The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-09-19
The State Democratic Platform,

based on a supposed condition Of affairs,
which have no foundation in fact. One
might bo led to think, that the men who
adopted this platform, never read the news,
or least have defective memories. They do
not appear to know, whether Andrew john
son is President or not; indeed, they do not
seem to recollect we have President
they appear to have entirely forgotten that
this nation has just passed through one Of
the most terrible struggles ever recorded in
history, to put down q rebellion. They dc
not remember that any of the States have
been in rebellion, and that some of then
still occupy an attitude of hostility to the
rightful government. They do not com
prehend that there have been vast armies Of
traitors, intent on taking the lie of the ma
ton, and that treason is still lurking il
many localities; or if they have any recol-
lections of this sort, they seem now, from
ought that appears in their platform, to be-
lieve traitor just as good as a loyal man,
and that to disfranchise rebel, is a gross
violation Of constitutional rights.
They complain of high taxes, but they
appear to have forgotten that the only al
Tentative presented to the government at
the beginning of the rebellion was to incur
an enormous expense to put it down, or al
low armed treason to destroy the nation.
They do not put themselves on the record
as regulators; how then do they propose to
pay the debts incurred by the Government,
without having the people incur the bur
dens of taxation? They complain of high
tariffs, but how do they expect the Govern
mont to be carried on without revenue
These wiseacres gathered in convention at
Madison, would feign make the simple
mindedbelieve, that if they ouly had the reins
of government, both State and National, they
would in some way relieve the country of
the national debt, and take from the shout
ders Of the people the burdens of tariffs and
taxes. To meet our legitimate and nation
al expenses without levying taxes on the
people, is about as visionary as a railroad to
the moon.
They declare it to be their determined
purpose to oppose and repeal, all "Snconstj
tutjonaI enactments on the subjects of tenn
perance and religion" Well, if we have
unconstitutional laws on these subjects, then
they are of course a dead letter on the stat
ute book, and the courts would declare
them null and void. Since no one wants
unconstitutional laws enforced in these
matters, then wherefore all this noise?
They complain bitterly of the Republi-
cans for abridging the right of suffrage. 1t
is very natural that our democratic friends |
should feel grieyed at the disfranchisement
of southern rebels, since very many of the
members in the democratic convention were |
sympathzers with the rebellion, opposers of
the war, and discouraged Union enlstments
In the army. Whoever will take the pains
to look over the list of delegates, will see
that no small number Of tLen1. were distin
gu'sned ior thH..I1 opposition to the war;
HrrSuIy denounced the draft, and all govern
mental measures for the suppression of in
surrection. We say then, it is not strange
that the democratic platform, does not rec
ognize the fact, that any crime has been
committed by any one against the govern
ment, or any wrongs whatever done by the
rebels. For ought that appears in the dec
larations of the Wisconsin democracy, the
people of the southern insurrectionary
states have for the past six years been as
innocent as lambs; have done nothing what
ever out of the way, and are now grossly
abused, because republicans insist they have
been rebels.
They talk about liberty" and equality
and the elective franchise" but they omit
TO state the fact, that they have always
SHOWN the most determined hostility, to
granting freedom and equality to four mil
lions OF loyal people-people who stood by
the government in the days of its peril, and
fought with bravery for the Union.
The democratic platform adopted by the
oEate convention, will be found in this pa
per, and we ask any man to read the first
hesoIved," which contains long cata-
iogue OF charges against the national reput-
mean party, and say if he can, that there is
single sentiment expressed in the long ar
ray which the most violent rebel now in
ali Tue south, would not readily assent to
were convention of unconstructed fire.
eaters to meet in some corner of Texas or
mississippi, would it be likely to pass reso-
iutlons more dennnciatory, of tie union
party now In power, than their brethren in
convention at Madison have done? Read
the resolution referred to, and judge wheth
er we have overstated or misrepresented
Those great Democratic gains.