Of 
 
 ( The political issues involved in the 
 present campaign are momentous and 
 far-reaching in their influences. The 
 struggle which is being inaugurated in 
 this state is a part of the great move- 
 ment already making its impress upoD 
 the intelligence of the masses in every 
 State of the Union. 
 
 It is the principle of Democracy in 
 its purity of self-government re assert- 
 ing the rights of the people demanding 
 the protection of Government for the 
 weak, as against corrupt and powerful 
 monopolies for whose interests the 
 laws of the country are now wielded 
 exclusively. We ask you to reflect 
 — -deliberately and nonestly upon the 
 present condition of monetary and 
 business affairs. There cannot be an 
 effect without a cause. All classes de- 
 pendent upon labor in its various 
 ‘forms are suffering as they have been 
 for years, and the end is not yet! The 
 people are fearfully in debt, without 
 the means of extricating themselves. 
 The bankruptcies of the past thirteen 
 years number 58,375 with liabilities to 
 the amount of $1,927,448,000. The 
 people of this country have paid in 
 interest on our national debt from 
 June 30th, 1861, to June 30, 1878, the 
 enormeous sum of $1,696,854,901 for 
 ~ cne benefit of those who pay no taxes, 
 and whose wealth represents money de- 
 stroyed , taken out of of our hands and 
 converted into bonds . 
 
 L 1)0 . tiie producing classes propose to 
 keep in power either of the two old 
 parties, who have permitted legislation 
 out of which labor and production 
 have been so unjustly defrauded? For 
 whose benefit has this great sum been 
 drawn out of the resources of tne peo- 
 ple. Do you need to wonder why busi- 
 ness i.s prostrated, who manufacturers 
 
 cease to pay, why your farms are mort- 
 gaged, why your debts are unpaid? 
 Why labor is unemployed and 
 the country filled with tramps,” 
 when you have had taken out of your 
 hands, since.1865, very nearly $2,000,- 
 000,000,000 in currency, which gave 
 you in 1866 $50.76 per capita, and 
 which, through legislation in the in- 
 terests of banks and money lenders 
 has noyr been reduced to less than $15 
 per capita. Dare you think for your- 
 selves! Will you vote in accordance 
 with your true convictions like men? 
 Or are you content to bear the burden 
 of this forced indebtness, paying near- 
 ly all the taxes of the country and all 
 the interest of our national debt for 
 the sole advantage of those who laugh 
 at your stupidity and folly in secret 
 and despise you for your lack of in- 
 dependence and manliness. 
 
 Bead the declaration of principles of 
 the National Greenback Labor party, 
 and see if you cannot honestly and 
 earnestly support them. We are 
 pledged as a party to the interests of. 
 the people. We are determined that 
 the masses shall no longer be deceived 
 by false issues for the benefit of cliques 
 and rings. The truth shall be told 
 you. Your political freedom for the 
 future is in your own hands. Be wise 
 in time for your own security, for our 
 free institutions are in peril. Vote for 
 freedom from aristocratic rule, which 
 uses the many to strengthen and main- 
 tain personal power. Vote for the 
 right to earn an honest and independ- 
 ant living. Vote to make the Diamond 
 State free froih the bondage of rings, 
 that it may become a political power 
 for the advancement of the material 
 and social interests of its citizens. 
 Vote for intelligence, which will no 
 
— 2 — 
 
 longev submit to be bound by the nar- 
 row prejudices of the past. Vote to 
 perpetuate a government of the people 
 which shall be a beacon light to the 
 oppressed of all nations. We are in 
 earnest; not for place or power, but 
 for principles, which alone can save 
 us. If you approve our purposes, we 
 ask your support at the ballot box; be- 
 lieving the day is not far distant when 
 
 Delaware will awaken from her poli 
 ical sleep, to ally herself with tl 
 spirit of progress and the just dernanc 
 of a long suffering people. 
 
 By order of New Castle Cod 
 Executive Committee, 
 
 Albekt H. Weld, Chairma; 
 Thos. O. Cooper, Secretary. 
 
 I 
 
 §Hfatffarm afj the ^utiaml §$reenbac\ 
 Jprfw 0/ fiehwmr. 
 
