The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-11-10
Platform of the West Virginia
Democracy.

The following is the platform on which
the Conservatives of West Virginia
fought and won their battle against the
tremendous odds of the Radical party,
in their recent election;
The democratic and conservative citizens
| of West Virginia. desiring to aid in pre-
serving her government. and ia promOt ia z
| the best interests of the State and country,
present TO the voters of the State the fol-
| lowing declaration of principles. and invite
their CO. operation in giving them effect.
| l. That the federal government has no
| right to deny to States of this union the
privilege OF participation in its affairs, and
that all distinction against the representa-
ton of states in Congress, and all federal
| interference i'm the purely domestic concerns
of the State, "a unwarranted by the Federal
Constitution, and ought to cease.
g. That the present system Of taxation.
raising as it does, the bulk Of the federal
revenue from the labor rather than the
wealth of the country. Is unjust and oppres
sive, and that this sy stem should be reform
ed so as to relieve the industry OF the coun-
try from its unjust burdens abolish the I'M
necessary and vexatious features of stamp.
license. and income taxes. dispense with the
services of federal spies that pry into the
private business of people. eating out their
substance. and provide for the collection of
'ii- ISNCI al ACNCh0O " ONeANO NHN NONASy
ficerS.
3. That the republican party. by voting
to ratify the fifteenth amendment To the
Constitution. has shamef1lly violated its
pledges that the question OF suffrage should
he retained within IN" control of the peo-
pie of the States. Calling to political pow
rr an alien and inferior class. it has declared
the white race incapable of selfgOvernment.
In opposition to this mOpstrOus doctrine,
we invite all Intelligent viii men to unite
81, niTaIn hQF fha
white race is the rnling race of this repub
lie.
4. That the bill to enforce the fifteenth
amendment, lately passed bv Congress, is
corrupting to public morals, in that it offers
premiums for perjury; subversive of the
states. in that it gives federal authority ron-
troll Estate affairs; and destructive of the
peace of the country, in that il invests the
negroes with exclusive and peculiar privi-
leges, lifting them to power and dignity
through the degradation of the whites.
COMMENTS.
These resolutions, in a word, mean
that white man is as good as negro,
and they denounce the authors of the
measures by which it has been practi-
call maintained in the reorganized States,
that he is not. In these States large
classes of whites are not permitted to
vote and to hold Office, though no such
restriction is imposed on the blacks. For
instance, Revels is eligible to a seat in
the United States Senate from Missis-
sippi, though Judge Sharkey is not. In
this State in the preliminary work of re-
constructing her government, not less
than twenty thousand tax-paying white
citizens were not permitted to participate
while the privilege was accorded to all
the blacks indiscriminately. The reso-
lutions above quoted denounce the au-
thors of these abuses, but we do not I'M
derstand them to propose to deprive of
the privilege of suffrage any class of
persons who now enjoy it. Or to enter
upon an impracticable contest about set
tied issues. 1t is in this light they meet
our approval.