American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1868-09-12
PL AT + o RIM
OF THE
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

AVA AAONAA O6A1OONA l AZ TAn1
The Democratic Party, in Naliona
Convention assembled, reposing its trus
in the intelligence. patriotism and dis
eliminating justice of the people, stand
ing upon the Constitution as the found
ton and limitation of the powers of tn,
government, and the guarantee Of The
liberties of the citizen, and recognizing
the questions Of slavery and secession a,
having been settled for all time to COME
by the war or the voluntary action of the
Southern States in constitutional coLven
lions assembled, and never to be rene wed
or reagltated. do, with the return o.
peace, demand:
FIRsT-Immediate restoration of al
the States to their rights in the Union
under the Constitution. and of civil gov.
eminent to the American people.
SECoND-Amnesty for all past political
olfenses, aud the regulation OF the elect
iveatrapShjss il4 the States by their .sii.
| zens.
THIRD-Payment Of the public debt
of the United States as rapidly as prac,
ticable, all money drawn from the people
By taxation, except so much as is requis-
te for the necessities of the government,
economically administered, being applied
to such payment; and where the obiga.
tons Of the government do not expressly
state upon their face, or where the law
under which they issued does not pro
vide, that they shall be paid in coin,
they ought, in right and in justice, to be
paid in the lawful money of the United
States.
FoURrH-Equal taxation offevery spe,
cies of property according 10 its real
value, including government bonds and
other public securities.
FIFrH-One currency for the govern,
ment and the people, the laborer and
office holder. the pensioner and the sol
der, the producer and the 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 an all politi-
cal instrumentalri. IS designed to secure
negro supremacy simplifcation of the
system and dscontinuance Of linguistic.
rial modes of assessing and collecting
internal revenue, so that the burthen Of
taxation may be equaIized and lessened !;
the credit of the government and the
currency made good the repeal of all
enactments for enrolling State militia into
national forces, in time of peace a tariff
for revenue upon foreign imports, and
such equal taxation under the internal
revenue laws as will afford incidental
protection to domestic manufactures, and
as will, without impairing the revenue,
impose the least burthen upon, and best
promote and encourage, the great indus
uial interests of the country.
SEvENTH-Reform of abuse in the adj
minislraion; the expulsion Of corrupt
men from office the abrogaton of use.
less offices; the restoration Of rightful
authority to, 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 usurpations Of Congress and
the despotism of the sword may cease.
EGGHrH-Equal rights and protection
for naturaized and native born citizens,
at home and abroad the assertion Of
American nationality, which shall com
mand The respect of foreign powers, and
furnish an example aad encouragement
to people struggling for national integri
ty constitutional liberty and individual
rights, and the maintenance of the rights
Of naturalzed CT liens against the abso.
lutte doctrine Of immutable allegiance and
the claims of foreign powers to punish
them for alleged crimes committed be.
yond their jurisdiction.
10 demanding these measures and re
forms, we arralgn the Radical party for
is disregard of right and The unparalleled |
ed oppression and tyranny which have
marked its career, after the most solemn
and unanimous pledge of both houses of
Congress to prosecute the war exclusive,
~ for the maintenance Of the govern
ment and the preservation of the Union
and the Constitution. 1t has repeatedly f.
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 in its power. dissolved it, and sub
jected ten States. in times Of profound
peace. to military despotism and negro
supremacy. 1t has nulliied the right Of
trial by jury; it has abolished the hdbedS
corpus, that most sacred writ Of liberty !
it has overlhrown the freedom of speech |
and press it has substituted arbitrary
seizures and arrests, and military trials,
and secret star-chamber inquisitions, for
tribunals. it has disregard
ed. in time Of peace, the right Of the peo
pie to be free from searches and seizures;
it has entered the post and telegraph |
offices, and even the private rooms of in
dividuaIs, and seized their private papers
and letters. without any specification or
notice of affidavit as required by the or
ganic law; it has converted the Ameri- |
can Capitol into bsstiIe it has estab- |
ished a system of spies and official espi- |
Dnage to which no constitutional monarchy |
Of Europe would dare 10 resort ; it has
abolished the Z apPesl on import
.eonstituti Questions TO the su
pfs1e judicial 6fSrfal, and threatens TO
,ur,ail or destroy its original jurisdiction.
which is irrevocabfy vested by the Con-
stiiulion-while the learned Chief Justice
has been subjected to great and atrocious