The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-10-08
Democratic State Platform
Unanimously adopted at Columbus, Jan
uary 8, 1868.

graduate the country upon the improved aspec
ol PGliticat az nIans Se a as eviaenced by the Stat
with hope and confidence to the result of tina
momentous struggle, upon which they are abou
to enter, and upon which depends, in so great
Union. r s1J7tai - TIN 50 81
Resolced, That, .unalterably opposed to tn
doctrines which lead to consolidation, we reney
with unfiagging zeal and increased energy, ou
attachment to that political creed which ha
ever been SO staunchly adhered to by our organ
Hation through days of trouble and disaster, a
well as good fortune and prosperity, which wa
expressed by Thomas Jefferson: Equal AM
exact Justice to all men, of whatever state O.
persuasion-r religious or political-peace com
lnerce and honest friendship with all nations
entangling alliances with none; the support O
the State Governments in all their rights, as tn,
most competent administration of our domestic
concerns, and the surest bulwark against anti
republican tendencies; the preservation of thu
General Government in its whole constitutions
safety abroad; jealous care of the rights o.
elections by the people; and the supremacy Of
the civil over the military authority
Res0tCed, That we condemn the Legislative
usurpations of Congress, and particularly the
several acts of reconstruction so-called as yio-
lative of the constitutional compact between the
Sc of self-goyernment that distinguishes a free
people. -
Reso5eed, That we are opposedto to any measures
which recognize that the integrity of the Union
was ever broken-that any of its members were
ever out-and that we determinedly insist that
the S. uthern States no longer being in insurrec-
tion, or at war, with the Federal Government
are entitled to the full State recognition and
constitutional representation in Congress- and
the electoral college given to all the States, and
the denial of it to them by Congress, and its eff
forts to dictate by military force government
for them, are Unconstitutional, revolutionary
and despotic.
Resoleed, That we are opposed, both in princi-
pie and policy, to negro suffrage; that in the
State of Ohio-having by the emphatic majority
of $1,000 rejected for herseH-is sternly opposed
to its forced imposition upon other States and
that we stigmatize such an imposition by the
Federal Government as a most base usurpation.
ResoLged, That the practical effect of the So
called Reconstruction acts of Congress is to de-
liver over ten States to the political and social
control of negroes, and to place the lives, iber-
in the hands of a barbarous people, and that it
would inevitably lead either to war of races or
to the Authorization of the South.
ResoE0ed, That notwithstanding the enormous
and conceded frauds in the creation of the pub
lie debt the faith of the country is pledged to its
payment principal and interest," according to
the terms of the several acts of Congress under
which the bonds representing the debt were is
sued, but not otherwise, and we are opposed to
any plan for extending the times of payment,
thus Increasing the amount of gold interest to
more than the principal, or to any declaration
SS SSS %Risb would yirtuaiv add mprs tban IN
thousand millions to the burthen of the debt, and
o the whole insane financial policy of which
hese measures are q part.
Resolced, That neither forgetting nor denying
our ancient faith, that gold and silver coin form
the currency of the Constitution, weideclare that
the five-twenty bonds should be paid in the same
currency received by the Government for their
issue, and that by the withdrawal of the mOnop-
oily granted to the National Banks, this result
can be accomplished without an undue or dan
gerous increase of paper money, now the only
circulating medium, thus relieving our people
from the burthed of debt, the tendency of
which is always to corrupt and enslave, and our
Government from the reproach of paying IA
vored class in gold, while discharging its debts
to all others, including pensions to widows and
soldiers, in an inferior currency.
Resotced, That this plan violates no law, i'm
pairs no contract breaks no faith, and instead of
retarding return to specie payment, is the
shortest because the only safe way of reaching
that end
Resolred, That all the propertyof the country,
the equal protection of the Government, should
bear an equal share in its burthens
Res0Lced, That we Indignantly reject the
principle derived from the feudal system-that
the masses of the people belong to the Govern
ment under which they live, which in another
form is contended for by the monarchies of Eu-
rope; including Great Britain-Once subject
always subject-that we, on the contrary
maintain that an individual can, by emigration
and residence in another country forswear his
previous allegiance, and be admitted into all the
civil and political rights Of his new home-that
naturalized citizens are entitled to all the
rights as between us and foreign powers, which
can be claimed by our native born citizens, and
it is the duty of the Federal Government to pro-
tect and maintain them by every means within
its power. i ~ t=i. .i
Resolued That the people will sustain Andrew
johnson, President of the United States, in his
struggle with Congressional usurpation, and
that we pledge the Democracy of Ohio to sup
port him in all Constitutional measures to re-
gro government now being imposed upon them.
Re8olued That the fortitude and gallantry of
our soldiersin the recent civil war in defense Of
the Union, entitle them to the gratitude of the
country, and they should ever be Remembered
by it in its bounties. s4f
Resoloed That the Democracy of the country
have neither the the purpose nor desire to re-es-
tablish slavery, nor to assume any portion of 9he
debts of the States lately in rebellion. .