Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-06
FRANK P. BLAIR,
az WIEGOVRT.
THE PLATFORM.

THE PLATFORM.
The Democratic party in National Convention
assembled, rePosInE IT. trust IN the intelligence,
patriotism and Discriminating Justice Of the
peuulc standing upon tho Constitution as the
foundation and Limitation Of the powers Of the
government, and tho Euarauty0t the liberties oi
the citizen, and recognizing the questions Of
slaverv and secession NJ having been settled for
al time o. come by the war, or the voluntary
action Of the Southern States in constitutional
conventions assembled. and never 10 be renewed
or ro-agitated, do with the return Of peace de-
mand
Immediate restoration Of all the States to their
rights ia the Union, under tho Constitution. and
Of civil government To the American people
NsrOHd Amnesty for all past political 0tionses
and the regulation Of the elective franchise in
the States by their citizens.
Third Payment of the public debt Of the
United States rs rapidly as practicable, all
mOneyE drawn from the people by taxation. eX-
cept SO much ~ requisite for the necessities Of
tho government economically administered, be
INK honestly applied 10 such payment, and.
where the obligations Of the government do not
expressly state upon their face. or the law IN
der which they were issued does not provide
that they shalt he pEid in coin, they ought In
right and in Justice, be paid in the lawful money
Fourth Equal taxation Of every species Of
property according % its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities.
nm Ono currency for the government and
the people, che labOreT aud the Ofiice-h holder,
the ponsloner and the soldier. the producer and
tho bcndhnidcr.
N,fb Economy in tho administration Of the
govornment. the reduction Of the standing AMY
aud navy. the abolition Of the Freedmen's Ifu-
roau, and all political instrumentalities
designed To secure negro supremacy; sim
phhcaiOn Of the system and discOntnu-
anre of inquisitOrial mod of assessing and col
iectinE internal revenue, so that me burden Of
taxation may be cqual,Eed and lessened, the
credit Of the gov eminent and the currency made
good the repeal Of AL enactments for enrolling
'he State militia into national forces in time of
peace, and tariff for revenue upon foreign i'm
ports and such equal taXation under the internal
revenue laws as viii Rhord incidental protection
tu domestic manufactures, and as will, without
'mpRiring the revenue, Impose the least burden
upon and best promote and encourage the great
industrial Interests Of the country.
N,UrHh Reform Of abuses in the admnistra-
ton, the expulsion Of corrupt men from Office.
the ahrOgation Of useless Offices. the restoration
of rightiul authority 10 aud ths indcpendence of
tho Executive aad Judicial Departments Of the
government, the subOrdinatiOn Of the military
10 the civil power to the end that the usurpa-
hons OF Congress aud the dcspotismoi the sword
Eighth Equal rights and protection for nasu-
rallied and native bNm citizens at home and
abroad. the assertion of American nationality
which shall command the respect Of foreign
powers. and furnish An example and encourage
mcut 10 people struggling for national integrity
constitutional liberty and industrial rights, and
thc maintenance Of the rights Of naturalizcd
citizens against the absolute doctrine Of immu-
table allegiance and the claims If foreign powers
90 punish them for alleged Grind cbmmittcd be-
yond their Jurisdiction.
