Year: 1866

AS time rolls on the duty Of Democrats
opens clear and we'll defined so every man
in the land can read his way. The past has,
it seems to us, been bitter enough for all.
The people of America forsook the faith OF
their fathers-they roamed behind strange
doctrines-they forgot the people and the
laws of the people and gave too much heed
to the counsels of designing men.


There is no hope for the nation outside OF
democracy. There is no prosperity for the
people outside Of democracy. There is but
one course to pursue. We eare not expedien.
cist to endorse an evil that good may peri
chance grow out of it.


All the hereses Of abolitionism, republi,
canism, bondocracyism, partial representa-.
ton, blinded fanaticsm must be given up,
and 60 back into the peaceful paths of law,
order, civil and religious liberty, good will
and democracy must we hasten or the land
will soon be redder with blood than ever
before.


We want no other beacon than the God,
given principles Of democracy.


We want no other reward than the great.
est good to the greatest number.


We want no other guide than the consti
tuition.


We want no higher incentive than a
united, happy and prosperous Union as be.
fore the accursed dogma of fanatcsm redl
dened with blood the farest of Gods islands.


If the democracy Of the country had stood
firm five years since, there would to day be
more happiness, fewer graves, less taxation
and more prosperity than now. There were
enough Democrats in the North to have
held the hyena of war in check-to have
defended the constitution which would have
defended all the people-to have demanded
an adherence to honest political principles
and to have stayed the broad footsteps OF
tyranny, violence, wrong, persecution, usur-
patton and lawlessness which have so terri
bly, cursed the land.


But there were hungry place'hunters 10
our party as with the republican. There
were democrats without principle who would
sell their influence tor shoulder straps; for
position; for money or for chance to make
money. There have been democratic edit
ors congressman, politicians and aspirants
for a rotten notoriety who have bowed the
knee to tyranny, have courted the thrift
which follows fawniog, and stepped their
hands in the blood of their friends. And
how much longer shall this thing be?


We have a democratic platform broad
enough for all to stand upon, and these are
the planks:


Our COUNTRY.


Her constitution and her constitutional
laws.


The union Of the States as before the war.


Equal representation in Congress as be-
fore the war.


Unconditional pardon to every man in the
South who will yield obedience to the con-
sttuton as it was before the war began.


The most rigid economy in.public expend'
itures.


The nop,interference by congress with the
questions affecting citizenship in the several
States.


Equal taxation Of property-the taxation
of United States bonds or reputation of
the national debt.


A return to specie payment at the earliest
possible day.


The above is our platform. 1t is the one
we fight for and the one we shall live to see
adopted by the people of America at no
distant day. Courage Democrats-the storm
is we'll nigh over. La Crosse Democrat.