The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-20
The National! Democratic


'0' Platform brs
The Democratic party, in NATIONAL o1n tSIii.
ton assembled renesinp its trust inthe inteiIlc
genoa, patriotism and discriminating gussuS0 %
the people standing upon the Constitution - 81
the foundation and limitation OF tne p ~ I;h
the Government, and the guarantee ~ a. '| mes
critics of the citizen; and recognizing inc In
tons of slavery and secession as having De .oi
settled for all time to come by war anu an. nosE
untary action of the Southern states IN JULES u
tutional convention assembled, and never 70 "
renewed or reagitated, do, with the retuin Va
peace, demand, az ~ k-s ..g1Ga '.-
First. The immediate restoration OF an the
States to their rights in the Union, uneer IN. IN
Constitution, and Of civil government LOT JUG
American people. ~ ,.-....g -.s. a-i
Second. Amnesty for all past political oI Lsla
ces, and the regulation of the elective franchlse
in States by their citizens. y = l.a
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 as is requisite for the necessities oil the
government economically administered, being
honestly applied tosuch 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 be paid in coin, they ought, in night
and justice, be paid in the lawful money OF the
United States. III Fl odd u u
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species of
property according to its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities
Fifth One currency forthe government and
the people the laborer and the Office holder,
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and
bond
! Sixth. Economy in the administration of the
government, the reduction of the standing army
and navy: the abolition of the Freedmen s
bureau Igreat cheers, and all political instru-
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplifcation of the system, and discontinuance
of inquistorial modes OF assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue; so that the burden of taxation
NAV be eaualiZed 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
neace and a tariff for revenue upon foreign i'm
ports; and such,equal taxation under the Inter
nal Revenue laws as will afford incidental pro
lection to domestic manufactures, and as VIII,
without impairing the revenue, impose the least
J burden upon and best promote and encourage
1.-The great industrial interests of the country.
Seventh. Reform of abuses in The almnistra.
ton; the expulsion of corrupt men from oftcei
fine abropation of useless offices the restoration
of riphtful authority to and the Independence
! of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
the government. The subordination of the mil
tary to the civil power to the end that the usur-
, pations of Congress and the despotism OF the
sword may cease. ...--
; Bighth. EQUAL rights and protection for nat,
uralized and native born citizens at 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-
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine OF I'M
mutable allegiance, and the claims OF foreign
powers to punish them Tor crime conllhiIIeu
beyond their jurisdiction.
, In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party Tor Its disregard lot
right, and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy hich has marked It's career, aiter the
a most solemn and unanimous pledges OF Doth
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
i that noble volunteer army which carried our
flag to victory. Instead of restoring the Union
it has so far as it is in its power, dissolved it;
and subjected ten States in time of profound
peace to military despetism and negro supre,
macy. 1t has nullihed th"re the rlght OF trlal
bv Jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over.
, thrown the freedom of speech aud of the press.
It has substituted arbitrary seizures aud ar
b. rest and military trials and the secret star
= chambers of inQuisitions for constitutional trl'
, bunals 1t 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
j. Offices and even the private rooms of individ'
: uals and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or atiida
Wit as 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
/. ineEurope would now dare to resort
q 1t has abolished the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions to the su
irene judicial tribunal and threatens tOIcur
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction, which il
irrevocably vested by the Constitution, while
the learned Chief Justice has been subje cted to
/. Great and atrocous caluInnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to thu
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 deb
created during the war. 1t has stripped tho
President of his constitutional power OF APP
pointment, even of his own cabinet. Under IL
;, repeated assaults the pillars Of the Government
" are rocking on their bases, and should it sue
- coed in November next and inaugurate it
I, President we will meet, rs subjects and n con
! qucred people, amid the ruins OF liberty ant
2 the scattered fragments 0fthe Constitution.
, And we do declare and resolve, That ever
. since the people of the United States threw of
= all subsection to the British crown, the priv
lege and trust of suffrage have belonged TO til,
I, several States and have been granted, regulated
= and controlled exclusively by the political pow
y by Congress on any preteXt whatever to dc
i prive any State of this right or interfere will
this exercise is afagrant usurpatiOn OF power
which can find no warrant in the Constitution
and if sanctioned by the people will subvert on
n form of government, and can only end in n sin
gle centralized consolidated government, il
which the separate existence of the States will
he entirely absorbed and an unqualified dies
potism be established in place of a Fedora
union of coequal States; and that we regard tn
mol
d usurpation, and unconstitutional, revOutiOnaT,
and void and that our soldiers and sailors VIII
carried the flag OF our country to Wet n.
against Almost gallant and determined foe mus
be ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran
ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
into execution.
i That the public land should be distribute,
q widely among the people, and should be dspos
Il ed of under the presumption of homestead laws
and sold in reasonable quantities, and to non
but actual occupants, at the minimum price es
tablished by the government. When grants O
the public lands may be allowed, necessary TO
; the encouragement of important public in
provements the proceeds of the sale of sue
lands, and not the lands themselves, should b
so applied
That the President of the United States, An
J drew johnson, in exercising the power of hi
high office in resisting the aggressOns of Con
gress on the Constitutional rights of the State
and the people, is entitled to the gratitude o
the whole American people and ON behalf o
II the Democratic party we tender him our thank
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 tn
u constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past differences Of opinion, to unite with us il
the present great struggle for the liberties o
the people, and that TO all such, TO whateve,
party they may have heretofore belonged w
extend the right hand of fellowship, and hail al
such cooperating with us as friends and broth
ers.
Eamln Natinn