The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-08-06
PLATFORM OF THE DEMOCRACY OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Adopted IN Convention at Ne,o York on
the 4h Of July, 1868.

Tho Democratic party, in National Con-
vcntion assembled, reposing its trust in ;hs
intelligence, pniriotian and discriminating
Instinct of the people, standing upon the
Constitution as the foundation and limita.
tion ofthc powers OF Government aud tho
guarantee Of the liberties Of tho citizen md
recognizing tho questions ofslavcry und.sc.
eession rs having been settled for all time
20 come, by the war aud voluntary action oi
the Southern statss in constitutional con.
Venton assembled, and mover to be renew
oil or rc-agitutqd, do, with the return oI
pence, demand:
First. The immediate restoration Of all
states in the Union under tho Constitution
ofcivil Government.
Second. Amnesty for nll past political or.
hnScs, and tho regulation of tho elective
franchise in the states by their citizens.
Third. The payment Of tho public debt
of tho United States as rapidly as possible
oil money drawn from tho people by taxa.
tion, except so much as Is rtsqusite for the
necessities Of the helgovernment economically
administered, being honestly applied tc
such payment; and where the obligations
Of the government do ot expressly state
upon their face, or the law under which
they wera issued does not provide that
they shall be paid in coin. they ought, in
right and justice. to be paid in the, lawful
mona Of the United States.
Fourth. Tho equal tnxationSof every
species Of property according TO value, in
Cluding government bonds and other public
securities.
Fifth. One currency for the government
and peoples tho lnborcr and oiiice-holder
the pcnsioner and soldier the producer
and the bondholder.
Sixth Reform in the administration oI
tho Government the reduction Of the stan
ding amy and navy the abolition OF the
Freedmon's Bureau(greot cEeers), and ell
political instrumGntalities designed TO Sc
cure negro supremacy simplication Of the
system and discontinuancc oftho inquisitor-
ial modes Of assessing Rnd collecting rcyo-
nue. that the burden oftaxntion be equalzcd
and lesseuod, the credit of the Government
made good the abolition Of oil onactments
for the enrolling Of state militia into nation
al forces in time of peace, and tariff for
revenue upon foreign imports, and such
equal taxation under tho Internal revenue
laws rs will afford incidental protection to
domestic manufactures, and without I'M
pairing the revenue impose the least bur
den upOnthe resi-, promote aud encourage the
great Interests Of the country.
Seventh. Reform OF tho abuses of the
Administration tho expulsion of corrupt
men from Office tho abr0gntiOn OF useless
offices the restoration of the rightful au-
thority and the independence of the cxccu-
two and judicial departments Of the Gov
crnmcntj the subordmatiOn of the civil
power, TO the end that the usurpation of
Congress anu the desl o.ism OF tho sword
may cease
Eight. Equal rights and protecti5n for
natutalizrd and native born citizens, at home
and abroad the restoration of American ma
tiOnality, which shall command the respect
of foreign powers and furnish all example
and encouragement to people struggling for
national integrity, constitutional liberty
and individual rights of naturalised citizens
against the obsolete doctrine Of immutuble
allegiance and claims of foreign powers to
punish the alleged crime committed beyond
their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms
we nrraign the Radical party for the dsre-
gard OF right and unparalleled opposition
and tyrany which have marked It's career.
After the most solemn and unanimous
pledges of both houses of Congress 10 prose-
cute the war exclusively for tho mainten-
ance of the Government and the preserva-
tiOn of the Union under the Constitution, il
has repeatedly violated the 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 in its power dissolved aud sub
jugated ten States IN tho time of profound
peace Ia military despotism and negro su-
premocy. IL has nullfed the right of trial
by Jury IL has abolished the habeas corpus
that most sacred writ of liberty it has
oyerthrown the freedom Ofspeech anG of tho
press It has substituted arbitrary seizures
and arrests, and military trials, and secret
star chamber inqulsitions for on.titutional
tribunals il has disregarded in time OF
peace the right of people to be free from
search and seizures IL has entered the post
aud telegraph offices, and even in the pri-
vate rooms of individuals, and seized their
private papers and letters without any spec
iicatons or affidavit as required by organic
law It has converted the American capitol
into bastile il has established q system
of spies and official espionag to which no
constitutional monarchy of Europe would
now dare to resort il has abolished the
right Of appeal on important constitutional
questions TO the supreme judlcials tribunals
and threatens to curtail or destroy its orig
nal Jurisdiction, which Is irrevocably vest
ed by the Constitution, while the learned
Chief Justice has been subjected to the great
and atrocious calumnies merely because he
would not prostitute his Office so the support
Of tho false and partizan charges preferred
against the President it's corruption and
extravaganza have exceede anything
known in history, and by its frauds and
monopolies il has nearly doubled the bur
den Of the debt created during the war il
has stripped the President OF his eonstitu-
tional power Of appointment Of hisown cab
met. Under its repeated astaults the pill
lars OF the Government are rocking on their
base, and should II succeed in November
next and inaugurate its President we will
meet as q subjected and conquered ocople
amid the ruins of Liberty and tho scattered
fragments Of the Constitution.
Aud we do declare and resolve thpt ever