Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-08
THE PLATFORM.

The Democratic party, in National Convep-
tion assembled. reposing its trust in the intelli
gence. patriotism and discriminating justice OF
| the people; standing upon the Constitution as
| the foundation and Limitation of the powers sf
| the Government, and the guarantee of the lib
critics Of the citizen and IecogbiEing the ques,
settled 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 reagitated do. with the
return of peace, demand,
l. INN ediate restoration of all the States to
| their rights in the Union under the Constitu-
tion and civil government Of the American
people.
2. Amnesty for all past political offenses, and
| the regulation OF the elective franchise in the
States by their citizens. and the payment Of the
| public debt of the United States as rapidly as
8. All money drawn from the people by tax
alton. except so much as is requisite for the ne
cessities of the Government, economically ad-
m;nistered, should be honestly applied to such
payment, and where the obligations Of the Gov
ernment do not expire sly state upon their face,
| or the law under which they were issued does
not provide that they shall be paid II coin they
ought. in right and justice. be paid in the law
| full money of the United States.
4. Equal taxation of every species of property
according to its real value. including Govern
| ment bonds and other public securities.
5. One currency for the Government and the
people, the laborer and the. officeholder. the
pensioner and the soldier. the producer and
| the bondholder.
Government; the reduction of the standing
army and navy; the abolishment OF the freed
mems bureau, and all political instrumental
tiles designed to secure negro supremacy SIM
plifcation of the system and the di,contnuance
of inqusitorial boards for assessing and COL
| ecting internal revenue, so that the burden of
taxation may be equalized and lessened; the
credit of the. Government and the currency
A. n11 tha nf a nm
enrolling the 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 rs will afford incl
and as will, without impairing the revenue,
impose the least burden upon and best promote
aud encourage the great industrial interests OF
the country.
I. Reform of abuses in the Administration,
| the expulsion of cerfupt men from offices. the
abroRation 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 military
| to the civil power TO the end that the usurpa-
tions of Congress and the despotism of the
sword may cease.
s. Equal rights and protection for natural.
lied and native-bor citizens at homo and
abro ad ; an assertion OF American nationality,
which shall command the respect of forei IN
powers, and furnish an example and encourage
ment to people struggling for national integ-
rity, constitutional liberty and individual
rights, and the maintenance of the rights of
naturalized citizens against the absolute doc
trine of immutable allegiance. and the claims
of foreign powers TO punish them for alleged
crime committed beyond their Jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms
we arraign the Radical party for its disregard
of right, and the unparalleled oppression and
tyranny which have marked its career. after
the most solemn and unanimous pledge of both
Houses of Congress to prosecute the war ex-
clusively fer the maintenance Of the govern
ment and the preservation of the Union under
the Constitution.
It has repeatedly violated thatsmost sacred
| pledge under which was rallied that noble vol
unteer army. which carried our flag to victory.
| Instead of restoring the Union, IL has, SO far
as in its power. dissolved it. and subjected ten
States in time of peace to military despotism
It hasnulified there the right oftrial byjury.
1t has abolished the habeas corpus, that
most sacred writ of liberty.
1t has overthrown the freedom OF speech ana
il has substituted arbitrary seizures and
| arrests, and military trials and secret Star
| Chamber inquisitions, for constitutional tri-
II has disregarded in time of peace the right
of the people to bo free from search and seiE-
1 ures.
l and even the private rooms OF lndiylauals'
| and seized their private papers and letters
| without any specification or notice OF AFFIDAVIT.
as required by the organic law.
Il IL mas conNeIteu tho hnioAiSen NePis'i '"'~ -
1 bastile.
II has established system of spies and ofii-
| cial espionage TO which no constitutional mon-
| arohy Of Europe would now dare to resort.
It has abolished the right OF appeal on I'M
portant constitutional questions TO the su-
nreme Judiciary tribunal, and threatens 70
| curtail OF destroy its original luriesdlcn1.on,
which is irrevocably vested by the Constitu-
| ton. while the learned Chief Justice has been
| subjected to the most stroci0us calumnies,
| merely because he would not prostitute his
high office to the support of the false anc par
/ tisan charges preferred against the President.
1 Its corruption and extTayagance have ex-
| ceoded anything known in history, and by It's
| frauds and monopolies IL has nearly doubled
| the burden Of debt created during the war.
| II has stripped the President Of his constitu-
| tional power Of appointment, even Of his own
| cabinet.
| Government are rocking on their base, and
/ should Il succeed in November next and inau-
| gurate its President We viii meet as a subject
| and conquered people amid the ruins Of lib
| erty and the scattered fragments OF the Constr
| tuition; and we do declare and resolve that
| ever since the people Of the United States
| threw OF all suhjcction 70 the British Crown
| the privilege and trust Of suffrage have be-
| longcd TO the several States, and have been
| rranfed. regulated. and controlled exclusively
i bv the politicaI POWER - each State respect
| lively. and any attempt By Congress, on any
| pretext whatever. 10 deprive any state Of this
/ rirht or interfere with this exercise. y "A
| grant usurratien Of power which can nna n9
/ bv the people, viii suhvert our form Of foy-
| errncnt and can only end In single ceptral-
| i1ed. consolidated Foyeruueut. in which the
separate existence Of The States viii be entirely
| shsorhed. and an unqualified desrotism be
esssblishsd in place Of = FEDERAL Union Of
81, 'TSas 1' We regard the rsoonstructiss acts pf
/ Congress, so-caled, as lusurranonf, rnccntt-