Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1880 — DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

1. We, the Democracy of Indiana, in Delegate Convention assembled, congratulate the Democracy of tha country upon the harmony prevailing within its organization, and upon its unanimity in the purposes to cast behind it every eccasion and sentiment of discord, and to stand as one man for success in 1880; and we give assurance to the Democracy of the country that, accepting the declaration of principles, and purposes, that may be made at Cincinnati, and the candidates who may be there chosen, we will give to them onr earnest and undivided support. 2. Wc believe that laws should be enacted, executed and administered only for the pnblic .goon, and all class legielalion, ana all favoritism in the affairs of Government, should he defeated and made odious: that taxes should be levied justly, affd the most rigid economy should control public expenditures; that the elections must be freed from the control of the army, and of partisan officials, in that thev shall be fair and honest as they once were; that'the rightful jurisdiction of the State Courts must be restored, iu all cases where it has been usurped by the Federal authority, so tfiat justice may be administered cheaply and speedih\ , , 3. The coiu and paper money of the country should be of uniform value, and readily convertibla, and should have as great purchasing power as the money of other first class commercial countries of the world, and the paper money, like the coin, should be furnished by the Cmted States, and should not be in excess of such quantity as will be. and remain always, at par with com. 4. Inasmuch as the outstandfug Treasnry notes are no longer necessary to the Government in the use of its credit, and are useful only as money, they should be made subject to taxation, the same as other money. ... As tax payers, wc declare our gratification at the action of the Democratic members or Congress in reducing pnblic expenditure, and in cutting oft' the allowance and payment of qnestionableand fraudulent claims, resulting in asaving to the Treasury of more than $100,000,000. 5. We will stand with all our might against the aggression of the Republican leaders upon the rights of the States, made for the purpose of building up a strong central power, dangerous to the liberty of the people. ....... We will in al! fidelity maintain the. Constitutional rights and powers of the United States, and as faithfully we will maintain and vindicate the rights of the States as reserved to them in the Con stitution. . , . . , 6. The Legislature of 1879 is entitled to honorable mention for having redeemed the pledges of the Democratic Convention of 1878 to provide by law for the comfort and safety of laborers in the mines, and for securing their wages to the persons eu. ployed by corporations, and we ave in favor of suets further legislation iu the premises as may be necessary aiid proper. ... . We congratulate the people of the State that by the action of the Democrats of the last Legisla lore in basing representation on population and contiguity of territory only, the shame and taint ot fraud have been removed from the apportionment of representation, and that now the people will be equally and fairly represented. 7. The people of Indiana are justly proud of their system of free schools, and will maintain them In tlieir full force and usefulness, and to that end we must see to It that the management thereof does not become wasteful or extravagant, and that no part of the munificent fund which they have provided shall be used for sectarian or for any other purposes whatever than the support of common schools. 8. Wo are gratified that the Democrats in Congress have acted in respect to bounties and pensions for soldies and their families iu the spirit oi justice and liberality. , . 9. We hold up to public detestation the conduct of the leaders iu the Republican party in placing Haves and Wheeler, by criminal practices shocking to every honest sentiment and damaging to our institutions, in offices to which they were not elected. It was an outrage upon free'government, and a crime against the elective franchise that Can not be forgiven, and must not be repeated, and for which the guilty parties must be driven from power and consigned to infamy. And we hold up to public detestation tte conduct of the President in rewarding the guilty parties by conferring upon them high and lucrative offices. To reward crime is itself criminal. 10. During the past few years our country has been blessed in a high degree with favorable seasons, and the production of our valuable staples lias been enormously iu excess of our own consumption. We have sold to foreign countries manv hundred millions more than we have purchased from them ; gold and silver lias come to ns; business confidence has been restored, and we have the hope and promise of good times again. In all this we recognize the blessing of God upon our country, and wc denounce it ns false and blasphemous when partisan leaders claim that this is the work of their hands, and that the people should he thankful to them and not grateful to Heaven for our returning piosperity. 11. We approve the sentiment expressed by Goyernor Hendricks in his letter of acceptance jn 1878, rhat “the iniquitous coolie system whieh, through the ngenev of wealthy companies imports Chinese bondsmen, establishes a species of slavery, and interferes with the just reward of labor on onr Pacific Coast, should he utterly abolished.’ 13.. Our State administration is entitled to the respect and support of the people. The governmen* of Indiana is efficiently administered, and more cheaply thau that of any other State. 13. Thatwc recognize the right of colored citizens as well as white to immigrate into Indiana, but wc condemn and denounce the action of the Republican party in importing into this State pauper negroes for the sole purpose of using them as voters. 14. We hereby insaruct our delegates to the >• a tional Convention at Cincinnati to present to that bodv the name of Thomas A. Hendricks as a candidate for President of the United States, one who has at all times faithfully maintained the caused Democratic truth and justice acceptably to the Democracy of the whole Union, thus assuring the election of a Democratic Legislature and United States Senator in 1881, and a fresh, pure and constitutional administration of the General Government. 15. We favor the continuance of the two-thirds rule in the National Convention, and the dele gaies this (lav chosen are hereby instructed to vote for Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks as our candidate for the Presidency, and to vote as a unit on ail questions in said Convention.