The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-26
The National Democratic
platform.


The Democratic party, in National Conyen-
ton assembled reposing its trust in the intelli:
pence patriotism and discriminating justice OF
the people, standing upon the Constitution as
the foundation and limitation of the powers OF
the Government, and the guarantee OF the lib
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques-
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-
tutionil 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 Tor the
American people.
Second. Amnesty for all past political ofen-
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 right
and justice, be paid in the lawful msney 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 CUR ency for the government and
tho neople. the laborer and the Office holder,
the nensiOner 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 Igreat cheers, and all political instru-
,nantaIi,ies desinned TO secure negro supremacy;
- IimnIifcation al the system and discontinuance
81 ouisitorial modes of assessor and collecting
Tnternal Revenue; so that the burden of taxation
80 he eoualized and lesssned the credit of
tb. government and the currency made good,
The reneal of ali enactments for enrolling the
S,ots militia into the national forces in time of
nsace and tariff for revenue II pom foreign i'm.
ppoIts. and such canal taxation under the Inter.
POI Revenue lava "a will afford incidental pro.
| taction To domestic manufactures and as will,
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 administers
tioA; 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
| fine government. The subordinat;on of the mil
itary To the civil power to the end that the nsnr
| notions of Congress and the despotism of the
word NAV cease.
EIGHTH. Equal rights and protection for nat
uralized and native born citizens at home and
| abroad. he assertion OF American
which shall command the respect of foreign
mowers and furnish an example and encourage
rment TO people struggling for national integri
! re constitutional liberty and individual rights
and the maintenance of the rights of naturaliz
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine of i'm
mntable allegiance and the claims of foreign
nowers to punish them for crime committed
| beyond their Jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard fol
| right and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy which has marked its career, after thu
most solemn and unanimous pledges of boil
houses of Congress- TO prosecute the war exclu
| sively for The maintenance of the Government
and The protection of the Union under tn,
| Constitution. Ii has repeatedly violated thai
| most sacred pledge. under which was ralliet
| tbot nozzle volunteer army which carried Oul
! gag 10 victory Instead of restoring the UniOr
~ Sas so far as il is in its power dissolved it
and subjected ten States in time of profounC
neoce 10 military despotism and negro supre
macy. II has nullifed there the right of tria
bv i1ry. IL has abolished the habeas corpus
| ,Sat MOST sacred writ of liberty 1t has over
thrown the freedom of speech and of the press
| II has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar
rest and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inotIisitions for constitutional tri
bunals 1t has disregarded in time of peace tn,
right of the people to be free from search ant
| sniznres IL has entered the post and telegraph
of,ices and even the private rooms of individ
naIs and seized their private papers and letter.
| Sritbont any speciticatiou or notice or affida
vii az re0uired bv the organic law. 1t has
CONCERTED the American capitol into Bastile
~ bos astobl;sbed svstem of snies and otlicia
, nae 70 Which no CONSTITUTIONAL monarch,
Is Emrane wauld now dare 10 resort
-" =, haI abolished the RIGHT of anpeal ON i'm
.a,'.amt nonstitntional nuestions TO the su
pun 'ins I'LL .;LnnaI aud threatens to.cur
pfeune Jn'Iioi,i ;r;sJ;ct;on which i
| VI utNtiog NO
III! roornof Cbief Jusfice has been sube cted Il
ou. anJ atrocious coluonies merely bccaus,
E. o' IL nnt nrost;tnte his bigh office to tL,
annrort M Tho false aud nartisnp charges pre-
fsrred ogoinst the President. Its corruption
III a,trarng,nca have exceeded anythinl
anu T., I;,or,. ond Inv Ito frauds and n,onop
| IL :, los ,eariy douhIcd the burden of deb
olies ~ II, H I'iIa 49, Il nos strinnrd TN
p.aS;dant az 6is constitutionaI nowcf of an
,,n;rt,nant even of his own cabinet Under il
IpenastsJ assaults the nillars of the Government
~. naoi,;n an their bases and sbould IL sue
le IG ~; W Um 49, and inongurate If
pros;da,t wee will meet as subjects and con
,onnd ,'on,,,o om;d Tho rui,,s of liberty an,
ielea . PoupiIV fra%nants ofthe CONSTITUTION.
'"s 81 ,ro IL" 5acIare nd resolve That eve
since the neople of the United States threw OF
sinco .no Peop &c th w. Rr;tsh caown the privi
az a,,d inst Of sntfrage have belonged TO tn
.o,o,aI Statas and have beon Granted repulate,
| 81 a ,,troiI.I arcIusiveIv NV the noliticll now
"r af each STATE rcsnectiyely: and any attemp
Inv Congress on apy preteXt whatever TO de
nTiye any state of this right or interfere will
| his EXERCISE il a flagrant usurpation of power
| which can find no warrant in the Constitution
and II sanctioned by the people will subvert gu
form of government and can ONLY end in n sin
Gle centralized consolidated government, /,
which the separate existence of the States will
be entirely absorbed, and an unqualified des
potism be- established in place of a Fedora
nnion of coeoual States; and that we regard to-
reconstruction acts, so called of Congress sucI
nsnrnation and nneonstitutional rey0lutionar,