The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-11
The Platform of the Democratic
National Convention,
ADOPTED JULY 2. 1868.

patriotism and DISCRIMINATING justice OF the people,
stsnding upon the Constitution a. the foundation
and lmita ion OF the powers of the government
ard the gusrsn' ee Of The liberty OF the cirzen,
and r, cOgnizinf the questions Of slavery ald Sc
cession g. having been settled for all time % come
by the war or the voluntary action 0f tn SDutheIn
states 10 constitutional conventions assembled. |
and never TO be renewed or reagitated, do, with
the return of peace, demand
Frrt-Immediate restoration OF all the States
to tier rights in the Union under the Clnstitr-
ton, and Of civil government to the American
people.
oienses. and the regulation Of the elective fran
chise in the States by their citizens.
1hird-Payment of the public debt OF the United
States rapidly as practicable, all money drawn
from the people by taxation, except so much as
requisite for the necessities Of the government
economically administered, being applied TO such |
payment and where the obligations Of the gov
| eminent DO not expressly state, upon their face, |
| or where the law under which they we're issued /
does not provide that they shall be paid IN com,
they ought in right ard in justice be paid in the
| lawful money of the United States (rhunders of !
| applause.)
Fourb-Equal taxation of every species of !
properly according 70 it, real value, including !
| government bonds aud other public securities. !
| tReDewed cheering, aud cries OF Read 1t /
| SFifihZOne currency for the government and
the people, the aborer and the office holder, the
! pensiontr and the soldier the producer and the
| bondholder. Great cheering, and cries of
Read it agsin.')
The fifth resolution was again read, and again
| cheered.
| Six,h-Economy in the administration o! the
government; the reduction of the standing army
| aud navy the abolition Of the feedmen's on.
| reau great Cheers) aod all political insiru
mebtaliues designed 10 secure negro supremacy;
simplifcaiion OF the system and discOntinuance OF
inquisitOrial modes of assessing and collecting
internal revenue, that the burden of taxation
NAV be eQualized and lessened, the credit OF the
government and the currency made good; the
If all for enrolling the State
militia INTO national forces in time OF peace; aud
a tariff for revenue upon foreign imports. aud
such equal taxation under the internal revenue
| laws will afford incidental protection 10 40
nestle manufactures, and as will, without i'm
pairing The revenue impose the least burden noon
and best promote and encourage the great indus
trial interests Of the country.
| Seyenh-Reform of abuses in the administta
| ton the expulsion of corrupt men from Office, the
abrogation OF useless Offices, the restoration OF
righuul suthCrity 10 and the independence OF the
! executive and judicial departments of the gov
| eminent: the subOIdinstOn 81 the military 20 tue
civil power, TO the end that the usurpatlons OF
| Congress and the despOIism Of the swOrc may
| cease.
Fighth-Eoual rights and protection for natu.
