Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1878 — THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM [ARTICLE]

THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

The democracy of the state of In Ulana assembled in delegate convention declare: That national bunk notes shall be retired, ani in lieu thereof, thereshall be issued by the government unequal amount of treasury notes with fullle gal tender quality. That we are in favor of making the United Statss notes, commonly called greenbacks, a full legal tender in payment of all debts, public and private, except such obligations only as are by the terms of the original contracts under which they were issued, exoressly payable in coin. That the right to issue paper money as well as coin is the exclusive prerogative of the government, and such money should be issued in such amounts as the sound business interests of the country may from time to time require. We are in favor or such legislation by congress as will authorize tbe taxation by the states of the United States notes in common with all other money.

That we deem it unwise and inexpedient to enact any further legislation for the funding of the national debt abroad, through the means of home syndicates, or other methods; and we believe the true policy of the government and the best interest of the people would be subserved by legislation so as to distribute said debt among our people at home—affording them the most favorable and practical opportunities for the investment of their savings in the funded debt of the United States. That we are in favor of such legislation as shall fix tbe legal rate of interest at not exceeding six per centum per annum. We demand the restoration of the silver dollar, of 412* grains, to the coin of the country, and with full legal tender quality in the payment of all debts, both public and pri Fate; and that the coinage thereof shall be unlimited, and upon the same terms and conditions as may be provided for the coinage of gold. That we are iu favor of the immediate and unconditional repeal of the resumption act. We are in favor of the most rigid economy iu public expenditures, and we declare that the fees and salaries of all public officers should be reduced.

That we are in favor of the repeal of the bankrupt act. That we sincerely deplore the recent violent collision between labor and capital, and to prevent the recurrence thereof and to protect the future public order and security we believe that the wages of corporations engaged in the business of mining, manufacturing and transportation should be a first lien upon the property, receipts and earnings of said corporations, and that such lien sho’d be declared, defined an 4 enforced by appropriate legislation, That we favor the passage of a law for the ventilation of coal mines—one that, would be just to tbe miner and owner. The democratic party is the friend of the eornmon school system, and will in every legitimate way labor for its success, and will oppose any attempt to divert any portion of the common school fund to any sectarian purpose. That the last apportionment of the state for legislative purposes was grossly unjust and dishonorable, snd we demand that the next legislature, iu apportioning the state for legisla* tive purposes, as will be their imperative duty, shall have regard alone to population and contiguity of territory.

That the jurisdiction claimed and exercised by the circuit courts of the United States over questions of corporate and individual rights arising under the laws of the states tends to oppress and burden litigants to such au extent as to amount to a practical denial of justice in many cases; and we consider the legislation which has conferred such jurisdiction as unwise and hurtful to the true interests of the people. And we demand such legislation as will restrict and limit the jurisdiction of such courts to such matters as are clearly contemplated by the constitution and expressed iu the judiciary act of 1789. We are opposed to class legislation, and protest agaiust the grant of subsidies by the federal government,either in lands, bonds, money or by the pledge of the public credit. That we abhor and hold up to public detestation the leaders in the republican party who secretly connived, aud with barefaeed effrontery, carried out the scheme, by and through venal returning boards, whereby Samuel J. Tildeu and Thomas A. Hendricks, the people’s choice for president and vice president, were wrongfully kept out of the positions to which a free peo pie had called them. We hold it up as the monster crime of the age, a crime against free government a crime against the elective franchise, and a crime that can only be condoned when the malefactors who seated a fraud in the presidential chair are driven from power and consigned to everlasting infamy by the people whom they have outraged. And we denounce the act of the president of the United States in appointing to high and lucrative positions the corrupt members of the returning boards, and condemn the acts ot federal officers in attempting to interfere with the rights and powers of the state courts in the prosecution of these criminals. That our senators and representatives in congress be aud are Qei-ofey requested to secure the passage of a law giving to the soldiers.of the Mexican war a pension similar to that now given to the soldiers of the war of 1812.