Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-06-26
The Future Platform Of the Demo
cratic Party.

purposes Of eueeess it may DO a mat
ter of even moro importance. The
course Of somo Of The leading Demo
cratic journals might we'll justify the
sneers of tkpir opponents that the
party has now no principles Taking
theie cue from the evasivo action and
ambiguous utteranccs at Chicago,
puch journals as tho New York World
and the Chicago Times are engaged IN
urging the adoption of platform
which shall ignore every thing which
is distinctive in the principles of. the
party, which shall bo acceptable as
we'll to the Republicans as to tho Dem
ocrats, WHICH shall serve Us halfway
hoHse between Radicalism and Con-
servatism, and which should bo oven
broad enough for General Grant him.
golf 10 stand upon. If there is any
epe thing which has dist dtho
Democratic party in |, and
which has formed tho ralyins ,ry in
its recent triumphs it is on unsparing
aonqnciation of the Reconstruction
policy as illegal, unconstitutional, and
yoid; but now it is grayely proposed
to recognize as on established fact,
and to accept as valid and binding,
this gross usHrpation. With such a
platform, in what docs this spurious
Democracy differ from Republicapism
except in the merit Of consistency 2
qo ue, the contests of party become
tho mere scrambles for Office in which
10 have no concern-and Gen. Grant
you'd bo as acceptable as Mr. Chase.
We cannot believe that tho Demo
cratic party is prepared thus to aban.
don it's principlay J. and ignore the vital
and essential issues upon which the
party must stard, and upon which VIC
believe it will stand in the coming
election. These are thus we'll set forth
by that staunch Conservative journal,
the National kntelligeucer
The great Conservative movement
IS essentially protest against Radi
calism, and the manifold crimes ara
outrages of this last party must be
sternly denounced. Moro especially
do we refer to the so CALLED recon-
stFuc,ion acts, by which negro suf-
frage has been forced upon the South.
Those acts are tho most shameless
acts of tyranny and atrocity ever per,
petrated by men claiming to be civil
ICED, and arc void in law as in right
The Conservative party are pledged
20 the overthrow of great wrong, and
this faith must be ro-affirmed in Ian
guage that shall not fail either in en-
phasis or in point.
The general principle that suffrage
ahall and should be left to the States
is we'll enough; it is constitutional
pnd sound. But to rest hero would,
nnder present circumstances, be vain
illnsive. The general declaration
answers very we'll for New York,
Ohio, and Pennsylvania; for there wo
haVP governments under the control
of the white rece, and it is for each to
say whether they will admit tho fow
blacks among them to the ballot or
not, and under what conditions. But
it We como to the Sonth we no longer
6nd the white race in control of the
power Of the States. Tint control
has beeR, violently wrestcd from them
Pr Congressional despotism, and, by
system of acknowledgements ard
frauds combined, the whites have been
consigned to an almost hopeless ne
gro yoke. :The governments shortly
70 be- recognised by Congress, require
each votef to swear to "acccpt" for
all time the doctrine Of the <polilica,
equality of The two races, and by this
test oath the whites are Shut cut from
the polls. And this is what Congress
has done in nearly all the Southern
States. 10 all, savo Virginia and
Fexas, the negro governments are in
force and able to perpetuate them;
selves. To tell the whites of the
States that suffrago is to be left to the
States to regulate, without deelarins
'aheae negro governments to be p tyr,
amy and usurpation is to :trifis with
and evade q great issue. Il is.to turu
our eyes away from ? great crime, 10
ignore the ssptiments Of the North.
eern e g n.sssaes sa syinsed in every. cleo
ton Mhere the issns. has been present.
I'D totAem; and would DO sn .sbandon..
ment Of principle, slike .disgracefei
and impoliiio. Ip.abort,it would sbe:
" dissolution Of tho ..coaseryatiys
party" ~; ;: !. <,,. =
e-----.-- ,.ss9l..;-> !
&oas11ErRe OF 4sxAxsIRA1foK.-Thes
following rsned esstis,,es have beai,
reqsssted to: oct AasA j 1c6mmitaee. Of
ExamiDsaion.atstbe close Of III; Grasl. ..G :;