In demanding those measures and reforms we
arrplgn the Radical party for It's disregard Of
right and the unparalleled oppression and
tyranny which have marked its career. After
the most solemn aud unanimous pledge Of both
houses Of Congress TO prosecute the war exclu-
Hvoly for the maintenance Of tho government
aud the preservation of tho Union under the
constitution. At has repeatedly violated the
most sacred pledge under which alone was raj
hod that noble volunteer army which carried
our hag 10 victory. Instead Of restoring tho
Union. % has. $50 far a. ia its powcr dissolved n
and subjected ten states IA time of profound
peace Go military dCsrotisu and negro supreIn-
acy. 10 has nulllied there the right of triRI nv
jury u has abolished the th0b,ds corpus that
most sacred writ Of liberty: ID has oycrfb
tho freedom of speech and the press: it has sub-
suiuted arbitrary seizures and arrests, and mil
itary trials, and secret star chamber iBquisi-
lions for the constitutional tribunals: II has
disrogardcd IA time of peace the right of the
people 90 ho free from searches and geizurps. II
has cute sd the post and Telegraph offices and
even the private rooms of individuals, and
sotzcd their private papcrs and letters without
any specific charge or notice Of affidavit as re
CURED hy tho organic law II has converted tho
American Capitol into Bastile; il has estab-
ltshed systcm Of spies and espionage 10 which
no constitutional monarchy Of Europe would now
dare % resort Il has abolished the right of an
RoaI on important constitutional questions 10
lhe supreme judicial tribunals, and thrcntens 10
curtal or destroy lts original Jurisdiction which
n lrrcN ooably vested by the Constitution while
the learned Chief Justiee has been subjected 10
tho most airociuus calumuiCs merely because no
would not prostitute has high office 10 the sup
port Of the false and partisan charges treferred
against the President. Its corruption anil ev-
lrayagancc have exceeded anything known In
history, and nv its frauds and mOuOpolpg "A has
uehrlN doubled the burden of the defd sreatod
10y the war. IL has strippsd the President ol
his constitutional power ,f Amendment, oven
~ ~ ;i W. uE'.hv' ndcr it's repeated assaults
IN" plIlArs "l %" Government arc rocking on
.helr base, huT sb,uIl n succeed In Novemher
~ rt )" .ururatc its President, we will meet
nm, sect and conquered people amid the |
Ia. ct liberty and tho shattered fragments OF |
~ Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve. that ever since |
the people of the United States threw eli all |
subsection 10 the Brtlsh Grown tho privilege
aud kust OF suffrage have belonged 10 tho sew
cral States and have been granted. regulated |
aud controlled exclusively by the political pow
or of each state respectively, and thSt any at /
tempt by Congress, ON any prcteNt whatever, 90 |
deprive any state at this right Interfere with
rs exercise, ~ \ fragrant usurpntion OF power /
which can find no warrant IN tho Constitution:
aud, II sanctioned by the people, viii suhyert /
our form Of government, and can only end IN i
single centralized aud consolidated government.
which the separate existence of the States will |
be entirely absorbed, and AN unqualified dCs-
putlsm be established IN place of "A Federal |
I Union pf cuequal States; and that we regard /
tho roconstruo,iOn acts lso cnlleO of Congress |
as such are usurpnuons and unconstitutional. |
revolutionary and void.
That our soldiers and sailors who carried the |
flag of cur country 60 victory against most
gallant and determined iua, must ever be crate
fully remembered aud all the guarantees given
iu them favor must be faithfully carried into cN-
0cutiun.
Thai the public lands should he distributed
a. widely us possible among the people. and
should hc disposed ct either under tho pro
emptun or homestead laws, and sold m reason
able Quantities. and 90 none but actual occu-
pants. st rue minimum price established by the |
goN crumcut When grants Of the public lands |
msy be allowed necessary for the encourage
mont of important public improvements, the |
proceeds OF the sale Of such lands and not the I
lands themselves, should be SO applied.
That tho President IT the United States An
drew johnson. iu exercising the power Of his /
hash office ~ rcsiStisg tho aECressions Of Con /
gress upon the constitutional ghts Of tho States
and the people j. entitled 90 che gratitude of |
he Whole American people and In behalf Of the /
Democratic party We tender him our thanks for i
lls patriotic efforts ca that regard.
Upon thIs platform the Democratic party ap-
peal o. every patriot including nll the cunsCrya-
ave element, and all who desire % support the |
-onsututon and restore the Union. forgetting
al past differences ut opinion. 90 unite with Us |
u tho present great struggle tor the liberties Of
hc people and that Co an such 60 whatever |
'arty they NAV have heretofore belonged VIC !
'Ateud the nCht hand OF fellowship aad hail !
III such as frg.. a l