The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-10-28
The National Democratic
Platform.

The Democratic party, in National Cvnven
ton assembled, repesiBg its trust in the intelli
gence, patriotism and discriminating justice o.
the people, standing upon the Constitution a'
the foundation and limitation of the powers o.
the Government, and the guarantee of the lib
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques
tons of slavery and secession as having beer
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 b(
renewed or regulated. do, with the return o.
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
ccs 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 moaeN
drawn from the people by taxation, except 81
much as is requisite for the necessities OF tbs
! government economically administered, being
| honestly applied TO such payment and where
| the obligations of the Government do not cx
pressly state upon their face, or the law under
| which they were issued does not provide thai
| they shall be paid in coin, they ought, il 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
Flftn. one curr enCy Tor the government auC
| 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's
bureau great cheers, and all political instru
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy
simpliticatiOn of the system, and discontinuance
of inQusitorial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue 80 that the burden of taxation
may be eQualized and lesssned, 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, and 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 administra.
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 OF
the government. The subordination of the mil.
itary to the civil power to the end that the usur
pations of Congress and the despotism of the
sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for nat
uraized 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-
ty, constitutional liberty and individual rights,
and the maintenance of the rights of naturaliz-
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine of i'm.
mutable allegiance, and the claims of foreign
powers to punish them for a 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 marEpl its career after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges of both
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 carried our
nag to victory. Instead of restoring the Union
II has so far as it is in its power, dissolved il,
ana subjected ten States in time of profound
peace TO military despetism and negro supre-
macy II has nullited thSre the right of trial
oy jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus
, ,Sat most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over
Tue freedom of speech and of the press
res, Ia" aS substituted arbitrary seizures ana ar
aSo S SlIu lhliltary trials and the secret star
Shanoers OF inquisitions for consti,nt;onal -;
CuIhe. II mas dlsregarded in time of neaca tba
rlghl Vi the people to be free from saarch 81
sslLuIes ~ mas entered the post and telegranb
omces, anu even the private rooms of in5;vf5
uals and seized their private paners ona u.
without any specification, or notice or es;Sn
Wit, as required by the organic Law 7, h
converted the American capitol into RI. iIs'
1t has established a system of spies and ofsciei
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare TO resort
1t has aboli shed the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions to the su.
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens tofcur-
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 caluInnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to the
support of the false and partisan charges pre-
fsrred against the President. Its corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known in history, and by its frauds and monop-