r
'he Eugene City Guard.
SUPPLEMENT.
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM-
KeMlatlona Adopt bjr the Domorralle
Party at tha Natloaal Canveu-
tiaa r iNM.
The Democratic party of the Union,
through its representatives in National
Convention assembled, reooguizes that, as
the nation grows older, new issues are
born of time and progress, and old issues
perish; bat the fundamental principles of
the Democracy, approved by the united
voice of the people, remain, and will ever
remain, as the best and the only security
for the continuance of free government,
the preservation of personal rights, the
equality of all citizens before the law.
The reserved rights of lhe States and the
supremacy of the Federal Government,
within the limits of the Constitution, will
ever form the true basis of our liberties,
and can never be surrendered without de
stroying that bulauoe of rights and powers
which enables a continent to be developed
in peace, and social order to be maintained
by means of local self-government. But
it is indispensable, for the practical appli
cation and enforcement of these fundamen
tal principles, that the Government should
not always be controlled by one political
party. Frequent change of administration
is as necessary as constant recurrence to
the popular will. Otherwise abuses grow
in the Government instrumentality for im
posing heavy burdens on the rcany, who
are governed for the benefit of the few who
govern, and publio servants thus become
arbitary rulers: This is now the condition
of the country hence a change is de
manded. The Republican party, so far as
principle is concerned, is a reminiscence;
in practice it is an organization for enrich
ing those who control its machinery. The
frauds and jobbery which have been
brought to light in 'every department of
the Government are sufficient to have
called for reform within the Republican
party; yet those in authority, made reck
less by the long possession of power, have
sucoumbed to its corrupting iufluenoe and
have plaocd in nomination a tioket against
wbtoh the independent portion of the party
are in open revolt. Therefore a change is
demanded. Such a ' change was a like
necessity in 187C, but the will of the peo
ple was then defeated by a fraud which can
never be forgotteu nor condoned. Again
in 1880, the change demanded by the peo
nle was defeated br the lavish use of
money, contributed by unscrupulous con
tractors and shameless jobbers, who had
bargained for unlawful profits or for high
office. The Republican party, during its
legal, its stolen and its bought tenures of
power, has steadily decayed in moral char
acter and political capacity. Its platform
promises are now a list of its past
failures. It demands the restoration of
our navy; it has squandered hundreds of
millions to create a navy that does not ex
ist; it calls upon Congress to remove the
burdens under which American shipping
has been depressed; it imposes and has
continued those burdens; it professes a
preference for free institutions; it organ
ized and tried to legalize a control of State
eleotions by Federal troops; it professes a
desire to elevate labor; it has subjected
American workingmen to the competition
of convict and imported contract labor; it
professes gratitude to all who were disabled
or died in the war, leaving widows and
orphans. It left to a Democratic House
of Representatives the first effort to equal
ize both bounties and pensions. It proffered
a pledge to correct the irregularities of our
tariff; it created and continued them. Its
own Tariff Commission confessed the need
of more than 20 per cent reduction; its
Congress gave a reduction of less than 4
per cent. It professes the protection of
Amerioan manufacturers; it has subjected
them to an increasing flood of manu
factured goods and a hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations, not one of
which taxes raw materials. It professes to
protect all American industries; it has im
poverished the many to protect a few. It
professes the protection of American
labor; it has depleted the returns of Ameri
can agriculture, an indnstry followed by
half of our people. It professes the equal
ity of all citizens before the law; attempting
to fix the status of colored citizens, the
Acts of its Congress were overset by the
decisions of its Courts. It " accepts anew
the duty of leading in the work of progress
and reform;" its caught criminals are per
mitted to escape through contrived delays
or actual connivance in the prosecution.
Honey-combed with corruption, outbreaking
'exposures no longer shock its moral sense.
Its honest members, its independent
journals no longer maintain a successful
contest for authority in its counsels or a
veto on bad nominations. That change is
necessary is proved by an existing surplus
of more than 1 100,000,000, which has yearly
been collected from suffering people.
Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation.
sxcnsrvB this.
