The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-06-24
PLATFORM OF THE DEM0C-
RAgY OF OHIO, ADOPTED
JANUARY 8, 1868.

tuaL mOmeuCOuS Struggle, anu upou
which depends, in so great a degree,
the future peace ard prosperity of the
Union.
Resolued, That, analterably oppos-
d to the doctrines which lead to CON-
s~olidation, we renew with unfagging
zeal and increased energy, our attach
ment to that political creed which has
ever been so staunchly adhered to by
our organization through days of troub-
lie and disaster, as well as good fortune
and prosperity, which was thus ex-
pressed by Thomas Jefferson: "Equal
and exact justice to all men, of what
ever state or Observation-Disclosures or
political-peace, commerce and honest
friendship with all nations, ~entangling
alliances with none; the support Of the
State Government in all their rights,
as the most competent administration
of our domestic concerns and the sur
est bulwark against an.i-republican
tendencies ; the preservation of the
General Government in its whole con
stitutional vigor as the sheet anchor of
peace at home and safety abroad ; a
Jealous care of the rights of elections
by the people; and the supremacy of
the civil over the military authority"
Resolved, .Tha. we condemn the
legislative usurpatious Of Congress,
and particularly the several acts of re-
construction so called, as violative of
the Constitutional compact between
the States, and as utterly subersive of
every principle of self government
that distinguishes a free people.
ResolUed, That we are opposed tc
any measures which recognize that
the integrity of the Union was ever
broken-that any CT its members were
ever out, and hat we determinedly re
sist that the Southern States no longer
being in Instruction, or at war, with
the Federal Government, are entitled
to the full State recognition and con
stitEtional representation in Congress,
and the electoral colleges giveG to all
the States, and the denial Of it to them
by Congress, and its efforts to dictate
by military force a government for
them are unconstitutional, revolution
airy and despotio.
ResolUed, That we are opposed both
in principle and policy, to negro suf-
frage ; that the State of Ohio-having
by the emphatic majority of SO 900 re-
jected it for herself-it is sternly op.
posed to its forced imposition upon
other States, and that we stigmatize
such an imposition by the Federal
Government as a most base usurpa.
tion.
Resolued, That the practical effecI
of the so-called Reconstruction act o.
Congress is to deliver over ten State.
to the political and social control of ne
groes and to place tho lives, libertie
aud fortunes of the Whites residing
therein, in the hands Of a barbarou
people, an Mat it would inevitabl
lead either war of races or to tn
/ Authorization of the South.
Resolued, That Notwithstanding tn
J enormous and conceded frauds in tn
creation of the public debt, the faitI
of the country is pledged to its pay
ment, principal and interest, accord
: ing to the terms of the several acts
! Congress, under which the bonds rel
I ~resenting the debt were issued, BIT
not otherwise, and we are opposed 4
any plan for extending the times
/ payment, thus increasing the amour
of gold interest to more than the pril
cipal, or to any declaration by Congre'
that the principal is payable in gol'
d which would virtually add more tha
D a thousand millions to the burthen
2 the debt, and to the whole insane
-. n%ancial policy of which these measure
n are a part.
Resozved That, neither forgettir
nor denying our ancient faith tn
d gold and silver coin form the current
Of the Constitution, we declare th
the fve-twenty bonds should be pa
in the same currency received by ii
Government for their issue, and tn
by the withdrawal of the monopo
granted to the National Banks this r
suit can be accomplished without q
undue or dangerous increase of pap
money, now the only circulating med
UNI, thus relieving our people from Il
burthen of a debt, the tendency
which is always to corrupt aud enslay
and our Government from the reproac
of paying a favored class in gold, viii
discharging its debts to all others, il
Guiding pensions to widows and so
diers, in an inferior currency.
Resolued, That this plan violates Z
law, impairs no contract, breaks 4
faith, and instead of retarding a retur
to specie payments, is the shorteI
because the only safe way of reachin
that end.
, Resolued, That all the property {
the country, including the Govern
ment bonds, which receives the equs
protection of the Government, shoul
, bear an equal share in its burthens
: Resozved, That we Indignantly rejec
the principle derived from the feuda
system-that the masses of the peopl
g belong to the Governments unde
7 which they live, which in another form
is contended for by the monarchies o
Europe, including Great Britain
: once a subject always a subject-tha
we on the contrary maintain that al
individual can, by emigration and resi-
dence in another country, forswear hi
; previous allegiance, and be admitted in
, to all the civil aud political rights o
f his new home-that American citizen
l by adoption aud naturalization are en-
> titled to all the rights as between u
! and foreign powers which can b.
, claimed by our native born c~itizens
: aud it is the duty of the Federal Gov
: eminent to protect and maintain then
by every means in its power.