 Whereas, Our Government, founded 
 upon the principles of individual 
 sovereignty and equal civil and polit- 
 ical rights, means a government of the 
 people, by the people, for the peojple. 
 An embodiment in the organic law of 
 this truth, “that Governments derive 
 all their just powers from the consent 
 of the governed,” making it the first 
 duty of government, which was insti- 
 tuted for the common good to see to it 
 and guard faithfully the natural rights 
 that they be not invaded by selfish- 
 ness. 
 
 b Whereas, By the machination of de 
 signing men, and through the intrigues 
 of politicians the people have been de- 
 ceived as to the real issues involved, 
 and their will disregarded through 
 fraud, bribery and corruption at the 
 ballot box, resulting in the enactment 
 of most unjust laws, partial in their 
 application and effects; building up, 
 strengthening and protecting the few 
 at the expense of the many. Sacrific- 
 ing every principle of true democracy, 
 and ignoring the spirit and interest of 
 American institutions. 
 
 Whereas, Labor. which creates 
 everything, (including capital) and is 
 the protector and preserver of ail, is 
 
 itself unprotected and weak, at 
 mercy of those whom it has elevated 
 power; feeding others, while starviii 
 itself; clothing others in fine liner 
 while itself stands shivering in rags 
 asking alms at the door of those whor 
 it has faithfully served and made rich 
 Whereas, Both the Democratic an< 
 Republican parties are responsible fo 
 these evils, by permitting and foster 
 ing the unfair and wicked legislation 
 out of which the terrible sufferings o: 
 the people have grown, and whereai 
 neither party appear to comprehenc 
 the gravity of the situation, or offe] 
 any wise and effective remedy for tin 
 wrongs inflicted; keeping alive theii 
 party organizations, (while fully ir 
 sympathy with each other in the ob 
 jects fo be accomplished) that the peo- 
 pie may be divided into opposing fac- 
 tions, for the mere purpose of a 
 division of the “spoils ot office,” there 
 by rendering it imperatively necessr 
 that a new party should be organ 
 to secure justice to the people, 
 save the nation from the destructi] 
 which threatens it. As a real rep 1 
 sentative of a people’s government,] 
 real democracy, recognizing the righ 
 of man, and pledged to the protect! 
 
— 3 — 
 
 improvement and highest good of all. 
 
 Therefore, The delegates to the first 
 convention of the National Greenback 
 .Labor party for the State of Delaware, 
 assembled Oct. 17, 1878, at City Hall, 
 in the City of Wilmington, commend 
 to the consideration and support of 
 their fellow*citizens the following de- 
 claration of principles* 
 
 First — As expressed in the language 
 of Daniel Webster, we believe “that 
 the great interests of this country, the 
 producing cause ot all its prosperity, 
 is labor, labor, labor! The govern- 
 ment was made to protect industry, to 
 give to it both encouragement and 
 security. To this very end, with this 
 special object in view, power was given 
 to Congress over the currency and over 
 the money system of the country.” 
 Therefore, as the general government 
 has been entrusted with this constitu- 
 tional prerogative as expressive of the 
 desire and will of the people to de- 
 termine what shall be the monej of the 
 nation ? we demand that this power, 
 invested in Congress by the people, 
 shall be used for the benefit of all, and 
 never delegated to private individuals 
 or corporations, but hereafter be exer-f 
 cised soleiy by the general govern-^ 
 ment, in harmony with American ideas 
 and the spirit of her institutions, in- 
 stead of conforming to the financial 
 systems of Europe, which have built 
 up and perpetuated for centuries the 
 monarchies of the old world at the ex- 
 pense, and to the physical and mental 
 degradation of the masses. 
 
 Second — That national paper money, 
 greenbacks — based upon the entire 
 wealth and integrity of the nation, will 
 constitute the very best medium of 
 exchange the people have ever used, 
 already proved by experience, under 
 the unjust restrictions placed upon it 
 for the purpose of limiting its powers, 
 perfectly effective in supplying every 
 L want -paying debts, and accomplish- 
 ing results for the nation, which have 
 been the wonder and admiration of 
 mankind. 
 
