Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-04-22
Democratic Platforms.

The Democratic National Convention, To
be held on the Fourth of July next, in the
City of New York, will, of course, make the
platform of the party as far as it is deemed
politically safe at that time to give expression
10 any principles. In the meantime how
ever 1t may help us to understand what ideas
are likely to find advocates. if not in that
convention in the administration of the gov
eminent, if that party ever come into power,
10 glance at the views Democrats now hold
and urge upon public attention.
Mr. Belmont chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, has written a letter to a
Minnesota Democrat. i'll which he says he
:. j. very DESTROYS that earnest appeal
should he made to the conservative element
throughout the Union, which has not here
rofore acted with the Democratic party.
The party will be ready to second Mr.. Bel
mont's motion for an addition u their mem
hers, but We doubt whether the Minnesota
Democrat will favor policy which will
appeal : very strongly to the - conserva-
tive : Republicans The New York World,
using Mr. Belmont's letter text, says
. The issues Of the great contest at hand
are and should be these, and these only or
chiefly; ] Opposition To Congressional
usurpation- 2 Opposition TO negro su-
premacy. 3. Immediate restoration of the
unity and peace of the nation"
The recent Democratic State Convention
III Illinois little more explicit than The
World The telegraph says:
country on the improved state of public
sentiment shown by the late elections
denounce Congress for its financial and re-
construction policy, and for arranging taxes
- that the burden falls upon labor and in
dustry favOrs the payment of the National
debt, that the National honor may be pre-
served declares that legal tenders are lawful
money and that the debt should be paid
Herewith. except where the law otherwise
provides demands the abolition of the Ma
tional banks, and that their issues be re-
placed With t"SaaEdf the 9PSqtect2p
George H. PendletOn for President
a Democratic paper in Missouri announces
Its g doctrines = as follows
This is a White Mans Government. made
by White Men, for White Men and their
posterlty forever, Down with the Niger !
Payment of the National Debt (if it ever il
pald) in Greenbacks 4 currency that is
good enough for working men. farmers, mer-
chants, mechanics. artisans and editors, is
good enough for Yankee shoddvOcrats :
Down with the BOndholders,, Subordina-
ton of the Military to the Civil Authorities
Down with the Satraps, Equal Taxation
and the rightfu representation of ell the
States, or another Rebellion Revolution
must be met by counter-revolution force BY
force. violence by violence and Usurpatior
should be Overthrown, if needs De, BY the
che Bayonet Down with the Test Oaths
and Registration Vire Ia Repu5Hgue :,
There are evident marks of kindred in
these various expressions of Democrat,
faith. The World deals in generalities
while the Missouri paper puts in Il specifica-
ton, but the Democratic National Conven-
ton viii be much more likely to make q
platform after the general, than the particu-
lar model The outlines of the picture will
better please all the varying shades of
opinion represented in that party, as eacl
individual may then fill up the details with
his own brush, and according to his OWL
fancy. But in all there will be uncompro-
missing opposition 10 any reconstruction 0.
the South which shall not leave those COM
mumities in the political control of the
men who inaugurated the rebellion. This j.
what the Word means when it says Oppo |
sition to negro supremacy 1t is what the
Missouri paIer means when it says - Down
with the niger" \ Democratic victory |
next November would overthrow all the work |
OF the last six years, and make those who |
were defeated on the battlefield victorious at |
the ballott-box
OF course, these party cries are essentia
untruths. The World knows there is No |
4" negro supremacy" and no danger of such |
a result at the South. There is much NOR,
reason for saying that New York City il
under Irish supremacy, than there is for de
claring that the South is likely to be ruled
by the blacks; yet the World is not much in
favor Of taking the ballot from Irishmen.
But the truth viz, that the black man has
the ballot. and needs it to protect himself
against not only white supremacy but white
tyranny,-Is carefully excluded from these
Democratic platforms and newspapers. and
expressions that are false as representations
of facts, and calculated to fire the preiudicts
of those who will neither reason nor do JUS
tice, ARE substituted for them. This hereaf-
ter, as heretofore, is to be characteristic of
Democratic political warfare.
The declaration that il is Democratic TO
pay the public debt in greenbacks-('' if at
all lis Democratic doctrine wherever il
will do to preach it. Whether it will get
into the National platform is doubtful, bat
1T will get into Congress with every Western
Democrat who goes there. Carried into
practice it is nothing less than reputation.
1t is for these two things,-rcbel suprem-
acy at the South, and practical reputation
of the debt incurred in putting down rebel
lion,-that the Democratic party. as Ma
tional organization, is working. Both of
these objects are quite in keeping with its
ong and consistent advocacy of, and friend :
'hip for, slavery. and the men who. for I
slavery, made war on the republic. The |
party has not hanged its nature, however
much it may have softened its appearance.
Give it power again. and it will show its
ancient temper and its old sympathies and {
Elections.
The Presidents Defense.