| / ranzed and naiive.bOrn citizens at home and
abroad; The assertion of American nationality,
which shall command the respect Of foreign pow
ers ard furnish an example and encouragement 10
people struggling for national integrity. cOnstitu-
tOns liberty aud individual rights; aud the main
tensDce Of the rights OF naturalized citz ms
= against the anSOiule OOClilue OF IuiHuldDlo alt-
glance and the claims Of foreign powers 20 punish
thtm for alleged crimes committed beyond their
jurisdiction. (Applause)
In demanding these measures and reforms, we
arragn The radical parry for its disregard of right
! and The uDpasalleed oppression and tyranny
! which have marked its career stter the most sol
: | emD and unanimous pledge OF both houses OF
| Congress 10 prosecute the var exclusively for the
! maiDteI aEce Of the government aud the preserva-
| ton of the Union and the Constitution IL has re-
peatedy violated that most sacred pledge, undsr
! which was rallied that noble volnn eer army
Z. | which carried our flag to victory instead of re-
st,rpC the Union 1t has far as is in its power
dissolved it, and subjected ten States. In times OF
! ! profound peace, TO military despo ism aud negro
= | supremacy. IL has Dullited the right Of trial by
: Jury it has abolished the habeas corpus, that
= most sacred writ Of liberty; 1t has overthrOFn
!, The freedom of speech and pres; 1t has substl
: tuted arbitrary seizures and arrests, aud military
: trials and secret star chamber inquisiions, for
constitutional tribunals has dsreg aided in time
Of peace the right of the people 10 be free from
sea- ches aud sc cures: il has entered the post and
telegraph Offices and even the private rooms of
e iudividuas and seized their private papers and
letters without any specification notice OF aiii-
, davr as required by the organic law It has CON
i verted the American capitol iutO 0astile; II has
. established a system OF spies and Ohclh espl0n'
; AGE 10 which 10 constitutional monarchy OF Flu
!. rope would dare TO resort; 1t has abolished tue
=. right of appeal on in pOrtant constitutions qqes
tous 10 the supreme judicial tribunals. and threat
, ems 10 curtal or destroy its original jurisdiction,
. which j. iTrevUcably vested by the Constitution,
= while the learned chief justice has been subjected
- 10 great and atIOciOus cslumnes merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to the sup
. port Of the ia sc and partisan charges preferred
= against the president Its corruption aud extra;
u vspance have exceeded anything known
= in history, end by its frauds and mOnnpG-
q hes II has nearly doubled the burden OF the dsOt
:. | created during the war. Ii has stripped the pre-
sident OF his constitutional power Of appointment,
- even of his own cabinet; under its repeated -
- ssults The pillars of the government are rocking
;, on their base aud should t succeed in November
> ut xt and insukuTste It's president, we vii meet
It ss a subjtc ed and conquered people, amid the
= ruins of liberty aud The scattered fragments OF
- The Constitution. ADD we do declare and resolve,
~ that ever since the people OF the United
y States threw of all snbjugatiOn 70 the Britt sh
- crown The privilege aDd uust OF suffrage nave
, belonged to the several States, and have been
= granted regulated and controlled exclusively by
4. the political power of each State, respectively
~ and any attempt by ODgress, on sny preteX
~ whatever, 10 deprive any state OF this right. OF
~ interfere with this exercise. il fagrant u,nrp
y. ton OF power, which can find no warrant 10 me
- Constitution, and II sanctioned by the people VII
" | srhvert our foIm of government. and can only
- | esd in a single. centralized, consolidated govern
20 | mapt in Inch The seVarate existence of th'
* States will be entirely absorbed aud an unqlali
~ fed des polish he established in place of fedora
Uni n Of equal states thar we regard the re; N
b. snuchOn acts OF Congress, so.called, as usurp
Il, IRONS, DEMONSTRATIONS al. revOui Onary and VOID
III mat our so dieIs and sailors VINO carried III
es flag Of our country 10 victory against mos
of gallant and determined foe. must ever he CRATE
fully remembered. and all the guarantees givei
us in their favor must be faithfully carried INTO exc
of euiion; that the public lands should be dis
40 tributed among the people, aid shoSld be dis
" posed Of either under the pre- -emptiOn Of home
I'm stead lave, or sold IN reasonable quantities
as and 10 none but actual occupants, az he minimum
price a. established by the government; ~he
10y grams Of the public lands may he allowed nece'
us sarily for the encouragement OF important Dubli
80 improve ments the proceeds Of. the sale OF -uc
- lands and rOt the lands themselves shoald be r
he applied. That the president of the United States
m Andrew JOln .on, in exercising the power of hi
high Office in resisting the aggiessiOns Of Cor
ue press on The constitutional rights of the STATE
be and the people is entitled TO the gratitude Of ia
=, whole American people; and on behalf Of N
- Democratic party we tender him our thanks fC
Is his patriotic efforts in that regard. Great al
DIV plause.)