The Opelousas courier., 1868-09-26
The Platform of the Democratic
National Convention.
ADOPTED JULY 7th, 1868.

patriotism AMI discriminating justice OF the peo-
pie, standing upon the Constitution as the found
alton and limitation of the powers of the gov
crnment. and the guarantee of the liberty OF the
citizen, and recognizing the question OF slavery
and secession having been settled for all time j
to come by the war or the voluntary action OF
the Southern States in constitutional conven-
tions assembled, and never to be renewed or re
agtatod, do. with the return OF peace, demand:
tirst-immctliate restoration OF all the States
to their rights i'll the MON under the Constltu
tion. and OF civil government to the American
people.
! Second-Amncsty for all the past political of
fences. and the regulation of the elective fran
chise IN the States by their citizens.
Third-Pa vnent Of the public debt of the
United States as rapidly as practicable, all
meneF drawn from the people by taxatlont eX-
cept so much as is requisite for the necessities
Of the government, economically administered.
being applied to such payment and where the
obligations of the government do not expressly
! state. npon their face, or where the law under
/ which they We're issued does not provide that
they shall be paid in coin, they ought i'll right
and in justice be paid in the lawful money oi the
/ United States. fThunders of applaasc.)
+ Fourth-Equal taxation of every species Of
property according to its real value including
government bonds and other public securities
! (Renewed cheering, and cries OF 'Read 1t
! again.
Fiftil-One currency for the government and
the people. the laborer and the office holder the
pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the
/ hondhoIder Great cheering, and cries Of
/ ''Kc.4d it a@ain."
The titJh resolution was again read. ana again
chtercj.
Sixth-Eeonomr in the administration of the
government; the reduction Of the standing
aruly and navy: the abolition of the FreedmeIS
Bureau. tgreat cheeFs} and all political lh6trR-
mcnt&litie> designed to secure negro supremacy
! smpfcation Of the system and GlscoHtlLuance
OF iu4uisitorial modes of assessing and collect
inc internal revenue. that tie buidel OF Ia
alton may be eaUallzed and iesee4ea Inc cfe'1i'
of the government ana the currency lnatte 9ootL
the repeal Of all enactDle!2tS FOR enrolling the
State militia into national forces III time at peace
and tariff Iur revenue upon lortlSn imports
and such equal taxation under the internal reTe-
nue laws as will afford incidental protection to
domestic manufactures. and As will without
i1npairing the revenue. impose the least hIr0"n
uron and best promote and encourage the great
industrial interests Of the country.
Seyenth-Retorm ct abuses III The adft'lNtSfrt-
ton the expulsion OF corrupt men FROM office.
the abrogatiou Of useless othcas, the restoration
Of rightful authority 70 and the independence
Of the executive ard judicial departments OF the
government: the sub0rdinatinn OF the military
to the civil power to the end that the usurpa-
tons OF Congress and the despotlsm OF the
sword NAV cease.
Eighth-Euuai rights and protection for natu-
| rallied and native born citizens at home and
ahroad; the assertion of American nationality.
which shall command the respect OF lorei&n
powers and furnish al example and encourage
ment to people struggling for natioraf integrity.
