The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-10-09
THE PLATFORM


gence, patriotism and discriminating justice Of the
people, standing upon the Constitution the fOun-
dauon ana limitation OF Ine powers OF the CTo'ein-
ment and the guarantee of the liberties of the citi
zen, and recognizing the questions OF slavery and
secession having been settled for all time to come
by the war or the voluntary acuon OF the southern
States in Constitutional Conventions assembled and
never to be renewed or reagtated, do, with the re-
turn Of peace, demand,
1st The immediate restoration Of all the States
their rights in the Union under the Constitution,
and Of civil government to the American people
ID. Amnesty for all past political ofenses, and
the regulation Of the elective franchise III the States
by the citizens and the payment Of the public debt
Of the United States as rapidly as practicable
Sd. All the money drawn from the people by tax
alton except much asis required for the necessi
ties of the Government economically administered,
to be honestly applied to such payment and, where
the obligations Of the Government do not express
" state upon their face or the law under which
they issued does not provide eat they shall be
paid in coin, they ought in right and Justice to be
paid in tie lawful money Of the United States
lThunders Of applause.
4th Equal taxation Of every species Of property,
according to its real value, including Government
bonds end other securities. Renewed cheering and
cries Of Read it again.
5th. One currency for the Government and the
people the aborer and the Office holder, the pen
sioaer and the soldier, the producer and the bond
lder. [Great cheering, and cries Of "Read it
Inn
The fifth resolution Was again read and again
I checred.
9th. Economy in the administration of The Gov
eminent the reduction o. the standing army and
navy: the adjustment o The Ercedmen's Bureau,
Tgreat cheers and all pc zeal instrumen tates de-
signed to secure negro supremacy the simplitca-
ton of the system and The discou nuance of the in
qUisitorial boards of assessing % collecting inter
nal revenue, so that the burden o ,aXation may be
! equalzed and lessened, the crec' OF the Govern
ment and the currency made good, the repeal o. all
| enactments for enrolling the Sue militia into ma
tional forces in time OF peace, I'd tariff for reye-
| nue. upon foreign imports, anC sucn equal JaNaCOn
under the internal revenue laws as Il afford Incl
oidenta protection to domestic manufactures, and
as will wi tho ut impairiug the revenue impose the
] lpag 11Tflp in EST
/ the great industrial interests of the coun' ~.
18th. The reform of abuses in the administration
the expulsion of corrupt men from Office, the abro-
CATION useless ices the restoration of rightful
/ authority to and the Independence OF the EXecu-
/ tive and judicial Department o. the Govsrnment
the subOrdnatiOn OF the military TO the civil power
to the end that the usuTpatons OF Congress and the
! despOtism of the sword my cease.
Sth. Equal rights and protection for naturalized
! an6 i've born citizens at home and abroad The
asser O. American nationality, which shall COM
mand &c respect Of foreign powers .urnish an eX-
/ ample % encouragement to people struggling or
nations integrity, constitutional liberty and i2Ci
yidua lights, and the maintenance Of the rig5ts of
naturalized citizens against he absolute doctrine Of
/ immutabe allegiance, and the claims OF foreign
powers to punish them 70, alleged crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction. Applause.
/ In demanding these measures and reto ms we ar
rairn the radical party fO its disregard of right
and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which
/ have marked its career.
both Houses of Congress to prosecute the war eXclu
sIvely for the maintenance o. the government and
ton it has repeatedly violated that most sacred
pledge unde.y hich was rallied that noble volunteer
| army W hich carried our flag TO victory.
InstEgJ of restoring the Union, 1t has, so f as
/ was - bower. dissolved it. and subjected ten
State, time o. profound peace to military des-
It ha, i, lifted ,bero lbe light of trial by jury.
It has abolishct le wri. Of habees CorPus-that
| most sacred VII o. liberty.
1t has overthrown the freedom Of speech and Of
It has substituted arbitrary seizures and arrests
and military trials secret tarchGmber inquisi
/ lions for constitutional tribunals.
It has disregarded ia time Of peace the right of
| the people to be rec from search and seizure.
1t has entered the post and telegraph oHces, and
even the private rooms o. individuals, and seized
their private papers and letters, without any speC
fcation notice or affidavit as req ired by the or
It has converted the American capitolinto bas-
tile.
( piOnage to which constitutional monarchy Of
/ Europe wOTlt lOW dare TO resort.
| 1t has 3oi7hed the light Of appeal on important
| constitutions questions 5he supreme Judicial tn
bunaI and threatens cGrtail destroy its origi
| Constitution While the Leaned Chief Justice has
/ been subjected 90 great and atrociOus calumnles
merely because he would not prostitute his high
Office to the suppo' O. 5e false and paTtzan char
/ ges prefe ired agaip9O DC President.
/ Its corruption and c-travagance have exceeded
any thing known in history. aud BY its frauds and
! monopclies it has nearly dodbled the burdens Of
/ debt created during the war. j has stripped the
President of Is cons tiJuuonal power Of appoint
J
Under its repeated assaults he pillars of the Gov
eminent are rOckingor Their 0ase, and, should it
succeed in November next and iuaugurate It's Pres
/ ident we VIII meet as subject and conquered peo-
pie amid the ruins OF berty and the scattered rag
/ nents Of the Constitution and we do declare and
resolve, that, since the people of the United
States threw of all subsection to the British Crown
the privilege and trust Of suffrage have belonged TO
TIE several States and have been granted, regulat
cd and controlled exclusively by the political pow
! er of each State, and any attempt by Congress-
any pretcXt whutever, to deprive any State of this
right interfere with his exercise Is fragrant
/ usurpation Of over which can find no warrant in
the Constitution, and, if sanctioned by the people,
viii subyert form Of Government and can only
end in single, centralized consolidate Govern
mcnt. which the separate existence of the States
viii be entirely absorbed aud unqualified des-
| potism be established IN place Of Federal Union
/ Of equal States.
/ That we regard the reconstruction acts of Con-
gress, so-caed, as usurpations, Unconstitutional,
That our soldiers and sailors, who carried the
flag ofCur country TO victory against most gallant
and determined foe, must ever be gratefully remem
bered and all the guarantees given in Their favor
/ must be faithfully carried into execution.
That the public land should be distributed
widely among the people as possible. and should he
disposed Of either under the presumption OF the
homestead law and sold in reasonable quantities,
and to none but actual occupants, and at minimum
/ prices as established by the Government. When
grants Of public lands may oc deemed necessary Tor
the encOu' agoTnent Of important public improve
ments the proceeds Of he sales Of such lands; aud
not the lands themselves, should be so applied.
That the President of the United States, Andrew
Johnson, in exercising the power of his high Office
in resisting the agEresons Of Congress the cons
tuional rights of the States and the people, Is
titled 10 the gratitude of the whole American peo-
pie, and on behalf of the Democratic party we ten
der him thanks for his patriotic efforts In that
regard. LGreat ppI ,ause.l
Upon this platform the Democratic party appeals
to every patriot including all the conservative ele
ment and all who desire TO support the Constitution
and restore tho Union forgattu al past differences
Of opinion, to unite with in the present great
struggle for the liberties of the people, and that TO
an SUCH 20 whatever arty they may have hereto
fore belonged, We extend The right hand of fellow
ship. and HAL an su-h cooperating with Us IS
friends and aTOtE-E-.