The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-23
The National Democratic
Platform,

The Democratic party, in National CUnvcn.
ton assembled repesing its trust in the intelli.
gence, patriotism and discriminating justice OF
the people, standing upon the Constitution as
the foundation and Limitation of the powers OF
the Government and the guarantee Of the lib.
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques.
tons of slavery and secession as having been
settled for all time to come, by war and the vol.
untary action of the Southern States in consti.
tutional convention assembled and never to be
renewed or reagitated, do, with the return OF
peace demand,
First The immediate restoration of all the
States to their rights in the Union, under the
Constitution and Of civil government for the
American people.
Second. Amnesty for all past political often.
ces and the regulation of the elective franchise
in States by their citizens
Third. Payment of the public debt of the Uni.
ted States as rapidly as practicable; all money
drawn from the people by taxation, except so
government economically administered, being
honestly applied to such payment, and where
the obligations of the Government do not ex.
pressly 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
aud justice, be paid in the lawful money of the
United States.
Fourth Equal taxation of every species of
property according to its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities.
Fifth. One curr ency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the office holder,
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and
bond holder.
Sixth. Economy in the administration of the
government the reduction of the standing army
and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen $
bureau lgreat cheers and all political instru.
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simpliication of the system, and discontinuance
of inquisitorial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue so that the burden OF taxation
may be equalized and lesssned, the credit OF
the government and the currency made good,
the repeal of all enactments for enrolling the
State militia into the national forces in time of
peace, and tariff for revenue upon foreign i'm.
ports; and such equal taxation under the Inter.
nal Revenue laws Us will afford incidental pro.
lection TO domestic manufactures, and as will,
without impairing the revenue impose the least
burden upon and best promote and encourage
the great industrial interests of the country.
Seventh. Reform of abuses in the adminstra-
tioR; the expulsion of corrupt men from office;
the abrogation of useless offices; the restoration
of rightful authority to and the independence
of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
the government. The subordination of the mil
itary TO the civil power to the end that the
pations of Congress and the despotism of the
sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for nat.
uralized and native born citizens at home and
abroad. The assertion of American nationality
which shall command the respect of foreign
powers and furnish an example and encourage
ment to people struggling for national integri.
ty, constitutional liberty and individual rights,
and the maintenance of the rights of naturaliz-
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine of i'm.
mutable allegiance, and the claims of foreign
powers to punish them for crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard tor
right, and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy which has marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges Of both
houses Of Congress to prosecute the war exclu.
sively for the maintenance of the Government
and the protection of the Union under the
Constitution. 1t has repeatedly violated that
most sacred pledge, under which was rallied
that noble volunteer army which carried our
flag to victory. Instead Of restoring the Union
II has so far it is in its power, dissolved it,
and subjected ten States in time of profound
peace to military despotism and negro supre-
macy Ithas nnllifed there the right Of trial
oy jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
tpal most sacred writ Of liberty. 1t has over.
thrown the freedom of speech and of the press
IL mas substituted arbitrary seizures and ar.
rest, and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inqnisitions for CONSTITUTIONAL tri.
bunals. 1t has disregarded in time of peace the