We denounce the Republican party for
having failed to relieve the people from
crushing war taxes, which have paralyzed
business, crippled industry and deprived
labor of employment and of just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify the
Administration from corruption, to restore
economy, to revive respect for law, and to
reduce taxation to the lowest limit con
sistnnt with due regard to the preservation
of the faith of the nation to its creditors
and pensioners. Knowing full well, how
ever, that legislation affecting the occupa
tions of the people should be cautious and
conservative in method not in advance of
publio opinion, but responsive to it the
Democratic party is pledged to revise the
tariff in a spirit of fairness to all interests,
but in making a reduction in taxes it is not
proposed to injure any domestio industries
but rather to promote their henlty growth
From the foundation cf this Government,
the taxes collected at the Custom-house
have been the chief source of Federal rev
euue, and so they must continue to be.
Moreover, many industries have come to
rely upon legislation for their successful
continuance, so that any change of law
must be at every step regardful of the
labor and capital thus involved. The pro
cess of reform must be subject in its execu
tion to this plain dictate of justice. All
taxation shall be limited to the requirements
of economical government. The necessary
reduction in taxation can and must be ef
fected without depriving American labor
of the ability to compete successfully with
foreign labor and without imposing lower
rates of duty than will be amplo to cover
any increased oost of production which
may exist in consequence of the higher rate
of wages prevailing in this country. Suffi
cient revenue to pay all expenses of the
Federal Government, economically admin
istered, including pensions, interest and
principal of the publio debt, can be got
under our present system of taxation from
custom-house taxes on fewer imported arti
cles, bearing heaviest on articles of luxury
and bearing lightest on articles of necessity.
We therefore denounce the abuses of the
existing tariff and demand that it bo sub
jected to these limitations. We demand that
Federal taxation shall be exclusively for
publio purposes and shall not exceed the
needs of Government, economically admin
istered.
INTERNAL BEVEMUI.
The system of direot taxation known as
the " Internal Revenue," is a war tax, and
so long as the law continues, the duty de
rived therefrom should be sacredly devoted
to the relief of the people from the remain
ing burdens of the war, and be made a
fund to defray the expense of the care and
comfort 'of worthy soldiers disabled in the
line of duty in the wars of the republic,
and for the payment of such pensions as
Congress may from time to time grant to
such soldiers, a like fund for the Bailors
having been already provided, and any
surplus should be paid into the Treasury.
A BBOAD CONTINENTAL POLICY.
We favor an American continental policy,
based upon more intimate commercial and
political relations witn the fifteen sister
republics of North, Central and South
America, but entering into alliances with
none.
COIN AND CUBBKNCT.
We believe in honest money; gold and
and silver coinage, and a circulating medium
convertible into such money.
EQUAL JUSTICE TO ALL.
While asserting the equality of all men
before the law, we hold that it is the duty
of the Government in its dealings with the
people to mete out equal and exact justice
to all citizens of whatever nativity, race,
color or persuasion, religious or political.
NO TBOOF8 AT TBI POLLS.
We believe in a free ballot and a fair
count, and we recall to the memory of the
people the noble struggle of the Demo
crats in the Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth
Congresses, by which a reluotant Repub
lican Administration was compelled to as
sent to legislation making everywhere il
legal the presenoe of troops at the polls, as
the conclusive proof that a Democratic Ad
ministration will preserve liberty with
order.
TIBRITOBUL omclBS.
The selection of Federal officers for the
Territories should be restricted to citizens
previously resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which vex
the citizen and interfere with individual
liberty.
We favor honest Civil Service reform in
the compensation of all United States offi
cers by fixed salaries.
CHUBCH AND STATE SI PA SATS.
We favor the separation of Church and
State and the diffusion of free education
by common schools, so that every child in
the land may be taught the rights and du
ties of citizenship.
BIGHTS OP PBOPIBTT PBESEBVKD.
While we favor all legislation which will
tend to the equitable distribution of prop
erty, to the prevention of monopoly and to
the strict enforcement of individual rights
against corporate abuses, we hold that the
welfare of society depends on a scrupulous
regard for the rights of property, as defined
by law.
BIOHTS OP LA BOS.
We believe labor is best rewarded where
it is freest and most enlightened. It
should be Joetered and cherished. We ft
be Joateredi
vor the repeal of all laws restricting the
free action of labor and the enaotment of
laws by which labor organization may be
increased, and all such legislation as will
tend to enlighten the people as to the true
relations of capital and labor.
PBEHEBVATION OP PUBLIO LANDS.
We believe that the publio lands ought,
as far as possible, be kept as homesteads
for actual settlers. That all unearned
lands heretofore improvidently granted to
railroad corporations by the action of the
Republican party should be restored to the
publio domain and no more grauta shall
be made to corporations, or be allowed to
fall into the ownership of alien absentees,
AOAINST CENTRALIZATION.
