The Placer herald., 1868-12-19
National Democratic Platform.

ana limitation OF the powers o! tne GOVerllinchI
and the guarantee I, the liberties of the citizen.
and recognizing the questions of slavery and Sc
cession as having been settled for all time to
come by the war; or the volunteer action OF the
Southern States in Constitutional Conventions
assembled, and never to be resusctated, do, with
the return OF peace demand
First The immediate rest ,ration Of all States
to their rights in the Union under the Constitu-
tion Of civil government and the American peo-
pie.
Second Amnesty for all political offenses, and
the regulation OF the elective franchise in the
States by their citizens.
Ihrd-The payment of the public debt OF the
United States as rapidly as practicable. all money
drawn by the people by taxation, except so much
MS is requisite for the necessities OF the Govern
ment economically administered, being honestly
applied to such payment and when the obllga-
tions of the Government do not expressly state
on their lace or the law under which they were
issued does not prov de that they shall be paid in
coin, they ought in right and in justice to be pad
in the lawful money CT the United States.
Fourh-Equal taxation If every species OF
properly, according TO value, Including Govern
ment bonds and other public securities.
FyM-One currency for The Government and
the people, the laOorer and the uhic holder, The
pensiOner and the soldier. the producer and the
bond holder.
Sirth-E Economy in the administration of the
Government, the reduction of the standing army
and navy the abolition OF the Freedmen IS Bureau.
and all political instrumentalities designed TO
serve negro supremacy simplltcalion OF The sys'
TEN, and discontinuance of inquisitorial modes
OF assessing and collecting internal revenue that
the burden of taxation be equazed aud lessened;
the credit OF the country made good; ali enact
ments for the enrolling of the State militia into
national forces in time of peace and a tariff for
revenue upon foreign imports; and snch equal
taxation under the internal revenue laws us will
at tprt n ~
lures as will, without impairng the revenue, i'm
pose the least burden upon and best promote and
encourage the great industrial interests oil the
country.
SerenM- Reform Of the abuses in the admins
traton; the expulsion of corrupt men from office;
the abrogation Of useless Offices the restoration
of rightlu authority 10 the Independence of the
Executive and Judicial Departments OF the Gov
ernment; the subor,iinaton OF military to the
civil power, TO the end that the usurpaton OF
Congress and despotism OF the sword may cease.
Eighh-EQual rights and protection for natu-
rallied and native born citizens at home and
abroad the assertion OF American nationality
which will command the respect Of foreign pow
ers, furnish an example anu encoura cement 10
people struggling for national integrity, consti-
tutional liberty and individual rights, and the
maintenance Of the rights Of naturalized citizens
against the absolute doctrine OF mmutable aHe-
glance and the claims OF foreign powers to punish
them for alleged crime committed beyond their
jurisdiction. In demanding these measures and
reforms we aTagn the Radical party for its dis
regard OF right and the unparalleled opposition
and tyranny which have marked its career. al
ter the most solemn and unanimous pledge OF
both Houses OF Congress to prosecute the wl eX-
clusvely for the maintenance of the Government
and the preservation of tie Union under the Con-
stitution, it has repeatedly violated that most
sacred pledge under which was rallied that noble
volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
= H.,
is in its power, dissolved it, and subjected ten
States in time OF profound peace to military des
potism and negro suffrage. 1t has uulliied there
the right OF trial by jury; it has abolished the
ha6edS corpus, that most sacred writ OF liberty;
1t has overthrow the freedom Of speech and the
press; it has substituted arbitrary seizures and
arrests, and military trials and secret Star pham-
Der inquisitions Tor constitutional tribunals 1t
has disregarded in time OF peace the right OF the
people to be free from search and seizures thas
entered the post and telegraph offices, and even
the private rooms Of individuals. and seized their
private papers and letters, without any spccifca-
tion or notice of affidavit, as required by the or!
ganic law. 1t has converted the American Capt.
tol into baste. 1t has established system of
spies and official espionage to which no constltu-
tional monarchy of Europe would now dare to
resort. 1t has abolished the right OF appeal on
important constitutional questions to the supreme
and judicial tribunal, and threatens to curtail OF
destroy its OF ,inal Jurisdictions which is irrevo
caby vested by the Constitution, while the learn.
ed Chief Justice has been subject to great and
atrocious calupnes merely because he would not
prostitute his high Office to the support OF the
false and partizan charges preferred against the
President. Its corruption and extrava gance have
exceeded any thing known in hiso y, and by its
frauds and monopolics it has nearly doubled the
burden of the debt created during the war. 1t
has stripped the President of his constitutional
power OF appointment, even Of his own Cabinet.
Under its repeated assaults the pillars OF the
Government are rocking on their base, and should
it succeed in November next, aud inaugurlte its
President, we will meet as subjected and con
quered people amid the ruins OF liberty and the
scattered fragments of the Constitution. And
we do declare aud resolve that ever since the
people OF the United States threw off all subec-
ton to the British Crown, the privilege and trust
of suffrage have belonged 10 the several States,
and have been granted regulated and controlled
exclusively by the political power of each State
respectively, any attempt by Congress, on any
preteXt whatever to deprive any State OF this
right, interfere with this exercise, is fiagrant
usurpation OF power which eau lind no warrant
in the Constitution, ana il sanctioned by the peo-
pie will subvert our form OF Government. and
will only end in single centralized, consolidated
Government. in which the separate existence oil
the States will be absorbed. and an unqualified
despotism be established in place of u Federal
Union OF co-equal States, and that we regard the
reconstruction acts OF Congress such usurpations,
and unconstitutional, revolutionary aud void
That our soldiers and sailors, who carried the
flag oil our countly to victory against most gal
liant and determined ioe must be ever gratefully
remembered, and all the guarantees given IN
their avor must be faithfully carried into execu-
ton.
That the public lands should be distrbutsd as
widely among the people and should be disposed
Of either under the prc-emption of homestead
laws, and sold in reasonable quantities., and to
none but actual occupants at the minimum price
established by the Government. When grants OF
the public lands may be allowed necessary Tor the
encouragement OF important public improve
ments the proceeds of such lands. and not the
lands themselves should be applied.
That the President Of the United States, An
drew johnson, exercising the power OF his Office
in restricting the aggressions OF Congress on the
constitutional rights Of the States aud the people.
is entitled to the gratitude of the whole American
people, and on behalf of the Democratic party we
tender him our thanks TOR his patriotic efforts in
hot ,,.