The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-07-21
PL At FO R M
OF THE
Democracy ofthe United States
Equal Taxation, ,Greenbacks
for Bonds.


If the powers of the Government and the
the questions OF slavery and Sc
session as having been settled for all time to
,ome by the war or the voluntary action of
he Southern States in Constitutional Con-
7entions assembled, and never to be renewed
,r reagitated, do, with the return of peace,
lemand---
First-The immediate restoration of all
he States to their rights in the Union under
he Constitution. and of civil government
IF the American people.
Second-Amnestyf for all past political Of
fences and the regulation of the elective
franchise in the States by their citizens.
TLird--Payment of the debt Of the United
States as rapidly as practicable; all money
drawn from the people by taxation, except SO
much as is requisite for the necessities of the
economically administered, be-
ing honestly applied to such payment, and
where the obligations of the 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 in Justice be paid in the
lawful money Of the United States, IThun-
ders Of applause.l
Fourth--The equal taxation of every spe-
cies of property according to its real value,
government bonds and other public
securities. Renewed cheering, and cries of
aRead it again."]
Fifth--0ne currency for the government
and the people, the laborer and the ofioe-hol-
der, the pensioner and the soldier. the Pre-.
duoer and the bondholder. [Great cheering,
and cries of aRead it again."
The fifth resolution was again read and
again cheered,
6ixth--Eeonomy in the administration of
the Government; the reduction OF the stand
ing army and navy; the abolition of the
Freedmen's Bureau, lgreat cheers] and all
the political instrumentalities designed to
secure negro supremacy simplifcation of the
system and discontinuance of the inquisito-
rial modes of assessing and collecting inter-
nal revenue, so that the burden of taxation
may be equalized and lessened, the credit of
the Government and currency made good;
the repeal of all enactments for enrolling
the State militia into national forces in time
of peace, and tariff for revenue upon foreign
imports, and such equal taxation under the in
ternal revenue laws as will afford incidental
protection to domestic manufactures, and as
will without impairing the revenue, impose
the least burden upon and do the best to pros
mote and encourage the great industrial in
terests of the country.
Seventh, The reform of abuses in the ad-
ministration, 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 Judi
cial Departments of the Government, the
subordination of the military to the civil
power, to the end that the usurpations oi
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 ma.
tionality, which shall command the respect
of foreign powers and furnish an example
and encouragement to the people struggling
for national integrity, constitutional liberty
and individual right, and the maintenance
of the rights of naturalized citizens against
the absolute doctrines of immutable allegi.
ance and the claims of foreign powers to
punish them for alleged crimes committed
beyond their jurisdiction. [Applause.l
In demanding these measures and reforms
We arraign the Radical party for its disregard
of right and the unparalleled oppression and
tyranny which have marked its career. Al
ter the most unanimous pledge of both
Houses of Congress to prosecute the war
exclusively for the maintenance OF the Gov-
eminent and the preservation OF the
Union under the Constitution, It has repeat.
edly violated that most sacred pledge, undei
which alone was rallied that noble volunteer
army which carried our nag to victory; IN
stead OF preserving the Union 1t mas, so Ial
as Is In its power, dissolved 1t, and subjected
ten States in time OF profound peace to mil
itary despotism, 1t has aboilshed tne napeas
corpus and trial by jury; it has disregarded
in times Of peace, the right OF the people to
be free from searches and seizures: 1t has en-.
tered the post and telegraph offices, and even
the private rooms of in dividuals and seized
their private papers and letters without
any specification or notice of affidavit as re-
quired by the law; it has converted the Amer
lean capital into Bastile; it has established
system of spies and official espionage to
which no crested monarchy Of Europe would
dare to resort, It has abolished the right OF
appeal on important constitutional questions
to the surreme judicial tribunal and threat
ems to curtail or DESTROY its original iurisdic.
ton. which is irreyocabie by the Constitution;
while the learned Chief Justice has been sub
iected to the most atrocious calumnies mere
" because he wonld not prostitute his high
Office 70 the sunnort Of the false and partisan