We are opposed to all propositions
which, upon any pretext, would convert
the General Government into a machine
for the collection of taxes to be distributed
among the Slates or the citizens thereof
in repeating the declaration of the Demo
cratic platform of 1856 that, "The liberal
principles embodied by Jefferson in the
Declaration of Independence and sanc
tioned in the Constitution, which make
ours the land of liberty and tho asylum of
the oppressed of every nation, have ever
been the cardinal principles iu the Demo
emtio faith. We nevertheless do not sanc
tion the importation of foreign lalior or
the admission of servile rnoes, unfitted by
habits, training, religion or kindred, for
absorption into the great body of our peo
ple, or fear the citizenship which our laws
confer. American civilization demands
that, against the immigration or imports
tion of Mongolians to these shores, our
gates be closed.
BIOHTS OP NATURALIZED CITIZENS,
With the Democratic party we insist
that it is the duty of the Government to
protect with equal fidelity and vigilance the
rights of its citizens, native and natural
ized, at home and abroad, and to the end
that this protection may be assured,
United States papers of naturalization,
issued by courts of competent juris
diction, mutt be respected by the execu
tive and legislative departments oi our
own Government, and by all foreign pow
ers. It is an imperative duty of this Gov
ernment to efficiently protect all the rights
of her sons and the property of every Am
erican citizen in foreign lands, and demand
and enforce full reparation for any in
vasion thereof. An American citizen is
only responsible to bis own Government
for any act done in hiB country or un
der her flag and law, and oan only be tried
therefore on her own soil and according to
her laws; and no power exists in this Gov
ernment to expatriate an American citizen
to be tried in any foreign land for any
such act. This country bas never had a
well-defined and educated foreign policy,
save nnder a Democratio Administration
That policy has ever been, in regard to
foreign nations, so long as they do not act
detrimental to the interests of the country,
or hurtful to our oitizens, but let them
alone. As the result of this policy we re
call the acquisition of Louisiana, Florida,
California, and of the adjacent Mexican
territory, by purchase alone, and contrast
these grand acquisitions of Democratic
statesmanship with tho purchase of Alaska,
the sole fruit of a Republican administra
tion of nearly ft quarter of a century.
The General Government should care for
and improve the Mississippi river and other
great water-ways of the Republio, so as to
secure for the interior States easy and
cheap transportation to tide water.
DECAY OP COMHEBCB
Under a long period of Democratio pol
icy our merchant marine was fast over
taking, and on the point of outstripping
that of Great Britain. Under twenty
years of Republican rule and policy our
commerce bas been lost to the British, and
almost has the American flag been kept off
the high seas. Instead of the Republican
party's British policy, we demand for the
people of the United States an American
policy. Under Democratic rule and policy
our merchants and sailors were flying the
stars and stripes in every port, successfully
searching out markets for the varied pro
ducts of American industry. Under a
quarter of a century of Republican rule
and policy, despite our manifest advan
tages over all other nations in high-paid
labor, favorable climates and teeming soils
despite freedom of trade among all these
United States despite their population of
the foremost races of men and the annual
immigration of the thrifty and adventur
ous of all nations despite our freedom
here from the inherited burdens of life
and industry in the old world monarchies,
their costly war navies, their vast tax-consuming
standing armies despite twenty
years of peace, the Republican rule and
policy have managed to surrender to Great
Britain, along with our commerce, the con
trol of the markets of the world. Instead
of the Republican party's British policy
we demaSd, on behalf of the American
Democracy, an American policy; instead
of the Republican party's discredit,
shame and false pretense cf friendnbip to
American labor expressed by imposing
Iiim wi demand, in behalf of the Demo
cracy, freedom for American labor, by re
ducing taxes, to the end that those United
States may oompeto with unhindered Pow
ers for the permanency, among nations, of
all the arts of eace and fruits of liberty.
TU.DKN.
With profound regret we hnve been ap
prised by the venerable statesman through
whose person was struck that blow at the
vital principle of the republio, acquies
cence in the will of the majority, that he
cannot permit us again to place iu his
hands the leadership of the Democratio
hosts for the reason that the achievement
of reform in the administration of the
Federal Government ia an undertaking
now too heavy for his age ' and failing
strength. Rejoicing that his life bas been
prolonged until the general judgment of
our follow countrymen is united iu the
wish that that wrong was righted iu his
person, for the Democracy of the United
States we offer to him in his withdrawal
from the canvass, not ouly our respectful
sympathy and esteem, but also that best
homage of freemen, the pledge of our de
votion to the principles: and the course
now inseparable in the historv of this re
publio, from the leadership aud the name
of Sam lei J. Tilden.
