The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-10-24

mutable allegiance and the claims of foreign
mowers to punish them for crime cenmitted
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 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
it has SO far as ii is in its power, dissolved it.
and subjected ten States in time of profound
peace to military despetism and negro supre-
macy. 1t has nullifed 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 and of the press.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar
rest, and military trials and the secret star
chambers of in1uisitions for constitutional tri-
bunals. It 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 individ-
uals and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or afida-
Wit, as required by the organic law. It 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 im-
portant constitutional questions TO the su-
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens tolcur-
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction, whchis
| irrevocably vested by the Constitution, while
| the learned Chief Justice has been subie cited 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-
Giles 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 own cabinet. Under us
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 COB.
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 OH
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 10 de-
| prive any State of this right or interfere with
| this exercise is a fragrant usurpatlon OF power,
which can find no warrant in the Constitution,
and if sanctioned by the people Will suDvert our
| forrz of government, and can only end In slI
| gle centralized consolidated government, in
| which the separate existence OF the States Will
be entirely absorbed, and an unquahned des.
potism be established in gplace of 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 n most gallant and determined foe must
| he ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran.
ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
into execution. " 49,, ,
That the public land should be distributed
widely among the people, and should be dlspos.
ed eff under the pre- emption 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
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 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
vativc element and all who desire to support the
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past differences of opinion, to unite with us II
| the present great struggle for the liberties OF
| the people and that to all such, TO whatever
party they NAV have heretofore belonged, We
extend the right hand of fellowship, and hail al
such cooperating with us as friends and broth
ers.