Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-07-28
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

tice of the people, standing upon the Consti futiop asthe foun dation end limitation ofthe powers of the Government and the guarantee of the liberties of the citizen, and recogniz- ing the questions of slavery and secession as having been settled for all time to come by the war or the voluntary action of the South 'crn States in constitutional convention as- sem bled, and never to be renewed or reagita- led, do, with the return of peace, demand
 1st. Immediate restoration of all the States to their rights in the Union under the Con- stitution, and of civil government to the American people.
 2d. The amnesty for all the past political ofienses and tho regulation of the elective franchise in the States by their citizens; the payment of the public debt of the United States as rapidly as aspractioable.
 Sd. All the money drawn from the people by taxation, except so much as is requisite for the necessities of the Government, econ omically administered, being honestly ap- piled to such payment, and whore the obliga- tions 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 justice be paid in the lawful money of the United States.
 4th. Equal taxation of every species of pro- perty according to it's real value, including Government bonds and other public securi- ties.
 9th. One currency for the Government and the people, the laborer and the ofice-holders, the producer and the bond-holder.
 9th. Economy in the administration of the Government the reduction of the standing army and navy; the abolition of the freed mems bureau, and all political instrumentali- ties designed to secure negre supremacy; simpli6ostion of the system, and discontinu- ance of insuisiterial boards of assessing and collecting the internal revenue, so that the burden of taxation may be capitalized and lessened and the credit of the Government and the currency made good; the repeal of all cnactments for enrolling the State militia into the national forces in time of peace; a tariff for revenue upon foreign imports, and such equal taxation under tho internal reve- nue laws as will afford incidental protection to domestic manufactures, and will, without impairing the revenue, impose tho least bur den upon and best promote and encourage the great industrial interests of the country.
 Eth. Reform of abuses in administration; tho expulsion of corrupt men from office; the abrogation of useless 0fices the restoration of rightful authority to, and the independ- ence of, the executive and judicial depart ments of the Government; the sueordination of the military to the civil power, to the end that the usurpatiens of Congress and the despotism of the sword may cease.
 8th. Equal rights and protection for natu- ralixed and native-born citizens at home and abroad. The assertion of American nation ality which shall command the respect of foreign powers, furnish an example and en- couragement to the people struggling for na- tional integrity, constitutional liberty and undivcd rights, and the maintainance of the rights of naturalized citizens against the ab solute doctrine of immutable allegiance and the claims of foreign powers to punish them for alleged crime committed beyond their ju- risdiction.
 In demanding these measures and reforms we arraign the Radical party for
 It's disregard of right and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which have marked it's career after the most solemn and unani- nous pledge of both houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclusively for the main tainance of the Gouernment and the preser- vation of the Union under the Constitution.
 1t has repeatedly violated the most sacred pledge under which was rallied that noble volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
 Instead of restoring the Union, it has, so far as in it's power, dissolved it, and subject ed ten States in time of profound peace, to military despotism and negro supremacy.
 It has nullifed there the right of trial by jury.
 It has abolished the habeas corpus, that most sacred writ of liberty.
 It has overthrown the freedom of speech and the press.
 1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and arrests, and military trials and star chamber inqusitions for constitutional tribunals.
 It has disregarded in time of peace the right of the people to be free from search and seizure.
 It has entered the postoffices and telegraph offices, and even the private rooms of indi- viduals, and seized their private papers and letters without any specification or notice of affidavit, as required by the organic law.
 It has converted the American capitol into q bastile.
 It has established a system of spies and of icial espionage to which no monarchy of Eu- rope would now dare to resort.
 It has abolished the right of appeal on im portant constitutional questions to the su- preme judicial tribunals, and threatens to control or destroy it's original Jurisdiction, which is irrevocably vested by the constitu- tion, while the learned Chief Justice has been subjected to great and atrocious calumnies, merely because he would not prostitute his high office to the support of the false and partisan charges preferred against the Pres ident,
 Its corruption and extravaganza have ex- ceeded anything known in history by its friends and monopolies.
 It has nearly doubled the burden of debt created during the war.
 It has stripped the President of his consti- tutional power of appointment, even of his own cabinet.
 Under it's repeated assaults the pillars of the Government are rocking on their base,
 II. .k s.x xh1. n.<t .l inaugurate its President, we will meet as subjugated and conquered people amid the ruins of liberty and the scattered fragments of the Constitution.
 And we do declare and resolve:
 That, ever since the people of the United States threw of all subjcction to the British crown, the privilege and trust of suffrage have belonged to the several States, and have been granted, regulated and controlled ex- clusivey by the political power of each State, respectively, and any attempt by Congress, on any pretext whatever, to deprive any State of this right, or to interfere with this exer- else, is fragrant usurpation of power which can find no warrant in the Constitution, and if sanctioned by the people, win subvert our form of government, and can only end in single, centralized, consolidated government, in which the separate existence of the States will be entirely absorbed and an unqualified despotism be established in the place of . Federal Union of equal States.
 That we regard the reconstruction acts of Congress, so-called, and such usurpations, as unconstitutional, revolutionary and void, and that our soldiers and sailors who carried the flag of our country to victory, against most gallant and determined foe, must ever be gratefully remembered, and all the guaran- tees given in their favor must be faithfully carried into execution.
 That the public lands should be distributed as widely among the people and should be disposed of, either under the pre-emption of homestead lands, and sold in reasonable quantities, and to none but actual occupants