 Third— We demand the immediate 
 calling in of all United States bonds, 
 andpayment ol them, principal and in- 
 terest, in National greenback paper 
 
 money, made a legal tender note for 
 all debts — an absolute money, fully 
 protected and honored by government, 
 thus making them as good as gold, but 
 never to be converted into bonds of 
 any rate or class. 
 
 Fourth — We demand the immediate 
 repeal of the National banking act, and 
 the retirement of its circulating 
 medium — the general government alone 
 to issue money for the benefit of all, 
 and not through or for the enrichment 
 of bankers and the select few. 
 
 Fifth — The public lands belong to 
 all the people, and should be sacredly 
 held in trust for homes of the worthy 
 destitute, and as it is impossible for 
 those who need them most to avail 
 themselves of the privilege of securing 
 them, we advocate government aid to 
 destitute families desirous of settling 
 thereon, in amount sufficient to enable 
 them to cultivate and improve the 
 same, secured by mortgage or property 
 with abundant time for payment. 
 
 Sixth — We demand a, system of just 
 taxation, by which the accumulated 
 wealth of the nation, instead of the in- 
 dustry of the people, shall bear the ex- 
 penses of the government. No prop- 
 erty except what belongs to the gov- 
 ernment should be exempt from bear 
 ing its equitable share of the public 
 burdens, thus superceding our present 
 system of placing the heaviest burdens 
 upon those least able to endure them. 
 
 Seventh — There can be no political 
 freedom to those economically en- 
 slaved. Hence we invite those who 
 
 comprehend this fact, to unite with 
 us at once to secure such legis- 
 lation as will effectually checK the 
 already rapidly increasing and dan- 
 gerous power of corporations and 
 
 idle capital, which is now being used 
 to subvert the liberties of the people. 
 
 Eighth — The Elective franchise is not 
 only a privilege, but a right of Amer 
 ican citizenship, and any attempt to 
 deny its exercise on account of its 
 poverty, making a property qualifica- 
 tion t 4 he test of one’s right to vote, or 
 limiting its action by the “tax receipt” 
 fraud, which may be and is used un- 
 justly in the favor of the party in 
 power. The ballot box should be the 
 
4 — 
 
 i 
 
 expression of a freeman’s will, and feeling men to step in and strip an un - 
 every attempt to pollute or degrade it fortunate debtor of every means o f 
 must be met with severe punishment, self-support, leaving his family desti- 
 Ninth — We advocate a new depar- tute and unprotected, 
 ture from the party cactics, viz: The Thirteenth— A true republic can on- 
 
 office to seek the man, not man the ly be realized and maintained through 
 office. Political purity can only be the education and thorough enligh ten- 
 promoted by adopting such principle ment of the people. Education should 
 of action* be free and industrial. The public 
 
 Tenth — We demand protective tariff cannot afford to have any child grow 
 laws for the benefit of American in- up in ignorance, or taught through the 
 dustries, that free labor may not be false conceptions of society to despise 
 ^degraded by forcing it to compete with any useful, needed manual labor, thus 
 the enslaved millions of Europe. preparing to live dishonestly upon the 
 
 Eleventh — We demand the abolition earnings of others, rather than by hon 
 of all superfluous public offices creat- est personal effort, which develop 
 ed for the favorites of political par- strength of character and true self- 
 tisanship, with enormous salaries, for reliance. 
 
 party purposes, used in capturing pub- Fourteenth — The N. Gr. JL. Party 
 
 lie sentiment and perveting the will of proposes to rescue the government 
 the people for the benefit of politicians, from the grasp of selfish greed *0 re- 
 No infringments of the legal constitn- instate it upon the solid foundations 
 tional rights of the citizen on the part of justice, to make it express in its 
 of public officers, without just punish- administration of law the best and tru- 
 ment. est conceptions of which humanity 
 
 Twelfth — We advocate such modifioa- is capable. Its mission is one of good 
 tion of the laws of this Sts^e, tfyat will to all* Its waten words, “Progress 
 power will no longer be giveSi to 1A1- and Improvement.”