The Opelousas courier., 1868-10-24
The Platform Of the Democratic
National Convention,
ADOPTED JULY 7th. 1868.

The Democratic party. in National Convention
assembled, reposing it's trust in the intelligence
paCriotlsm ana discriminating justice of the peo-
pie, standing upon the Constitution as the found
alton and limitation of the powers of the gov
efnment, and the guarantee of the liberty of the
cltlzen and recognizing the question of slavery
ana secession as having been settled for all time
to come by the war or the voluntary action of
the Southern States in constitutional conven-
tons assembled, and never to be renewed or re
2gItated, do, with the return of peace, demand ::
Flrst-lmmediate restoration of all the States
to their rights in the Union under the Constitu-
people.
second--Amnesty for all the past political of
! fences, and the regulation of the elective fran
chlse IN the States by their citizens.
Third-Payment Of the public debt of the
United States as rapidly as practicable, all
meney drawn from the people by taxation, ex-
cept so much as is requisite for the necessities
OF the government, economically administered
! being applied to such payment; and where the
ooHgatlons 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 LII justice be paid in the lawful money of the
United States (Thunders of applause)
Fourth-Equal taxation Of every species of
property according to its real value including
government bonds and other public securities
/ (Renewed cheering, and cries of Read it
again.")
Fifth-One currency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the Office holder the
pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the
bondholder. tGreat cheering, and cries Of
| "Read it again.rt
| The fifth resolution was again read, and again
cheered.
| Sixth-Economy in the administration of the
| government: the reduction of the standing
army and navy the abolition of the Freedmens
Bureau, tgreat cheers1 and all political instru-
mentantles designed to secure negro supremacy
simplitication Of the system and discontinuance
of inquisitorial modes of assessing and collect
! ing internal revenue, so that the burden of tax
alton may be equaIized and lessened, the credit
! of the government and the currency made good
! the repeal OF all enactments for enrolling the
State militia into national forces in time of peace;
and tariff for revenue upon foreign imports,
! and such equal taxation under the internal reve-
/ nue. laws as will afford incidental protection to
domestic manufactures. and as will, without
| lmpalrlng 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-
tion, the expulsion OF corrupt men from Office,
the abrogaton 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 military
1 to the civil power, to the end that the usurpa
tions Of Congress and the despotism of the
sword may cease.
Eighth-Equal rights and protection for natu-
rallied 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 integrity
constitutional liberty and individual rights
and the maintenance of the rights of naturalized
citizens against the absolute doctrine of immu-
table allegiance and the claims of foreign pow
ers to punish them for alleged crimes committed
beyond their jurisdiction. tApplause.}
In demanding these measures and reforms, We
aTraign the Radical party for its disregard OF
right and the unparalleled oppression and ty
rauny which have marked its career after the
most solemn and unanimous pledge of both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclu
sively for the maintenance of the government
and the preservation of the Union and the Con
stitution. 1t has repeatedly violated that most
sacred pledge, under which was rallied that no
BILE volunteer army which carried our flag to vic
tory; instead of restoring the Union, it has, sc
far is in it's power, dissolved it, and subjected
ten States, in times of profound peace, to mill
tary desp0tism and negro supremacy. 1t has
nuilified the right of trial by jury; it has abol
ished the habeas corpus, that most sacred writ
of liberty: it has overthrown the freedom o.
speech and press; it has substituted arbitrary
seizures and arrests, and military trials, and Sc
cret star chamber inc uisitons, for constitutions
tribunals; it has disregarded in time OF peace
the right of the people to be free from searches
and seizures; it has entered the post and tele
graph offices, and even the private rooms OF indl
viduals and seized their private papers and let
! tiers. without any specification or notice OF am
davit, as required by the organic law it has con
verted the American capitol into bastlle; /
has established q system of spies and ofnclal es
, pionage to which no constitutional monarchy
| Europe would dare to resort it has abolished
the right of appeal on important constitutions
questions to the supreme judicial tribunals, ant
threatened to curtail destroy its ori ginal uris
, dietion, which is irrevoeably vested by the Con
stitution, while the learned Chief Justice ha
been subjected to great and atroclous calumnie
] merely because he would not prostitute his hlgl
office to the support OF the false and partisan
charges preferred.against the President. Its cor
ruption and extravaganza have exceeded any
thing known III history, and by It's frauds an
. ,naunpolies it has nearly doubled the burden Q
, the debt created during the war. 1t has strippe
; the President of his constitutional power OF al
:. pointment, even of his own cabinet; under 1t
repeated assaults, the pillars of the government
are rocking ON their base, and should it succee
i In November next, and inaugurate it's President
, we will meet it as subjected and conquere
i, people amid the ruins of liberty, and the sea
q tered fragments of the Constitution.
L And we do declare and resolve, that ever sine
q the people Of the United States threw of all sui
iugation to the British crown, the privilege an
!, trust of suffrage have belonged to the sever;
u States, and have been granted, regulated an
5 controlled exclusively by the political power {
r each State, respectively; and any attempt b
: Congress, on any pretext whatever, TO deprlS
any State of this right, or interfere with its e.
Q ercise is hagrant usurpation OF power, Whle
y can find no warrant in the Constitution, and
: sanctioned by the people will subvert our for
of government, and can only end In slngl
= centralized, consolidated government, in whit
n the separate existence of the States will be 81
d tirely absorbed, and an unqualified despetism
, established in place OF Federal Union OF equ
: States: that we regard the reconstruction ae
3 of Congress, so-cailed, as usurpations, uncons1
Z tutional revolutionary and void; that our Sc
~ rrI,oa Il fhn ffcfT nf