The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-04-25
3jolitiral.
Illinois Democratic State Conven.
tiOu.
THE RESOLUTIONS.

DCkHVCEsktht
eiOa.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Hon. A. L. Knapp, from the conmittse on res
olutions, presented the following platform for
the consideratio, of The convention:
The Democracy of the State of Illinois, by
their delegates in convention assembled, take
this occasion to lay before the people of this
State their views upon the great question which
now are before them for their determination,
and. for the purpose of expressing their senti-
ments in a manner not capable OF misconsfruc-
ton. do declare and say. that at this assembling
we have sufficient occasion to, and do, oengrata,
late the whole country upon the present improved
state of public sentiment throughout the length
and breadth of the land as shown by the cleo
tions held within the last ~ months, all demon
strating that the people Of the whole land are
arousing to proper appreciation OF the lmpor-
lance of the questions now submitted to them,
and the necessity of settling them in harmony
and in accordance with the principles upon
which our government was founded, ana has
until within few years SO successfully reposed.
Reso,rs3. That as ever, we ere infiexibly OPP
posed to all measures the tendency of which is
to lead to a consolidation of all power in the
hands of the agents of the federal government
believing, as we do, that the happiness of tho
whole people and preservation and continuation
Of our Union as republic, and its free institu-
tions depend upon maintaining iuviolats the
great principle of the equal sovereignty and
equality of each and the all states subordinate to
the exercise of the just and clearly granted
powers of the federal government in all their
Just rights and constitutional privileges a. in
tegral members of the federal union.
ReSosoeG, That, from this declaration, it neces-
sarily results that we now, have been, and
will be unalterably opposed to all the various
measures Of the tive last congresses which, un-
der the name of reconstruction measures, and
other speeous and deceptive titles, seek in effect
to extend and perpetaate the power and domi-
nation of the present ruling party, by force and
fraud over the people OF what should be ten
equal states of this union, and thereby maintain
their present Ubiquitous supremacy; and, under
the guse of military protectors, they have ac-
complished, in time Of profound peace, what
their principles have tended to, and which
the armed hosts of rebellion failed to accomplish,
the dismemberment of the federal union and
the subverslon of our established system of pop
ular government
Resoloed, That we regard the union, to-day, al
unbroken as it was confessed to be, by every de-
partment of the federal government, after the
armies of the rebellion had hurled their power
against it for more than four years; and now.
when peace ha. once again visited the land, we
imperativeiy demand that all the rights privi-
leges and obligations of the federal constitution
be evermore renstated in their full force and
effect.
Resoloed, That the right of suffrage shall be
limited to the white race in this country and
while we unhestatingly declare this shall be the
law in our state, we fully recognize the right Of
the people in each and every state to determine
for Themselves, free from any outside inter-
ference, from any power whatever.
Ro2nryoI That tho fo, 1oJ Nd Ias;n,a1
litical effect of the so-caed reconstruction meas
ures OF the present and last congress is to deliver
over the political control of the southern states
to the lately emancipated negroes therein, and
thereby thus aid by the utter prostitution Of the
white men, citizens thereof to retain the lease
OF pewef,-the ruling party have so long held,
and which they have SO fagrantly abused, all
of which we will resist as freemen by every
means which is given US by the constitution OF
the country
ReSotge6, That, in the management OF the finan-
ees OF the country, and in the various measures
proposed, and those already enacted into laws by
the party in power, they have shown their utter
Incapacity and unftnesS to contrsl the legislation
in great country,-in the first place, by SO sr-
ranging the taxes and burdens of the govern
ment that they fall alone upon the labor and in
dustry Of the country and by cxemptng the ac-
cumulated wealth from taxation they thus cast
upon tho toll Of the country what should be
borne by each and every person in proportion to
his accumulation, in -,.ance with the fun
damental law: and secondly, while by their
prohigatc expenditure nd criminal waste of the
money of the people III wort Of schemes of
partisan ACKNOWLEDGMENT that the present debt of
the country was contracted, and, in pursuance of
law, we are in favor Of dischargng to the utmost
farthing.
RcSoiyed, That the national honor, financially,
In our hands, remain as unsullied rs it ever has
been in all respects That the present debt was
contracted i'll paper Issued by the federal gov
eminent, and which was declared to be lawful
money by the legislative authority of the coun-
try, and which, while accepted by the govern.
inent for the larger part of its assessments. and
paid ont to the soldiers and other defenders,
should be, as by its terms it is, receivable in sat
isfacton by the holders OF the pledge of the faith
of the government in all cases except wherein a
different standard of value has been stipulated
for.
ReSD'ced, That the vast bulk of the indebted.
ness OF the country, known as 5-20s are lawfully
payable in lcgal-tender notes Of the government,
and should be so paid, as the said obligations arc
within the power OF the government to relieve
and discharged and that whereof the faith Of the
government is pledged to pay in gold, we will so
fulfill, and beyond this ws will not go.
lbsored, That the present system OF national
banks can and should be abolished at once, and
the notes Of said institutions redeemed, and their
place relieved by non-interest bearing notes Of
government, thus saving annually to the people
twenty millions OF dollars
Resolret, That all the wealth of this country,
whether invested in government securities or
otherwise, should sustain its full and fair share
Of taxation.
Reso'sed, That the present enormous and ex-
travagant expenditures of tho government Should