The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-07-23
nc DemOcratie PIatfornl.


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 guarantee of the liberties of the
citizen, and recognizing 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
Conventions assembled, and never to
be renewed or reagitated, do, with
the return of peace, demand:
l. Immediate restoration of all
the States to their rights in the Union
under the Constitution and Of Civil
Government to the American people.
2. Amnesty for all past political
offences, and the regulation of the
elective franchisein the States by their
citizens.
3. Payment of the public debt of
the United States as rapidly as prac-
ticable, all money drawn from the
people by taxation, except so much as
is requisite for the necessities of the
Government economically admins.
tered, being applied to such payment,
and where the obligations of the Gov
eminent do not expressly state upon
their face, or where the law under
which they were issued does not pro-
vide that they shall be paid in coin,
they ought in right and Injustice to be
paid in the lawful money Of the Unit
ed Ststes.
4 Equal taxation of every species
of property, according to its real val
ue, including Government bonds and
other public securities.
5. One currency for the Govern
ment end the people, the laborer and
the Ofice-holder, the pensioner and
the soldier, the producer and the bond
holder.
6. Economy in the administration
of the Government, the reduction. of
the standing army and navy; theabol-
ition of the Freedmen's Bureau and
all political instrumentalitie design
ed to secure negro supremacy; simpli-
fication of the system and discontinue
ance of inquisitOrial modes of assess
ing and collecting internal revenue,
so that the burden of taxation may be
equalized and lessened; the credit of
the Government and the currency
made good; the repeal of all enact
ments for enrolling the State Militia
into National forces in time of peace,
and tariff for revenue upon foreign
imports, and such equal taxation un-
der the Internal Revenue laws as will
afford incidental protection to dOmes-
tic manufactures, and as will, without
impairing the revenue. impose the
least burden upon and best promote
and encourage the great industrial in
terests of the country.
Z. Reform of abuses in the admins
tratiOn, the expulsion of corrupt men
from Office, the abrogation of useless
offices, the restoration of rightful au-
thority to and the independence of
the Executive and Judicial Depart
ments of the Government; the su-
bOrdinatiou of the military to the civ
il power, to the end that the usurpa-
tiOns of Congress and the despOtism
of the sword may cease.
8. Equal rights and protection for
naturalized and native born citizens at
home and abroad, the assertion Of
American nationality, which shall
command the respect offoreign pow
ers and furnish an example and en-
.couragement to people struggling for
national integrity, constitutional lib
erty and individual rights, and the
maintenance of the rights of naturally
ed citizens against the absolute doc
trine of immutabIe allegiance and the
claims of foreign powers to punish
them for alleged crime committed be-
yOnd their Jurisdiction. In demand
ing these measures and reforms, we
arraign the Radical party for its dis
regard of right and the unparalleled
oppression and tyranny which have
marked its career after the most sol
emn and unanimous pledge Of both
Houses Of Congress to prosecute the
war exclusively for the maintenance
of the Government, and the preserva-
ton of the Union and the COnstitu-
ton. ..- ...g -Fr q
It has repeatedly violated the most
sacred pledge, under which was rallied
that noble volunteer army which car
ried OUT flag to victory; insteud Of re-
storing the Union, it has, so far, dis
solved it, and subjected ten States in
times of profound peace to military
despotism and negro supremacy. 1t
has nullifed the right of trial by Jury ;
it has abolished the Rd5eds corpus, that
most sacred writ of liberty it has over
thrown the freedom of speech and
press it has substituted ahitrary seiz-
ures and arrests, and military trials,
and secret star chamber inguisitiODs
for Constitutional tribunals; it has dis
regarded in time of peace the right of
the people to be free from searches and
seizures F.; it has entered the post and
telegraph offices, and even the private
rooms of individuals, and seized their
private letters without any specifca-
ton or notice of affidavit, as required
by the organic law; it has converted
the American Capitol into bastile ;
1t has established a system Of spies and
official espionage to which no constitu-
tional monarchy of Europe would
dare to resort; it has abolished the
right of appeal on important constitu-
tional questions to the supreme judic-
ial tribunals, and threatens to curtail
or destroy its original Jurisdiction,
which is irrevocably vested by the
Constitution while the learned Chief
Justice has been subjected to great and
atroeiOus calumnies, merely because he
would not prostitute his high Office to
the support of the false and partisan
charges preferred against the Presi-
dent. Its corruption and extravagance
have exceeded anything known ir
history, and by its frauds and monOp-
oIies it has nearly doubled the burden
of debt created during the war. It ha:
stripped the President Of his constitu
tiOnaI power of appointment, even o