The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-10-10
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
Adopted by the National Demoorati,
Convention, convened at New York

patriotism, snd aiscrtm mating Justice Of the peo-
pie, standing upon the Constitution IS the founda-
ton and limitation of the powers of the Govern
ment and the guarantee of the liberties of the cit
izen; and recognizing the questions of slavery
and secession as having been settled for all time
to come by the war or the voluntary action of the
Southern States in Constitutional Convention as
sembled, and never to be renewed or reagitated,
do With the return of peace demand;
trst-Immediate restoration of all tho States
to their rights in the Union under the COusttu-
tion; and OF civil government to the American
people.
Seeoad-Amnesty for all past political ofenses.
and the regulation Of the elective franchise in the
States by their citizens.
Third-Payment of the public debt ofthe United
States as rapidly as practicable; oil moneys drawn
from the people by taxation, except much as is
requisite for the necessities OF the Government
economically administered, being honestly applied
to Sdch payment, and where the obligations Of the
Government do not expressly state upon their
does not provide that they shall be paid in coin.
they ought in right and in justice, 20 be paid in
tho lawful money of the United States.
FoHrtA-Equal taxation Of every species Of
property aecordiRg to its real value, including
Government bonds and other public securities.
FVth-0no currency for the Government and
the people, the laborer and the ONCE holder, the
'pensioner and the soldier, tba producer and the
bondholder.
Sirtk-Eeonomy in the aom ..listration of the
Government; the reduction of the standing army
and the navy; the abolition of the Freedm an s
Bureau, and all political nstrumentalities designed
to secure negro supremacy; simplifcation Of the
system, and discOntinuance of inquisitorial modes
of assessing and collecting Internal Revenue, 90
that tho burden ef taxation may be equaliEed 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 a tariff for revenue upon
foreign imports and such equal taxation under
the Internal Revenue laws as will afford Incl
dental protection to domestic manufactures, and
as VIII, without impairng the revenue, impose the
least burden upon and best promote and eneour-
age the great industrial interests Of the country.
SeUeRth-Reform Of abuses in the administra-
ton, the expulsion Of corrupt men from Of
fee, the abrOgotion Of useless Offices. the
restoration Of rishtful authority TO, and the
Independence Of the executive and judicial de-
partments OF the government, the subordinAtion
of the military to the civil power. to the end thai
the usurpations of Congress and the desPotism ot
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 pow.
ers and furnish an example and encouragement
to people struggling for national integrity. con
stitutiOnal liberty and individual rights and tn,
maintenance of the rights of naturAliEed eitiZeui
against tho absolute doctrine OF immutable allie
glance, and the claims Of foreign powers to pun
iSh them for alleged crime committed beyond thei
jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and reforms ",
arraign the Radical party for its disregard CT frigh
and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which
have marked its career.
After the most solemn and unanimous pledge o.
both Houses Of Congress to prosecute the war ex
elusiYely for the maintenance Of the GoTernmen
and the preservation of the Union under the Con
stitution it has repeatedly violated that most "a
cred pledge under which alone was rallied tha
noble volunteer army which carried our flag t.
victory. Instead of restoring the Union il has
SO far as in its power, dissolved it. and subecte,
ten States, in time Of profound peace, to militar
despotism and negro supremacy. Il has nullihe'
there the right Of trial by jury; il has abolished
the hdbeds corpus that most sacred writ of liberty
il has oyerthr0wn the freedom of speech and tn
press il has substituted arbitrary seizures an,
arrests, and military trials, and secret star cham
Der inquiSit0ns for the constitutional tribunals
has disregardcd In time Of peace the right of tn
people TO be free from searches and seizures;
has entered the post and telegraph Offices an
even the private rooms of individuals. and seiZe'
their private papers and letters without any spe
cifc charge notice Of affidavit, as required b,
the organic law ii has converted the American
Capitol into bastile; it has established q sys
TEN of spies and official espionage 10 which n
constitutional monarchy of Europe would nov
dare to resort it has abolished the right Of ap
peal ON important constitutional questions TO tn
supreme judicial tribunal and threatens to curtai
or destroy its original jurisdiction which is ire
learned Chief Justice has been subjected to tn
most atrOcious ealumnies, merely becauss b
would not prostitute his high Office to the suppoF
Of the false and partzan charges preferred agains
the President Its corruption and extravaganc
have exceeded anything known in history, and b.
its frauds and monopolies il has nearly doubles
the burden of the debt created by the war.
has stripped the President Of his constitutions
power of appointment, even Of his own Cabinet
Under its repeated assaults the pillars of the Gov
fE.as-E Eoua Iu4o..
succeed In November next and inaugurate it
President, We will meet as subjected and con
quered people amid the ruins Of liberty and tn
scattered fragInants of the Constitution.
And VIC do declare and resolve that ever sine
the people Of the United States threw on all sub
lection to the British Crown the privilege and trus
Of suffrage have belonged to the several states
and have been granted. regulated and controlle'
exclusively by the political power Of each Stat
respectively, and that any attempt By Congress
on any pretext whatever, to deprive any State 0
this right, or interfere with its exercise, is ia
grant usurpati0n of power which can find no war
rant In the Constitution, and if sanctioned by tn
people will subvert our form of Government, an
can only end IN single centralized and csnsSl
idated government In which the separate existenc
of the States will be entirely absorbed, and un
qualified despotism be established in place Of
Federal Union of cOequal States.
And that we regard the Reconstruction Acts Is
called) Of Congress, as such, as usurpations an
unconstitutional, revolutionary and void.
That our soldiers and sailors who carried tn
flag of our country to victory against a most gal
liant and determined foe must ever be GRATEFUL
remembered, and all the guarantees given in thei
favor must be faithfully carried into execution.
That the public lands should be distributed a
widely as possible among the people, and shoul
be disposed of either under the presumption Q
homestead lands, or sold in reasonable quantities
and to'none but actual occupants, at the minimum
price established by the Government Who
grants of the public lands may be allowed, neces
sary for the encouragement of important publ
improvements, the proceeds of the sale of sue
lands, and not the lands themselves should be s
applied
That the President Of the United States, Andre-
johnson, in exercising the power of his high Of
fee in resisting the aggressions of Congress upo
tho Constitutional rights of the States and tn
People, is entitled to the gratitude of the Who'll
American people, and in behalf of the Democrat
party we tender him our thanks for his patriot
efforts in that regard.
Upon this Platform the Democratic party ar
peal to every patriot, including all the conserva
tive element and all who desire to support th
Constitution and restore the Union, forgetting a
past differences Of opinion to unite with us in th
present great struggle for the liberties of the pee
pie, and that to all such, to whatever party the
may have heretofore belonged, we extend the righ
hand of fellowship, and hail all such co-operatin
with US as friends and brethren.