The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-28
The National Democratic
Platform.

tottotttIs
The Democratic party, In National CUnven.
ton assembled rep-eihg its trust in the intelli-
gence, patriotism and discriminating justice Of
the people, standing upon the Consultation as
the foun latinn and limitation of the powers of
the Government, and the guarantee Of the lib
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques-
tiuns If slavery and secession AS having been
settled for all time TO come, by war and the vol
untary action of the southern -tates, in consti-
tution4l convention assembled, and never 70 be
renewed or reAgitated do, with the return Of
peace, demand,
First The Immediate restoration of all the
States 10 their rights in the Union, under the
Constitution, and OF civil government for the
American people.
second. Amnesty for all past political often.
ces. and the regulation Of the elective franchise
in States by their citizens.
Third. Payment of the public debt of the Uni.
ted States as rapidly as practicable; all money
drawn from the people by taxation, except 80
much as is requisite for the necessities OF the
government economically administered, being
honestly applied To such payment, and where
the obligations of the Government do not ex-
pressly state upon their face, or 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 Insney OF the
United States.
Fourth. EQUAL taxation of every species OF
property according TO its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities.
Fifth. One currency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the Office holder,
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and
bond holder.
Sixth. Economy in the administration Of the
government the reduction Of the standing army
and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen's
bureau lgreat cbeersl, and all political instru'
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplitication Of the system, and discontinuance
of inausitorial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue; so that the burden Of taxation
NAV be eaualized and lessened, the credit OF
the government and the currency made good,
the repeal of all enactments for enrolling the
State militia into the national forces IN time oil
peace and tariff for revenue upon foreign i'm
ports; and such equal taxation under the Inter.
nal Revenue laws, as will afford incidental pro
lection to domestic manufactures, and as will,
| without impairing the revenue, impose the least
burden upon and best promote and encourage
the great industrial interests OF the country.
Seventh. Reform Of abuses in the administra-
tioH the expulsion of corrupt men from Office;
the abrogation of useless Offices the restoration
of rightful authority to and the independence
of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
the government. The subOrdination OF the mil
itary TO the civil power to the end that the usur
pations of Congress and the despotism of the
| sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for nat.
uralized and native born citizens at home and
abroad. The assertion of American nationality
| which shall command the respect Of foreign
powers and furnish an example and encourage
ment to people struggling for national integri'
ty constitutional liberty and individual rights,
and the maintenance of tho rights of naturalZ-
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine Of i'm
mutable allegiance, and the claims OF foreign
powers to punish them for crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms we
| ha P1li dlsreUlru
right and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy which has marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges OF both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclu.
sively for the maintenance OF the Government
| and the protection of the Union under the
Constitution. 1t has repeatedly violated that
most sacred pledge, under which was rallied
that noble volunteer army which carried our
flag to victory. Instead of restoring the Union
il has, so far as it is in its power, dissolved 1t,
| and subjected ten States in time OF profound
| peace to military despetism and negro supre.
macy. 1t has nullitied thsre the right of trial
by Jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over.
| thrown the freedom of speech and OF the press.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar.
| rest and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inquisitiOns for constitutional tri.
bunals. 1t has disregarded in time of peace the
right of the people to be free from search and
seizures. 1t has entered the post and telegraph
offices and even the private rooms OF lndivid.
uals and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification or notice, or afhda-
| Wit rs required by the organic law. II has
converted the American capitol into Bastile.
| 1t has established system of spies and official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare to resort.
1t has abolished the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions to the su.
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens toicur'
Ill tfa tnrlsHIptinn
irrevocably vested by the Constitution, while
the learned Chief Justice has been subje cited to
great and atrOcious calumnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high office TO the
support of tho false and partisan charges pre-
ferred against the President. Its corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known in history, and by its frauds and monop'
olies it has nearly doubled the burden Of debt
created during the war. Ii has stripped the
President Of his constitutional power of sp
pOintment even of his own cabinet. Under It's
repeated assaults the pillars of the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should ii sue
coed in November next and inaugurate its
President, we will meet, as subjects and con.
quered people amid tho ruins of liberty and
the scattered fragments ofthe Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, That ever
since tho people of the United States threw on
all subsection to the British crown, tho PRIV
lcCe aud trust of suffrage have helnnreh 10 the
.~.--.--I s,.~t,. nave been granted, regulated
anu confronted exclusively ny tHt poIllCdl pow
er of each State respectively; and any attempt
hv Congress on any preteXt whatever to de-
privc any State of this right or interfere with
this exercise is Il fragrant uSurpatiOn of power,
which can find no warrant in the Constitution,
and il sanctioned by the people will subvert our
form of government and can only end in sin
gle centralized consolidated government, in
which the separate existence of the States will
he entirely absorbed and an unqualified des.
potism be established in lplace of Federal
union of coequal States; and that we regard the
reconstruction acts 40 called, Of Congress such
usurpatiOn, and unconstitutional, revolutionary
and void: and that our soldiers and sailors who
carried the flag of our country to victJ Dry
against most gallant and determined foe must
BE- ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran.
ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
into execution.
widely among the people, and should be dispos-
ed of under the presumption of homestead laws,
and sold in reasonable quantities. and to none
bat actual occupants, at the minimum price es.
tablishcd by the government. When grants OF
the public lands may be allowed, necessary for
the encouragement of important public I'M
provements, the proceeds of the sale of such
lands and not the lands themselves, should be
80 applied.
That the President of the United States, An
drew johnson, in exercising the power Of his
high office in resisting the aggressions OF Con
EIcSS Oh tIe bOISlllullOuhi IiRuls VI tuo ota'co
and the people, is entitled TO the gratitude OF
the whole American people, and on behalf OF
the Democratic party we tender him our thanks
for his patriotic efforts in that regard.
Upon this platform the Democratic party ap
peals to every patriot, including all the Conser
vative element and all who desire to support the
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past differences of opinion, To unite with us in
the present great struggle for the liberties Oi
the people, and that to all such, to whatever
party they may have heretofore belonged, We
extend the right hand of fellowship, and hail al
such cooperating with us as friends and broth
ers