The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-28
The Nationa! Democratic
platform.

The Do,,ocra.ic marty. in National Conven-
tion assembled. repesing its trust IN the lntell:
pence. patriotism and discriminating Justice Oh
the people. standing upon the Consutuuon a.
the foundation and limitation Oh .he % ~
the Government, and the guarantee Oh the I'D
erties of the citizen. and recognizing the dues-
fiona of slavery and secession as having been
s,ttlad for all time TO come, by war anu the vol
nntary action of the Southern states, IN consu-
tutional convention assembled, ana never 10 De
renewed or reagitated, do, Win tine return Oh
peace, demand,
s,otes 10 their rights in the Union, under the
Constitution, and of civil government Tor the
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 Uii-
ted States as rapidly as practicable; all money
drawn from the people by taxation, except SO
much as is requisite for the necessities OF inc
government economically administered, being
honestly applied 10 such payment, ana wlere
the obligations of the Government do not ex-
pressly state upon their face, or the law utder
which they were issued does not provide hat
thew shall he paid in coin, they ought, IN right
and justice, be paid in the lawful msney OF the
United States. r
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species OF
nronerty 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
sixth. Economy in the administration Of the
government. the reduction OF the standing army
| and navy: the abolition OF the treedmfns
bureau lgreat cheers, and all political instru
mentalities designed TO secure negro supremacy;
simplifcaton OF the system, anu alscoiltinuiice
of inouisitorial modes Of assessing and collecting
| Internal Revenue; so that the burden OF taxation
NAV be euualized and lessened, the credit Of
| the government and the currency made good
| the reDeal of all enactmentS Tor enrolling the
State militia into the national forces in tine OF
peace and tariff for revenue upon foreign i'm
| ports: and such equal taxation under the LITER
| nal Revenue laws, as will afford incidental pro-
lection to domestic manufactures, and az WILL
without impairing the revenue, impose the east
burden upon and best promote anu encourage
| the great industrial interests of the country,
| Seventh. Reform Of abuses in the aIministra.
| ton: the expulsion of corrupt men from Office
| the abrogatiOn of useless Offices the restoration
| of rightful authority tn aud the independence
| of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
| the government. The subor,lination Of the mil
torS 10 the civil power to the end that the asur.
nations of Congress and the despotism Of the
| sword may cease.
| EIGHTH. Equal rights and protection form
uraliZcd 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 inegri.
ty, constitutional liberty and individual rights
| and the maintenance of the rights of natu.iliz-
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine OF i'm.
mutable allegiance, and the claims of fo'cign
powers to punish them for crime committed
! beyond their jurisdiction.
| In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard for
right, and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
1 1911 rI,aIt fa fIAr N
most soleInn and unanimous pledges of both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war erclu.
siyely 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
il has. so far as it is in itspOwor, dissolved it,
and subjected ten States i'll time OF profound
peace to military despotism and negro suprc.
macy. 1t has uullified there the right OF trial
by jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over.
thrown the freedom of speech aud of the press
1t has 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
right OF the people to be free from search and
seizures. 1t has entered the post and telegraph
Offices, and even the private rooms OF indvid.
nails and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or aihda-
Wit, as required by the organic law. 1t has
converted the American capitol into q Bastile.
1t has established system of spies and Official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
| in Europe would now dare to resort.
| 1t has abol shed the right of appeal on i'm
| portant constitutional questions to the su-
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens toicur-
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction whicnIs
| irrevOcably vested by the Constitution, while
| the learned Chief Justice has been subic cted 10
| great and atrOCious caluInnies, merely because
| he would not prostitute his high office TO the
support of tho false and partisan charges pre-
| ferred against the President. It's corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known in history, and by its frauds aud mOnop-
olies il has nearly doubled the burden Of debt
created during the war. Ii has stripped the
President of his constitutional power OF APP
pointment, even of his ewn cabinet. Under its
repeated assaults the pillars of the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should II sue
| coed i'll November next and lnaugulate It's
President we will meet, rs subjects and con.
quercd people, amid the ruins oi liberty and
the scattered fragments ofthc Constitution.
| And We do declare and resolve, That ever
since tho people of the United States threw OF
ali subsection TO the British crown, the priyi'
lcrc and trust of suffrage have belonged To the
| several States and have been granted, regulated
| and controlled exclusively by the political pow
| er of each State respectively; and any attempt
| by Congress on any prcteXt whatever To de
priye any State of this right or interfere with
| this exercise is a fragrant usurpation of power,
which can find no warrant in the Constitution,
and il sanctioned by the people will subvert our
| form of government, and can only END III SIN
| gle centralized consolidated government, IN
| which the separate existence Of the States Will
be entirely absorbed, and an unqualified de-.
potism be established in place Of Federal
union of coegual States; and that we regard the
reconstruction acts, 80 called, Of Congress such
usnrpation, and unconstitutional, revolutionary
| and void; and that our soldiers and sailors who
| carried the flag of our colntry to NictJry
| against most gallant and determined Toe must
BIZ ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran
| ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
| into execution.
That the public land should be distributed
widely among the people, and should be dispos
ed of under the presumption of homestead laws,
and sold i'll reasonable quantities, and to none
but actual occupants, at the minimum price es
tablishcd by the government When grants OF
the public lands may be allowed, necessary for
the announcement of important public i'm
provements, the proceeds of the sale OF such
lands, and not the lands themselves should be
so applied.
That the President of the United States, An
| drew Johnson in exercising the power OF his
high office in resisting the aggressons OF Con
gress OH the Constitutional rights OF the States
and the people, is entitled to the gratitude OF
the whole American people, and on behalf OF
the Democratic party we tender him our thanks
for his patriotic efforts in that regard.
Upon this platform the Democratic party ap
peals to every patriot, including all the Conser
vative element and all who desire TO support the
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past Differences of opinion, to mite with us il
the present great struggle for the liberties OF
the people, aud that TO all such, to whatever
party they may have heretofore belonged, W,
extend the right hand of fellowship, and hail al
| such co.onernting with rs "a friends and broth
ers.