The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-10-09
The National Democratic
Platform. -


The Democratic party, in National Cunven-
tion assembled, repesing its trust in the intell.
eence, patriotism and discriminating justice of
the people, standing upon the Constitution as
the foundation and limitation of the powers of
the Government, and the guarantee of the lib
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques-
tions of slavery and secession as having been
settled for all time to come, by war and the vol
untary action of the Southern States, in consti-
tutional convention assembled, and never to be
renewed or reagitated, do, with the return of
peace demand,
First. The immediate restoration Of all the
States to their rights in the Union, under the
Constitution, and of civil government for the
American people.
Second. Amnesty for all past political Often
ces and the regulation of the elective franchise
in States by their citizens.
Third. Payment of the public debt OF the Uni
ted States as rapidly as practicable; all money
drawn from the people by taxation, except so
much as is requisite for the necessities OF the
government economically administered, being
honestly applied to such payment, and where
the obligations of the Government do not ex-
pressly state upon 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 justice, be paid in the lawful money of the
United States.
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species Of
property according to its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities.
Fifth. One curr ency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the office holder.
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and
bond-holder
Sixth. Economy in the administration of the
government, the reduction of the standing army
and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen
bureau great cbeersI and all political instru'
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy
simplificatiOn of the system, and disc0ntinuance
of inauisitorial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue; so that the burden OF taxation
NAV be eaualized and lessened, the credit OF
the government and the currency made good
the repeal of all enactments for enrolling the
State militia into the national forces in time oil
peace and q tariff for revenue upon foreign I'M
ports; and such equal taxation under the Inter
nal Revenue laws as will afford incidental pro
lection 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.
Seventh. Reform of abuses in the administers
ton: the expulsion of corrupt men from office;
the abrogation of useless offices; the restoration
of rightful authority to and the independence
of the Executive and Judicial departments oil
the government The subordination OF the mil
itary to the civil power to the end that the nsur
pations of Congress and the despotism OF the
sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for nat,
uralized 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 and encourage
ment to people struggling for national integri
tv constitutional liberty and individual rights
and the maintenance of the rights OF naturallz
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine or i'm
mutable allegiance, and tho claims OF foreign
powers to punish them for crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms we
II u. for
RIGHT. and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy which has marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges OF Doth
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclu
sively for the maintenance OF the government
and the protection of the Union under the
Constitution. 1t has repeatedly violated that
most sacred pledge under which was rallied
that noble volunteer army which earned ouI
flag to victory. Instead of restoring the Union
il has, so far as ii is in its power dissolved IT,
and subjected ten States in time OF profound
peace to military despotism and negro supre.
macy. 1t has nullifed there the right of trial
by Jury. 1t 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 inquisitions for constitutional tri
bunals 1t has dsregarded in time of peace the
right of the people to be free from search anu
seizures. 1t 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 anua'
Wit, as required by the organic law. 1t has
converted the American capitol into n Bastlle
1t has established system of spies and official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare to resort.
1t has abolished the right of appeal on i'm
pOrtant constitutional questions to the SUI
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens toIcur'
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction whichis
irrevOcably vested by the Constitution, While
the learned Chief Justice has been subje cted to
great and atrocious calunnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to 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 it's frauds and mOnop
olies it has nearly doubled the burden of debt
created during the war. 1t has stripped the
President of his constitutional power OF ap
pontment, even of his own cabinet. Under It's
repeated assaults the pillars of the Government
are rocking on their bases and should it sue
coed in November next and inaugurate it,
President, we will meet as subjects and con
quered people, amid the ruins of liberty anC
che scattered ras monts oftho Consultations
And we do declare and resolve, That evel
since the people of the United States threw of
all subsection to the British crown, the priv
lege and trust of suffrage have belonged TO tho
several States, and have been granted, regulated
and controlled exclusively by the political pow
err of each State respectively; and any attempt
by Congress on any preteNt W whatever TO de
prive any State of this right or interfere with
this exercise is fragrant usurpation 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, in
which the separate existence of the States will
be entirely absorbed, and an unqualified des
potism be established in fplace 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 who
carried the flag of our country to victory
against most gallant and determined foe must
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
tablished by the government. When grants OF
the public lands may be allowed, necessary fol-
the encouragement of important public i'm
provements, the proceeds of the sale of such
lands, and not the lands themselves, should be
80 applied.
That the President of the United States An
drew johnson, i'll exercising the power of his
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 may have heretofore belonged we
extend the right hand of fellowship, and hail all
such cooperating with us as friends and broth
nrs