The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17

OF the republic and Tor tne payment Oh
such pensions as Congress may from time
to time grant to such soldiers, a like
fund for sailors having been already pro.
vided; and any surplus should be paid
into the treasury. We also favor an
American continental policy, based upon
more intimate commercial and political
relations with the fifteen sister republics
of North, Central and South America,
but entangling alliances with none. We
believe in honest money, the gold and
silver coinage of the Constitution, and a
circulating medium convertible into such
money without loss. Asserting the
equality Of all men before the law, we
hold that it is the duty of the Govern.
ment in its dealings with the people to
mete out equal and exact justice to all
citizens of whatever nativity, race, color,
or persuasion, religious or political. We
believe in free ballot and fair count,
and we recall to the memory of the peo.
pie the noble struggle of the Democrats
in the 45th and 46th Congresses by
which reluctant Republican opposition
was compelled to assent to legislation
making everywhere illegal the presence
| of troops at the polls as conclusive proof
that Democratic administration will
preserve liberty with order. The .selec.
ton of Federal officers for the Territories
should be restricted to citizens previously
resident therein. We oppose sumptuary
laws, which vex the citizen and interfere
with individual liberty. We favor hon
est civil service reforms and the compen-
sation of all United States officers by
fixed salaries, the separation of church
and State, and the diffusion of free edu-
cation by common schools, so that every
child in the land may be taught the
rights and duties of citizenship While
| we favor all legislation which will tend
to an equitable distribution of property,
to the prevention of monopoly and to
the strict enforcement of Individual
rights against corporate abuses, we hold
that the welfare OF society depends upon
scrupulous regard for the rights of
property as defined by the laws. We
believe that labor is the best rewarded
where it is the freest and most enlight.
ened; it should therefore be fostered and
cherished. We favor the repeal of all
laws restricting the free action of labor
and the enactment of laws by which
labor organizations may be incorporated,
and of all such legislation as will tend to
enlighten the people as to the true relation
of capital and labor. We believe that
the public land ought, as far as possible,
to be kept as homesteads for actual set
tiers; that all unearned lands heretofore
improvidently granted to railroad corpo.
rations BY the action of the Republican
party should be restored to the public
domain, and that no more grants of land
shall be made to corporations or be
allowed to fall into the ownership of alien
absentees. We are opposed to all prop.
ositions which upon any preteXt would
convert the General Government into
machine for collecting taxes to be dis
tributed among the States or the citizens
thereof.
In reaflrming the declaration of the
|. Democratic platform of 1856 that the
t t"iberal principles embodied by Jefferson
in the declaration of independence and
sanctioned in the Constitution, which
makes our land of liberty an asylum for
the oppressed of every nation, have ever
been cardinal principles in the Demo
cratic faith" we nevertheless do not
sanction the importation of foreign labor
or the admission of seryile races, unfit
ted by habits, training, religion or kin
dred for absorption into the great body
of our people or for the citizenship which
our laws confer. American civilization
demands that against the immigration or
importation of Mongolians to these
shores our gates be closed. The Demo,
cratic party insists that it is the duty of
the Government to protect with equal
fidelity and vigilance the rights Of
its citizens, native and naturallzed, at
home and abroad and to the end that
this protection nay be assured, United
States papers of naturalization issued by
Courts of competent jurisdiction, might
/ be respected by the executive and legis-
flatiye departments of our own Govern.
ment aud by all foreign powers. 1t is
an imperative duty of this Government
to efficiently protect all the rights of
person. and property of every American
citizen in foreign lands, and demand and
enforce full reparation for any invasion
thereof. An American citizen is only
responsible to lis own Government for
auy act done in his own country or under
her flag, and only can be tried thereupon
on her own soil and accordingto her laws !;
and no power exists in this Government
to expatriate an American citizen to be
/ tried in any foreign country for any such
act. This country has never had we'll
defined and executed foreign policy save
under Democratic administration. That
policy has ever been, in regard to foreign
nations, so long as they do no act detri-
mental to the interests OF the country or
hurtful to our citizens, to let them alone.
That as result of this policy we recall
the acquisition of Louisiana, Florida,
California and the adjacent Mexican
territory by purchase alone, and contrast
these grand acquisitions of Democratic
craftsmanship with the purchase OF
Alaska, the sole fruit of a Republican
administration of nearly quarter of
century. The Federal Government
should care for an improve the Mississlp.
| pi River and other great water ways OF
| the republic, so as to secure Tor the lpte'
rior States easy and cheap transportation.
to tide water. Under long period OF
Democratic rule and policy our merchant
marine was fast overtaking and on the
| point of outslripping that of Great Brit
ain. Under twenty years of Republican
rule aud policy our com merce has been
! left t., British bottoms, and the American
aae has almost been swept off the high
seas. Instead of the Republican party's
British policy We demand for the people
of the United States an American policy;,
Under Democratic rule and policy all
our merchants and sailors, flying the stars
and stripes in every port, successfully
searched out market for the varied
produce of American industry. Under a
quarter of century of Republican rule
and policy-despite our manifest advan,
Ltages over all other nations in high-paid
fabor, favorable climate and teeming soil
despite the freedom of trade among
Ctofou-dourita THAR