The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-07-10
THE PLATFORM.

could be fully restored.
THE PLATFORM.
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 foundation and limitation of the
powers Of the government, and the
guaranty Of the liberties of the citizen
and recognizing the questions of Slav-
cry and secession as having been set
tied for all time to come by the war or
the voluntary action of the Southern
States in Constitutional Convention as
semblcd and never to be renewed or
reagitated, do with the return of peace
demand:
@FFySt. Immediate restoration of all
the States to their rights in the Union
under the Constitution, and Of civil
government to the American people.
Second. Amnesty for all past politi-
cal Offenses, and the regulation of the
elective franchise in the States by their
citizens.
Th6d. Payment of the public debt
of the United States as rapid as practi-
cable; all moneys drawn from the peo-
pie by taxation, except so much as is
requisite for the necessities of the gov
ernment, economically administered,
being honestly applied to such pay
ment, and where the obligations of the
government do not expressly state up
on their face, or 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.
Thunders Of applausel.
Fourth. Equal taxation of every
species of property according to its re-
al value, including government bonds,
and other public securities. Renewed
cheering and cries of "read it again."
FUIb. One currency for the govern
ment and the people, the laborer and
the officeholder, the pensioner and the
soldier, the producer and the bOndhold-
er. Great cheering and cries of "Read
it again." The fifth resolution was
again read, and again cheered.
,SiTth. Economy in the administra-
ton Of the government the reduction
of the standing army and navy; the
abolition of the Freedmen's Bureau
great cheering, and all political in
Strumentalities designed to secure ne
gro supremacy simplification of the
system, and discOntinuance of inquisi-
tOrial assessing and collecting internal
revenue, so that the burden of taxa
ton may be equaliZed and lessened,
the credit Of the government and the
currency made good the repeal of all
enactments for enrolling the State mi
litia into national forces in time of
peace, and a tariff for revenue upon
foreign imports, and such equal taxa
ton under the internal revenue laws
as will afford incidental protection to
domestic manufactures, and as will,
without impairing the revenue, i'm
pose the least burden upon and best
promote and encourage the great in
dustrial interests of the country.
,SeUenth. Reform of abuses i'll the adj
miniStration, the expulsion of corrupt
men from office, the abrogation of use
less offices the restoration of rightful
authority to, and the independence of
the executive and judicial departments
of the government; the suhordinatiOn
of the military to the civil power, to
the end that the usurpatiOns of Con-
gress and the deSpotism of the sword
may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection
for naturalized and native-bOrn citi-
zenS at home and abroad the assertion
of American nationality which shall
command the respect of foreign pow
erS and furnish an example and en-
couragement to people struggling for
national integrity, constitutional libar-
ty and individual rights; and the
maintenance of the rights Of natural
lied citizens against the absolute doc
trine of ihhmutable allegiance, and the
claims of foreign powers to punish
them for alleged crime committed be-
yond their jurisdiction. Applause.
In demanding these measures and
reforms we arraign the Radical party
for its disregard of right, and the un-
paralleled OPPRESSION and Tyranny
which have marked its career.
After the most solemn and unanimous
pledge Of both houses of Congress to
prosecute the war exclusively for the
maintenance Of the government and
the preservation of the Union under
the Constitution, it has repeatedly viO-
lated that most sacred pledge under
which alone was rallied that noble vol
unteer army which carried our flag to
VOctOry.
Instead of restoring the Union, it
has, so far as is in its power, dissolved
it, and subjected ten States, in time of
profound peace, to military despotism
and negro supremacy. 1t has nulified
there the right of trial by jury; it has
abolished the ha6eds cOrpus-that most
sacred writ of liberty it has over
thrown the freedom of speech and
the press; it has substituted arbitrary
seizures, and arrests, and military trials,
and secret star chamber inquisitiOns for
the constitutional tribunals; it hasdisre-
garded in time of peace the right of the
people to be free from searches and
seizures; 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 or notice of affidavit, as
required by the organic law; it has
converted the American Capitol into
bastile; it has established a system of
spies and official espionage to which
no constitutional monarchy of Europe
would now dare to resort ; it has abol-
ished the right of appeal on important
constitutional questions to the supreme