Eureka Daily Sentinel

Adopted by the Democratic State Convention, at Virginia City, August 29th, 1876.

We, the Delegates of the Democratic Party of the State of Nevada, in convention assembled, do hereby declare—

First—Our unfaltering and cordial adherence to the declaration of principles contained in the platform of the National Democratic Convention, which convened at St. Louis on the 27th day of June, 1876.

Second—We declare our adherence and our earnest and zealous support to Samuel J. Tilden and Thomas A. Hendricks, the nominees of the National Democracy for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States, and that we view with satisfaction the candidacy of these great representatives of reform, who, if elected, will carry into effect the pledges made in their letters of acceptance and in the platform of the National Democratic Convention.

Third—We declare that we are in favor of maintaining a free public school system, and we are unalterably opposed to any division of the funds thereof, or to any religious or sectarian interference therewith.

Fourth—That religious liberty and separation of Church from State are cardinal doctrines of the Democratic party, and have ever been maintained by it. That we are therefore unalterably opposed to political proscription on account of religious faith and to any interference by any religious sect or creed in the political affairs of the country.

Fifth—We demand of the Federal Government the immediate modification of the treaty with the Empire of China, known as the Burlingame treaty, and such legislation and treaty regulations as shall utterly abolish Chinese immigration to these shores, and we declare that we will support no one for office who is not determined and active in opposition thereto. And we denounce the Republican party as being the author of the present system of coolie importation and Mongolian immigration to our country, through its blundering legislation and administration; and we charge the Republican party with having promoted and fostered and countenanced Chinese immigration by a gross perversion of the meaning, intent and scope of the clause of the Declaration of Independence which declares that "all men are created equal," and we charge that the Republican party is insincere in its declaration of opposition to Chinese immigration, as evidenced by the declaration of its acknowledged leaders in its National Convention at Cincinnati, and as evidenced by the fact that in a neighboring State the leaders of the Republican party have assessed and accepted funds from companies engaged in the coolie traffic for the use and benefit of the Republican party in the pending political campaign.

Sixth—That we view with satisfaction and point with pride to the labors of the present Federal House of Representatives in unearthing corruption and villainy in high places and having in a single year instituted economies whereby the expenses of the Federal government have been reduced more than $30,000,000, notwithstanding the determined opposition and hostility of the leaders of the Republican party in Congress.

Seventh—We favor an economical administration of our State, county and municipal governments; that taxation be so regulated that no surplus revenue be accumulated; that all property including the net proceeds of mines shall bear its equal burden of taxation, and we are opposed to any legislation in any wise exempting such proceeds from taxation.

Eighth—That the Democratic party of this State utterly repudiates the assertion of its favoring the payment of any claims for slaves liberated, or any portion of the Confederate war claims or debt. We recognize the full and final settlement of those questions by the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which provides: "The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debt for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned, but neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void."

Ninth—That we charge upon the Republican Congress the clandestine, surreptitious and fraudulent passing of the act of March, 1873, demonetizing silver. That we denounce that act as an infamous outrage on the debtor class of the United States, resulting as it has in increasing their burdens to the startling amount of over $400,000,000. That we denounce that act as in an extreme degree inimical and disastrous to the people of Nevada by mainly causing the immense depreciation of the value of silver and thereby prostrating and paralyzing the great leading industry of silver mining in this State. That we demand the restoration of the double standard of gold and silver, and we call upon all the people in this State, disregarding minor issues, to solidly support that party which has evidenced by its vote in the present Congress its determination to do us ample justice in this vital question.

Tenth—The rule of the Republican party during the eleven years past has been characterized by corruption and oppression, of which modern despotism furnishes no parallel. Professing to be the party of liberty and progress, it has with armed minions invaded legislative bodies of sovereign States of the Union in violation of the fundamental law, thereby imperiling the existence of free government. While advocating the restoration of fraternal relations with the people of the States of the South, it has misgoverned that unhappy section by means disgraceful to a civilized and Christian age. By the incitement of riot and insurrection it has maintained its supremacy in the South—a supremacy which has entailed prostrate industries, uncultivated fields and general bankruptcy upon a once prosperous people. With loud promises to the country of reform in the civil service, of the reduction of expenditures in the departments of the Government, it has presented to the country and the world the humiliating spectacle of the acquittal of a high officer of the Government successfully impeached for high crimes; of the enforced resignation of cabinet officials, because their purity of character and fearless prosecution of knaves rendered such officials no longer useful to the party managers; of frauds in the Revenue Department perpetrated by their officials, who, instead of punishment for their crimes, are protected by the Chief Magistrate of the nation; of fraud in the Interior Department whereby the "Indian Ring" has purloined the appropriations made by Congress to the Indian tribes, thereby instigating said tribes to war, with its attendant horrors, upon a defenseless frontier; of corruption in the Land Office of the Government whereby decisions disposing of the Homestead, Pre-emption and Mining rights of the citizens have been bought and sold; of fraud in the Navy Department wherein many millions have been expended ostensibly for the maintenance of rotten ships and their armaments, but in reality for the enrichment of its high officials and the campaign purposes of the party. Of fraud in the advancement by the Government of millions of the public moneys to private banking institutions known to be on the verge of bankruptcy. Of corruption in the Executive Department in the appointment of dishonest individuals as United States Judges, Marshals and Revenue officers, by whom the administration of justice has been brought into contempt and the revenue of the people stolen. By the perpetration of these high crimes and misdemeanors by the leaders of the party in power, we claim that it is no longer entitled to the confidence of the American people. We therefore earnestly and cordially invite all men of whatsoever past affiliations, who love their country better than a party name, to unite with us in an effort to restore in the Government of our country those habits of simplicity and purity which characterized the earlier and better days of the Republic.