The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-19
THE PLATFORM
OF THE
Democratic National Convention

Uemocratlc National Convention.
The Democratic party, in National Con-
vention assembled, reposing it's trust in
the intelligence, patriotism and discrimi-
mating Justice of the people-standng
upon the Constitution as the foundation
and limitation of the powers of the Co
vernment, and the guarantee of tho liber-
ties or the citizen, and recognizing the
questions of slavery and secession as
having been settled, for all time to come,
6yi, by the war or the voluntary action of the
Southern States, in Constitutional Con-
ventions assembled, and never to be re-
newed or re-agitated, do, with the return
of peace, demand:
1st. Immediate restoration of all the
States to their rights in the Union, under
the Constitution, and of civil government
to tho American people.
"a. Amnesty for all past political
offences, and the regulation of the elective
franchise in the States by their citizens.
3D.. Payment Of the public debt of the
United States as rapidly as practicable;
All moneys drawn from the people by tax
alton, except 30 much as is requisite for
the necessities of the Government, econo-
mically administered, being honestly ap-
piled to such payment; and, where the
oblig ations 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,
be paid in the lawful money of tho United
States.
4th. Equal taxation of every species of
property, according to it's real value, in
Guiding government bonds and other pub
lie securities.
5th. One currency for the Government
and the people, the laborer and the Office
holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the
producer and tho bond-holder.
9th. Economy i'll the administration of
the Government; the reduction of the
standing army and navy; the abolition of
the Freedmen's Bureau, and all political
instrumentalities designed to secure
negro supremacy; simplification of the
system and discontinuance of inquisitori-
al modes Of assessing and collecting inter-
nal revenue, so that the burden of taxa
tion may be equalized and lessened, the
credit OF the Government and the curren-
cy made good; the repeal of all enact
ments for enrolling the State militia into
national forces in time of peace; and a
tariff for revenue upon foreign imports,
and such equal taxation, under the inter-
nal revenue laws, as will afford incidental
protection to domestic manufactures, and
as will, without impairing the revenue,
impose the least burden upon and best
promote and encourage the great indus
trial interests of the country.
7th. Reform of abuses in the administra-
tlon, the expulsion Of corrupt men from
the restoration of rightful authority to
and tho independence of the executive
and judiciary departments Of the Govern
ment, the subordination of the military to
the civil power, to the end that the
usurpations OF Congress and the despot-
ism of the sword may cease.
8th. Equal rights and protection for
natnralized and native-boln citizens, at
homo and abroad; the assertion of Ameri-
can nationality which shall command the
respect OF foreign powers, and furnish an
example and encouragement to people
struggling for national integrity, consti-
tutional liberty and individual rights; and
the maintenance of the rights of natural
lied citizens against the absolute doctrine
of lmnutable allegiance and the claims Of
foreign powers to punish them for alleged
crime committed beyond their jurisdic-
ton.
In demanding these measures and re-
forms, we arralgn the radical party for it's
disregard of right, and the unparalleled
oppression and tyranny which have mark
ed it's career. After the most solemn and
unanimous pledge of both Houses of Con-
gress to prosecute the war exclusively for
the maintenance of the Government and
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,
80 far as is in its power, dissolved it. and
subjected ten States, in times Of profound
peace, to military despotism and negro
supremacy.
It has nulliied there the right of trial
by jury; it has abolished the habeas cor
puS, that most sacred writ of liberty; it
has overthrow the freedom of speech and
the press; it has substituted arbitrary
seizures and arrests, and military trials
and secret star-chamber inquisitions for
the constitutional tribunals; it has disre-
garded, in time Of peace. the right of the
people to be free from searches and seiz-
urea; it has entered the post and telegraph
Offices, and even the private rooms of in
dividuals, and seized their private papers
and letters, without any specific charge or
notice OF affidavit, as required by the or
ganic law; it has converted the American
capitol into bastilc; it has established
system Of spies and official espionage to
which no constitutional monarchy of Eu-
rope would now dare to resort; it has abo-
lished the right Of appeal on important
constitutional questions to the supreme
judiaial tribunals. and threatens to cur
tail nr destroy its original jurisdiction,
which is irrevooably vested by the Consti-
tuition, while the learned Chief Justice
has been aubiactpd tO the mOst atrocious