The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-01-21
Platform Of the Democracy of
Ohio, Adopted at Columbus, Jam
uary 8, 1868.

uary 8, 1865.
Resolued, That the Democracy of Ohio
congratulate tbe country upon the i'm
proved aspect of political affairs, as evi-
denced by the State elections of 1867,
and that they look forward with hope
and confidence to the result of that mo-
mentous struggle upon which they are
about to enter and upon which depends,
in SO great a degree, the future peace
and prosperity of the Union.
Resolued, That we are unalterably op-
posed to the doctrine which leads to con-
solidation. We renew with unfagging
zeal and increased energy our attachment
to that political creed which has ever
been SO stanchly adhered to by our or
ganization through days of trouble and
disaster as we'll as good fortune and pros.
perity, which was thus expressed by
Thomas Jefferson: "Equal aud exact
Justice to all men of whatever state, re-
ligion or politics. Peace, commerce and
honest friendship with all nations, entan-
Cling alliances with none" The sup
port of the State governments in all their
rights, as the most competent administra-
tors Of our domestic concerns and the
surest !bulwark against anti-public tend
encies, the preservation of the General
Government in its whole constitutional
vigor as the sheet anchor of peace at
home and safety abroad; a jealous care
of the rights of the electors by the peo-
lple, and the supremacy Of the civil over
the military authority.
ResolUed. That We consider the legisla-
tive usurpations of Congress, and par
ticularly the several acts of reconstruc-
tion so called as violative of the consti-
tutional compact between the States, and
utterly subversive of every principle of
self-government that distinguishes free
people.
fesolue6, That we are opposed to any
measures which recognize that the integ
rity of the Union yas ever broken-that
any Of its members wers eTer out; and
that we determidly insist that the South
ern States, no longer being in insured
tion or at war with the Federal Govern
ment, are entitled to the full State REQ
ognition in Congress and in the Elector-
al Colleges given to all the States; and
that the denial of it to them by Con-
gress and its efforts to dictate by militia
ry force government for them are un-
constitutional, revolutionary and despot-
ic.
Resolued, That we are opposed both in
principle and policy to negro suffrage;
that the State of Ohio, having, by the
emphatic majority Of $4,000 rejected it
for herself, is sternly opposed to its forced
imposition upon the other States. and
that we stigmatize such an imposition by
the Federal Government as a most base
usurpation.
Resolued, That the practical effect Of
the so-called Reconstruction Acts Of
Congress is to deliver over ten States to
the political and social control of negroes
to place the lives, liberties and fortunes
of the whites residing there into the hands
of barbarouspeople; and that it would
inevitably lead to either war of races
or to the Africanization of the South.
Resolved, That notwithstanding the
enormous and conceded frauds in the
creation of the public debt, the faith Of
the country is pledged to its payment,
r-;.ainal and interest -aAAArdinr -tn-thal
terms of the several acts OF Congress un
der which the banks representing the
debt were issued, but not otherwise, and
we are opposed to any plan for extend
ing the times Of payment, thus increas-
ing the amount Of gold interest to, mere
than principal, or to any declaration by
Congress that the principal is payable in
gold, which would virtually add more
tSsn thousand millions to the burthen
q, the debt, and to the whole insane fnan-
cial p5 5licy of which these measures are
Resolpea. Ic,.sst neither forgetting or
DENYING an anc;ens faith that gold and
silver coin form the curreTn OF tEe coun-
try, we declare that the fye-tsenty ponos
should be paid in the same curreacy le-
ceived by the Government for their issue,
and that, by the withdrawal Of the mo-
nopoly granted to the National banks,
this result can be accomplished without
an undue or dangerous increase Of paper
money, now the only circulating medi-
um, thus relieving our people from the
burden of debt. the tendency of which
is always to corrupt and enslave, and our
Government from the reproach Of pay
ing a favored class in gold, while dis
charging its debts to all others, including
pensions to widows and soldiers, in an
inferior currency:
Resolved, That the plan violates no
law, impairs no contract, breaks no faith,
and, instead Of retarding return to spe-
Gle payment, is the shortest, because the
only safe way of reaching that end.
Resolped, That all the property of the
country, including the Government bonds
which receives the equal protection of
the Government should bear an equal
share in its burdens.
ResolUed, That We indignantly reject
the principle derived from the feudal
system, that the masses Of the people
belong to the governments under which
they live, which, in another form, is con-
tended for by the monarchies of Eu
rope, including Great Britain, that once
a subject always subject. That we. on
the contrary, maintain that an individual
can, by emigration and residence in an :
other country, forswear his previous al
|legiance, and be admitted into all the.
civil and politicalrights Of his new home.
that American citizens, by adoption and
naturalization, are entitled to, all the
rights, as between US and foreign powers,
which can be claimed by our native born
citizens, and that it is the duty of the
Federal Government to protect and main