Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1880 — DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

i. the Democracy of Indiana, in Delegate <on re n;ion assembled, congratulate the Deihocrac of Dio country upon tie harmony prevailing witnni us organization, and upon its unanimity in t .te purposes to cast behind it every eccasioii : scunment of discord, and to stand as due man lor sue, ess in 18s#); and ve -.-ire assurance to the le-aiocracy of the country that, accepting the declaration of principles, and purposes, that may be made at Cincinnati, and the candidates who t.i, be there chosen, wo will give to them our earnest, and undivided support. '* *■’ believe tiiat laws should be enacted, executed and administered only for the public good, tino a.l class iegislalion. and all favoritism in the aJluirs ol Government. should be defeated and matteouions; that taxes should be levied justly, if‘‘ 'nc mo t ri _id economy should control public 1 expendmir s; that the elections must be freed lroni the control of the army, and of partisan officials, in i ha: they shall be fair and honest as they ‘’ uco were: that the rightful jurisdiction of the blate C onrts must, be restored, in all cases where it has been usurped by the Federal authority, so ilmr. jn-uc.> maybe administered cheaply and speedily. ' corn and paper money of the country should bo of uniform value, and readily convertin.o, anu should have as great purchasing power ''' • a.*, money of other (irsi class commercial • pun; nes <»i the world, and the paper monev, like i uc imin, should fie furnished by the i Tailed States, - u;l should not he in excess of such qnantitvas ' v i' : be. -mtl remain always, at par y, itit'coin. si. Inasmuch as the outstanding Treasury notes arc no longer necessary to the Government in the use ol ns credit, and are useful only as money, T ‘*ey shorn t, be made subject to taxation, the same as other money. ; , As tax payers, we declare our gratification at Die action of the Democratic members of Congress in reducing public expenditure, and in cuti i mg oil the allowance and payment of questionable and lraudulent claims, resulting in a savin" to I the Treasury of more than 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 t. n't he liberty of the peopie. ; We trill in all fidelity maintain the Constitutional rightsand powers of the United States, and a_s faithfully w© will maintain and vindicate the rights oi the States as reserved to them in the Con stitution. 0. T.lie Legislature of 187 b is entitled to honorable mention for having redeemed the pledges of the Democratic Convention of 1876 to provide by law for the comfort and safety of laborers in the mines, andfor securing their .wages to the persons employed by corporations, and we arc in favor of such further legislation in 'the premises as may lie necessary and proper. We congratulate the people of the State that by the action of the Democrats of the last Legisla

tnre in basing representation on population and contiguity of territory only, the shame and taint ol fraud have been removed from the apportionment of representation, and that now the people will tie equally and fairly represented. 7. The people of Indiana are justly proud of their system of free schools, and will maintain them in their full foree.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 mnniticent fund which they Mve provided shall he used for sectarian or for any other purposes whatever than the support of common schools 8. We are gratified that the Democrats in Congress have acted in respect to bounties and pen sions forsoldiesand their families in the spirit of justice and liberality. !>. We hold up to public detestation the conduct of the leaders in the Republican party in placing llayes and Wheeler, by criminal practices shocking to every hotiest sentiment and damaging to our institutions, in offices to vt hich they were not lee ted. It was an outrage upon fret.-'government, ; and a crime against the elective franchise that can not be forgiven, and must not be repeated,and S for which the guilty parties must he driven from I power and consigned to infamy. And we hold up to public detestation tw conduct of the President in rewarding the guilty parties by conferring 1 upon them high and lucrative offices. To reward i crime is itself criminal. / 10. During the past few years our country has been blessed in a high degree with favorable seasions, and the production of our valuable staples has been enormously in excess- of our own consumption. We have sold to forei n countries many hundred millions more than we have purchased' from them; gold and silver has come to ns; business confidence has been restored, and we have the hopeandpromi.se of good times again. In ail this wcrecogJßizo the blessing of God upon our country, and we denounce it as false and blasphemous when partisan leaders claim that j this is the work of their hands, and that the people should be thankful to them and not grateful to Heaven for our returning ptosperit. .

11. We approve the sentiment expressed by Governor Hendricks in his letter of acceptance in 1870, t hat “the iniquitous coolie system which, through thengency of wealthy companies imports Chinese bondsmen, establishes a species of slavery, and interferes with the just reward of labor on our Pacific Coast, should be utterly abolished.'" 12. Our State adnuni*'.ration Is entitled to the respect and support of the people. The governmen* of Indiana is efficiently administered, and more cheaply thiyi that of any other Slate. 13. That we recognize the right, of colored citi‘ zens as well as white to immigrate Into Indiana, but we condemn and denounce the action of the Republican party in importing into this state pauper negroes for the sole purpose of using tin m as voters. 14. We hereby insaruct our delegates to the National Convention at Cincinnati to present to that body the name of Thomas A. Hendricks as a candidate for President of the United States, one who has at all times faithfully maintained the cause of 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 eon stitutional administration of the General Government. 15. We favor the continuance of the two-thirds rule in the National Convention, and tliedMe gates this day chosen are hereby instructed to vote for lion. Thomas A. Hendricks as our candidate for the Presidency, and to vote as a unit on all questions in said Convention.