The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-09-23
5PIiATFORM
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
ADOPTED JULY ?, 1868.

| The Democratic Party, in National Con
vention assembled, reposing its trust il
the intelligence, patriotism and discrimi
ting justice of the people, standing upor
the Constitution as the foundation and
limitation of the powers of the govern
ment, and the guarantee of the liberty OF
the citizen, and recognizing the questions
of slavery and secession as having beer
settled for all time to come by the war o,
the voluntary action of the Southern
States in constitutional conventions assem-
/ bled, and never to be renewed or reagita
ted, do, with the return of peace, demand.
First-Immediate restoration of all the
States to their rights in the Union under
the Constitution, and of civil government
to the American people.
Second-Amnesty for al the past politi.
cal offences, and the regulation of the cleo.
tive franchise in the States by their cit.
liens. ia5 F5sf' ss"sse.5 s-EH 2 7s4s-E st
| Third-Payment of the public debt OF
the United States as rapidly as practicable,
all money drawn from the people by taxa
ton, exceptlso much as is requisite for the
necessities ofthe government, economical
lily administered, being applied to such
payment; and where the obligations of
1.-The government do not expressly state,
upon their face, or where the law under
which they were issued does not provide
that they shall be paid in coin, they ought
in right and in justice be paid in the law
full money of the United States.
Fourth-Equal taxation of every species
of property according to its real value, in
Guiding government bonds and other pub
lie securities. sa'iy .isgE seh}5e a5t aa'e
Fifth-One currency for the government
and the people, the laborer and the office
holder, the pensicner and the soldier, the
producer and the bondholder., III e-f,4t, ~
Sixth-Economy in the administration
of the government; the reduction of the
standing army and navy; the abolition of
the Freedmen's Bureau and all political
instrumentalities designed to secure negro
supremacy; simplfcation OF the system
aud discontinuance of inquisitorial modes
of assessing and collecting the internal
revenue, so that the burden of taxation
may be equalized and lessened; the credit
of the government and the currency made
good the repeal of all enactments for en-
rolling the State militia into national
forces in time of peace and a tariff for
revenue upon foreign imports, and such
equal taxation under the internal revenue
laws as will afford incidental protection to
domestic manufactures; and as will, with
out impairing the, revenue, impose the
least burden upon, and best promote and
encourage, the great industrial interest of
the country. 4;s-,5 $500. ...,.,.s
| Sevensh-Reform of abuses in the adj
nlinistration, the expulsion of corrupt men
from Office, the abrogation of useless Of
fees, the restoration Of rightful authority
to and the Independence of the executive
and judicial departments of the govern
ment; the subordination of the military to
the civil power, to the end that the usur-
patrons OF Congress and the despoisn, of
the sword may cease.itgs 35 Ijdn ;s9aeloiy
Eighth-Equal rights and protection for
naturalized and native born icitizcnsI at
home and abroad, the assertion of Ameri-
can nationality, which shall command the
respect of foreign powers and furnish an
example and encouragement to people
struggling for national integrity, constitu-
tional liberty and individual rights; and
the maintenance of the rights Of natural
lied citizens against the absolute doctrine
Of immutabie allegiance and the claims Of
foreign powers to punish them for alleged
crimes committed beyond their jurisdic-
ton.
In demanding these measures and re-
forms, we arraign the Radical Party for its
disregard of right and the unparalleled
oppression and tyranny which have mark
/ ed its career, after the most solemn and
| unanimous pledge Of both Houses of Con-
gresslto prosecute the war exclusively for
the maintenance of the government and
the preservation oflthe, Union and Consti-
tuition; 1t has repeatedly violated that
most sacred pledge, under which was raj
| lied that noble, volunteer army which car
ried Cur flag to victory; instead of res
storing the Union, it has, SO far. as is in its
power. dissolved it,. and subjected ten
States, in time of profound peace, to mill
fairy despotisrn and negro supremacy. 1t
has nul1ified the right of trial by jury; it
has abolished the habeas corpus, that most
sacred writ Of liberty; it has overthrow
the freedom of speech and press it has
substituted arbitrary seizures and arrests,
and military trials and secret star chamber
inguisitiens for. constitutional tribunals;
/ it has disregarded in times of peace the
right of the people to be free from searches
and, seizures; it has entered the, post and
telegraph offices, and even the private
rooms of individuals. and seized their pri-
vate papers and letters without any speci-
fication or notice of affidavit as required
by the organic law; it has converted the
American capitol into a bastile; it has es
tabiished q system Of spies and official es
pionage To which no constitutional nor
archy of Europe would dare to resort; it
has abolished the right of appeal on inn
portant constitutional questions to the su-
prene judicial tribunals, and threatens to
curtaiI or DESTROY its original Jurisdictions,