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

THE DEMOCRATIC CREED.

The N itional Platfom Adopted at 01detnnati and the Resolutions of the Last State Convention. The Offloial Notification of the National Candidates and their Verbal Replies. The letters of Acceptance of General W. S. Hancock and Hon. William H. English. <’ •_ NATIONAL AND STATE PLiTFOBMS. National Democratic Platform Adopted at Cincinnati June 24, 1880. The Democrats of tbe United States in ventlon assembled declare: . I. We pledge ourselves anew to tne oonßii- , tntional doctrines and traditions of the Democratic party as Illustrated by the teaching and example of along line °* men and patriots, and embodied In the Platform of the last National Convention of tbe to centralization, and to. that dangerous spirit of encroachment which tends to consolidate in one, and thus to create Whatever the form of government a real despotism ; nd sumptuary laws; separation ot church and State for tbe good of each; commqn schools fostered and protected. Ta. Home rule, honest money, consisting of gold and silver and paper convertible into Join on demand; the strict maintenance of the public faith, State and National, and a tanfT lor revenue only. I 4. The snborulnatlon of the military to the Civil power, aiui a genuine and thorough re form of the civil service. The right to a free ballot Is a right preservative of all rights, and fnlist and shall be maintained in every part of the United states. 6. The existing administration Is the representative of conspiracy only, and Its claim of right to surround the ballot-boxes with troops and Deputy Marshals to Intimidate and obstruct the electors, and the Unprecedented use of the veto to maintain Its corrupt -and despotic Dower, insults the people and Imperils their institutions. e. we execrate the course of this administration In making places In the civil service a reward for political crime, and demand a reform by statute, which shall make It forever impossible for a defeated candidate to bribe his way to the seat of a usurper by billeting (villains upon the people. 7. The great fraud of 1876-7, by which, upon a false count of the electoral votes of two 3tates, the candidate defeated at the poll* was declared to be President, and for the first time an American history the will of the peoplwas set aside under a threat of military vio !ence, struok a deadly blow at our system of (representative government. The Democratic party, to preserve the country from the horrors of a civil war, submitted for the time In the firm and patriotic belief that the people would punish this crime In 1880. This Issue precedes and dwarfs every other. It imposes a more sacred duty upon the people of the' Union than ever addressed the consolsnces of a Nation of freemen. 8. The resolution of Samuel J. Tilden not again to he a candidate for the exalted place to which he was elected by a majority of h s countrymen, and from which he was excluded by the leaders of the Republican party, is received by the Democrats of the United States with deep sensibility, and they declare their oonfldenoe in his wisdom, patriotism and Integrity unshaken by the assaults of the common enemy; and they further assure him that he is followed Into the retirement he has chosen for himself by the sympathy and respect of his fellow-citizens, who regard him ns one who, by elevating the standardof the public morality and adorning and purifying the public service, merits the lasting gratitude ol his country and his party. 9. Free snips and a living chance for Amenoan commerce upon the seas, on the land; no discrimination in favor of transportation lines, corporations or monopolies. 10. Amendment of the Burlingame treaty; nomore Chinese immigration except for travel education and foreign commerce, and therein carefully guarded. 11. Public money and public credit for puolic purposes solely* and public land for actual settlers. . 12. The Democratic party is the friend of labor and the laboring man, and pledges itself to protect him, alike against the cormorants and the Commune. 13. We congratulate the country upon the honesty and thrift of a Democratic Congress, which has reduced the public expenditure •40400,000 a year; upon the continuance of prosperity at home and the National honor abroad, and, above all, upon the promise of sttch a change in the administration of the Government as shall insure a genuine and lasting reform jn every department of the public service. Resolutions Adopted by the Democratic State Convention of Indiana, at Indianapolis, Jtlne 0.1880.

