The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-10-03
The National Democratic
Platform.

The National Democratic
Platform.
The Democratic party, in National Conven-
tion 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 cues
lions 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 regulated, 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
much as is requisite for the necessities of the
government economically administered, being
honestly applied to such payment, and where
the obligations of the Government do not OK
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 currency for the government and
the people the laborer and the office holder,
the pensiOner and the soldier, the producer aud
bOnd.hOlder.
Sixth Economy in the administration of the
government, the reduction OF the standing army
and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen S
bureau great cbeersI, and all political instru'
,aI 20 M
simplifcation of the system, and discontnuance
of inquisitOrial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue; so that the burden OF taxation
may be cqualized and lessened, 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 a tariff for revenue upon foreign I'M
ports; and such equal taxation under the Inter.
nal Revenue laws, rs 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-
tioH; 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 usur
patons 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'
~, constitutional ih@rty aud 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 q crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction
In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for It's disregard for
right and the unparalleled oppression and tyr.
amy which has marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges OF DOth
hOuSCS of Congress to prosecute the war eNclu-
siycIv 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
it has, far it is i'll its power, dissolved it,
and subjected ten States in time of profound
peace to military despotsm and negro supre-
macy. 1t has nulliicd there the right of trial
by Jury. II has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ Of liberty. 1t has over.
thrown the freedom of speech and Of the press.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures ana ar.
rest, and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inquistions for constitutional tri.
l,,-uals 1t has disregardcd in time of peace the
%tiI%".' the people to be free from search and
scilnrcs is entered the post and telegraph
offices, and even the pTiVat rooms M OF indiviu.
uals and seized their private papers an St LOIS
Without any specification, or nouce, or afhda'
Wit as required by the organic law. 1t has
converted the American capitol into a Bastilc.
II has established system of spies and official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare to resort.
Ii hasabolished the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions to the SIT
I}reme judicial tribunal, and threatens toscur
tail destroy its original jurisdiction which is
irrevOcably vested by the Constitution, while
the learned Chief Justice has been subje ctcd to
great and atrOcious Calumnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to the
support of the false and partisan charges pre-.
ferred against the President. Its corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known in history, and by its frauds and monOp.
oles it has nearly doubled the burden of debt
created during TIE war. 1t has stripped the
President of his constitutional power of ap.
pointment even of his ewn cabinet. Under its
repeated assaults the pillars of the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should il sue
coed in November next and inaugurate its
President, we will meet, as subjects and n con.
quered people, amid the ruins OF liberty and
the scattered fragments ofthe Constitution
And we do declare and resolve, That ever
since the people of the United States threw of
all subsection to the British crown, the priv.
lege 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 preteXt whatever to de.
prive any State of this right or interfere with
this exercise is fragrant usurpation of power,
which can find no warrant in the Constitution,
and if sanctioned by the people will subvert our
form of government, and can only end in sin.
gle centralized consolidated government, in
which the separate existence of the States will
be entirely absorbed, and an unqualified DIES.
pOtism be established in fplace of a Federal
union of coequal States and that we regard the
reconstruction acts, so called, of Congress such
usurpation, and 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
be 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 dspos.
ed of under the presumption Of homestead laws,
and sold in reasonable quantities, and 10 none
but actual occupants, at the minimum price es.
tablished by the government. When grants of
the public lands may be allowed, necessary for
the encouragement 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 aggressi0ns OF Con-
greSs on the Constitutional rights of the States
aud the people, is entitled to the gratitude of
the whole American people, and on behalf of
the Democratic party we tender him our thanks
Tor his patriotic efforts in that regard.
Upon this platform the Democratic party ap-
peals to every patriot including all the COnser.
Native element and all who desire to support the
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
pas past differences Of opinion to unite with us in
.ne present great struggle for the liberties of
the people, and that to an such IN wbatever
party they may have heretofore belonged we
extend the right hand of fellowship. and hail ali
sueh cooperating with us as friends and broth