The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-26
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORMS.

Democratic abuse is an old story, as all old
time Republicans are aware. In 1864, the
first time the Democratic party had chance
to criticise the Republican record the Demo
cratic platform resolved that under Repub
lican rule, from 1861 up to the meeting of that
infamous peace convention, ''the Constitution
itself has been disregarded in every part, and
public liberty and private right alike trodden
down, and the material prosperity Of the
country essentially impaired, and SO on, ad
nauseam.
In 1868, among other things too numerous
to specify, the Democratic platform arraigned
("arraigned' is great word with
that party Of reformers) the Radical
party for its disregard of right and the I'M
paralleled oppression and tyranny which
have marked its career, referring, doubtless,
to the forcible suppression of the Democratic
rebellion. And, after going on in most
dolorous and pitiable way, the paragraph of
arraignment thus concludes ''Under its
repeated assaults, the pillars of the govern
ment are rocking on their base; and should it
succeed in November next and inaugurate its
President, we will meet as a subjected and
conquered people, amid the ruins of liberty
and the scattered fragments of the Constitu-
ton"
Well, the Republican party did succeed,
and did inaugurate another Presi-
dent the Democratic party was
indeed subjected and conquered; but the Re-
public went singing on its shining way to per-
feet liberty and unexampled prosperity
In 1872 the Democratic party, still Sub
jected and conquered, made no nominations
contenting itself by rousing from its consum-
ing sorrow long enough to indorse the nom
nation of Horace Greeley and the platform
already drawn by the t1iberap Republicans
In behalf Of the dolorous Jeremiahs of 1868
the platform declared that ''the civil service
Of the government has become mere instru-
ment of partisan tyranny and ambition, and
an object of selfish greed" In spite
Of this dual arraignment the people in
sisted on once more sustaining the Republican
party and its nominees.
In 1876 the Democratic party managed to
emerge from the ruin wrought by the Re
publican party and denounced the failure to
make good the promise Of the legal-tender
notes deprecated by the menaces Of Demo
cratic rebellion] which are changing stand
ard of value in the hands of the people, and
the nom ayment Of which is a disregard of the
plighted faith Of the Nation" This indictment
met the common fate Of those which had pre-
coded it. The people quashed it, elected the
Republican candidates, and have, g il
return, the best money system il
the world. eve denounce,' sale
the platform, further, ''the financial i'm
becility and immortality Of that party which
during eleven years of peace, has made NJ
advance toward resumption, no preparation
for resumption; but, instead, has obstructet
resumption Confident that the Republican
party understood the business, the people
again sustained it, and in three years hac
perfectly sound resumption, and money il
peace never matched in all the years of Demo
cratic rule.
In 1880 the Democratic platform
regarded the existing administration
as the representative Of conspir
acy only" The word ssexclusively1 had no
at that time been devised by Democrat,
diplomats. The platform further declared
'1The great fraud Of 1867 is an issue tina
"precedes and dwarfs every other. 1t i'm
poses more sacred duty upon the people o.
the Union than ever addressed the consciencel
of nation of freemen.n But the people o
this country were too wise and too patriotic t,
be deceived by the fraud issue, and agar
gave Endorsement to the Republican party
and elected the man whose name nov
stands third In the list Of tn,
Nations greatest men. In other words
! the people Of this Republic, after the fulles