The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-08-31

Cooke, of Cumberland.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR j. Brad
Heverlery, Of Fauquier.
For ATTORNEY GENERAL, Will
liam IL. Gravely of Henry.
THE PREAMBLE.
We, the delegates or the Peoples
Party Of Virginia, in convention as
sembled, representing the will of
our people, set forth this declaration
of our principles, and demands for
relief from existing oppression.
We renew our answering allegi-
ance to that Magma Charta of our
liberties, the Virginia Bill of rights,
adopted by the convention of June
18th, l77G, and we again affirm the
great fundamental right it asserts,
"that all power is vested in and de-
rived from the people" This right
mas been subverted, until to-day ali
power is vested in and derived from
money. We declare that it is the
violation Of this right which has i'm
poverished us. Our products are
selling below the cost of production;
our lands are valuless except to sup
port the State by taxation; labor is
ground down, and goes unemployed,
we are compelled to make bricks
without straw, to pay taxes without
money, to support many useless Off
GERS in unaccustomed luxury, and to
foot the bills for governmental ex-
travaganccs we can Ill afford. We
have had promise of government
economically administered until
hope has given place to despair. The
party now in power claim that they
"never had a chance" while, in fact,
they have many times had a large
majority in the Lower House of
Congress, and have recently prov d
to the country that they had "chance"
enough to increase their own salaries.
They might at least have outlined a
policy which would have inspired the
people with confidence. The money
power of the world is now turned
agains us to deprive Us of the money
Of the constitution, and there sits in
the Presidential Chair, armed with
the veto power, the most pronounced
and determined opponent of silver
money, inviting and awaiting the
dictation of Europe to direct the ac-
ton of an American Congress.s . Mr..
Cleveland was elected for the ex-
press purpose of relieving "the poor,
down -trodden tax payers from the
robberies of the Mckinley tariff"
that tariff is presumably still rob-
bing the people, and yet he called
an extra session of Congress, not to
repeal ''the robber tariff but to
consumate the fraud of 1873, which
demonetized silver, the free coinage
of which Mr.. Cleveland declares to
be "the only menace" to the coun-
try's prosperity.
The only remedy they propose is
to base the currency On interest
bearing bonds, entailing taxation on
the people. 1t is admitted that the
credit of the government is ample
enough for the soundest currency.
The credit of the government rests
upon the power given to Congress
upon the constitution to tax 65,0OO,-
100000 of people who own $6O,OO0,'
100000 of property, and would any
sane man refuse currency with such
Il power behind it?
We cannot here enumerate in de-
tail the long list of untitled
pledges made to the people by the
Democratic party. They have ac.
quiesced in the vicious legislation in.
lated and enacted by the Republic
cans to enrich the few at the ex
pense of the great body of the peo
ple: and to-day rich and powerful
corporations dictate the party's &C
ton, making it veritably the party
of plutocracy.
Have we Jared any better in oul
State administration, which ha'
been under exclusive Democratic
control for nearly eight years: W.
are still living under the Under
wood Constitution, which Democrats
could not find language strong
enough to denounce until they go
posseSsion Of the countless offices i
created. Need we remind you O
the promises made two years ago II
the legislative canvass, and how ut
terly every pledge was ignored? Dl'
the Legislature keep single promls'
made to the people in that canvass
, In the meantime the despotl
power given to the Democratic part
nnder the Anderson-Cormick Law
has been fully developed, and unde
E cover of that legislative abomlnatlol
crimes are instigated, conlmltte'
! and countenanced by the party rulers
that would in the ordinary trans
action of life between man and MAJ
send the perpetrators and their abet
: tors to the penitentiary to wea
+ stripped suits with shaven head:
Under a free government a man
) liberty is bound up with his ballo'
S The only safeguard for his freedom
f is his ability to cast his vote as h
please, with the assurance tnat
will be honestly counted by th
9 guardians appointed by law to plrc:
7 tect this sacred right. Invade tn
! right and you imperil the liberty Q
o every citizen of the land. NO ma
t tron has ever survived whose civil
zation tolerated and condoned pei