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

of the republic and for the payment oi
such pensions as Congress may from time
to time grant to such soldiers, like
fund for sailors having been already pro.
vided !; and any surplus should lie 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 il is the duty of the Govern.
ment in its dealings with the people to
metc out equal and exact justice TO ali
| citizens Of whatever nativity, race, color,
or persuasion, religious or political. We
believe in free ballot and a fair count,
and we recall 10 the memory of the pco.
pie the noble struggle Of the Democrats
in the 18th and 10Th Congresses By
which Il reluctant Republican opposition
wa, compelled to assent to legislation
making every where illegal the presence
OF troops at the polls "a conclusive proof
that a 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 compcn.
satiom of all United States officers by
fixed salaries, the separation of church
and State, and the diffusion Of free edu.
cation by common schools. 80 that every
child in the land may be taught the
rights and duties Of citizenship. While
we favor all Legislation which will tend
TO All equitable distribution of property,
to the prevention of monopoly and to
the strict enforcement Of individual
rights against corporate abuses, we hold
that tho welfare OF society depends upon
g scrupulous regard for the rights of
property as defined by the laws. We
believe that labor is the hest rewarded
where it is the frceSt and most enlight.
encd it should therefore be fostcrcd and
cherished. We favor the repeal of all
laws restricting the irce actin. of labor
3'ld the eiiaCtfUeH. Of laws by which
labor organizations may be Incorporated,
and of all such legislation as will tend to
enlighten the people rs to the true relation
of capital and labor. We believe that
the public land ought, as far ~ possible,
to be kept rs hOmCscads for actual set
tiers; that all uncarncd lands heretofore
improvidently granted 10 railroad corpo
rRtions by the action Of the Republican
party should be restored to the public
domain, and that 10 more grants Of land
shall be made to corporations or be
allowed to fall into the ownership of alien
abscntees. We nre opposed To NIL prop.
osltions which upon any rretcxt would
convert the General Government into q
machine for collecting taxes to be dis.
tributcd among the States or the citizens
thereof
In reailirming the declaration Of the
Democrats: platform of 1856 that the
"Mbcral 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 Dem J.
cratic faith, we nevertheless DO not
sanction the importation Of foreign labor
or the admission Of scryilc 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
ils cilizcus, native and naturalzed, at
home and abroad and to the end that
this protection may be assured, United
States papers of naturalization issued by
Courts of competent Jurisdiction, might
be respected by the executive and legis-
lative departments OF our own Govern
mcnt aud by all foreign powers. 1t is
an imperative duty Of this Government
10 efficiently protect all tie 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 Ii own Government for
any net done in his own country or under
her flag, and only can be tried thereupon
on her o|n soil and according to her laws
and 40 power exists in this Government
to cxpatriate an American citizen To be
tried in any foreign country for any such
act. This country has never had a we'll
defined and executed foreign policy save
under Democratic administration. That
policy has ever been, in regard 10 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, aud contrast
these grand acquisitions of Democratic
with the purchase of
Alaska, the sole fruit of Republican
Of nearly quarter of q
century. The Federal Government
should care fos7 an improve the Mississip.
ri River and other great water ways of
tho republic, 80 as to secure for the inte.
rior States easy aud 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 and policy our commerce has been
left t. British bottoms, and the American
flag has almost been swept OFF the high
stas. Instead Of the Republican party's
British policy we demand for the people
of tho 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 q
quarter of o century Of Republican rule
aud policy despite our manifest advan.
tages over all other nations in high.paiG
labor, favorable climate and teeming soil
despite the freedom of Grade among
all tkese United States--despite their
population by che foremost races of men,
and an annual immigration of the young,