The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-07-11
The Platform.


assembled, reposing its trust in the intelligence,
patriotism, and discriminating justice of the peo-
pie, stand upon the Constitution the founda-
ton and limitation Of the powers of the Govern
ment, and the guarantee of the liberties of the
citizen; and recognizing the question of slavery
and secession as having been settled for all time
TO come by the war; or the voluntary action of the
Southern States in constitutional conventions as
sembled, 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 Of civil government of the American
people.
Second. Amnesty for all past political offenses,
and the regulation of the elective franchise In
the states by their citizens.
Third. The payment of the public debt of the
United States 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 when 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, that they ought, in right and in
justice, to be paid in the lawful money of the
United States. Thunders of applause.l
Fourth Equal taxation of every species of
property, according to value, including Govern.
ment bonds and other public securities Re
newed cheering, and cries of ''read it again.
FUM. One currency for the Government and
the people, the laborer and tho Office holder, the
pensicner and the soldier, the producer and the
bOndholder. Great cheering, and cries of ''read
it again
iSixh. Economy in the administration of the
Government; the reduction of the standing army
and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen's Blu.
reau, great applause and all political instru-
nentalities designed TO serve negro supremacy !:
the smplifcation of the system, and the discon-
tinuance of the inqusitorial modes CT assessing
and collecting internal revenue; that the burden
of taxation be equalize1 and lessened, and the
credit of the country made good all enactments
for the enrolment of state militia into National
forces in time OF peace, and q tariff for revenue
upon foreign imports, and such equal taxation
under the internal revenue laws, as will afford
incidental protection to domestic manufacturers
as well, without impairing tho revenue: to i'm.
pose the least burden upon, and best promote
and encourage the great industrial interests of
the country.
!SerenM. The reform of abuses in the Admins
tration the expulsion OF corrupt men from Office
the abrogation of useless Offices; the restoration
of the rightful authority and the independence Of
the Executive and Judicial Departments Of the
Government; the subordination of the military
to the civil power, to the end that the usurpa,ion
of Congress and the despotism Of the sword may
cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for natur.
allied and native born citizens, at home and
abroad; the assertion of American nationality,
which will command the respect Of foreign pow
ers, aud furnish an example and encouragement
to people struggling for national integrity, con.
stitutlonal liberty and individual rights, and the
maintenance of the rights Of naturalized citizens
81, otap1, A. r. III
lance, and the claims of foreign Powers TO punish
them for alleged crimes committed beyond their
Jurisdiction Applause.
In demanding these measure and reforms. we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard Of
right, and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
rany which have marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledge of both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclusive
ly for the maintenance OF the government, and
the preservation of the Union under the Constr
tuition. 1t has repeatedly violated that most
sacred pledge under which was rallied that noble
volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
Instead of restoring the Union, it has, SO far as
it is in its power, dissolved il, and subugated
ten states, IN time of profound peace to military
despetism and negro supremacy. II has nulliiied
there the right OF trial by jury; it has abolished
the hlteds corpus-that most sacred writ of lib
erty it has overthrow the freedom Of speech
and the press; it has substituted arbitrary seiz-
ures and arrests and military trials and secret
star-chamber inquisitons for Constitutional tri-
bunals; it has dsregarded in time of peace the
right OF the people to be free from search and
seizure; it has entered the post and telegraph
office, and the private rooms of individuals,
and seized their private papers and letters with
out specification or notice of affidavit, required
by the organic law it has converted the Ameri-
can capitol into a Bastile it has established
system of spies and official espionage, to which
no constitutional monarchy of Europe would now
dare to resort; it has abolished the right Of APP
peal on important constitutional questions to the
supreme judicial tribunals and threatens to con-
troll orldestroy its original jurisdiction which is
irrevecably vested by the Constitution while the
learned Chief Justice has been subjected to great
and atrocious calumnies merely because he would
not prosttu te his high office to the support of
the false and partisan charges preferred against
the President. Its corruption and extravaganza
have exceeded anything known in history, and
by its frauds and monopolies it has nearly dou-
bled the burden of the debt created during the
war. 1t has stripped the President Of his consti.
tutional 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 and inaugu-
rate its President, wo will meet as subject and
conquered people, amid the ruins Of liberty and
the scattered fragments Of the Constitution.
And weldo declare, and resolve, that ever since
the people Of the United States threw off all SUBJ
lection to the British crown, the privilege and
trust of suffrage have belonged to the several
states, and have been granted, regulated, and
controlled exclusively by tho political power of
each state respectively, and any attempt by Con-
gress, on any pretext whatever, to deprive any
state OF this right or to interfere with this ex.
ercisc, lisa fragrant usurpation Of power which can
find no warrant n the Constitution, and, if