Year: 1874




! Following is portion OF the ad-
dress of the California Democratic
Committee to the citizens of that
State, adopted at Sacramento last
week, just after the adjournment Of
the Legislature. The principles Of
the parry, which was known under
the original name of Democratic
Republican in 80 and '3G, and has
been called Democratic, ard in some
localities Liberal Republican, in
latter days, are these:


Its parvading spirit is expressed
by the maxim that the best govern
ment is on which, while it Gccom-
plishes its necessary purposes, does
so with the least possible interference
with individual rights and individu-
al liberty of action. Drawing its
main strength from the workingmen
of the country, its aim is to oppose
special privileges and class legisla-
ton, and to prevent labor from being
weighted down by needless burdens.


1t advocates jealous care of rights
of local self-government reserved to
the people of the several States; q
strict construction of powers delega-
ted to the Federal Government, and
of all powers delegated to public
servants, whether State or Federal;
steadfast opposition to monopolies,
and to corporate aggressions upon
the rights and interests of the mass;
economy and retrenchment in public
expenditures, and uncompromising
opposition to the "protective sys-
TEN" so-called, and to bounties and
subsidies, as well as to unconyertible
paper money.


The failure of the Legislature to
pass law for the regulation Of
freights and fares on railroads in
this State is an event to be deeply
deplored. The power of the Legisla-
ture to regulate and control railroads
in the matter Of their charges for
transportation Of persons and prop
erty, we most strongly assert; and
the duty to exercise such power SO as
to secure to the people Of the State
the transportation OF the products of
industry and labor at reasonable rates
is imperatively demanded,


We also assert, as Il sound, politi-
cal axiom which is fully embodied in
the Constitution, that taxation should
be equal and uniform, and that all
property, as well personal as real,
should be taxed in proportion to its
value; and we regard the startling
proposition enunciated by the Gov
ernor in his last annual message,
that lands should bear the exclusive
burden Of taxation, as revolutionary
and destructive.


We hold that under the police
power Of the State, separate schools
may be established for the education
of the whites, negroes, Indians and
Cinnamon, without in the least in
terfeiing with the rights guaranteed
to either, and we are uncompromis-
ingly in favor of exercising this
power and Of providing such separate
schools.


We are in favor of placing within
the reach of every child born on our
soil, or of citizens or capable of be-
coming citizens themselves, libearl
common school education at the pub
lie expense, but we are unalterably
opposed to all compulsory education
al laws.


We pledge ourselves to exert every
possible power of government to the
exclusion of Chinese immigration, |
and to SO amend the "Bu1lingame
treaty" as to secure Chinese com
merce without the curse of their
degrading hordes of immigrants. If,
however, their trade cannot be had |
without their curse, we will forego
the trade.