The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-08-15
Tllr 1rlnotrat,
pE.IoCRATIC PLATFORM.

July 4, 1868.
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 Es the founda
ton and limitation of the powers Of the Govern
ment and the guarantee of the liberties Of tho cit
iEen and recognizing the questions of slavery |
and secession as having been settled for all'time
to como BY the war or the voluntary action of tho
Southern States in Constitutional Convention as
sembled, md never to be renewed or reagitated,
do with the return Of peace demand;
Eirst-mmediate restoration of all the States |
TO their rights in the Union under the Constitu-
tiOns and Of civil government to the American |
people. ~es4
.Seeond--Amnesty for all past political ofenses,
and the regulation of the elective franchise in the
States by their citizens.
-Tkird-Psyment of tho public debt of the United
States as rapidly rs practicable all moneys drawn
from the people by taxation, except so much rs is
requisite for the necessities of the Government,
economically administered, heing honestly applied
to .dch 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, to be paid in
the lawful money of the United States.
FoHrtA-Equal taxation of every species Of
property according to its real value, including
Government bonds and other public securities.
FIfh-0ne currency for the Government and
the people, the iaborer and the office holder the
pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the
bondholder.
SiEtk-Economy in the administration of the
Government; the reduction Of the standing army
and tho navy; the abolition OF the Freedman's
Bureau, and all political instrumentalties designed
to secure negro supremacy; simplihcation of the
system, and discontinuance of inquisitoral modes
of assessing and collecting Internal Revenue,
that the burden ef taxation may be equalizcd and
lessened; the credit of the Government and tho
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 ports, and such equal taxation under
the Internal Revenue laws as viii afford incl
dental pro Oteetion 10 domestic manufactures, and
as viii, without impairing the reyenue impose the
least burden upon and best promote and encour-
age the great industrial interests Of the country.
Serentk-Reform Of abuses in the administra-
fion, the expulsion of corrupt men from Of
fee, the abrOgotion Of useless Offices, the
restoration OF rightful authority 70, and the
partments of the government, the subordination
of the military to the civil power to the end that
the Usurpations Of Congress and the despotism of
the sword may cease,
'Eightk-Equal rights and protection for nat
uralized and natiye-bOrn citizens at home and
abroad, the assertion OF American nationality
which shall command the respect Of foreign pow
ers and furnish an example and encouragement
to people struggling for national integrity, con-
stitutiOnal liberty and individual rights and the
malQLe144c6sOI the TlZlLS OF uaf9r1ilZeu eitlZeu1
against the absolute doctrine Of immutable ale
glance, and the claims Of foreign powers to pun
ish them FOR alleged crime committed beyond their
jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms We
arraign the Radical party for It's disregard right
and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which
have mark ed its career
After the most solemn and unanimous pledge OF
both Houses Of Congress to prosecute the war ex-
clusivelT for the maintenance Of the GoVernmen Mt
md uaFSf
stitution il has repeatedly violated that most
eFad- T.ie1s- --Ia-As>L ~1@>- --s- -SIitsI that
noble volunteer army which carried our flag 10
victory. Instead Of restoring the Union IL has,
so far In its power, dissolved it and subjected
ten States, In time Of profound peace to military
despOtism and negro supremacy. II has nullifed
there the right Of trial by jury; il has abolished
the hdbeas e0rpEs that most sacred writ of liberty
ii has oyerthroBn the freedom Of speech and the
press it has substituted arbitrary seizures, and
arrests anl military trials, and secret star cham
Der ipquistions for the constitutional tribunals il
has disregarded in time Of peace the right of the
people 10 be free from searches and seizures; it
has entered the post and telegraph Offices and
even the private rooms Of individuals, and seized
their private papers and letters without any spe-
eife charge or notice of affidavit, required by
the organic law 1t has converted the American
Capitol into bastile; it has established a sys-
tenn Of spies and Official espionage TO which no
constitutional monarchy Of Europe would now
dare to resort; it has abolished the right Of ap-
peal on important constitutional questions 10 the
supreme Judicial tribunal and threatens to cuTtail
destroy itsloriginal jurisdiction which Is ire
voeably vested By the Constitution, while the
learned Chief Justice has been subjected 70 the
most atrOcious calumnies, merely because he
would not prostitute his high Office to the support
Of the false and paTzan charges preferred against
the President. Its corruption and extravaganza
have exceeded anything known IN history, and by
Its frauds and monopolieg 1t has nearly doubled
the burden Of the debt created by the war. It
has stripped the President Of his constitutional
power Of appointment, even Of his own. Cabinet
Under its repeated assaults the pillars of the Gov
eminent are rocking on theiTbase, and should il
succeed In November next and inaugurate It's
President, we viii meet a subjected and con-
quered people amid the ruins Of liberty and the
scattered fragmants Of the Constitution.
And We do declare and resolve that ever since
the people of the United States threw of all sub
lection to the British Crown privilege and trust
of suffrage have belonged to the several states,
and have been granted. regulated and controlled
exclusively By the political power Of each State
respectively, and that any attempt by Congress,
on any pretext whatever, to deprive any State of
this right, interfere with its exercise, is fla
grant usurp alton of power which can find no war
rant In the Constitution, and If sanctioned by the
people viii subvert our form of Government, and
can only end In a single centralized and eonsol-
Sdated government In which the separateexistence
Of the States viii be entirely absorbed, and an un-
qualified despotism be established in place-of a
And that re regard the Reconstruction Acts ESQ
called Of Congress, ssgsuch, as usurpations and
unconstitutional, revolutionary and void.
That our soldiers and sailors Who carried the
flag Of our country to victory against most gal
liant and determined foe must ever be gratefully
remembered, and all the guarantees given in their
favor must be faithfully carried into execution.
That the public lands should be distributed as
widely as possible among the people, and should
be disposed Of either under the pre-emption OF
homestead IndE, OF sold IN reasonable quantities,
and to none but actual pants, at the minimum
price established by the Government. When
grants Of the public lands may be allowed, neces-
sary for the encouragement of important public
improvements, the proceeds Of the sale of such
lands, and not the lands themselves should be SC
applied.
That the President of the United States, Andrew
johnson, in exercising the power of his high of
fee IN resisting the aggressions of Congress upon
the Constitut tOnal rights Of the States and the
People, is entitled to the gratitude of the whole
American people, and In behalf of the Democratic
party we tender him our thanks for his patriots
efforts in that regard. ri
Upon this Platform the Democratic party ap
peal to every patriot, including all the conserva
tive element and all who desire to support th
Constitution and restore the Union, forgetting al
past differences of opinion, to unite with us in tn
present great struggle for the liberties Of the peo
pie, and that 60 all such, to whatever party the
may have heretofore belonged, we extend the righ
hsnd of fellowship, and hail all such cooperating
Blth us as friends andbrethren.
"a The mulatto paramour of Thad
Stevens generally known as Mrs. Thad
Stevens, was robbed in Lancaster, OF
Wednesday, at the Railroad depot. O