The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-31
The NatIona! Democratic

y ~ L " - r.
The Democratic marty, in National Conyen.
ton assembled. repssiBg its trust IN the inteui;
oence patriotism and discriminating justice OF
fbe neonle standing upon the Constitution as
the foundation and limitation OF the powers %
the Government, and the guarantee Oh the I'D
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the CUES
t;ons of slavery and secession as having been
scttIed for all time to come, by war and the vol
nntarv action ofthe Southern States, in const-
tntional convention assembled, and never to be
renewed or reagitated, do, with the return OIL
peace, demand, t.F
First. The immediate restoration of all the
States TO their rights in the Union, under the
Sonstitution, and of civil government for the
second. Amnesty for all past political often
ces' and the regulation of the elective franchise
in States by their citizens.
Third Payment Of The public debt Of the Unit
ted States as rapidly as practicable; all money
drawn from the people by taxation, except so
much az ia 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-
which they were issued does not provide that
they shall be paid in coin, they ought, IL tight
and Justice, be paid in the lawful msney OF the
| United States. .ft
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species OF
property according to its real value, including
government bonds and other public securities;
Fifth. One curr ency for the government and
the Deople. the laborer and the office holder,
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer ana
bond holder. .5,s.
Sixth. Economy in the administration Of the
government, the reduction of the standing army
and navy. the abolition of the Freedmen 8
bureau Igreat cheersl, and all political instru'
| mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
| simplifcation of the system, ana discontinuance
of inauisitorial modes OF assessing ana collecting
| hot tha Inn nan n f.xa MI
may be euualized and lessened, the credit OF
the government and the currency made good,
| the repeal of all enactments for enrolling the
State militia into the national forces in time oil
peace and O tariff for revenue upon foreign im'
ports; and such equal taxation under The Inter
nal Revenue laws, as will afford incidental pro.
| lection to domestic manufactures, and as will,
without impairing tho revenue, impose the least
burden upon and best promote ana encourage
the great industrial interests of the country.
| Seventh. Reform of abuses in the admlnistrar
tioH; the expulsion of corrupt men from office;
the abropaton of useless offices; the restoration
of rightful authority To and the independence
| of the Executive and Judicial departments OF
the government The subordination OF the mil
itary 10 the civil power to the end that the usur-
pations of Congress and the despotism OF the
sword may cease.
| EIGHTH. Equal rights and protection for nat.
uralized and native born citizens at home and
abroad. The assertion of American nationality
which shall command the respect of foreign
| mowers and furnish an example and encourage.
ment 70 people struggling for national integri.
~ constitutional liberty and individual rights,
and the maintenance of the rights Of naturaliZ.
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine Of I'M
mutab.e allegiance and the claims of foreign
powers to punish them for crime committee
beyond their jurisdiction.
| in demanding these measures and reforms we
arraign the Radical party for its disregard Tor
right. and the unparalleled oppression and tyr
amy which has marked its career, after the
most solemn and unanimous pledges Of both
houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclu'
siyely for the maintenance of the Government
and the protection of the Union under the
Constitution. 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
il has so far as il is in its power, dissolved IL,
and subjected ten States in time OF profound
peace to military despotism and negro supre.
macy. 1t has nullted there the right of trial
by Jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ OF liberty. 1t has over
thrown the freedom of speech and of the press.
1t has substituted arbitrary seizures and ar.
rest and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inquisitOns for constitutional tri
bunals. 1t 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 individ
uals and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or aiflda
Wit, as required by the organic law. 1t has
converted the American capitol into Bastile
1t has established a system of spies and official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
in Europe would now dare TO resort
Ii has abolished the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions to the su
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens tolcur
tail or destroy its original jurisdiction, which Is
irrcvOcably vested by the Constitution, while
a., ii .F In hos hnnn Snh. tal IN
great and atrOciOus caluinnies, merely because
he would not prostitute his high office to the
support of the false and partisan charges pre-
fcrred against the President. Its corruption
and extravaganza ,havD exceeded anything
known in history, and by its frauds and monop
olics ii has nearly doubled the burden of deb
created during tie war. 1t has stripped TIT
President of his constitutional power of ap
pOintment, even of his own cabinet Under III
repeated assaults the pillars Of the Government
are rocking on their bases, and should 1t suc
coed in November next and inaugurate 1T
President, we will meet as subjects and con
auered people, amid the ruins of liberty anC
the scattered fragments ofthe Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, That eve
since the people of the United States threw OF
all subsection to the British crown, the priv
lege and trust of suffrage have belonged to TIT
several States and have been granted, regulated
and controlled exclusively by the political pow
or of each State respectively; and any attemp
| 10, prptSNt what"Nsr 10 ue
pTive any State of this right or interfere viii
this exercise is fragrant usurpatiOn of power
which can find no warrant in the Constitution
and IL sanctioned by the people viii subvert on
form OF government, and can only end in SIN
gle centralized consolidated government, II
which the separate existence oft States will
be entirely absorbed and an unqualified des
potism be established in place OF Fedora
union of coequal States and that We regard Oh,
reconstruction acts, so called, OF Congress- SuCl
usurpation, and unconstitutional, revolntlonar!
and void; and that our soldiers and sailors whit
carried the flag of our country to Wet Jr.
against n most gallant and determined foe mus
be ever gratefully remembered, and all guaran
ties given in the law must be faithfully carried
into execution.
That the public land sEonld be distributed
widely among the people, and should be dispos
ed of under the presumption of homestead laws
and sold in reasonable quantities and to nom
but actual occupants, at the minimum price es
tablishcd by the government. When grants o
the public lands may be allowed, necessary 10
the encouragement of important public i'm
provements, the proceeds OF the, sale OF sucl
lands, and not thelantls themselves, should b
so applied.
That the President Of the United States, An
drew johnson, in exercising the power OF hi
high office in resisting the aggressions OF Con
Cress on the Constitutional rights OF the State
and the people, is entitled to the gratitude O
the whole American people and on behalf q
the Democratic party we tender him our thank
for his patriotic efforts in that regard
Upon this platform the Democratic party ar
peals to every patriot including all the ConseI
vative element and all who desire to support tn
constitution and restore the Union, forgetting
past differences of opinion TOT unite with us i
the present great struggle for the liberties u
the people and that to all SUCH to whateve
party they may have heretofore belonged W
extend the right hand of fellowship, and hail a
such cooperating with US as friends and brotl