constitutional liberty and SsIdiylflHt r1%hT> ::
and tie maintenance of the rights ct .1aturaized
citizens against the absolute aUctflise OF lnta-
table aIfegialce and the claims IT foreign pow
ers to punish the for alleged crimes committee d
beyond their jurisdiction. tApplause
In demanding these measures tsnI reforms We
: arrafen the Radical party for It's disregard III
rirlt. and the Unparalleled oppression and tT-
,, ranny which have marked its career after the
most solemn and unanimous pledge OF both
, houses of Congress to prosecute the war eScltl-
sivelF for the maintenance OF the government
| and the preservation Of the Union and the Con
stitutioH. 1t has repeatedly violated that most
sacred pledge. under which was rallied that ITO
bic volunteer army which carried our nag 10 We
tory: instead oe restoring the Union. It has. so
far as is in its power. dissolved it, and subjected
ten States, in times of profound peace, to mill
J tary despotism and negro supremacy. 1t has
g nullifed the right Of trial by jury; It has abol-
q ishpd the hahtls corpus. that mat sacred writ
: | of liberty: it has overthrown the freedom OF
!, speeeh and press: it has substituted arbitrary
seizures and arrests, and military trials and sc
: eret star chamber iuguistions, ,forconstltutlona
a tribunals; it has disregardcd i'll time OF peace
: the right of the people to be free from searches
= and seizures; it has entered the post and tele
graph Offices and even the private rooms OF lndl
: Vidlsis, and seized their private papers and let
ters without any specification or notice OF am
aayit. as required by the organic law; It has con
. verted the American capitol into ID bastllei /
: has established a system Of spies and official eS
e pionage to which no constitutional monarchy 0
Europe would dare to resort: it has abolished
the right of appeal Oh important eonst1tutlona
questions to the supreme judicial tribunals, an
threatened to curta or destroy its original Jur1s
dietion. which is irrcvocably vested by the Cor
stitution. while the learned Chief Justice ha
AL been subjected to great ala atroeIous ealtunnle
merely because he would not prostitute his hlg
office to the support OF the false and partlssl
charges preferFedss gainst the President. Its co.
te. ruptIon and extravaganza have exceeded an,
5 thing known in history, and by, its trauds an
6 nonopoles it has nearly doubled the burden
the debt Great cd during the war. 1t has strlppe
ID the President of his constitutional power OF a.
l3 pointmeat, even Of his own cabinet; under L
9 repeated assaults, the pillars OF the governme1
5 are rocking On their base, and should 1t snccee
Ii in November next, and fnaugurate its PresIden
Z we will meet it as q subjected and conquere
I people. amid the ruins of liberty, and the sea
II tered fragments Of the Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, that ever SIN
1.-THE peonle of the United States threw OIL ali stl
Ii iugation to the British crown, thepriyilege Al
trust of suffrage have belonged to the sever
States and have been granted, regulated al
controlled exclusively by the political power
! each State respectively and any attenpI
SO Congress- on any pretext whatever, TO deprI
II any State Of tis right, on Interfere with It's
) ercise, is a fragrant usurpation OF power, VIM
20 can find no warrant in the Constitution, anu
4 sanctioned by the people will subvert our foi
10 of government. and can only end III q sing
5 centralized, consolidated government. in viii
5 the separate existence of the States will be G
8 tirely absorbed, and an unqualified despotlsm
--4 established in place of Federal Union OF eGt
247 States; that we regard the reconstruction az
of Congress, so-ealled. as usurpations, uneons
5 tutional, revolutionary and void; that our S
3 diers and sailors who carried the flag OF G
8 country to victory against most gallant a
7 determined foe, must ever be gratefully rene
9 hered and all the guarantees given IN their ray
s must be faithfully carried into execution; tt
- the public lands Should be distributed amo
AZ the people and should be disposed OF either
der the pre-emptinR Or homestead laws, or s.
7 in reasonable auaztities aad to none. ont iet1
6 OCCUPANTS, at the Iniaimu1p PRICE as establish
10 hy the 4grttfenfi: when grants Of the put
- lands NAV be allowed, necessarily For the
.3 casfageHseat of innertantps inlpEo Yemen
tifa proceeds OF the sale OF fsrlGh lands and
411 tha lands Themselves should be so apple
.iio that the President Of the United States, Audr
IN Johnson. in exercising the power OF his h
ote office in resisting the aggressions of Congress
rnd the eonstIt4!t tional rights Of the States and
-, neonIe IS entitled to the gratitude OF the WI
en II American people; and on behalf of the De'
II IL cratic party we tender him onrsthanks for
I- efforts iIthat regard. tGreat applau
q to t. Upon this platform tue Democratic party
meals to every patriot, including all the eonseE
pe tive element, and all who desire to support
,e Constitution and restore the Union. forgett
ear all past differences of opinion to unite with
in the present great struggle for the liberties
: !: the people and that to all such, to Whate
iui- uartv they may have heretofore belonged,
on. extend the right hand of fellowship. aud
ave all such cooperating with Us as friends
brothers. sfs#F II ss# .4ss4r{ss fyssf#esf#z