1. We, the Democracy of Indiana, in Delegate Convention assembled, congratulate tbe Democracy of ■ the country upon the harmony prevailing within its organization, and upon its unanimity In the purpose to oast behind it every occasion and sentiment ol discord, and to stand as one man for success in 1886; 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 wifi give to them onr earnest and undivided support. 2. We belleve mat laws should be enacted, executed and administered only for tbe public good, and all class legislation, and all favoritism in the affairs of Government should be defeated and made odious; that taxes should be levied justly, and the most rigid economy should control public expenditures; that elections must be freed from tbe control of the army, and of partisan officials, in that they shall be fair and honest as they once! were; that the rightful jurisdiction of tbq Btate Courts must be restored, in all cases where it has been usurped by the Federal au] thority, so that justice may be administered oheaplyand speedily. 3. The coin and paper money of the couni should be of uniform, value, and readily con, vertlble; 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 tbe United States, and should not be in excess of such quantity as will be, and remain always, at pay with coin. 4. Inasmuch as the outstanding Treasury note* are no longer necessary to the Govern 1 ment In th* use of Its credit, and are useful ohlf a 8 money, they should be made subject to taxation, the > same as other money. As tax payers, we declare our gratification at the action of the Democratic members of Congress in reducing public expenditure, ana in cutting Off the allosmnoe aud payment of questionable and fraudulent claims, resulting in k saving to,tbe Treasury of more than •lOo.UuO.qpq. 5. we'wln'sta'nd with all our might against the aggression of the Republican leaders upon the rights ot the States, made for the pnrpoae ol building np a strong central power, dangerous to-the liberty of the people. We will In ap fidelity maintain the Constitutional rights and powers of the United States, and as faithfolly we will maintain and vindicate thje rights of the States as reserved to them in tire Constitution. ! 6(1 The Legislature of 1879 is entitled to honorable mention, for having redeemed toe pledges df the Democratic Convention of 1876 to provide by law for the comfort and safety of laborero-ln the mines, and for securing their wages to the persons employed by corporations, and we atfe ih favor of snoh farther legislation In the jpremises as may be necessary,and proper. We congratulate the people at the State that by the action of the Democrats qf the last Legislature in basing representation on ipopulation and oontiguity of territory only, the shame and taint of fraud have been removed from the apportionment of representation, and that now the people will beeqnaUyand 1 airly represented. !j 7. The people pf Indiana are justly proud ot their system of free schools, and will maintain them in full force and usefuinets. and to that end we must see to it that the management 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 suppor t of common schools. 8. We are gratified that the Democrats In Congress nave acted In respect to, bounties

and pensions for soldiers and their famllles ln the spirit of Justice and liberality. 9. We hold up to public detestation the bonducl of the leaders in the Republican party In placing Hayes and Wheeler, by criminal prao* Floes shocking to every Honest sentiment and damaging to onr Institutions, In offices to which they were not eleeted. It was ah outrage anon 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. Andwehold up to public detestation the 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 yearn our oountry has been blessed in a high degree with favorable seasons, and tbe production of our valna ble staples has been enormously in excess of our own consumption. We have sold to for-, elgn countries many hundred millions more than we nave purchased from them; gold and silver has come to us; 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 odr ' country, and we denounce it As false and blasphemous when partisan leaders claim that this Is the work of their hands, and that the people, should be thankful to tnem and not grateful to Heaven for out retaining prosperity. « r 11. We approve the sentiment expressed by Governor Hendricks In his letter of acceptance la 1876, that “the iniquitous coolie system which, through the agency of wealthy companies imports Chinese bondmen, establishes a species of slavery, and interferes With the just reward of labor on our Paclflo Ooast.should be utterly abolished. ” 12. Our State administration Is entitled tp the respect and support of the people. The gov-, etnment of Indiana Is efficiently administered, and more cheaply than that of any other State. 13. We recognize the right of colored citizens as well as white to immigrate into Indiana, but we condemn and denounce the action of the Republican party jin Importing into this State pauper negroes for the sole purpose of using them as voters. 14. We hereby Instruct our delegates to th* National Convention at Cincinnati to present to that body the name of Thomas A. Heq dricks as a candidate for President of the United States, one who has at all times faith-, fully maintained the cause of Democratic truth add Justice acceptably to the Democracy df 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 i Government. lb. We favor the continuance of the twothirds rule In the National Convention, and the delegates this day chosen are hereby ihstructed to vote for Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks as our candidate for the Presidency, and to vote as a unit on all questions in said Convention,