The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-27
The National Democratic
Platform.


The Democratic party, in National COnven-
ton assembled, reposihg its trust in the intelli.
gencc patriotism and discriminating Justice OF
the people, standing upon the Constitution as
the Foundation and limitation of the powers OF
the Government, and the guarantees OF the lib
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the gues-
tons of slavery and secession as having been
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 be
renewed or reagitated, do, with the return OF
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
ces, 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 money
drawn from the people by taxation, except so
much as is requisite for the necessities OF the
| government economically administered, being
honestly applied to such payment, and where
the obligations of the Government do not eX-
pressly 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 night
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.
| Fifth One curr ency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the office holder,
| the pensoner 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 lgreat cheers, and all political instru-
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplitcation 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 VIII.
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 abrogaton of useless offices; the restoration
| of rightful authority to and the independence
of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
the government The subordination of tue 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.
uralized and native born citizens at home and
abroad. The assertion of American nationality
4 w
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 naturalz-
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine Of I'M
mutable allegiance and the claims of foreign
powers to punish them for crime committed
beyond their jurisdiction. 49,
| In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard for
right and the unparalleled oppression and tyr.
IL 4. tfAR Ina
most solemn and unanimous pledges Of both
houses of Congress 10 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 no5le volunteer army which carried Our
flag TO victory. Instead of restoring the Union
il has so far as il is in its power, dissolved II,
and subjected ten States in time of profound
peace TO military desp0tism and negro supre:
macy. 1t has nulliiied thSre the right OF trial
lby Jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
| that most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over.
| thrown the freedom of speech and of the press
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar
rest, and military trials and the secret star
| chambers of inquisitiOns for constitutional tri
Ibunals 1t has disregarded in time of peace the
right of the people to be free from search AMI
seizures 1t has entered the post and telegraph
Offices and even the private rooms OF individ
nails and seized their private papers and letters
| without any specification, Or notice, or atilda
Wit rs required b. the organic law. 1t has
converted tho American capitol into Bastile:
1t has established system of spies and oihcal
espionace to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare TO resort.
1t has abolished the right of appeal on I'M
pOrtant constitutional questions To the SUI
pIreme judicial tribunal, and threatens toicur'
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction, whichis
| irrevocably vested by the Constitution while
the learned Chief Justice has been subjc cted to
| great and atrocious clluinnies merely because
he would not prostitute his high Office TO the
support of the false and partisan charges pre-.
| ferred against the President. Its corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known in history and by its frauds and monop.
Oles ii has nearly doubled the burden of debt
created during tae war. II has stripped the
| President of his constitutional power Ot ap.
pointment, even of his own cabinet. Under it's
repeated assaults the pillars of the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should 1t sue.
coed in November next and inaugurato its
| President, we will meet, rs subjects ami con.
duercd people, amid the ruins of liberty and
the scattered fragments ofthe Constitution.
| And we do declare and resolve, That ever
| since the people of the United States threw oil
| all subsection 10 the British crown, the priyi'
| lege and trust of suffrage have belonged to the
| several States and have been granted, regulated
and controlled exclusively by the political pow
er of each State respectively and any attempt
| 10y Congress on any preteXt whatever To de-
| prive any State of this right or interfere with
| this exercise 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 sin
| gle centralized consolidated government, in
| which the separate existence of the States will
be entirely absorbed and an unqualified des-
pOtism be established in place of Federal
union of cOequal States; and that we regard the
reconstruction acts, so called of Congress such
usurpatiOn, and 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
be ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran.
ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
into execution.
That the public land should be distributed
widely among the people, and should be dispos.
ed of under the presumption Of homestead laws,
and sold in reasonable quantities, and to none
but actual occupants, at the minimum price es-
tablished by the government. When grants OF
the public lands may be allowed, necessary for
the encouragement of important public i'm.
provements the proceeds of the sale of such
lands, and not the lands themselves, should be
so applied
That the President of the United States An.
drew johnson, in exercising the power of his
high office In resisting the aggressions OF Con.
gress on the Constitutional rights OF the States
and the people, is entitled TO the gratitude of
the whole American people, and on behalf OF
the Democratic party we tender him our thanks
for his patriotic efforts in that regard. .,-.
Upon this platform the Democratic party ap.
peals to every patriot, including all the Conser.
vative element and all who desire to support the
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past differences of opinion, To unite with US in
the present great struggle for the liberties Of
party they NAV have heretofore belonged, we
extend the right hand of fellowship and hail all