SUBMITTED TO THU PEOPLE.
With this statement of the hones, prin
ciples ' and purposes of the Democratio
party, the great issue of reform arid
change iu the Administration la submitted
to the people, in calm oonfldenoe that the
popular voice will prououuoe in favor of
new men and new aud more favorable con
ditions for the growth of industry, the ex
tension of trade, the employment and due
reward of labor and of capital, and the
general welfare of the country.
CLEVELAND'S LETTER
Arreptlnc Ilia Nomination of th Dcme-
rratlr Party.
Gentlemen: I have recoived your
communication dated July 28, 1884,
informing me of my nomination to
the office of President of the United
States, by tho National Democratic
Convention, lately nssemblod at
Chicago. I accopt the nomination
with grateful appreciation of the
supreme honor conferred and a sol
emn sense of the responsibility
which, in its acceptance, I assume.
I have carefully considered the plat
form adopted by the convention and
cordially approve the Banie. So
plain a statement of Democratic
faith and the principles upon which
that party appeals to the suffrages of
the people noods no supplement
or explanation. It should be re-
momberod that the office of Presi
dent is essentially executive in its
nature. The laws enacted by the
legislative branch of the Govern
ment the Chief Executive is bound
faithfully to enforce. Whon the
wisdom of the political party which
selects one of its members as a nom
inee for that office has outlined its
policy and declared its principles, it
seems to me that nothing iu the
character of the office or the neces
sities of the caso requires mere
from the candidate accepting such
nomination than the suggestion of
certain well-known truths so abso-
utely vital to the safety and wel
'ure of the nation that they cannot
be too often recalled or too soriously
enforced.
OUB GOVERNMENT.
We proudly call ours a Govern
ment by the people. It is not such
when a class is tolerated which arro
gates to itself the management of
public affairs, seeking to control
the people instead of representing
them. Parties are the necessary
outgrowth of our institutions, but
Government cannot be by the
people whon one party fastens its
control upon the country and per
petuates its power by cajoling and
Botraying the people instead of serv
ing them. A Government is not
by the people when a result which
should represent the intelligent will
of free-thinking men is or can be
determined by the shameleBsness of
their suffrages. When an election
to office shall be the selection by the
voters of one of their number, to
assume for a time a public trust, in
stead of his dedication to the pro
fession of politics; when the holdors
of ballots, quickened by a sense of
duty, shall avenge truth betrayed
and pledges broken, and when the
suffrages shall be altogether free
and uncorrupted, the full realization
of a Government by the people will
be at hand.
nvoa or okk term.
And of the means to this end,
not one would, in my judgment, be
more effective than an amendment
to the Constitution disqualifying
tho President from re-election.
When we considor the patronage of
the great office, the allurements of
power, the temptation to retain pub
lio placo onco gained and more than
all, the availability a party finds in
an incumbent whom a horde of
offico-holdors, with a zeal born of
bonofits received and fostcrod by
the hope of favors'yet to come, stand
ready to aid with money and trained
political service, we recognize in the
eligibility of the Presidont for re
election a most serious danger to
that calm, deliberate and intelligent
political action which . must charac
terize a Government by the people.
LAHOU AND NATIONAL PROSPERITY.
A true Amorican sentiment rocog
nizes the dignity of labor, and the
fact that honor lies in honost toil
makes coutentod labor an element
of national prosperity. Ability to
work constitutes the capital and the
wages of labor the income of a vast
number of our population, and this
interest should be joalously pro
tected. Our workingmen are not
asking unreasonable tornis, but, as
intelligent citizens they sock the
same consideration which those do
mand who haveothor interests at
stake. They should, receive the
full Bhare of the care and attention
of those who make and execute the
laws, to the end that the wants and
the needs of the employers and
employees should alike bo subserved
and tho prosperity of the country,
the common heritage of both, be
advanced. As rolated to this sub
ject while we Bhould not discourage
the immigration of those who come
to acknowledge allegiance to our
Government and add to our coun
try's population, yet, as a means of
protection to our workingmen, a dif
ferout rule should prevail concern'
ing those who, if they come or are
broughj to our land, do not intend
to become Americans, but will in
juriously compete with those juatly
entitled to our labor.
CARE FOIt TU8 WORKINOMEN.
