Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-06-27
RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, JUNE q, 1867.
Platform of the Louisiana Repub-
liCaus.

questions OF the dsy, which from the
reports received are decidedly radical,
even to an extreme. Upon questions OF
local importance IN that State they as
sert views which are somewhat new in
the political issues of other States. The
platform adopted asserts determination
to advocate and enforce perfect equality
under the law to all men, without dis
tinction OF race or color. The purpose
of reconstructlng Louisiana upon the
Congressional basis of the military bills
OF the Thirty. ninth and Fortieth Con-
gress, is forcibly expressed in the reso-
luton TO send TO the National Legisla-
ture only true and loyal men, who favor
that plan of reorganization. 1t is also
announced that those only will be sup
ported for office who will enforce perfect
equality and the right to hold office irres-
pective Of color, and insisting upon the
same freedom in the right to vote and
enter the jury box, without any restric'
tions as to educational or property quail
iflcations also providing that the right
to practice all professions, to buy and
sell and enter iuto any and all civil con-
tracts on the same political conditions.
The pledge is made to aid the govern
ment in paying the last dollar Of the
public debt The platform further con.
dennis the amnesty proclamation Of
President Johnson, believing the dis
reimbursement OF rebels to be the highest
duty Of the general government, and
favoring the maintenance Of sufficient
military force in Louisiana to secure the
proper enforcement Of the laws and give
protection to life and property. Among
the declarations included in the platform
is the principle that no man shall be
supported for Office who will not openly
and boldly pledge himself to make equal
distribution among white and colOred
alike Of all offices to which he may have
the power Of appointment, and as the
newly enfranchised citizens constitute a
majority of the party, at least one-half
the nominations shall be taken from that
class, providing they are loyal, capable
and honest. They resolve to discounten-
ance any attempt on the part Of any
race or class to assume practical control
of any branch of the government to the
exclusion Of any race or class.
Among the enunciations Of the plat
form which have more immediate local
bearing, are that they will favor the
granting of immediate assistance by the
government for rebuilding the levees
upon the Mississippi River, which have
caused such destruction Of property
to the people of that State, and the
management of which, by local authOri-
ties, has been prevalent source Of
corruption and speculation. Emigra-
ton and division of the lands Of the
State into small farms, is advocated in
order that the masses of the people may
be enabled to become land holders. The
extreme position is taken, that if the
cotton tax is not repealed by Congress, it
will be demanded as right, that class
legislation be abolished and taxes laid on
all the productive wealth Of the country
and ask that the products of agriculture,
mines and manufactures, be equally and
fairly taxed. Equality in the edu-
cation of the children of the State, and
the enforcement of the eight hour sys-
tenn Of labor, except in cases of special
contracts, is advocated, and thorough
revision of the laws of the State, 8uaran-
teeing equal justice to colored and white
citizens, is recommended.
The proposition for the repeal Of the
cotton tax, although we have classed it
as local, yet is national in its impor-
tance and seems to US to smack little
Of the whip and spur doctrine of former
days, and evinces spirit not at all
COMFORTING with the general tenor
of the principles embodied In the
platform. That there is vast differ
ence between the principle involved in
the taxation of the cotton crop, and that
Of the products Of agriculture is evident
to all who consider the subject in it's
various relations, and Congress, after
fair and deliberate consideration, made
the distinction which they deemed to be
just, although the tax upon that single
production, perhaps, ought to be d.
minished, as being to high in proper
ton to it's relative value in the scale of
productions. The spirit and tone of this
resolution mars the otherwise harmo-
NOUS and just proportions of the plat
form Of our Louisiana friends. If the
people Of that State shall generally &C
quiese in the principles ennunciated by
the resolutions of the Convention it be-
tokens new era in the political condi-
ton of the South, which indicates their
readiness to work in harmony with the
great Union Republican party.
Washington Items.