Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-09-03
PLATFORM OF THE
National Democratic Conven-
ton.

xue UemOcr1Uc party ~ Natl00ll COnven-
ton assembled, reposing its trust in the intel
hgsnee, patriotism and discriminating justice
81 the people, standing upon the Constitution
az the Foundation and limitation of the powers
Of the Government, and the guarantee of the
liberties of the citizen; and recognising The
questions of slavery and secession as having
been settled for ell time to come by the war
or the voluntary action of the Southern States
in Constitutional Convention assembled, and
never to be renewed or reagitated, do with
the return of peace demand:
First. Immediate restoration of all the
States to their rights in the Uuion under the
Constitution, and Of civil government to the
American people.
Second. Amnesty for all past political often
ces, and the regulation of the elective franchise
in the States by the citizens.
Third. Payment Of the public debt as rapid.
ly as practicable; all moneys drawn from he
people by taxation, except so much as is re-
quisite for the necessities of the Government,
economically administered, being honestly APP
piled 10 such payment, and where the obliga-
Sions OF the Government do not expressly state
upon their face, or the law under which they
were issued does not provide that they sha Ii
be paid ia coin, they ought, in right and Jus
tice, be paid in the lawful money CT The Uni-
ted States
Fourth. Equal taxation of every species OF
property according to its real va lue, including
government bonds and other public securities.
Fifth. One currency for the government and
the people, the laborer and the Office holder
the pensioner and the soldier, the producer
and the bond-holder.
Sixth. Economy in the administration OF
the government; the reduction of the stand
ing army and navy; the abolition of the Freed
mems Bureau aud all political INSTRUMENTAL
ties designed TO secure negro supremacy. SIM
pllhcation Of the system. and discontinuance
of the inqusitoria modes OF assessing anu
collecting internal revenue. so that the burden
of taxation may be equalized and lessened:
the credit Of the government and The currency
made good; the repeal Of all enactments for
enrolling the State militia into national forces
in time OF peace: and tariff for revenue up
on foreign imports, and such equal taxation
under the nternal revenue laws as will afford
incidental protection 10 domestic manufactures,
and as will, without imparing the revenue.
impose the least burden upon and best pro
mote and encourage the Industrial interests
of the country.
Seventh. Reform of abuses in the admins
tration, the expulsion OF corrupt men from
o6dce, the ablogation of useless Offices the
restoration Of rightful authority 10, and the
independence OF the executive and judicial
departments Of he government, the subordi-
nation OF the military TO the civil power, to
the end that the usurpations OF Congress ana
the despotism OF the sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protection 10 nat
uralized and native born citizens at home and
abroad, the assertion of American nationality
which shall command the respect of foreign
powers, aud furnish an example ami encour-
agement to people struggling for national in
tegrIty, constitutional liberty ana mainten
ance OF the rights o. naiuraiized citizens
against the absolute doctrine OF immuable
allegiance, and the claims Of pow is to punish
them for alleged crime committed be ond
their jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms
we arraign the Republican party for its dis
regard OF right and the unpa salieled OF pres-
sion and tyranny which have marked its career
After tie mos. solemn and unanimous pledge
of both Houses Of Congress 10 prosecute thU
war exclusively for the maintenance OF the
Government and the preservation Of the Union
under the Constitution. it has repeat edly VIC
lated that most sacred pledge under which
alone we rallied that noble volunteer army
which carrie our flag to victory. Instead OF
restoring the Union, il has. SO far as IN It's
power, dissolved it, and subjected ten States
in time of profound peace TO military despot'
ism and negro supremacy; ii has nuliitied
the RICH of trial by jury; it has abolisbt
ed the hateas corpus-that most sacred writ OF
liberty; it has overthrown the freedom OF
speech and of the press; it has substituted ar
bltrsry seizures and arrests, and military trials
and secret star chamber inquisilons for the
constitutional tribunals; il has disregarded in
time of peace the right of the people TO OF free
from searches and seizures: it has entered the
post aud telegraph Offices, and even the pr
vate rooms or individuals, and seized their
private papers and letters without aGy specif-
&c charge or notice OF affidavit, as required b
the organic law, ii has converted t;le Anieri-
can Capitol into basti!e: it has established
system Of spies and official espionage 10 which
no constitutional monarch OF Europe would
now dare to resort; it has abolished the right
of appeal on important coDstltutIonai Questions
to the supreme Judicial tribunal ana hreatens
20 curtail Or destroy It's original jurlsd!c'lop,
which is ifrev0cabiy vested by be constitution,
while the learned Chief Justice has been sub
Jected 10 Inc most atrooi0us caluGlnies, merely
because he would lot prostitute his high ofica
to the support Of the false and partisan ciai yes
preferred against The President. Its corrup-
tion and extravaganza have exceeded anything
known IN history and by lis frauds and mo
the debt created by the war. 1t has stripped
the President OF his constitutional power oil
appointment, even of his own Cabinet unde,
its repeated assaults he pillars of the gos.rn-
n.ent are rocking on their base, and should j,
succeed in November next aud inaugurate ia
President, We will meet as subjected aud
conquered people amid the ruins oT liberty
and The scattered fragments OF The constitution.
And We DO declare and resolve that ever
since the people OF the Unaed States threw oE
all subsection 10 The Bliish Crown the PRIV.
lege and trust OF suffrage have belonged to
the several States. anu have been granted
regulated and controlled exclusively by the
political power Of each State, respectively,
and that any attempt by Congress, On any
pretext whatever, to deprive any State OF tie
right, or Interfere with lis exercise il IA
grant usurpatlon which can fna no warrant in
the Constitution, and if sanctioned By lh-
people will subvert our form OF government.
and can only end in a single centralized and
consolidated government in which The separate
existence OF the States will be entirely absor
bed, and an unqualified despotism u eetab-
lished in place oi a Federal Union Of co.ouai
States.
And that We regard the reconstruction acts
iso-called) Of Congress, as such, as Us urpaton.
and unconstitutional, revoiutlonary AMI void
That our soldiers and sailors who carried
the Tag OF our country to victory against /.
most gallant and determined foe must ever be
gratefully remembered, and all the guarantees
given IN their favor must be faithfully carried
into execution.
That the public lands should be distributed
as widely as possible among the people, aud
hould be disposed o. either under The Of.
emptlCn of homestead lands, or sold in res.on.
able quantities, and to meme bui actual occu
pants, at the minimum price estabils led b,
the Government When grants of the pubhc
lands may ts allowed, necessary for The en-