Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-07-15
Democratic Platform.


the great National Democratic Convention. 1t
is broad and comprehensive, and every true
lover Of Constitutional liberty can stand and
make good fight thereon:
The Democratic party, in National Oonven-
ton assembled, reposing its trust in the intel.
ligence, patriotism and discriminating justice
of the people, standing upon the Constitution
as the foundation and limitation of the pow
ers of the government and the guaranty OF
the liberties of the citizen, and recognizing
the questions Of slavery and secession as hav-
ing been settled for all time to come by the
war or the voluntary action of the Southern
States in Constitutional Conventions assem-
bled, and never to be. renewed or reagitated,
do, with the return Of peace, demand
First. Immediate restoration Of all the
States to their rights in the Union under the
Constitution, and of civil government to the
American people.
Second. Amnesty for all past political Of
fences and the regulation of the elective fran.
chise in tue States by their citizens.
Third Payment of the public debt of the
United States as rapidly as practicable. All
moneys drawn from the people by taxation,
except so much as is requisite for the neces-
sites of the government, economically ad
minstered, being honestly applied 70 such
payment, and where the obligations of the
government do not expressly state upon their
face, or the law under which they were issued
does not provide, that they shall be paid in
coin, they ought in right and in justice to be
plid in lhelawful money Of the United States.
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species
of property, according to its real value, includ-
ing government bonds and other public secu-
rifles.
Fifth. One currency for the government
and the people, the laborer and the office
holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the pro.
ducer and the bondholder.
Sirth. Economy in the administration OF
the government; the reduction of the stand
ing army and navy; the abolition of the
Freedman's Bureau, and all political ipstru
mentalities designed TO secure negro supre-
macy; simpllfication Of the system, and the
dscontinuance of nquisitorial modes of as
sessiug aud collecting internal revenue, SO
that the burden Of taxation may be equalized
and lessened, and the credit Of the govern
ment and the currency made good the re-
peal of all enactments for enrolling the State
militia into national forces in time of peace,
and tariff for revenue upon foreign imports
and such equal taxation, under the internal
revenue law, as will afford incidental protec-
ton to domestic manufactures, and as will,
without impairing the revenue, impose the
least upon, and best promote and encourage,
the great industrial interests Of the country.
Serenth. Reform Of abuses in the admins
tration; the expulsion Of corrupt men from
office; the abrogation OF useless offices; the
restoration of righlful authority to, and the
independence OF, the Executive and judiciary
departments Of the government; the subor-
dination of the military to the civil power, to
the end that the usurpatons Of Congress and
the despotism of the sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for
naturalized and native born citizens at home
and abrosd; the assertion of American ma
tionality which shall command the respect Of
foreign powers aud furnish an example and
encouragement to people struggling for ma
tional integrity, constitutional liberty and in
dividual rights; aud the maintenance OF the
rights of naturalized citizens against the OBJ
solete doctrine Of an immutable allegiance
and the claims OF foreign powers to punish
them for alleged crime committed beyond
their jurisdiction.
we arraign the Radical party for its disregard
OF right, and the oppression and tyranny
which have marked its career. After the
most solemn and unanimous pledge Of both
Houses Of Congress to prosecute the war ex-
clusively for the maintenance of the govern
ment and the preservation of the Union under
the Constitution, it has repeatedly violated
that most sacred pledge, under which alone
was rallied that noble volunteer army which
carried our flag to victory.
Instead OF restoring the Union, it has, so
far as is in its power, dissolved it, and SUBJ
iected ten States, in time of profound peace,
to military despotism and negro supremacy.
1t has nulified there the right of trial by
jury.
1t has abolished the habsas corpus-that
most sacred writ Of liberty.
1t has overthrown the freedom of speech
and press.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures aud
arrests, and military trials, and secret Star
Chamber inquisitions for the constitutional
tribunals.
1t has lsregarded, in time Of peace, the
right Of the people to be free from searches
and seizures.
1t has entered the post and telegraph offices,
and even the private roomsuf individuals, and
seized their private papers and letters without
any specified charge or notice, or affidavit as
required by the organic law.
1t has converted the American capitol into
II bastile, and has established system Of
spies and official espionage to which no con-
slitutional monarchy Of Europe would dare
to resort.
1t has abolished the right Of appeal ca con-
siitutional questions to the supreme judicial
tribunal, and threatens to curtail or destroy
its original Jurisdiction, which is irrevocably
vested in it by the Constitution. while TIE
learned Chief Justice has been subjected to
the most atrocious calumnies because be
would not prostitute his high Office to the
support of the false and partisan charges pre-.
ferred against the President.
Its corruption and extravaganza have ex
ceeded everything known in history, and by
its frauds and monopolies it has nearly
doubled the burden of the debt created by
the war.
1t has stripped the President of his consti-
tutional power of appointment, even of his
own Cabinet. Under its repeated assaults the
pillars of the government are rocking on
their base and should it succeed in Novem-
Der next aud inaugurste its President, we
shall meet as subjected and conquered peo-
Pile amid the ruins Of liberty and the scattered
fragments of the Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve that, ever
since the people of the United threw off all
subjection to the British crown, the privilege
and trust Of suffrage has been granted, regu-
lated and controlled exclusively by the polit-
ical power Of each state respectively, and
that any attempt by Congress, on any pretext
whatever. to deprire any Slate of this right,