American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1868-10-24
PL AT f RIM
OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY

; convention assembled, reposlnS It's Tus
? in the intelligence, patriotism and dis
r eliminating justice of the people, stand
ing upon the Constitution as the found /
ton and limitation Of the powers Of thu
; government, and the guarantee of thu
liberties of the citizen, and recognizing
the questions Of slavery and secession al
having been settled for all time 10 come
by the war or the voluntary action OF the
Southern States in constitutional conven
tons assembled, and never to be renewed
or reagitated, do, with the return Of
peace, demand:
FIRsT-Immediate restoration OF al
the States to their rights in the Union
under the Constitution. and of civil gov
eminent to the American people.
sEooND-y P'.1y for all past political
offenses, andSbed condition of the elect
i've franc, In IN S."ntes by their citi,
Zens.
THIRD-Payment of the public debt
Of the United States as rapidly as prac-
ticable, all money drawn from the people
BY taxation, except SO much as is requis-
lite for the necessities of the government.
economically administered, being applied
to such payment; and where the obliga,
tons of the government do not expressly
state upon their face, or where the law
under which they issued does not pro.
vide, that they shall be paid in coin,
they ought, in right and in justice. to be
paid in the lawful money Of the United
States.
FoURrH-Equal taxation of every spe.
ces of property according to its real
value, including government bonds and
other public securities.
F1FrH-one currency for the govern
ment and the people, the laborer and
office holder, the pensioner and the SOL
der, the producer and the bond holder.
SIxrH-Economy in the administration
of the government; the reduction Of the
standing army and navy; the abolition
of the Freedmen's Bureau and all polii-
cal instrumentalitis designed to secure
negro supremacy simplication of the
system and dscontinuance of linguistic,
rial modes of assessing and collecting
internal revenue, SO that the burthen of
taxation may be equalized and lessened
the credit of the government and the
currency made good the repeal of all
enactments for enrolling State militia into
national forces, in lime of peace; tariff
Tor revenue upon foreign imports, and
such equal taxation under the internal
revenue laws as will afford incidental
protection to domestic manufactures, and
as will, without impairng the revenue,
impose the least burthen upon, and best
promote and encourage, the great indus.
trial interests of the country.
SEvENTH-Reform of abuse in the ad
the expulsion OF corrup
men from office; the abrogation of use
eSs Offices; the restoration OF rightful
to, and the independence of,
he Executive and Judicial departments
If the government the subordinatioD of
he military to the civil power, to the
md that the usurpations Of Congress and
he despotism of the sword may cease.
ErGHrH-Equal rights and protection
or naturaized and native born citizens,
It home and abroad the assertion of
American nationality, which shall com
nand the respect of foreign powers, and
urnish an example and encouragement
o people struggling for national integri :
y, constitutional liberty and individual
ights. and the maintenance of the rights j.
f naturalized citizens against the abso. 5
Ite doctrine of immutable allegiance and C
ne claims Of foreign powers to punish
ZEN for alleged crimes committed be.
ond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and re.
rms, we arraign the Radical party for
5 disregard of right and the unparaIlell-
l oppression and tyranny which have
arked its career, after the most solemn
nd unanimous pledge of both houses of
ongress to prosecute the war exclusive
for the maintenance Of the govern " =,
ent and the preservation of the Union g
i'd the Constitution. 1t has repeatedly D.
olated that most sacred pledge, under 4,
hch was rallied that noble volunteer al
my which carried our flag to victory n =,
stead Of restoring the Union, it has, so II
r as in it's power, dissolved it, and sub p
cted ten States, in times OF profound in
eace, to military despotism and negro
Ipremacy. 1t has nullifed the right Of
ial bJjuryJil. has abolished the ha6eas
'rpuS, thatimost sacred writ Of liberty
has overthrow the freedom of speech
ID press it has substituted arbitrary
lures and arrests, and military trials, eli
ID secret star-chamber inquisitons, for
Institutional tribunals it has disregard ap
A., in time of peace, the right of the peo- Of Of
e to be free from searches and seizures; ty
has entered the post and telegraph re.
ices, and even the private rooms Of in col
Vduals, and seized their private papers fOI
d letters. without any specification or 70
tice of affidavit as required by the or. rea
mic law; it has converted the Ameri- -,
d Capitol into a bastile it has estab- an,
ed system Of spies and official espi- to
age to which no constitutional monarchy wa wa
Europe would dare TO resort it has of
'lished the right Of appeal on import
constitutional questions to the su.
me judicial tribunal. and threatens to
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction,
ich is irrevocably vested by the Con.
the learned Chief Justice
been subjected to great and atrocous Or
lmnies, merely because be would not Of
stitute bis high Office 10 the support tim