Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
The Democratic Platform.
Below we give the platform as adopt
ed by the Democratic Convention

Below we give the platform as adopt
ed by the Democratic Convention
THE PLATFORM.
The conservative democratic party
of Virginia, democratic in its Federal
relations and conservative in its State
policy, assembled in convention, in
view of the present condition of the
Union and of this commonwealth, for
the clear and distinct assertion of its
political princi pies, doth declare
LIST. That we make the following
articles of political faith First, equal
ity of right and exact justice to all
men, special privileges to none, free
dom of religion, freedom Of the press,
freedom of the person under the pro-
lection of habeas corpus, of trial by
juries impartially selected, and of a
pure, upright and non-partizan judi
ciary elections by the people, free
from force or fraud by citizens or by
the military or civil officers of the
government, and the selection for public
Offices of those who are honest and best
fitted to fill them the support of the
State governments in all their rights,
as the most competent administration
of our democratic concerns and the
surest bulwarks against anti-republi-
can tendencies, and the preservation
of the general government in its whole
constitutional vigor as the sheet-an-
Choir Of our peace at home and Our
safety abroad.
I'd. That the maintenance of the
public credit Of Virginia is the essen
tial means to the promotion of her
prosperity; that we condemn repudi-
alton in every shape and form as blot
upon her honor, blow at her perma-
nent welfare, and an obstacle to her
progress in wealth, influence and pow
err that we will make every effort to
secure settlement of the public debt,
with the consent of her creditors,
which is consistent with her honor and
dictated by justice and sound public
policy; that it is eminently desirable
and proper that the several classes Of
the debt now existing should be uni.
fed so that equality, which is equity,
may control in the annual payment of
the interest and ultimate redemption
of the principal; that with the view
of securing such equality we pledge
our party to use all lawful authority
to secure a settlement Of the State
debt, SO that there shall be but one
class Of public debt; that we will use
all the constitutional and lawful means
in our power to secure settlement
upon the basis Of three per cent.
bond, and that the conservative dem
ocratic party pledges itself, as a part
of its policy, not to increase the pres
ent rate of taxation.
Sd. That we will uphold in its full
constitutional integrity and efficiency
cur public school system for the edu-
cation Of both white and colored chill
dren-a system inaugurated by the
constitution OF the State, and estab-
iished by the action of the conserva-
tive party years before it was required
by the constitution, and will take the
most effectual means for the faithful
execution of the same by applying to
its support all the revenues set apart
fol That object by the constitution or
otherwise
4th. Upon this declaration of prin-
ciplos we cordially invite the cooper
alton of all conservative democrats,
whatever may have been or 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 this State.
Resolved, further, That any intima-
ton coming from any quarter that the
conservative democratic party OF Vir-
ginia has been, is now, or proposes to
be, opposed to an honest ballot and a
fur count, is calumny upon the State
of Virginia as unfounded in fact as it
is dishonorable to its authors; that
special efforts be made to foster and
encourage the agricultural, mechanical,
mining, manufacturing and other in
dustrial interests Of the State.