The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1868-09-05
The Platform Of tie Democratic
National Convention.
ADOPTED JULY 7th. 1868.


assembled, reposing its trust in the intelligence,
patriotism and discriminating Justice of the peo-
pie, standing upon the Constitution as the found
atioh anu limitation OF the powers of the gov
efhnent, ana the guarantee of the liberty 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 conven-
t1ons assembled, and never to be renewed or re
agItated, do, with the return of peace, demand ::
frst-lmmstilatc restoration of all the States
to their rights in the Union under the Constitu-
tlon, and of civil government to the Ameriean
people. ( s-- = -.
Second-Amnesty for all the past political of
fences, and the regulation of the elective fran
chise in the States by their citizens
Ihlrd--Payment OF the public debt of the
United States as rapidly as practicable, all
meney drawn from the people by taxation ex-
eept so much as is requisite for the necessities
or the government, economically administered
being applied to such payment; and where the
ohlgatIons of the government do not expressly
state, upon their face, where the law under
which they We're issued does not provide that
they shall be paid in coin, they ought in right
and in justice be paid in the lawful money of the
United States (I'hunders of applause.l
Fourth-Equal taxation of every species of
property according to its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities.
tReneWed cheering, and cries Of ".Read it
again.'1 sFs9sf& .sssi
Fifth-One currency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the Office holder, the
pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the
bondholder.s tGreat cheering, and cries OF
"Read it again.'
The fifth resolution was again read, and again.
cheered. -
Sixth-Econorny in the administration of the
government; the reduction of the standing
army and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen's
Bureau tgreat cheers) and all political instru-
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplifcation of the system and discontinuanee
OF inquisitorial modes of assessing and collect
ing internal revenue, SO that the burden of tax
alton may be equalized and lessened, the credit
OF the government and the currency made good
the repeal oa all enaetments for enrolling the
State militia into national forces in time of peace;
and tariff for revenue upon foreign imports,
and such equal taxation under the internal eve
nue. laws will afford incidental protection to
domestic manufactures, and as viii, without
impairlng 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-
tion, the expulsion of corrupt men from office,
the abrogation OF useless Offices, the restoration
of rightful authority to and the Independence
of the executive and judicial departments Of the
government; the standardization of the military.
to the civil power, to the end that the usufpsl-
tions of Congress and the despotism of the
sword may cease. ---7~~-~
Eighth-Equal rights and protection for natr-
rallied aud natiVe-born citizens at home and
abroad; the assertion of American nationality.
which shall command the respect of foreign
powers and furnish an example and encourage
mont to people struggling for national integri
constitutional liberty aud individual rights
and the maintenance of the rights of naturalizei
citizens against the absolute doctrine of imniu-
table allegiance and the claims of foreign pow
ers to punish them for alleged crimes committed
beyond their jurisdiction. lApplause.) -
In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard of
%trrtat Il Hi,
ranny which have marked its career after the
most solemn and unanimous pledge OF both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exelu-
slyely for the maintenance of the government
and the preservation of the Unien and the Con-
stitution. 1t has repeatedly violated that most
sacred pledge, under which was rallied that no.
BILE volunteer army which carried aur flag to vie
tory; instead of restoring the Union, 1t has, so
far as is in its pewef, dissolved it, and subjected
ten States, in times of profound peace, to mill
taFy despetisIn and negro supremacy. It has
nullified the right of trial by jurF 1t has abol-
ished the habeas corpus, that most sacred writ
OF liberty; it has.overthrown the freedom of.
speech and press; it has substituted arbitrary
seizures and arrests, and military trials and se-
cret star chamber inauisitions for constitutional
tribunals; 1t has disregarded In time of peace
the right of the people to be free from searches
and seizures; 1t has entered the post and tele1
graph Offices, and even the private rooms of indi4
vidlais and seized their private papers and lett
ters, without any specification or notice of atfi /
davit a raaifiraI nv fna .,Tanie law. II bas aa,,
yertefi the I,eriean eal,ifaI into . basfile. IL
has Established 4 svsfeIt, af snes and of4ioai es-
pionaee to which Iio constitutional MONARCHY of
Enrone would dare To resort: II has ahol;sheI
the right Of arpeaI on important constitutional
questions IL. tie supreme, judicial tribunals and
threatened to eurta or destroy its original iuris.
dietien, which is irrevocably vested Nv the Con.
stitution, while the learned Chief JHstiee has
been subjected to great and atrocious caiunanies
merely because he would not prostitute his high
Office to the support of The false and partisan
charges preferIndb the President. Its cor
ruption and extravaganza have exceeded any
thing known in history, and by It's frauds aud
moaop6lies it has nearly dou6ied the burden of
the debt created dlrsng the war It has stripped
the President Of his constitutional power Of a,,-
pointnent, even Of his own calumet under its
repeated assaults, the pillars of the government
are rocking on their base and should it succeed
in November next, and inaugnrate its President
we will meet it as a subjected and conquered
people, amid the ruins of liberty, and the scat
tered fragments of the Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, that ever since.
the people of the United States threw offall sub
jugatiDn to the British crown, the privilege and
trust OF suffrage have belonged to the several
States, and have been granted. regulated and
controlled extensively by the political power Of
each State, respectively and any attempt by
Congress, on any pretext whatever, 10 deprive
any State Of this right, or nterfere with Its ex
eroise, is fragrant usaarpatien of power, which
can find no Warrant In the Constitution, and 1t
sanctioned By the people will s1lbvert our form
III