Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-03-20
DEmOCRATlC CONVENTIONS
sINCE THE WAR.

vi AIO
from ls4s to 1860 inclusive, with special
reference to their bearing upon the tariff.
W. now proceed to recall the proceed
;nos of the conventions held during and
since the war. In 1864, when military
force alone controlled the political infiu-
ences of the country, the question OF a
tariff had no place in the thoughts Of the
people. Any means to obtain the i'm
mense sums necessary to maintain the
Union was accepted without question by
either party. There was no demand
then for any reduction OF taxation. The
American blood was at fever heat and
no care for expense was allowed or asked
Under such circumstances, it is not
strange to see that no tariff plank is to
he found in the platform Of the v
t;on which nominated Mcclellan and
Pendleton. The platform was devoted en-
cirely to war matters. The convention
was notable for the prominent men COM
posing it. August Belmont called it to
order, and Horatio Seymour was its per-
manent President.
In 1868 the convention was held in
New York City, Gov. Seymour was
again the permanent presiding officer,
and this time was made the candidate,
with Francis P. Blair Of Missouri as the
candidate for Vice President. At this
convention, for the first time in the po-
litical history of the party, the policy OF
incidental protection was advocated.
Here is the demand as placed in the
platform: "a tariff for revenue upon
foreign imports, such as will afford incl
dental protection to domestic manufac-
turers, and as will, without impairing
revenue, impose the least burden upon
and best promote and encourage the
great industrial interests of the cou
try" One of the remarkable incidents
Of the convention was the receipt OF an
address from soldiers of the war, declar-
ing their allegiance to the party, signed
by w. H. Slocum, w. B. Franklin, Cor.
don Granger, James F. Smith, Calvin +.
Pratt and Is others, who had been lead
ers in the war. The delegates at large
for New York were Horatio Seymour,
Sanford E. Church, Samuel J. Tilden
and Henry c. Murphy. In the ballot
ing, Gen. Hancock led by a large major
ity, up to the 22d ballot. when Ohio
nominated Gov. Seymour, and, like the
kindling of a mighty fame, his nominal
ton swept over the convention, even
while he stood up and protested
against it.
In 1872 the Democratic party was in a
queer predicament. In the hope Of secur-
ing the great liberal element, it bur-
dened itself with the most pronounced
protectionist in the country, Horace
Greeley, with B. Gratz Brown of Mis-
souri, for Vice. In such a strait the con-
vention could not place a low tariff plat
form, and it did what was probably the
only thing to dot lodged. In regard
to the tariff the platform says: "Recog-
nizing that there are in our midst honest
and irreconcilable differences of opinion
with regard to the respective system Of
protection and free trade, we remit the
discussion of the subject to the people in
their Congressional districts, and the
decision of Congress thereon, wholly free
from executive interference or dictation.'
Here was the first declaration Of what il
a plain fact in both parties. There are
honest differen ces upon the subject. The
liberal Republican Convention, which
had met and nominated Horace Greeley
in the month previous, had adopted the
same plank.
In 1876 the Democrats met for the
first time under circumstances when they
could enunciate their principles without
the terrible stress of the great war OF
reconstruction questions upon them, and
without the hampering circumstances Of
1872. The convention met in st. Louis,
and on the second ballot nominated
Samuel J.. Tilden and Thomas A. Hen
bricks, on q platform of reform in Gov
eminent administration, which MI. Til
den was supposed to represent distinctly.
The platform then adopted vas largely
drawn by Lieut.. Gov. Dorsheimer, and
its plank relative to the tariff was bold
and outspoken. 1t read as follows
We denounce the present tariff, levied
upon nearly 1900 articles, as a master
piece of injustice. inequality and false
pretence. 1t yields q dwindling, not a
yearly rising revenue. 1t has impover-
ished many industries to subsidize a few.
1t prohibits imports that might purchase
the products of American labor. 1t has
degraded American commerce from the
first to an inferior rank on the high seas.
1t has cut down the sales of American
manufactures at home and abroad, and
depleted the returns of American agricul-
ture-an industry followed by half our