The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1868-10-24
THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.


trust in the intelligence, patriotism
and discriminating justice of the peo-
pie, standing upon the constitution
as the foundation and limitation OF
the powers of the government, and
the guarantee of the liberties of the
citizen, and recognizing the ques-
tions of slavery and seeessiC II as hav-
ing been 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
First-Immediate restoration Of all
the States to their rights in the I'm
ion under the constitution and of
civil government to the American
people.
Second-Amnesty for all past po-
litical offenses, and the regulation of
the elective franchise in the States
by their own citizens.
Third-Payment of the public debt
of the Uuited States as rapidly as
pfacticable--all money drawn from
the people by taxation, except 80
much as requisite for the necessities
of the government economically adj
ministered being applied to such
payment; and where the obligations
of the government do not expressly
stale upon their face, or where the
law under which they were issued
does not provide that they shall be
paid III coin, they ought in right and
in justice to be paid in the lawful
money Of the United States.
FOurth-Equal taxation of every
species of property according to its
real value, including government
bonds and other public securities.
Fifth,-One currency for the gov
ernment and the people, the laborcr
and the Office holder, the pensioner
and the soldier, the produeerand the
b0ndholder. 8F EA#& " AK
SiXth-Economy in the adminis-
tration of the government; the re-
duction of the standing army and
navy; the abolition of the Freed
mems bureau, and all political in
strumentalities designed to secure
negro supremacy; sinlpliication of
the system and discontinuance of in
quisitOrial modes of assessing and
collecting internal revenue, so that
the burden Of taxation may be equal
Eized and lessened; the credit OF the
government and the currency made
good the repeal of all enaetments
! for enrolling the State militia into
! National forces In time of peace, and
tariff for revenue upon foreign inn
ports, and such equal taxation under
the internal revenue laws as will af-
| ford incidental protection to domes-
| tic manufactures, and as will, with
out impairipg the revenue, impose
the least burden upon and best pro-
mote and incourage the great indus
trial interests of the country.
Seyenth--Reform of abuses in the
administration, the expulsion of cor
rupt men from office, the abrogation
Of useless Offices, the restoration of
rightful authority to and the inde-
pendence of the executive and judi
cial departments of the government.
The subordination of the military to
the civil power, to the end that the
usurpatiOns of Congress and the des-
potism of the sword may cease.
Eighth. Equal rights and protec-
tion for naturalized and native-born
citizens at home and abroad the as
sertion of American nationality,
which shall command the respect oi
foreign powers and furnish an exam
pie and encouragement to people
struggling for national integrity, con-
stitudonal liberty and individual
rights, and the maintenance of the
rights of naturalized citizens against
the obsolete doctrine of immutable
allegiance and the claims of foreign
powers to punish them for alleged
crimes committed beyond their ju-
risdiction.
THE BILL OF INDICTMENT AGAINST
THE RADICAL PARTY.
In demanding these measures and
reforms, we arraign the Radical par
ty 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 tC
prosecute the war exclusively for the
maintenance of the government, and
| the preservation of the Union under
the constitution. i'1'A
| 1t has repeatedly violated thai
most sacred pledge, under which
rallied that noble volunteer army
which carried our flag to victory. id
instead of restoring the Union, II
has, so far as in its power; dissolved
| it, and subjected ten States, in times
| of profound peace, to military des
potism and negro supremacy.
1t has nullified the right of trial BY
Jury, M
It has abolished the writ of hdbedl
corpus, that most sacred writ of lib
erty
Iii has overthrown the freedom o
! speech and the press. w .t'ac
J, 1T has substituted arbitrary seiz
, ures and arrests, and military trials
, and secret star chamber inquisitions
, for constitutional tribunals.
1t has disregarded in time Of peac,
, the right Of the people to be free from
} searches and seizures.
Ii has entered the post and tele
graph offices, and even the privat,
rooms of individuals, and seized thei
] private papers and letters withou
: any specific charge or notice OF affi
} davit, as required by the o anic law
Z 1t has converted the American cap
! itol into a bastile.
Ii has established a system Of spie
and official espionage to which II
e constitutional monarchy of Europ
! would now dare to resort.
4 It has abolished the right Of appea
], on important constitutional ques
/, tions to the supreme judicial tribt
e nails, and threatens to cuftail OF al
: stroy its original jurisdiction, whic
r is irrevocably vested by the conBt
Q tuition while the learned chief-iui
E tice has been subjected to the mo.
i atroclous calumnies, merely beCaus
+ he wouldllot prostitute his high D
Y flee to the support of the false an
e partisan charges preferred again
If the Resident.
II Its corruption and extravaganI
1 have exceeded anything known
e bhistory, and BY ats frauds and nj
e nopolies It has near doubled the bu
ii den Of the debt created by the war
q 1t has stripped the President Of h
81 constitutional power Of appointment
+, even of his own cabinet
,e Under its repeated assaults u
b II ]. e. a