The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-23
THE PLATRoRm.


/ THE PLATEORM.
The Democratic party in National Convention as
sembled reposing its trust in the intelligence
patriotism and discriminating justice Of the people
standing upon the constitution as the foundation
and limitation of the powers of the government and
the guarantee Of the liberties of the citizen, and re-
cognizins the questions Of slavery aud secession at
having been settled for all time to come by the war
constitutional convention assembled, and never tc
he renewed or resgitated, do, with the return o
peace. demand:
First. Immediate restoration Of all the States tc
their rights In the Union, under the constitution,
and of civil government to the American people.
Second Amnesty for all past political offences,
and the regulation Of the elective franchise In the
States by their citizens.
/ Third. Payment Of fthe public debt Of the United
States as rapidly as practicable; all moneys drawn
from the people by, taxation, except 30 much as is
requiEite for the necessities Of the government,
economically administered, being honestly applied
to such payment; and where the obligations Of the
goyernment do not expressly state upon their face,
or the law under which they were issued d oes not
provide that they aha be paid in ooin, they ought
in right and In justice, be paidin the lawful money
of the United states
Fourth. Equal taxation ofevery species Of property
according to its real vafqe including government
| bonds and other public securities.
Ftth. One currency for the government and the
people, the laborer and the oficeholder. the PEN
soner and the soldier, the producer and the bond
holder. -
SizM Economy in the administration Of the gov
ernment; the reduction of the standing army and
navy; the abolition OF the Freedmen's Bureau
and al political instrumentalites designed TO
secure negro supremacy; simplihcaton Of the sys-
tenn, and discontinuance Of inqnihtoria modes
of assessing and collecting internal revenue that
the burden Of taxation may be equallzed ard lessen
ed; the credit Of the government and the currency
made good; the repeal Of all enactments for enroll
ing the State militia into national forces in time Of
peace, and tarffor revenue upon foreign imports,
and such equal taxation under the internal revenue
laws as win afford incidental protection to domestic
manufactures, and as will, without impairing the
revenue, impose the least burden upon and bestpr
mote and encourage the great industrial interests Of
the country.
Seventh. Reform Of abuses In the administration
the expulsion of corrupt men from Office, the abro-
CATION Of useless Offices the restoration Of righHul
authority to and the Independence Of the executive
and Judicial departments Of the government, the
subordinstion of the military to the civil power, to
the end that the uswpatops Of Congress- and the
despotsm Of the sword may cease.
Eighth Equal rights and protection for natdranzed
and native born citizens at home and Abroad the
assertion Of American nationality which sha'l CON-
,naid the respect foreign powers and furnish IN
example and encouragement to people struggling ior
national integrity, constitutional liberty ana lndi-
yidual rights and the maintenance OF the rights Oh
uatralized citizens against the absolute doctrine OF
innmutsbe allegiance and the claims OF foreign pow
ers to punish them for alleged crime committed De-
yond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms We ar
raign the Radical party for is disregard OF right ana
the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which have
marked its career.
After the most solemn and unanimous pledge OF
both Houses Of Congress TO prosecute the war *.
c.usyely for the maintenance of the and
the preservation of the Union under the consutu'
ton,, it has repeatedly violated that most sacred
pledee under which alone was rallied that noble
volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
Instead of restoring the Union 1t has, go far as is In
is power dissolved it, and subjected ten States In
time of profound peace to military despodsm ana
negro supremacy; it has nulihed there the n2nt OF
trial by Jury; has abolished the haoeas corpus
that most sacred writ of liberty; 1t has oVerhrow'i
the freedom Of speech and the press; 1t has suosu
tuted arbitrary seizures, and arrests and mln'ary
trials and secret star chamber inquisidons for the
constitutional tribunals 1t has disre9arded III time OF
peace the right of the people TO be free from searches
and sezures it has entered the post and telegraph
Offices, and even the private rooms of individuals,
and seized their private papers and letters, without
any specific charge notice of affidavit as required
by the organic law; 1t has converted the Ameri.
can capitol intoa Basle it has established system
of spies and official espionage to which no constiu-
ncnal monarchy of Europe would now dare to resort
II has abolished the right Of appeal on important
constitutional questions to the supreme judicial tri-
bunal and threatens to curta or destroy its origi.
nal jurisdiction, which is irrevocaby vested by the
constitution, while the learned Chief Justice has been
subjected to the most atrocious calumnies, merely
because he would not prostitute his high office to the
support Of the false and partisan charges preferred
.:, ms the President; its corruption and extraya-
pance Lave exceeded anything known in history,
and by its frauds and monopoHes it has nearly
doubled the burden of the debt created by the war;
hss sipued the President Of his constitutional power
| OF aupointrnent, even Of his own Cabinet. Under
| its repeated assaults the pillars of the govern.
ment are rocking on their base, and should 1t sue
ceed in November next and inaugurate its President
=, we will meet as subjected and conquered p.opie
amid the ruins ofberty and the scattered fragments
of the constitution; and we do declare and resolve
that ever since the people Of the United States thre"
of all subjection to the British Grown, the privilege
and trust of suffrage have belonged TO the several
States, and have been granted; regulated and con
trolled exclusively by the political power Of each
State respectively, and that any attempt By Congress
on any pretext whatever to deprive any State of this
right or interfere with ts exercise, hagrant usur
patton Of power which can find no warrant 10 tht
constitution, and if sanctioned by the peo
; pie will subvert our form Of government and car
only end In single centralized and consolidated gov
ernment in which the separate existence of the State
will be entirely absorbed, and unqualified despot
ism be established inplace Of Federal Union Of co
equal States; and that We regard the Reconstruction
acts lso-cared) of Congress usurpations, and un
constitutional, revolutionary and void; that our sol
diers and sailors, who carried the flag of our countr
to victory against most gallant and determined foe
must ever be gratefully remembered, and all tn
guarantees given their favor must be faithful!