North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1868-07-15
Democrotic Platform.


mating justice of the people, stands upon
the constitution as the foundation and
limitation of the power Of the government,
and the guarantee of the liberties of the
citizen; and recognizing the questions Of
slavery and secession as having been set
tied for all time to come, by the war or
the voluntary action of the southern. states
in constitutional conventions assembled,
and never to be renewed or re. agtated, do,
with the return of peace, demand:
]. The immediate restoration of all the
states to their rights in the union under
the Constitution of civil government, and
the American people. a'...
2. Amnesty for all past political often
ces, and the regulation of the elective
franchise in the states by the citizens.
8. The payment of the public debt of
the United 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, when 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,
thsy ought, in right and in justice, be
paid in tha lawful money of the United
States. Thunders of applause.
4. Equal taxation of every species of
property according to its value, including
government bonds and other public secu-
rites. Renewed cheering, and cries OF
"Read it again" ..--.r
5. One currency for the government
and the peopIe,-the laborer and the Office
holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the
producer and the bondhelder. Great
cheers and cries of ''Read it again."]
6. Economy in tho administration of the
government; the reduction Of the standing
army and navy; the abolition of the freed
mems bureau great cheers and all polit-
ical instrumentalities designed to serve
negro supremacy; simplifcation Of the
system and discontinuance of the inquisi-
torial modes of assessing and collecting
internal revenue, that the burthen Of taxa.
ton he equalizcd and lessened, and the
credit of the currency made good; the re.
peal Of all enactments for the enrolling
of State militia into the National forces in
time of peace; and a tariff for revenue up
on foreign imports, and such equal taxa
ton under the internal revenue as will af.
ford Incidental protection to domestic
manufacturers, and will, without impair.
ing the revenue, impose the least burden
upon and best promote and encourage,
the great industrial interests of the coun-
try.
7. "A reform Of the abuses in the ad-
ministration; the expulsion of corrupt men
from office; the abrogation of useless Of
fees; the restoration of rightful authority
to and the indepence of the executive and
judicial departments of the government;
the subordnation of the military to the
civil power, to the end that the usurpation
of congress and the despotism of the sword
may cease.
8. Equal rights and protection for
naturalized and native-born citizens, at
home and abroad; the assertion of Ameri-
can nationality which will command the
respect of foreign powers, and furnish an
example and encouragement to people
struggling for national integrity, constitu-
tional liberty, and individual rights, and
the maintenance of the rights of natural
lied citizens against the absolute doc
trine of immutable allegiance, and the
claims of foreign powers to punish them
for alleged crimes committed beyond their
jurisdiction. [Applause.
In demanding these measures and re-
ferns we a-raign the radical party for its
disregard of right, and the unparalleled
oppression and tyranny which have mark.
ed its career. After the most solemn and
unanimous pledge eff both houses of con-
gress to prosecute the war exclusively for
the maintenance of the government, and
the preservation of the union under the
constitution, it has repeatedly violated
that most sacred pledge, under which was
rallied that noble volunteer army which
carried our flag to victory. Instead of re-
storing the union, it has, so far as it is in
its power, dissolved it, and subjected ten
states, in time of profound peace, to mill
tary despotism and negro supremacy; il
has nullifed there the right of trial by
Jury; it has abolished the hdbeas corpus
that most sacred writ Of liberty; it has
overthrown the freedom of speech and the
press; it has substituted arbitrary seizure,
and arrests, and military trials, and secret
star-chamber inqnisitions for constitution
al tribunals; it has disregarded, in time of
peace, the right of the people to be free
from search and seizures; it has entered
the post and telegraph offices, and even
the private rooms of individuals, and
seized their private papers and letters with
out any specification or notice by affidavit,
as required by the organic law; it has con-
verted the American capitol into a bastile;
it has established Il system of spies and
official espionage to which no constitution
al 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 curtail or destroy its original
jurisdiction, which is irrevocably vested
by the constitution, while the learned
Chief Justice has been subjected to great
and atrocious calumnies merely because
he would not prostitute his high Office to
the support of the false and partisan
charges preferred against the President;
its corruption and extravaganza have ex-
ceeded anything known in history, and by
its frauds and monopelies it has nearly
doubled the burden Of the debt created
during the war; it has stripped the presi-
dent of his constitutional power of ap-
poiutment, even Of his own cabinet; under
its repeated assaults the pillars of the
government are rocking on their base, and, j,
should it succeed in November next, and
inaugurate its president, we will be sub
jeot and conquered people amid the ruins
of liberty and the scattered fragments of
the constitution.
And we do declare, and resolve, that
ever since the people of the United States
threw off all subsection to the British
crown, The privilege and trust Of suffrage
have. belonged to the several states, and
have been granted, regulated and controll-
ed exclusively by the political power Of
each state respectively, and any attempt
by congress, on any pretext whatever, to
deprive any state Of this right, or to inter-
fere with this exercise, is a fragrant usur-
patton of power, which can find no war
rant in the constitution, and if sanctioned