Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-04
THE PLATFORM.

ton assembled reposng its trust in the intelli
| The people: standing upon the Constitution Al
| tho foundation and limitation of the powers -
| the Government and the guarantee Of the lib
| critics of the citizen and recognizing the ques
settled for ali time 10 come by the war or tn
| voluntary action of the Southern States II
Constitutional Conventions assembled. ant
never to be renewed or reagtated do. with thu
| return of peace, demand,
| i. Immediate restoration Of all the States Il
their rights in the Union under the Constit tu
tion and civil government Of the American
| people. 49,. sr
the regulation Of the elective franchise in thu
| States by their citizens and the payment of the
public debt Of the United States as rapidly ai
| practicable.
3. All money drawn from the people BY tax
atiOn except so much as is requisite for the ne
| cessities of the Government, economically ad-
| m;nistered should be honestly applied to such
payment, and where the obligations Of the Gov
| or the law under which they were. Issued does
not provide that they shall be paid IL coin. they
ought, in right and ustice, be paid in the law
| full money of the United States. :. teQs
4. Equal taxation ofeyery species of property
| according to its real value. including Govern
| ment bonds. and other public securities.
g. One currency for the Government and the
people, the laborer and the oficeholder, the
pensioner and the soldier. the producer and
6. ECONOMY in the administration of the
| Governme ent; the reduction Of the standing
| army and navy the abolishment of the freed
men g bureau, and all political instrumental
| tiles designed to secure negro supremacy; Sim
plification of the system and the dis continuance
| of inquisitorial boards for assessing. and col
lecting internal revenue, so that the burden Of
taxation may be equalized and lsssened; the
credit of the Government and the currency
made good; the repeal Of all euactments for
enrolling the State militia into National forces
in time of peace !; tarifi for revenue upon
| foreign imports, and such equal taxation under
| the internal revenue laws as will afford incl
dental protection to domestic manufactures,
and as will, without impairing the reveHue,
impose the least burden upon and best promote
and encourage the great industrial interests Of
7. Reform of abuses in the Administration
the expulsion Of corrupt men from offices. the
abroaation Of useless Offices. the restoration OF
riehtful authority to, and the independence Of
| the Executive and Judicial departments of the
Government, the subordination of the military
to the civil power to the end that the usuTpa-
tions of Congress and the despotism Of the
s. Equal rights and protection for natural.
lied and native e-born citizens at home and
abroad an assertion Of American nationality,
powers. and furnish an example and encourage
ment to people struggling for national integ-
rity, constitutional liberty and ndi.idual
rights. and the maintenance, of the rights Of
trine Of immutable alleeiance. and the claims
of foreign powers to punish them for alleged
crime committed beyond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these, measures and reforms
we arraign the Radical party for its di'regard
Of riRbt, and the unparall leled. oppression and
tyranny which have marked its career. after
the most solemn and unanimous pledge OF beth
Houses OF Congress 20 prosecute prosecute the the war ex-
ment and the preservation Of the Union under
| the Constitution.
II has repeatedly violated that most sacred
unteer % army. which carried our Aag to victory.
Instead of restoring the Union. it has. SO far
as in its power. dissolved it. and subjected ten
| States In time OF peace to military despotism
It has nullied III ere the right of trial by jury.
IL has abolished the habeas corpus, that
most sacred writ Of liberty.
1t has overthrown the freedom OF speech and
| the press.
IL has substituted arbitrary seizures and
arrests, and military trials and secret Star
| Chamber inquisitions, fer constitutional tn
IL has disregarded in time Of peace the right
| Of the people to be free from search and seiz-
II has entered tho post and telegraph Offices.
and even the private rooms Of indiyisnals.
and seized their private papers and letters,
without any specification or notice OF AID dayit'
| as required BY the organic law.
It has converted the American capitol into q
| bastile.
II has established a system Of spies and Off
| cial espio mage 10 which no constitutional mon
/ archy Of Europe would now dare to resort
1t has sboli.hed the right Of appeal on i'm
| portant constitutional questions 10 the su-
preme Judiciary tribunal. and threatens to
curtail or destroy its original lurisdiction a I,
| which Is irrevocably vested BY the Consutu
ton. while the LEARNED Chief Justice has been
| subjected TO the most atrocious calnmnies,
merely because he would not prostitnte MS
high Office to the support Of the false and par
| tisan charges preferred AGAINST the President.
ceeded anything known in history. ami by lts
| frauds and monopolies IL has nearly doubled
| the burden OF debt created during the war.
II has stripped the President Of his copstitu-
tionai power Of APP ointment. even Of his own
Under iss repeated assaults the pillars Of the
| Government are rocking on their base, and
| should II succeed in November next and inau-
| gurate its President We will meet as subject
and conquered people amid me ra,ns na si hn- no
| tuition; aud We de declars and resolve that
/ ever since the people OF the United States
| threw oI all suhiection to the British Grown
the privilege and trust Of snfraeo have be-
| rranied. regulated, ard controlled exclusively
/ ~ the political power II each stafe respeeu-
4 lively, and any attempt b Conrress. on any
| rretert whatever. 10 deprive any State II this
/ rieht, or interfere with lhis exercise. = ha-
Eraat nssrPeten o. peSsr .h,es can ,isr sia ss ee
| bT tie people, viii subverl cur TORN 81 Foy-
i erumcut, and can only end in q fingle Ger tral-
/ ired. Nonsolidnted rovernmeut, in which the
separste existence of the States will be entirely
absersss rnd an ne snsS..iiss g ss;Pss,sm ss.1. ,.
80, 'k.t ~ -s ~r,r.ri The r.,osstru-tlss acts oi
| Conrrsss, so-eallsd. a. inEurpstions. unconst-