The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-09
THE PLATFORM.

THE PLATFORM.
The Democratic party, in National Convent on as
sembled, reposng 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 guar ntee of the liberties of the citizen, and re-
cognizng the questions 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 convention assembled, and never to
be renewed or reagitated do, with the return OF
peace, demand: ..
First. Immediate restoration Of all the States to
their rights in the Union, under the constitution
and of civil government to the American people
s,eoni Amnesty for all past political offences,
and the regulation Of the elective franchise IN the
States by their citizens.
g: Third. Payment fthe public debt Of the United
States as rapidly as practicable; all moneys drawn
from the people by taxation. except 30 much as is
requisite 70. the necessities of the government
economically administered, being honestly applied
TO such payment: and WHARF the Obligations Of the
government do not expressly state upon their face.
or the law under which they were issued does not
prOVlQe tEat luoy UC PoAo 3A SSN~f ~A~s ~o-'
in right and in justice, be paidin the lawful money
Of the United states.
Fourth Equal taxation of every species Of property
according its real value. including government
bonds and other public securities.
FVtA One currency for the government and the
people the laborer and the oficeholder. the PEN
sioner and the soldier the producer and the bond
holder.
iSxA Economy in the administration Of the gov
eminent; the reduction Of the standing army and
navy; the abolition of the Freedmen's Bureau
and all political insrume ntalities designed to
secure negro supremacy; eimpihcadon OF the sys-
tenn. and discontinuance Of inquisitoriM modes
of assessing and collecting internal revenue, 80 that
e burden of taxation may be equallEed end lessen
Cd; the credit of the government and the currency
made good; the repeal Of all enactments for enroll
ing the Site militia into national forces in time OF
peaoe and tariff for revenue upon foreign imports,
and such equal taxation under the internal revenue
laws as win afford incidental protection to domestic
manufactures, snd as will, without impairing the
revenue impose the least burden upon and best pro-
mote ani encourage the great industrial interests OF
the country.
Seyeuth. Reform Of abuses in the administration,
the expulsion Of corrupt men from Office, the aoro-
CATION Of useless Offices the restoration OF righeul
authority to and the independence Of the executive
and judicial departments Of the government the
subordination of the military to the civil power, to
the end that the usurpatons Of Congress and the
despotsm Of the sword may cease.
EiqhM. Equal rights and protection faS naturalized
and nstive-born citizens at home and abroad, the
assertion of American nationality which shau COM
mand the respect Of foreign powers and furnish an
example and encouragement to people struggling for
national integrity, constitutional liberty, and indi-
ydual rights; and the maintenance Of the rights Of
uaturalized citizens against the obsolete doctrine Of
u,mutsble allegiance and the claims Of foreign pow
ers TO punish them for alleged crime committed be-
yond their Jurisdiction.
-, In demanding these measures and reforms we ar
ragn the Radical party for It's disregard of right and
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 e1-
c,uziyeiy for the maintenance Of the government and
the preservation Of the Union under the copsttu-
tion, 1t has repeatedly violated that most sacred
pledge under which alone was rallied that nooIe
volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
Instead Of restoring the Union, 1t has, so lar as isin
.ss power, dissolved II, ana subjected ten States IN
time of profound peace to military despotism and
negro supremacy; it has nullifed there the right Oh
trial by jury; It has abolished the habeas corpus
that most sacred writ of liberty; 1t has overthrowl
the freedom Of speech and the press; 1t has suosti
tinted arbitrary seizures, and arrests, and military
trials and secret star chamber nquisiaons ior the
constitutional tribunals; It has disresarded iu time OF
tbe ipht of the people to be free from searches
and sezures it has entered the post spd teiesrap
Offices, and even the private rooms OF 1ndiVlauas'
and seized their private papers and letters WITHOUT
any spacic charge OF notice OF affidavit as required
by the organic law; It has converted the AHefi-
can capitol intoa Base; it has established system
of sp,es and official espionage to which no consntu'
tional monarchy Of Europe would now dare 10 resort
it has abolished the right Of appeal on important
constitutional questions to the supreme judicial tri-
bunsl and threatens to curail destroy its orig-
nal iurisdicton which is rrevocably vested By the
constitution while the learned Chief Justice has been
subjected to the mot strocious calumnies, merely
because he would not prostitute his high office to the
support OF the false and partisan charges preferred
AGAINST the President; its corruption aud e1taVa-
pance have exceeded anything known IN hlstor"'
and by its frauds and Inonoprhes 1t mas nearly
doubled the burden Of the debt created by the war;
has stripped the President of his power
of appointment, 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 insugurate its President
we will meet as subjected and conquered p-opie
amid the ruins oflibery andthe scattered fragments
of the constitution: and We do declare and resolve
that ever since the people of the United States tnre"
off all subsection to the British Crown the privilege
and trust Of suffrage have belonged to the several
States, and have been granted, regulated and con-
troIea exclusively by the political power OF eaca
State respectively, and that any attempt by Con gres
on any pretex whatever to deprive any State OF this
right or interfere With It's exercise is agrant usur-
patton Of power which can find no warrant 10 the
constitution, and If sanctioned by the peo-
ple will subvert our form Of government and can
only end in single centralized and consolidated gov
ruent in which the separate existence of the States
viii be entirely absorbed, and an unqualified despot-
ism be established In place OF Federal Union OF CO.
equal States; and that we regard the Reconstruction
aATRrNn nnd T1n