Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-10
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORMS.


Baltimore Sun.
Prior ia the election Of 1882 no ia.
tional convention for the nomination OF
Presidential candidates Ind been held
by any party in the United States such
candidates being usually named by the
individual states or by Congressional
caucus; and no party platforms we're
adopted. Three OF the candidates voted
for in tho Electoral Colleges that wear
| -Androw jackson, Henry CLAY and
William Writ were nominated by
national conventions held in the city OF
baltimore, hut without platforms.
Martin Van Buron, who ran rs the
| Democratic candidate in 1886, was also
nominated by national convention
held in the city May 10th, 1886. but
again without the adoption Of plat.
form. At the Baltimore convention, held
May 9th, 1910, when Mr.. Van Buren, was
/ nominated for reelection, the first
Democratic platform, in tho form OF a
| series of resolutions, was adopted. His
successful opponent, Gen. William
| Henry Harrison, was nominated by q
| Wing convention held OF Harrisburg,
hut without any resolutions or declara.
| ton of principles. Since then IT has
been customary for national conven-
tions invariably to accompany tho an.
nouncement Of the names Of the cIndi-
dates OF their selection with u formal
statement Of the position Of the party
upon the leading issues or questions of
>the day. As new issues are constantly
arising and supefseding in popular in
terest those which had previously en-
gagged attention and upon which votes
on former occasions had turned, there
has been no uniformity Of practice,
however, in the matter Of reaflirming
previous platforms, or even referring
to them.
In 1868 the first National Democratic
Convention hold subsequent to the war
between the States nominated Horatio
Seymour for the Presidency, and in
the platform which it adopted recog-
nized the questions OF slavery and
secession las having been settled for
all time to come. 1t dealt eXclu.
sively with the new questions which
had arisen growing out of the altered
conditions Of the country and the go
called policy and measures of recon.
struction" adopted by the party in
power. On only three occasions since
the war has the Democratic party been
successful 10 enlisting the support OF q
popular majority in favor OF it's candi-
dates or it's platform and only twice has
it succeeded in seating its candidates.
In 1876 Samuel j. Tiiden secured
Asa, 1877 vores, against 4,033, $50 re-
ceived by Rutherford ID. Hayes At the
same time he should have secured o
majority of the electoral votes, but
through the fraudulent manipulation
Of the carpet-bag returning boards,
aided by VISITING statesmen" from
the North and The cunning device of an
- to 2" Electoral Commission, the
electoral votes were counted as having
been cast 1856 ior Hayes, 154 for Tilden,
o majority OF for the Republican can
didate.
In the platform upon which MIR.
Tilden was elected there is no reference
to any former platform adopted by the
party or to any past issues. 1t was dis.
tinctly a reform" platform, beginning
with the declaration, I'VE, the dele
gates Of the Democratic party of the
United States in national convention
assembled, do hereby declare tho ad.
ministration of the Federal government
to be in urgent need of immediate re-
form, and closing with the demand,
1--WE demand change OF system, a
change Of administration, a change OF
| phitioo, tuob W. may udN6 u CuunBo VI
measures and of men," The people
granted the demand, but their will was
frustrated.
In 1854 the Democratic party was
again triumphant, this time securing a
majority, not only of tho popular but
, of the electoral vote, and again upon a
platform dealing solely with the ques
tions of the day-the new and altered
, conditions which had arisen under 20
yenrs OF Republican misr ule. 1t begins
, 1.-The Democratic party of the Union,
through its representatives in national
convention assembled, recognizes that
, as the nation grows older new issues are
born Of time and progress, and ole
, issues pelieh." This is followed by
the simple declaration OF that "Ths
fundamental principles Of the Democ,
! racy, approved by the united voice Of
, the people, remain and ever will remain
as the best and only security for the
, continuance of FREQ government.
, III 1892 the Democrats we're again
} victorious, and again upon platform
in which the members of tho conven
! tion simply '.reatflrm their allegiance
TO the principles of the party as formu
, lated by Jefferson and exemplitied by
the long and ilustrious line Of his sue
, cessors in Democratic leadership, from
. Madison to Cleveland. Although The
convention renominated Mr.. CLEVELAND
then for tho third Time, thore was M
| necessity felt for "reaflrming" either
D OF the previous platforms upon which
! he had been nominated either lib,
! platform of 1884. upon which he hat
{ been previously elected, or that o
1888. He was renominated and re
8 elected upon the platform of 1892, no
a upon any 'reaifirmation' of any othel
or former platforms,
, 1t IS clear, therefore, that there il
. nothing in the practice of the party Il
8 inquire the reafllrmation OF Kansa
: City, in whole or In part, of the Chi
I cage platform Of 1876 any NOR,
a than OF the Chicago platform o
1882, or any other Platform adopted il
former yeais. So far as tho weight o
Q precedent goes the three precedt nts ",
# have cited Ton the only recent occa
sions ON which the party carried tn
n country are against the policy OF in
numbering the living, burning issue
y of the present with any reference t
u former contests. In the language O
i the national convention and platform O
1884, it is the duty of the party t
recognize, and today more than eve
before, that new issues ARE born G
time and progress, and old issue
N perish. The only reference to an
d former party platform contained in til
q platform of 1854 is In these niemorabl
: words ,vhioh ara 40 npplio,hIo to,l,,