Year: 1876

Inc U10t0 ScCJlDu Ui tHC OluCiHuue
platform reads as follows:


We reaflrm our opposition TO further grant
lies s''a ana hidden demand that the national domain b
devoted to free homes for the people.


During it's long lease Of absolute
power, the Republican party has squan
dered the public lands upon all tn
numerous railroad rings and corpora
tions that were willing to pay for th'
benefits. The North and West were
the recipients OF these lavish donations
the South got literally nothing. Alltht
public money, al the public lands, were
for the North and West; there were only
bayonets, carpet baggers and taxes foI
the South: and now we have the cleaI
and explicit declaration that, since the
North and West have got about all the
railroads they can hold, the subsidy
business Is to be closed up, and no more
OF the national domain appropriated to
public works. m


We have heard great deal about the
failure OF the Democratic House to pass
the Texas and Pacific Railroad bill.
But 1t must be borne in mind that the
Republican House OF the preceding
Congress also refused to pass that bill ;
that while the Republican party has
given empires of land and many mil
lions Of dollars to Northern railroad
enterprises, 1t has given the South little
or nothing and that now, just when the
South, which the Republican party has
plundered and crushed, needs the
helping hand OF the Government, that
party plainly pronounces against the
policy Of subsidies, and gives us to
understand that we are to expect no
aid from q Republican administration.


The policy Of the Democratic party
has always been against subsidies, and
IL the Democratic House has not passed
the Texas and Pacific bill 1t is due to
the fact that 1T has felt indisposed, at
this critical juncture OF the party's fate,
to take so wide departure from its
principle, leopard its posi-
ton, and peril the loss Of the opportu-
nifty to finally advance greater public
interests and re.establish the Govern
ment upon basis OF honesty. capability
and economy.


The history OF the Republican party
Is the history of money and land subsi-
dies to Northern and Western corpora
lions and monopolies. It's refusal to
pass the Texas and Pacific bill was not
based upon its opposition to the princi-
pie Of subsidies, for the principle of
subsidies Is q cardinal one Of its creed.
It defeated the bill simply through
spirit OF hostility to the South and to
the advancement Of Southern interests.


The Democratic party has displayed
! cordial disposition to accord full and
perfect equality to the South in the
Union; to accord 1t just political in
Iiuence and a fair participation in the
benefits OF the common government.
Indeed, the pertinacity with which the
Northern Democracy has defended the
south against the prosecutions Of the
party has been a cause Of
It's weakness In many Of the Northern
and Western States. We have every
therefore, that when the
party comes into power the
south will be justly dealt with. The
st. Louis Convention will probably re-
Affirm its opposition to the policy Of
subsidies to rings and monopolies; but
t is entirely probable that, the Demo
,racy in power will recognize
hat, while the general policy of
subsidies is bad, the highest principle
If justice requires that, since under that
,ad policy, other sections Of the Union
lave received extravagant grants Of
ands and money, something is due,
md must be accorded the pillaged and
South.


Both parties, therefore, will pronounce
like, very probably, upon this question.
But the bitter sectionalism of the Re-
party, and its unrelenting
hostility to Southern interests, render
t certain that, toward the South, it
will enforce the declaration to the fullest
'xtent. Upon the other hand the
riendly spirit OF the Democracy to
he South, together with the fact that to
he South it will owe its victory in a
'reat measure, is guarantee that that
,arty, il successful, will realize it to be
n act Of great public justice to so modi-
y Its policy on this question as to COR
Tally give the South a large measure Of
lational aid for its great enterprises.





We are informed by a circular that