The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-09-05
THE
oPELOUsAs. SATURDAY, SEPT. S, 1869.
THE
OF THE
Democratic National Convention.
ADOPTED JULY.7, 1868.

The Democratic party, IN national con-
vention assembled, reposing its trust In the
intelligence, patriotism and discriminating
Justice of the people, standing upon the
Constitution as the foundation and llmlta-
ton of the powers of the government, and
the guarantee Of the liberty of the citizen,
and recognizing the questions of slavery and
secession as having been settled for all time
TO come by the war or the voluntary action
of the Southern States in con tltntional CON
~ventions assembled, and never to be re-
newcd or reagitated, do, with the return Of
peace, demand:
First-Imrediate restoration Of all the
States to their rights in the Union under
the Constitution, and of civil government
to the American people.
Seccnd-Amnesty for all the past politl-
cal o~ffenses, and the regulation of the elect
i've franchise in the States by their citizens.
Third-Payment of the public debt OF
the United States as rapidly as practicable,
all money drawn from the people by taxa
ton, except so much as is requisite for the
necessities Of the government, economically
administered, being applied to such pay
ment and where the obligations of 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 Justice be paid in the lawful money of
the United States. (Thunders of applause.l
Fourth-Equal taxation of every species
of property according to its real value, in
Guiding government bonds and other public
securities. (Renewed cheering, and cries
of "Read it again.D
Eth 01, o,,rraror fap thu royarpmpnt
and the people, the laborer and the office
holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the
producer and the bondholder. (Great cheer
ing, and cries of Read it again.'O
The fifth resolution was again read, and
again cheered.
Sixth-Economy in the administration of
the government; the reduction OF the stand
ing army and navy the abolition Of the
Freedmen's Bureau (great cheers, and all
political instrumentalities designed to Sc
cure negro supremacy simplifcation of the
system and discontinuanee Of inquis;torial
modes of assessing and collecting the internal
revenue, so that the burden of taxation may
be equalized and lessened the credit ofthe
government and the currency made good
the repeal of all enactments for enrolling
the State militia into national forces in time
of peace and q tariff for revenue upon
foreign imports, and such equal taxation
under the internal revenue laws as will af-
ford incidental protection to domestic manu-
features and as will, without irnpairing the
revenue, impose the least busden upon, and
best promote and encourage the great in
dustrial interests of the country.
Seventh-Reform Of abuses in the ad-
ministration, the expulsion of corrupt men
from offices, the restoration of rightful au-
thority to and the independence of the
executive and judicial departments of the
government the subordination of the mill
tary to the civil power, to the end that the
usurpations of Congress and the despotism
of the sword may cease. s
Eighth-Equal rights and protection for
naturalized and native-hnrn eitiser1s az home
and abroad, the assertion OF American ma
t;onalitv. which shall command the respect
Of foreign powers and furnish an example
in6adfI7aiaa SG1lff faigg6Tlss; a tHd p ths n nsirasSllns 'o OF
the rights of naturalized citizens against the
absolute doctrine of immutable allegiance
and the claims of foreign powers to punish t
them for alleged crimes committed beyond
their jurisdiction. (Applause.1 !
g., In demanding these measures and reforms, :
we arraign the Radical party for its disre- :
gard 0 fright, and the unparalleled oppres- 4
sion and tyranny which have marked its I
career after the most solemn and unanimous O
pledge of both houses of Congress to prose
cute the war exclusively for the mainte- d
Of the government and the preserva- n
ton of the Union and the Constitution. 1t T
has repeatedly violated that most sacred
pledge, under which was rallied that noble 7
volunteer army which carried our flag to
instead of restoring the Union, it
haa, so far as is in its power, dissolved it,
and subjected ten States, in times of pro-
found peace, to miitaryd spotism and ne
supremacy. 1t has nnliified the right
trial by jury lit has abolished the habeas +
corpus, the most sacred writ of liberty: i; =
las overthrown the freedom of speech and r
press : it has substituted arbitrary seizures o.,
md arrests, and military trials, and secret
tar chamber inquisitions, for constitutional pa
tribunals; it has ~disregarded in times of :
the right of the people to be free
rom searches and seizures it has entered
he post and telegraph Offices, and even, the Il,
rivate rooms ofindividnals, and seized their
rivate papers and letters without any n,
pecification or notice of affidavit as re-
uired by the organic law it has convert !.
d the American capitol into a bastille !; it
as established q system of spies and official ~
spionage to which no constitutional mon {
rchy Of Europe would dare to resort il :
as abolished the right, of appeal on impor-
constitutional anestions to the supreme !,
ldicial tribunals. and threatens to -cnrtoiI a.,
destroy its original Jurisdiction. which i IN,
reyocably vested bg the Const;tnt;an
lille the learned chief Justice has bear 10
objected to great and atrocious calnmniss 4
eralu haca,esn ba ronld not nros.;tnta - IN