The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1868-09-12
The Platform Of the Democratic
National Convention,
ADOPTED JULY 7th. 1868

|
! The Democratic party in National Convention
assembled, reposing its trust in the intelligence
patriotism and discriminating Justice of the peo.
pie, standing upon the Constitution as the found
atlon and limitation of the powers of the gov
efnment, ana the guarantee of the liberty Of the
citizen, and recognizing the question 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 constitutional conven-
tlons assembled, and never to be renewed or re
ag1tated, do. with the return of peace, demand
| First-lmmediate restoration of all the States
to their rights in the Union under the Constitu-
tlon, and OF civil government to the American
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
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 In justice be paid in the lawful money of the
United States fThunders of applausej
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.1
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.")
The fifth resolution was again read, and again
eheered.
Sixth-Economy in the administration of the
government; the reduction of the standing
army and navy; the abolition of the Freedmens
Bureau, tgreat cheers) and all political ;nstru-
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy
simptificatlon OF the system and discont tinuanee
of lnquisitorial modes of assessing and collect
ing internal revenue, that the burden of tax
alton may be equaiized and 1essened, 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 a tariff for revenue upon foreign imports,
and such equal taxation under the internal re We
niue laws as will afford incidental protection 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.
Seyenth-Reform of abuses in the administra-
tion, the expulsion of corrupt men from office,
the abrogation of useless Offices, the restoration
of rightful authority to and the independence
government; the subOrdinatioR-of the military
to the civil power, to the end that the usurpa-
tions of Congress and the despOtism of the
sword may cease.
Eghth-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 aud encourage
ment to people struggling for national integrity,
constitutional liberty and individual rights :;
and the maintenance of the rights of naturaIized
citizens against the absolute doctrine of immtl-
table allegiance and the claims of foreign pow
ers to punish them for alleged crimes committed
beyond their jurisdiction. (Applaase.)
In demanding these measures and reforms, we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard of
right, and the unparalleled oppression and ty-
ranny which have marked it's career after the
most solemn and unanimous pledge of both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclu-
siveiy 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, SO
far is in its power, dissolved it, aud subjected
ten States. in times of profound peace, to mill
tary despotism and negro supremacy. 1t has
nullified the right of trial by jury; it has abol
ished the habeas corpus, that most sacred writ
of liberty; 1t has overthrown the freedom of
speech and press; it has substituted arbitrary
seizures and arrests, and military trials, and Sc
cret star chamber inquisitions, for constitutional
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 indi
ters, without any specification or notice of afi-
davit, as required by tine organic law it has con-
verted the American capitol into bastile; it
has established system of spies and official es-
pionage to which no constitutional monarchy of
Europe would dare to resort; it has abolished
the right of appeal on important constitutional
questions to the supreme judicial tribunals, and
threatened to curtail destroy its original juris
diction, which is irrevoeably vested by the Con
stitution, while the learned Chief Justice has
been subjected to great and atrocious calumnies
merely because he would not prostitute his high
office to the support of the false and partisan
charges preferredlagainst the President. Its cor
ruption and extravaganza have exceeded any
| thing known in history, and by its frauds and
monepolies it has nearly doubled the burden of
the debt created during the war. 1t has stripped
the President of his constitutional power Of ap-
pointment, even of his own cabinet; under its
repeated assaults, the pillars of the government
are rocking on their base, and should it succeed
in November next, and inaugurate its President,
we will meet it as subjected and conquered
people, amid the ruins OF liberty, and the scat
| tered fragments of the Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, that ever since
the people of the United States threw off all sub
jugation to the British crown, the privilege and
trust of suffrage have belonged to the several
States, and have been granted, regulated and
controlled exclusively BY the political power of
each State, respectively; and any attempt by
Congress, on any pretext whatever, 20 deprive
any State of this right, or interfere with its ex
GfclSe, Is d uaSfHHG oSukIbdtIuu power, WHICH
can find no warrant In the Constitution, and if
sanctioned by the people will subvert our form
| of government, and can only end in a single,
centralized, consolidated government, In which
the separate existence of the States viii be en-
tirely absorbed, and an unqualified despotism be
established in place of Federal Union of equal
States; that we regard the reconstruction acts
of Congress, so-calledj as usurpations, unconsti-
tutional, revolutionary and void; that our soE
diers and sailors who carried the flag of our
country to victory against most gallant and
determined foe, must ever be gratefully remem-
bered, and all the guarantees given IN their favor
must be faithfully carried into execution; that
the public lands should be distributed among
the people, and should be disposed of either un-
der the pre-emption or homestead laws, or sold
in reasonable quantities. and to none but actual
occupants, at the minimum price, as established
by the government: when grants of the public
lands may be allowed, necessarily for the en-
eouragement of important public improvements,
the proceeds of the sale of such lands, and not
the lands themselves, should be so applied !;
that the President of the United States, Andrew
johnson, in exercising the power of his high
office in resisting the aggressions of Congress on
the constitutional rights of the States and the
people, is entitled to the gratitude of the whole
American people; and ON behalf of the Demo-
cratic party we tender him our thanks for his
patriotic efforts in that regard tGreat applause