204 THE GROUNDSWELL. 



the road came increased immigration. The farmer again 

 had a home maket ; he could again, in great measure, deal 

 without the intervention of a middle man. Other towns 

 sprang up, and other immigration followed. Other rings 

 were formed, and the farmer again found himself on rela 

 tively-losing ground, although not so badly off as before.&quot;) 



THE CENTKALIA, ILLS., CONVENTION. 



The feeling that relief must be had finally gained such 

 strength that a general convention or congress was called, 

 and held at Centralia, on the fifteenth of September, 1858. 

 The discussions of this body were earnest in tone and com 

 prehensive in scope. They resulted in the following plat 

 form, declaration of principles, and plan of operations : 



FARMER S PLATFORM OF 1858. 



&quot; We believe that the time has come when the producing classes 

 should assert, not only their independence, but their supremacy ; 

 that non-producers can not be relied upon as guarantees of fairneas ; 

 and that laws enacted and administered by lawyers are not a true 

 standard of popular sentiment. 



&quot; We believe that a general application to commerce of the prin 

 ciple that the majority should rule, would increase the income and 

 diminish the outlay of producers, and, at the same time, elevate the 

 standard of mercantile morality. 



&quot; We believe that the producer of a commodity and the purchaser 

 of it should, together, have more voice in fixing its price than he 

 who simply carries it from one to the other. 



&quot; We believe that the true method of guarding against commer 

 cial revulsions is to bring the producer and consumer as near to 

 gether as possible, thus diminishing the alarming number and the 

 more alarming power of non-producers. 



