The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-24

mutable allegiance, and the claims OF foreign
powers to punish them for crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard for
right, and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy which has marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges OF both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exciu'
sively for the maintenance of the Government
and the protection of the Union under the
Constitution. It has repeatedly violated tnat
most sacred nledpe under which was rallied
that noble volunteer army which carried our
flag to victory Instead Of restoring the Union
it has so far as it is in spower, dissolved ";
and subjected ten States in time Of profound
peace to military despetism and negro supre.
macy. IL has nulliied there the right Of trial
bv iiirv. II has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over
thrown the freedom Of speech and OF the press.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar
rest and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inanisitions for constitutional tri-
bunals. 1t has disregarded in time of peace the
RIGHT of the people TO be free from search and
seizures. IL has entered the post and telegraph
Offices and even the private rooms Of individ.
uals and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or afida-
Wit as required by the organic law. It has
converted the American capitol into q Bastile
1t has established system Of spies and Official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
1t has abolished the right Of appeal on I'm
portant constitutional questions to the su
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens torcur
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction when II
irrevocably vested by the Constitution, while
the learned Chief Justice has been subje cted to
great and atrocious caluInnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high othce 10 the
support of the false and partisan charges pre-
ferred against the President. Its corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known in history, and by its frauds and monop
olies il has nearly doubled the burden OF DEBT
created during tie war. 1t has stripped tine
President of his constitutional power Of sp
pointment even Of his own cabinet. Under its
repeated assaults the pillars OF the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should II sue
coed in November next and inaugurate its
President we will meet, as subjects and q coz.
quered people, amid the rninsof liberty and
the scattered fragments of the Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, That evel
since tho people of the United States threw of
all subsection to the British crown, the priv
lege and trust of suffrage have belonged to tn,
several States and have been granted, regulated
and controlled exclusively by the political pow
er of each State respectively; and any attempt
by Congress on any pretext whatever 70 de.
prive any State of this right OF interfere with
this exercise is fragrant usurpaton OF power
which can find no warrant in the constitution
and If sanctioned by the people will subvert oul
form of government, and can only end in sin
gle centralized consolidated government, II
which the separate existence Of the States viii
be entirely absorbed and an unqualified des
potism be established in place OF Fedora
union of coequal States and that We regard the
reconstruction acts, so called, of Congress such
usurpation, and unconstitutional, revolutionary
and void; and that our soldiers and sailors wht
carried the flag of our country 10 Wet )ry
against a most gallant aud determined foe mus
be ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran
ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
into execution.
That the public land should be distributed
widely among the people, and should be dispos
ed of under the presumption of homestead laws
and sold in reasonable quantities, and to none
but actual occupants at the minimum price es
tablshed by the government. When grants o.
| the public lands may be allowed, necessary fol
| the encouragement of important public i'm
provements the proceeds of the sale OF suct
lands, and not the lands themselves, should bt
80 applied.
That the President of the United States, An
drew johnson, in exercising the power OF hii
high office in resisting the aggressions OF Con
gress 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 Democratic party we tender him our thanks
for his patriotic efforts in that regard.
Upon this platform the Democratic party ap
peals to every patriot, including all the Conser
vative element and all who desire TO support the
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past Differences OF opinion, to unite with us in
the present great struggle for the liberties Of
the people, and that to all such, to whatever
party they NAV have heretofore belonged, We
extend the right hand of fellowship and hail nj
such cooperating with us as friends and broth
ors.