The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-05-27
PLATFORM OF THE DEMOC
RAGY OF OHIO, ADOPTED
JANUARY s, 1868.

Ohlo congratulate the cOuntry upon
the improved aspect of political affairs
as evidenced by the State elections of
1867, and that they look forward with
hope and confidence o. the result of
that momentous struggle, and upon
which depends, in so great a degree,
the future peace and prosperity Of the
Uhion.
ResOEsca, THAT, additionally opros
+ d to the doctrines which lead to con
: solidation, we renew with ~unfagging
/ zeal and increased energy, U attach
!, mont to that political creed which has
, ever been go staunchly adhered to by
our organization through days Of troub-
lie and disaster, as we'll as good fortune
aud prosperity, which was thus ex-
pressed By Thomas jefferson equal
and exact justice to all men, of what
ever state or persuasion-religious or
politicai-peace, commerce and honest
friendship with all n~Ations, entangliBg
alliances with none; the support of the
State Government in all their rights,
as the most competent administration
of our domestic concerns and the u
est bulwark against an.i-republieAn
tendencies ; the preservation on the
General Governmsnt in its. whole COZ
stitutional vigor as the sheet anchor IF
peace at home and safety abroad a
Jealous care of the rights of elactiens
by the people; and she supremacy of.
the civil over the military authority
2Resozged, ,Tha. We condemn the
legislative usarpstions Of Congress,
and particularly the several acts of re
construction so called, as violatige OF
the Constitutional compact between
The States, and as utterly subersive OF
every principle Of self government
that distinguishes 4 free people.
ResotUed, That We ave opposed te
any measures which recognize that
the integrity Of the Union was eve
broken-that any Of its members were
ever out, and that We determfpedIy re
sist that the Southern States DO longer
being ia Instruction, CT at var, WITH
se Federal Government, are entitled !
TO the .spli State recognition and con
stitrtisnaI representation ia Congress,
~ the electoral Selleges gives to all
s.s.~z. aud the denial Of it to them
by Congress, I'D its efforts to dictate
By military force 4 e~oyerapest for
them are unsons.itati0nsi, Ss's'uHoh
arg md aespotic. r
II sozved, That We ere opposed 10th
in principle aud policy, to negro SAT
frsse ; that the State of Ohio-havine
by the espastic nsjeFity Of 10000 re
j.cted i for herself-it il sterniJ op
posed to its forced imposition upon
other States, aBd that we stigmstize
such an imposition by the Federal
Government as a most base usurpa
;ion.
ResoEved, That the practical effect
of the so-ealled Reconstruction act oil
Congress is to deliver over ten States
to the political and social control OF ne
sroes and 10 pises the lives. libertie=
aud fortunes of the Whites, residing
hereia, in the. banda. Of q baFbsreas
people, "a hat it would Inevitable
lead either war of races or TO the
Af~rieauization Of tho South a1o1
ResSaped, That notwithstanding the
enormous sad conceded frauds in the
creatioa of the public debt, the faith
Of tie eezBtry is pledged to It's pay !
ment, principal and interest, accord
ing TO The terms eff the several acts OF
CoAgress, under which the bonds rep
resestins the debt we're issued, bat
net otherwise, aad sc are opposed to
any plan for extending the tunes OF
payment, thus increasing the @oaut
of gold iaterest TO o than the prin
cipal, Or TO any declaration By Congress
that the principal is payable in gold,
which would virtually add more than
a thousand millions to the bqrthen OF
the debt, and TO the whole insane Fl
natoial policy of which these measures
are a part. -5a4l ~ en xs.s h.a
Resoluea That, neither, forgetting
nor denying our ancient faith that
gold and silver coin form the currency
of tho Constitution, We declare tkat
the fve-twenty bonds should be paid
in the saaae currency received by the
Government for their issue, and that
BY the withdrawal of the monopoly
granted to the National Ranks this re-
suit can be accomplished without an
undue or dangerous increase OF paper
money, now the only circulating meei-
UNI, thus relieving our people from the
burthen of q debt, the tendency Of
which is always to corrupt and enslsVe,
and our Government from the reprosch
of paying a favored class in gold, while
discharging its debts to all others ia
Guiding pensions to widows and SOL
dicrs, in an inferior currency.
Resolved, That this plan violates no
law, impairs no contract, breaks no
faith, aud Instead of retarding a re; arm
to specie payments, is the shor,cst
because the only safe way of reaching
that end. aoo 10 =zsaae r 81 H;4H .s=5iE
RESOLVED, That all the. property of
the country, including the lGoyern:I
ment bonds, which receives the equal
protectiounof the Government. should
bear auseaual share in its burthe nsyf
Resolced, That we indignantly rejectti
the principle derived from the fsudalf
system-that the masses of the people
belong to the Governments under
which they live, which in another form
is contended for by the monarcbies of,
Europe, including Great Britain,
once a subject always a subject-that
we on the contrary maintain that an
Individual can, by emigration and resi-
dence in another country, forswesr his
previous allegiance, and be admitted in
to all the civil aud political ri:tts of
his new home-that American. c~,tizens
by adoption and naturalization arssen
titled to all the rights as between us
and foreign powers which can be
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