Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-09-08
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.


 tico of the people, standing upon the Consti- tuition as the foundation and lmitationof the powers of the Government and the guarantee of the liberties of the citizen, and rccogniz- ing the questions of slavery and secession as taying been settled for all time to come by Inc war or the voluntary action of the South ern States in constitutional convention as- scmblod, and never to be renewed or rreagita- ted dc, with the return of peace, demand
 1st. Immediate restoration of all the States to their rights in the Union under the Con stitution, and of civil government to the American people.
 2d. The amnesty for all the past political ofTenses and the regulation of the elective franchise in the States by their citizens the payment of the public debt of the United. States as rapidly as practicable.
 3d. All the money drawn from the people by taxation, except so much as is requisite for the necessities of the Government, econ omically administered, being honestly ap- piled to such payment, and where the obliga tions of tho Government do not expressly 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,
 4th. Equal taxation of every species of pro-
  Government bonds and other public securi- ties.
 9th One currency for the Government and the people, the laborer and the ofiice-holders, the producer and the bond holder.
 9th. Economy in the administration Of the Governments the reduction of the standing army and navy; the abolition of the freed mems bureau, and all political instrumentali- ties designed to secure negro supremacy; simplifeation of the system, and discontinu- ance of inquisitorial boards of assessing and collecting the internal revenue, so that the burden of taxation may be equalized and lesscncd and 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 of peace; tariff for revenue upon foreign imports, and such equal taxation under the informal reve- nue laws as will afford incidental protection to domestic manufactures, and will, without impairing the revenuc impose the least bur den upon and best promote and encourage the great industrial interests of the country.
 7th. Reform of abuses in administration; the expulsion of corrupt men from office; the -abrogation of useless offices; the restoration of rightful authority to, and the independ- ,ence of, tho executive and judicial depart mcnts ofthc Goternment the subordination Ol .NDp JlilittTy u tit IiNli poNSi, " ehS NhA that the usurpations of Congress and the 'despotism of the sword may cease.
 sih Equal rights and protection for natu, ralized and natiye-born citizens at home and abroad. The assertion of American nation ality which shall command tue respect Of foreign powers furnish example and en- couragement to the people struggling for na- tonal integrity, constitutional liberty and undived rights, and the maintainanee of the tights of naiuralized citizens against the ab- solute doctrine of immutable allegiance and the claims of foreign powers to punish them for alleged crime committed beyond their jo- aisdiction.
 In demanding these measures and reforms VIC arraign the Radical party for
 It's disregard of right and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which have marked its career after tho most solemn and unani- anous pledge of both houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclusively for the main tainanee of the Gouernment and the preser- vation of the Union under the Constitution.
 1t has repeatedly violated the most sacred goledcse upoer which was rallied that noble volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
 Instead of restoring the Union, it has, so far as in its power, dissolved it, and subject ed ten States in time of profound peace, to onilitary acspotism and negro supremacy
 gt has nullifed there the right of trial by jury.
 Ii has abolished the habeas corpus, that most sacred writ of liberty.
 dt has overthrown the freedom of speech and the press.
 l. has substituted arbitrary seizures and arrests, and military trials and star chamber ineuisitiens for constitutional tribunals.
 1t has disregarded in SiGac of peace the right of the people to be free from search and seizure.
 Il has entered the postoilices and telegraph offices, and even the private rooms of indi- viduals and seized their private papers and letters without any specification CT notice of affidavit, as rc9 9uiTed by the organic law.
 st has converted the American capitol into bastle,
 1t has established q system of spies and of acal espionage to which no monarchy of Flu rope would now dare to resort
 1t has abolished the right of appeal on i'm portaAt constitutional questions to tue su- oreme judicial tribunals, and threatens to control or destroy it's original jurisdiction, which is irrevocably vested by the eonstitu- eion- while the learned Chief Justice has been subjected to great and atrocious calumnies, merely because he would not prostitute his high office to the support of the false and partisan charges preferred against the Pres ideat,
 It's corruption and extravaganza have OK cecded anything known in history by its friends and monopolics.
 1t has nearly doubled the burden of debt created during the war.
 It has stripped the President of his constl- tutionai power of sppeiatment, even of his own cabinet.
 Under it's repeated assaults the pillars of the Government are rocking on tholr base, and, should it succeed in November next and inaaeurate its President, we will meet as suhiagated and conquered people amid the ruins of liberty and the scattered fragments of the Constitution.
 And we do declare and resolve:
 That, ever since the people of the United States tlrew off all subjection to the British crown, tlte privilege and trust of suffrage have belonged te the several States, and have been granted, regulated and controlled ex- clasivcly by the political power of each State, respectively, and any attempt by Congress, on any pretext whatever, to deprive any State of this right, OF 10 interfere with this exer- else, is fragrant usurpation of power which can find no warrant in the Constitution, and if sanctioned by the people, will subvert our form of government, and can only end in a single. centralized, consolidated government, in which the separate existence of the states will be entirely absorbed and an unqualified despotism he established in the place of a Federal Union of equal States.
 That we regard the reconstruction acts oi Congress, so-ealled, and such usurpations, as 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 ever be gratefully remembered, and all the guaran- tees given in their favor must be faithfully carried into execution
 That the public lands should be distributed as widely among the people and should be disposed of, either under the pre-emption oi homestead lands, and sold in reasonable
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