The Van Buren press., 1868-07-17
DEMOCRATIC pLATroRM.

1t ths Goyespmrnt. and the guasantsS Ofthe
liberties Of the citizen, And recnEpiiinG the
questions Of slavery aud secession as hivine
Dsen ssttlsd for ala tiine b come BY the wai,
aud in the voluntary sctiou of the Soptbsrp
States IN Constitutional ConyentIons assem-.
Iled, and neverlto be reserved OF rsa gitated.
DO, with the return Of peace, demand: :,vo sdt
first-The Immediate restoration Of al the
States TO their rights Ia the Union under tile
Constitution anu oi tLs civil govsrnusns Of
Second--Annesty for all past political OF.
fences, and the regulation Of the elective IgsI.
chtse IN the states by their citizens.
Third-Ihe pay Dent OF the public debt OF
the United States as rapidly rs practicable,
all money drawn from the people BY taxstion,
except 20 much as 10 requisite tor the nccessi.
ties Of the Government economically admip-
altered. being honestly applied to such pay.
meu,; aud, where the obligations Of the Cor.
ernment do not expressly state upon thelr
| face. or the elawQndef which they were issued
does uotproyide that they shall bs paid in coin,
they ought In right and In justics, To be paid
In the lawful money Of the United States.
;Fourth-EQual taxation of every species Of
property. according TO its real valve, incIud
ing Government bonds and other public secur.
itics s- s.r a r5faeIsHg hf AHe
Iinh-Onc currency for the Government
and the people, the iaboret and the ONCE
holder, the pensioper aud the soldier, the pro.
ducer and 6ondholder. -
SIXTH Economy in The administration OF
The, ,ssoyernment; the re,iuc.lon OF the stand
ing srmy and navy; the abolition OF the Freed
MANS Bureau and all political instrumentali-
ties, Designed TO secure negro supremacy, the
simpiIicatlon OF the system anu dlscontipu-
ance OF inQulsitofial modes OF assessing aiid
mol iH nj nj
den oftaxation may be eQualifed and lssseued,
and the credit Of the Government and currsn.
cy made good; the repeal pf all snsetnents
tor the enrolling the State militia into the ma,
tional forces In time OF pesce anu starin FOR
lreyenue upon foreign imports aud suutf eqhai
taxation under the Internal Revenue laws as
viii aiforl Incidental protection TO domestic
manufactures and rs with wlthont liupairing
the revenue. Impose tlIe least burden upon
aud best ptoaiots and enco.iragetie great iti.
dustrlal Interests Of the country. Ii b 81 ga
Seventh-Iieform Of the sbuscs In the Ad-
ministration, the expulsion Of corrupt fffeh
from Office. the .abroXation Of ttselsss Offices.
the restoration Of the rightful authority TO and
the Independence Of the Executive and Judi
Gial departments OF the Government. the sub
ordination OF the military to the civi! power.
to the end that the usurpa,ions Of Con Grsss
and the despotism of the sword may cease. -
Eiglith-Equal rights. and protection for
naturalized and native born citizens at home
and abroad the assertion OF American uAtion-
alty, which shall command the respect Of for.
eiXn powers, and furnish an example and en- .
rouragement to people struggling for nation,
ri integrity constitutional liberty and ipdi-
,daal rights. and tue fnaintenance or the
rights ofnaturalized citizens sgsinst the sb-l
soluts doctrine Of lrnmutsbls allegiance and
the claims of foreign powers 10 punish thein
for. alleged crimes committed beyond their
jurisdiction. '"'''l
In demanding these measure, and reforms,
we arraign the Radical party for the dlege-
gard Of right, and the unparalleled oppression
and tyranny which have marked its career.
a fter the most solemn, and unanimous pledge
Of both 1lotIses or Congress 10 prosecute the
war exclusively for the mathematics Of the
Government and the preservation Of the In
iou Under the Constitution. !; has repeatedly
violated that most sacred pledge, under which
was rallied that noble volunteer army wbi ich
carried our fag TO victory. Instead OF restor-
ing the Union It has so hr as lttsin ity 20 ower
dissolved II and subjected tcn Statss, " y tiule
negro supremacy. 1t has nullifsd there the
light OF trial by Jury. 1t has abolished sle
hsbeas corpus, that most sacred writ of1ibcr.
Is. 1t has overthrown the freedom OF .peech
and the press. H. has. nhsIituted arbitrary
seizures aud arrests, and laiAtavy trial \ nd
secre, star.cfainber inquisItions for const,tu-
tionsl Tribunals. II has d.regarrled In time
of peace, the right OF the people 10 he tree
from pearch and seizures. II his entered the
post and telegraph offices, and even the prt-
vAte rooms Of individuals and seifed their pr,-
vate papers and letters, without any speciiica-
tion or notice Of affidavit IA required by ths
organic law, 1t has converted the American
Capitol into bastile? " has established !,
system of spies and official espionaget % which
M constitutional monarchy Of Europe welld
now dare resort. II has abclisicdtlc right OF
appeal on important constitutional qucstions
10 The Supreme judicial Tribunal and threat
ems to curtail or destroy its original jnrisdic-
ton. which Is irrevocsbly ystedgby the Con.
stitntlon. While the learned Chief Justice
has been subjected 10 great and ntrocious ca
umnies, merely because he would not prosti.
tute his high Office to the support Of the false
and partisan charges preferred against the
President, its corruption aud extiavap ance
have exceeded anything known In history,
and by its fraud and mobopolies It has nearly
the war. 1t has stripped the President of BID
Constitutional power, ofappo,htment cve n4of
bis ewn cabinet. Under Us re heated ,,ssa ults
the pillars Of the Government are rocking on
on their base ana should ditsuctcetl M WOVEN.
Der next and inaugurateits Prssdcnt, ,wc win
meet as q snbjugatcd and conquered people
amid the r,iins Of libcrtylaAl the scattered
Fragments OF, the Constitution And wa da
declare and resolve that eyer since the ople
ofthe United States thrc v ~ al sabjeciiof' 10
the British Grown, the privilege and trust OF
suffrage have belonged TO The several States,
and have been GRANTED regulated antl control
led exclusively BY the political power ,ofsaeh
State respectively. and any attempt by Con-
gress on any preiext whatever 70 deprive any
State Of this right. or interfere with This exsrs
else isa fagfInt 1slirpation Of power which
can find no warSAntir che CorkttsHtlon. and,
II sanctioned by the people, Will sabysIt ont
form or government, and can only end In q
single centralistd,s consol dated government
IN which the separate existence of Stsrss wiz
be entirely absorbed and an unqualified dee.
potisrn be- established IN placs 0fa Fn}<ttl
Union Of cn-eqnal Statss, AMI that we re2Ard
the Reconssrn0tion acts 40 called. ofCongtess
such i,surpatianR and Unconstitutional. revo-
lut!onary and void; and that our soldisrs and
sailors who carried the Tag OF our country 10
victory sxs,as. most gallant and d&sermtned
foe, must ever he gratefully rarnewhNyef, and
all gusransscs given 10 the laws nliSt ~ Eaith,
fully carried ipp execution that ths puhtsc
lands should be ditrlhuttd Is widely snopR
the people and should Ie 6tposed o!undsr ttI
pre-enptiop or housstesd Jaw, aod so1d In