In a lettor accepting he noraina
tion to the offico of Govornor,
nearly two years ago, I made the
following statement, to which I have
steadily adhered: "The laboring
classes constitute the main part of
our population. They should be
protected in thoir efforts peaceably
to assort thoir rights when endan
gered by capital, and all statutes on
this subject should recognize the
care of the State for honest toil, and
be framed with a view of improving
the condition of the workingmen,
a proper caro for the working
mon being inseparably connected
with the integrity of our institutions.
None of our citizens are more
interested than they in guarding
against any corrupting influences
which soek to pervert the bencficont
purposes of our Government, and
none Bhould be more watchful of the
fearful machinations of those that
allure them to self-inflicted injury.
In a free country, the curtailment of
the absolute rights of the individual
should only be such as is essontial
to the peace and good order of the
community. The limit between tho
proper subjects of governmental con
trol and those which can be more
fittingly left to the moral sense and
self-imposed restraint of the citizens
should be carefully kept in view.
Thus laws unnecessarily interfering
with the habits and customs of any
one of our people which are not of
fensive to the moral sentiments of
the civilized world aud which are
consistent with good citizenship and
the publio welfare are unwise and
vexatious."
COMMERCE AND GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
rri m
ine commerce oi a nation to a
great extent determines its suprem
acy. Cheap and easy transportation
should therefore be liberally fostered
within the limits of the Constitution,
and the General Government Bhould
so improve and protect its natural
waterways an will enable the pro
ducers of the country to reach a
profitable market
The people pay the wages of the
publio employees, and they are en
titled to the fair and honest work
which the money thus paid should
command. It is the duty of those
entrusted with the management of
affairs to see that such publio service
is forthcoming. The selection and
retention of subordinates in govern
ment employment should depend
upon their ascertained fitness and
tho value of their work, and they
Bhould be neither expected nor al
lowed to do questionable party sor
vico. The interest of the people
will be better protected, the estimate
of publio labor and duty will be im
mensely improved, if publio employ
ment bo open to all who demonstrate
thoir fitness to enter it Then
the unseemly scramble for office
undor the Government with the con
sequent importunity which embitters
official life will cease, and the publio
departments will not be filled with
those who concoive it to be their
first duty to aid the party to which
they owe their place, instead of ren
dering patient and honest return to
the people.
AN HONEST. PLAIN ADMINISTRATION
DEHIRED.
I believe that the publio temper is
such that the voters of the land are
propured to support the party which
gives the boat promise of adminis
tering the Government in the honest,
simple and plain manner whioh is
consistent with its character and
purposes. They have learned that
myatory and conooalment in the
management of their affairs cover
trioka and betrayal. The statesman
ship they require consists in honesty
and frugality, a prompt response to
the noods of the people as they arise,
and the vigilant protection of all
thoir varied interests.
If I should be called to the Chief
Magistracy of the nation by the
suffrages of my fellow-citizens, I will
assume the duties of that high office
with a solemn determination to ded
icate every effort to the country's
good, and with an humble reliance
upon the favor and support of the
Superior Being who, I believe, will
always bless honest human endeavor
in the conscientious disoharge of
publio duty.
G rover Cleveland.
To Col. William Vilas, Chairman,
and D. P. Bostor and others, meni
bors of the Notification Committee
of the Democratic National Conven
tion. HENDRICKS' LETTER
AertBtlag the Nomlaatlaa af tha Danta
(ratio Party,
Indianapolis, August 20, 1884.
Gentlemen: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your
communication notifying me of my
nomination by the Democratio Con
vention at Chicago as a candidate for
the office of Vice-President of the
United States. I repeat what I
said on another occasion, that it is a
nomination which I had neither ex
pected nor desired, and yet I recog
nize and appreciate the high honor
done me by the convention. The
choice of such a body, pronounced
with such unusual unanimity, and
accompanied with so generous an
expressioh of esteem and confidence,
ought to outweigh all my personal
desires and all preferences of my
own. It is from a aecp sense of
public duty that I now accept the
nomination, and shall abide by the
judgment of my countrymen. I
have examined with care the declar
ation of principles adopted by the
convention, a copy of which you
have submitted to me, and in their
sum and substance I heartily en
dorse and approve the same. I am,
gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
T. A. Hendricks.
To the Hon. Wm. F. Vilas, Chair
man, Nicholas M. Bell, Socretary,
and others of the Committee of the
National Democratio Committe,