The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-16
The National Democratic
Platform,

The National Democratic
Platform.
The Democratic party, in National Cunven.
tion assembled rep0siBg its trust in the intclli.
gence, patriotism and discriminating justice of
the people, standing upon the Constitution as
the foundation and Limitation of the powers of
the Government, and the guarantee Of the lib
critics of the citizen, and recognizing the ques-
tiOns of slavery and secession as having been
settled for all time To come, by war and the vol.
untary action Of the Southern states, in consti.
tutional convention assembled, and never TO be-
renewed or reagitated do, with the return of
peace, demand,
First. The immediate restoration Of all the
States to their rights in the Union, under the
Constitution, and of civil government for the
American people.
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 Uni.
ted 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 where
the obligations of the Government do not cX.
pressly state upon their face or the law under
which they were issued dses 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.
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species of
property according to its real valuc, including
government bonds and other public securities.
Fifth. One currency for the government and
the people the labOrcr and the office holder
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and
bond holder.
Sixth Economy in the administration OF the
government the reduction of the standing army
and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen's 3
bureau great cheGrsl' and all political instru.
mentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplifcation of the system, and discOntinuance
of inquisitoTial modes of assessing and collecting
Internal Revenue: so that the burden Of taxation
NAV be cqualizcd 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 Of
peace, and tariff for revenue upon foreign i'm
ports and such equal taxation under the Inter
nal Revenue laws, as will afford incidental pro.
lection to domestic manufactures and "a will.
without impairinG the revenue, impose the least
burden upon and best promote and encourage
the great industrial interests of the country.
Seventh. Reform of abuses in the administra.
tioS: the expulsion of corrupt men from office;
the abrogation of useless Offices the restoration
of rightful authority to and the independence
tbe coyeTnmggtly yTnmggtlye n and Judicial departments OF
itary to the civil power to the end that the usnr
pations of Congress aud the dcspotism Of the
sw ord may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection for nat
uralizcd and native born citizens at home and
abroad. The assertion of American nationality
which shall command the respect of foreign
powers and furnish an example and encourage
ment to people struggling for national integri-
ty, constitutional liberty and individual rights
and the maintenance ol the rights Of naturdliz.
ed citizens against the absolute doctrine of i'm.
mutable allegiance, and the claims of foreign
powers to punish them for crime committed
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.
sively 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 il is in its power, dissolved IL,
and subjected ten States in time of profound
peace to military despstism aud negro supre.
macy. II has nuilited thGTe the right of trial
BY jury. 1t has abolished the habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ OF liberty. IL has over
thrown the freedom of speech and of the press.
rest and military trials and the secret star
chambers of inquisitiOns for constitutional tri.
bunals 1t has disregardcd in time of peace the
right of the people to be free from search and
seizures. 1t has entered the post and telegraph
offices and even the private rooms Of individ.
mails and seized their private papers and letters
without any specification, or notice, or affida.
Wit as required by the organic law. II has
converted the American capitol into Bastile.
| 1t has established system of spies and official
espionage to which no constitutional monarchy
| in Europe would now dare TO resort.
1t has abolished the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions TO the su
preme judicial tribunal, and threatens tofcur'
tail destroy its original Jurisdiction, which ID
| irrevocably vested By the Consultation, while
| the learned Chief Justice has been subje cted 10
| great and atrocious caluinnies, merely because
| lie would not prostitute his high Office to the
| support of the false and partisan charges pre-
ferred against the President Its corruption
and extravaganza have exceeded anything
know in history, and BY its frauds and mOnOp
oles IL has nearly doubled the burden of debt
created during tie war. 1t has stripped til,
President of his constitutional power Of sp
pointment even of his own cabinet Under IL
| repeated assaults the pillars Of the Government
| are rocking on their bases, and should ii sue
ceed in November next and inaugurate il
President we will meet, as subjects and a con
Ouered people amid the ruins Of liberty ant
the scattered fragments of the Constitution.
And we do declare and resolve, That eve
since the people of the United States threw Of
all subjection to the British crown, the privi
lsge and trust Of suffrage have belonged to tn
several States and have been granted regulate,
and controlled exclusively by the political pow
er OF each State respectively; and any attcmp
by Congress on any prete1t whatever to de
prive any State of this right or interfere will
this exercise is fragrant usurpation Of power
which can find no warrant in the Constitution
4. -. Il
form Of government, and can only end in a sin
| gle centralized consolidated government. II
| which the separate existence of the States vii
lie entirely absorbed, and IN unqualified des
potism be established IN place Of n Federa
union of coequal States; and that we regard tb
reconstruction acts, so called, Of Congress sucl
usurpatiOn, and unconstitutional, revOlutiOnar,
and void; and that onr soldiers and sailors VII
carried the flag of our country TO yict ~
against a most gallant and determined foe mus
be ever gratefully RENE mbered. and all gnarar
ties given in the law must be faithfully eaFTiet
into execution.
That the public land should he distributes
widely among the people, and should be dispoI
ed of under the pre-emption of homestead laws
and sold in reasonable quantities. and to non
but actual occupants, at the minimum price e
tablished by the goyeDment When grants Q
the public lands may be allowed, necessary 70
the encouragement Of important public in
4 proven ents The proceeds Of the sale Of soc
lands, and not the lands themselves, should b
so applied. y.
| That the President Of the United States, An
drew johnson, in exercising the power oi III
high Office in resisting the aggressions oi = on
sress on the Constitutional nights OF the state
and the people, Is entitled to the trAhtade
the whole American people and on behalf Q
the Democratic party We tender him our thank
for bis patriotic efforts in that regard,
Upon this platform tbs Democratic party AZ
meals 10 every patriot. including all the Consel
, yative element and al who desire to support ID
constitution and restore the Union. foFgettin,
past differences ofopinion, t0unite With Us
A the present great struggle for the liberties {
The people, and that to AL saeh, to vhAteTs
party they may have heretofore belonged, "
extend the right hand OF feilowship, and hail q
such cooperating with rs A. friends and bFotl