Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1892-10-08
National Democratic Platform
Adopted ny the National Democratic
Convention at Chicago, June
21st, 1892.

Section l. The representatives of the
Democraiie party of the United States, in
National Convention assembled, do reafirm
Inelr allegiance to the principles of the par.
" as formulate by Jefferson and ezempli-
ned by long snd illustrious line of his sue
eessors in Democratic leadership from Mad
ison to Cleveland. We believe that the pub-
lle welfare demands that these prinelules be
applied TO the conduct OF the Federal Gov
ernment through the accession to power of
the party that advocates them; and we sol.
EMMY declare that the need of return to
these fundamental principles of free pop
ular government based on home rule and
Individual liberty was never more than now,
when the tendency to centralize all power
at the Federal Capital has become a menace
to The reserved rights OF the States that strike
at The very roots Of our Government under
the Constitution as framed by the Republic.
AS 70 THE FORCE BILL
Sec. 2. We warn the people of our COM
mon country, jealous for the preservation Of
their free institutions, that the policy of Fed
eral control OF elections, to which the Re-
publican party has committed itself, is
fraught with the gravest dangers, scarcely
less momentOus that would result from q
revolution, practically establishing monar-
chy en- the ruins Of the Republic.
1t strikes at the North as well as the South
snd injuries the colored citizens even more
than the whites. 1t means horde of dep
uty marshals ut every polling place, armed
with Federal power, returning boards ap-
pointed and controlled by Federal author
ity, the outrage OF the electoral rights OF the
people in the several States, the subjugation
Ol the colored people to tne control Of the
Osrsy in power and the reviving of race an.
asonlsm, now happily abated, of the utmost
leril to the safety and happiness of all;
measure deliberately and Justly described by
y leading Republican Senator "as the most
infamous bill that ever crossed the thresh
nt Of the Senate" such policy, if sane
red by law, would mean the dominance
Of a self perpetuating oligarchy of office
holders, and the party first entrusted with
its machinery could be dlslodged from pow
er only by an appeal to the reserved right
Of the people to resist oppression which is
inherent in all set-governing communities.
Two years ago this revolutionary power
was emphstically condemned by the people
at the polls; but in contempt Of that verdict
The Republican party has defantly declared
in its latest authoritative utterance that its
succe IN the coming election will mean
the enac ment Of the force bill and thcusur-
patton of despotic control over elections in
all the Stules.
Believing that the preser~ shon Of 1epub.
csn government in the United States is
opcndent upon Lbo deieat OF this policy Of
agulized force and fraud, VT invite the
support Of Il citizens who desire to see the
Constitution maintained II its integrity with
the laws pursuant thereto which have given
our country hundred years of uuexampled
prosperity;and W. pledge the DemocraJic
party, il it be int listed with power, not
only to the defeat Of The force blu, but also
to resembles opposition to the Repubicsr
policy of ploligste expenditure, which n
the short space OF two years has s9uander9d
an enormous surp Us and empued an over,
dowing treasury after piling new Burdens O
taxation upon the already oyertaxed labor
OF the country