The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-04
The National! Democratic
Platform.

i
The National Democratic
Platform.
The Democratic party, in National Conven-
ton assembled repesing its trust IN the inteih,
the people, standing upon the Consultation as
the foundation and limitation Of the powers Of
the Government and the guarantee Oh the no.
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques'
lions of slavery and secession as having peen
settled for all time TO come. by war ana the VOL
untary action OF the Southern States, in consti'
tutional convention assembled, and never ton
renewed or reasitated 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 irancniso
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 a. 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 ex'
pressly state upon their face, or the law under
which they were issued does not provide that
they shall DO paid in coin, they Ought IL right
and 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 and
bond.hOlder.
Sixth. Economy in tho administration Of the
government, the reduction OF the standing army
and navy; the abolition Of the Freedmen s
bureau lgreat cheers, and all political instru-
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplfication of the system, and discontinuance
of in0uisitorial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue; so that the burden oil taxation
NAV 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 foretgn I'M
ports: and such equal taxation under the inter
nal Revenue laws, as 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 administra-
tios; the expulsion of corrupt men from Office;
the abrogation of useless offices; the restoration
of rigbtful authority to and the independence
of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
the government. The sub0rtiination OF the mil
itary to the civil power to the end that the nsur
nations OF Congress and the despOtism of the
sw ord may cease
Eighth. EQUAL rights and protection for nat
uralized and native born citizens ut 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
ell citizens against the absolute doctrine OF i'm
mutabe allegiance, and tho 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 for
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 tho war eXciu'
sivcIy for the maintenance of the Government
and the protection of the Union under the
Constitution. 1t has repeatedly violated tnnt
most sacred pledge, under which was rallied
that noble volunteer army which carried our
flag to victory. Instead OF restoring the Union
il has, 80 far as It Is in its power, dissolved 1t.
and subjected ten States in time OF profound
peace to military despetism and negro supre.
macy. 1t has nnllified there the right oil trial
by Jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ Of liberty. IL mas over
thrown the freedom Of speech and Of the pless.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar'
rest, and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inquisitiOns for constitutional tri'
bunals 1t has disregardcd 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 individ.
nails and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or aihda'
Wit rs required by the organic law. 1t has
converted the American capitol into Bastile:
1t has established system of spies and official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare TO resort.
1t has abolished the right Of appeal on i'm
p0rtant constitutional questions to the su'
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens to1cur'
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction which Is
| irrevocably vested by the Constitution, while
the learned Chief Justice has been subie cted To
great and atrocious caluInnies. 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.
olies it has nearly doubled the burden of debt
created during TIE war. II has stripped the
President OF his constitutional power of ap
pointment, even Of his ewn cabinet. Under IL
repeated assaults the pillars Of the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should 1t sue
| coed i'm November next and inauguratc lis
President, We will meet, as subjects and cor.
quered people, amid the ruins of liberty anti
the scattered fragments OF 1.-THE Constitution.
And we do declare md resolve, That evei
| since tho people OF the United States threw of
| all subjection 10 the British crown, the privi
lege and trust of suffrage have belonged To tic
several States and have been granted, regulated
and controlled exclusively by the political pow
err ct each State respectively; and any attempt
by Congress on any preteN whatever 20 de
prive any State Of this right or interfere with
this exercise il a ilasrant usufpation Of power,
which can lind no warrant in the Constitution,
and il sanctioned by the people will subyert our
form of government and can only end in q sim
gle centralized consolidated government, in
which the separate existence Of the States will
he entirely absorbed, and an unqualified des
potism be established In place OF n Federal
union of coelual States; and that We regard the
reconstruction acts 80 called of Congress such
usurpatiOn and unconstitutional, revolutionary
and void; and that our soldiers and sailors who
carried the flag OF our co1ntry TO victory
against \ most gallant and determined foe must
be ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran.
ties given IN the law must he 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 in reasonable quantities, and to none
but actual occupants, at the minimum price es.
tablished by the government. When grants OF
tho public lands may be allowed necessary for
the encouragement OF important pnblic 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 aggressions OF Con-
gress on 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 unite with us in
the present great struggle for the liberties Of
the people, and that to. all such 10 whatever
party they may have heretofore belonged, We
extend The right hand Of fellowship, and hall all
such cooperating with rs as friends and broth
ers. lr.s. r
Resolutions Adopted by the
Democratic State C0nven.
tim nG West VSr0Snso