equality, we
pledge our party to all lawful authority to
secure IL settlement of the State debt. SO that
there shall be but one class of public debt;
that we will use all lawful and Constitutional
means in our power to secure a settlement
upon the basis of a three-per-cent bond, and
that the Conservative Democratic party
p,ciges itself part of its policy not to in
crease the present rate of taxation.
3. That we will uphold in its full constitu-
tional integrity and efficiency our public
school system, for the education of both white
and colored-a system inaugurated by the
Constitution of the state and established 10y
the action of the Conservative party years be-
will take most effectual means for faithful
execution of the same by applying to its sup
port all revenues set apart for that object by
the Constitution or otherwise.
f. Upon this declaration of principles, we
cordially invite the cooperation of all Con-
servativc Democrats. whatever may have
been now are their views upon the public
debt, in the election of the nominees of this
convention and in the maintenance of the
supremacy of the Democratic party in the
State.
HesOiucd, further, That any intimation COM
ing from any quarter that the Conservative
Dcmoc attic party of Virginia has been, Is
now, or proposes to be, opposed to an honest
State of Virginia. as unfounded in fact as 1t is
dishonOrable to its authors
RcSprCd, That special efforts be made 10 fOs-
ter and encourage agricultural mechanical.
mining, manufacturing and other industrial
interests of the State.