Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-08-25
DEMOCRATIC pLArFoRsl.

telllgcnce, patriotism and discriminating jus ticc of the people, standing upon the Consti- tuition as the foundation and limitation of the powers of the Government end the guarantee of the liberties of the citizen, and recogniz- ing the questions of slavery epd secession as having been settled for an time to come by the war or the voluntary action of the South crn States in constitutional convention as sembled, and never to be renewed or reagita- ted do, with the return of peace, demand
 lst. Immediate restoration of all the States to their rights in the Union under the Con stitution, and of civil government to the American people.
 2d. The amnesty for all the past political nffenses and the regulation of the elective franchise in the States by their citizens; the payment of the prblic debt of the United States as rapidly practicable.
 Sd. All the money drawn from the people by taxation, ercept so much as is requisite for the necessities of the Government, econ omically administered, being honestly .ap- piled to such payment, and where the obliga- lions of the Government do not expressly 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 money of the United States.
 4th. Equal taxation of every species of pro- perty according to its real value, including Government bonds and other public securi- dies.
 -5th One currency for the Government and the people, the laborer and the oifice-holders, the producer and the bond-holder.
 Gth Economy in the administration of the Government; the reduction of the standing army and navy; the abolition of the freed mems bureau, and all political instrumentali- ties designed to secure negro supremacy; simplifcation of the system, and discentinu- ance of inquisitorial boards of assessing and collecting the internal revenue, so that the burden of taxation may be equalized and 1essened and 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 of peace; a tariff fer revenue upon foreign imports. and such equal taxation under the internal reve- nue laws as will afford incidental protection to domestic manufactures, and will, without impairing the revenue, impose the least bur- den upon and best promote and encourage the great industrial interests of the country.
 7th. Reform of abuses in administration; the expulsion of corrupt men from office; the abrogation of useless offices; the restoration of rightful authority to, and the independ- cnce of, the executive and judicial depart ments 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.
 'Sth. Equal rights and protection for natu- ralized and native-born citizens at home and abroad. The assertion of American nation ality which shall command the respect of fore gn powers, furnish an example and en- couragement to the people struggling for na- tional integrity, constitutional liberty and undived rights, and the maintainance of the rights of naturalizcd citizens against the ab- solute doctriae of immatable allegiance and the clairas of foreign powers 10 psRish them for alleged crime committed beyond their ju- risdicton.
 In demanding these measures and reforms we arraign the Radical party for
 Sts disregard of right and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which have marked its cancer after the most solemn and unani- mous pledge of both houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclusively for the main- tanance of the Gouernment and the preser- yation of the Union under the Constitution.
 It has repeatedly violated the most sacred pledge unoer which was rallied that noble volunteer army which carried our flag to victory.
 Instead of restoring the Union, it has, so far as in it's power, dissolved it, and subject cd ten States in time of profound peace, to military despotism and negro supremacy
 ILhas nulified there the right of trial by jury,
 It has abolished the habeas corpus, that most sacred writ of liberty.
 IL has overthrown the freedom of speech md the press.
 It has substituted arbitrary seizures and arrests, and military trials and star chamber iuquisitions for constitutional tribunals.
 It has disregarded in time of peace the right of the people to be free from search and seizure.
 It has entered the postofiices and telegraph offices, and even the private rooms of indi- vduals, and seized their private papers and letters without any specification or notice of affidavit, as required by the organic law.
 It hes converted the American capitol into . bastiEe.
 It has established a system of spies and of fical espionage to which no monarchy of Flu rope would now dare to resort.
 It has abolished the right of appeal on i'm portant constitutional questions to the SUI preme judicial tribunals, and threatens to control or destroy it's original jurisdiction, which is irrevocably vested by the eenstitu- tion, while the learAed Chief Justice has been subiectcd to great and atrocious calumnies, merely because he would not prostitute his high office to the support of the false and IdFllSttU ScS piStSiiSN "S"Ah1t e''N AS' ident,
 Its corruption and extravaganza have ex- ceeded anything known in history by its friends and monopoles.
 It has nearly doubled the burden of debt created during the war.
 5t has stripped the President of his consti- tutional power of appointment, even of his own cabinet.
 Under it's repeated assaults the pillars of the Government are rocking on their base, and, should it succeed in November next and inangurate it's President, we will meet as q subjugated 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 of all subjection to the Britisa crown, the privilege and trust of suffrage nave belonged to the several States, and have been granted, regulated and controlled ex- clusvely by the political power of each Slate, respectively, and any attempt by Congress, on any prctext whatever, to deprive any State of this right, oy 10 interfere with this exer- else, is a fragrant usurpation of power which can find no warrant in the Constitution, and if sanctioned by the people, will subvert our form of government and can only end in a single, centralized, consolidated government in abich the separate existence of the States will be entirely absorbed and an unqualified despotism be established in the place of n Federal Union of equal States.
 That we regard the reconstruction acts oi Congress, so-called. and such usurpations, as unconstitutional, revolutionary and void, and that our soldiers and sailors who carried the flag of our country to victory, against most gallant and determined foe, must ever be gratefully remembered, and all the guaran- tees given in their favor must be faithfully carried into execution.
 That the public lands should be distributed as widely among the people and should be disposed of, either under the pre-emption of homestead lands, and sold in reasonable