Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-28
THE DEMoCgAFEC PARTY.
"a q 81 4 q =
The NationalD Democratic Plat
1wIAw form of 1865. r~
Tbe Principles Enumerated by
the Party in the National
e Convention at New York.

The Democratic party in National Con-
.ven,ion assembled, reposing its trust in
the intelligence, patriotism and discrimi-
mating justice of the people, standing
upon the Constitution as the foundation
and limitation of the power of the gov
eminent, and the guaranty of the hber-
| ties of the citizen, and recognizing the
questions of slavery and secession as hav-
ing been settled for al time to come by
the war, or the voluntary action of the
Southern States IL constitutional conven-
tons assembled, and never to be renewed
or re-agitated, do with the return of peace
demand - .s,.-- =. y.
J.. Immediate restoration of all the States
to their rights in the Union, under the
Constitution, and of civil government to
the American people. sazgea
2. Amnesty for allpast political offen-
ees and the regulation of the elective
franchise in the States by their citizens.
3. Payment of the public debt of the
United Ststes as rapidly as practicable,
sill moneys drawn from the people by
taxation, except SO much as is requisite
for the necessities of thegovernment eco
nomically administered, being honestly
applied to such payment and, where the
Obligations Of the government do not exs'
pressly state upon their face, or the law
under which they were issued does not
provide that they shall be paid IN coin,
they ought, in right and in justice, be
paid in the lawful money of the United
States.
T. Equal taxation of every species of
property according to its real value, m
GLIDING government bonds and other pub
lie securities.
8. One currency for the government
and the people, the lsborer and the office
holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the
producer and the bondholder.
6. Economy in the administration of
the government, the reduction of the
standing army aud navy, the abolition Of
the Freedmen's Bureau, and all political
ipstrumentalitles designed to secure negro
supremacy; simplifcation of the system
and discoDtinuance of inquisitorial modes
of assessing and collecting internal reve>
nue., so that the burden of taxation may
be equalized aud lessened, the credit OF
the government and the currency made
good, the repeal of all enactments for en-
rolling the State militia into national
forces in time of peace, and tariff for
revenue upon foreign imports, and such
equal taxation under the internal revenue
laws as will afford incidental protection
10 domestic manufactures, and as will,
without impairing the revenue, impose
the least burden upon and best promote
and encourage the great industrial inter,
ests of the country.
z. Reform of abuses in the administra-
ton, the expulsion of corrupt men from
Office, the abrogation of useless offices,
The restoration of rightful authority to
and the Independence of the Executive
and Judicial departments of the Govern
ment, the subordination of the military to
the civil power, to the end that the usur-
pations of Congress and the eespotism of
the sword may cease.
s. Equal rights and protection for nat
urslized and native born citizens, ct home
and abroad, the assertion of American
nationality which shall commsnd the re-
spect of foreign powers, and furnish an
example and encouragement to people
struggling for national integrity, consiitu-
tiOnal liberty and industrial rights, and
the maintenance of the rights of natural
lied citizens sgainst the absolute doctrine
of immutable allegiance and the claims of
foreign powers to punish them for alleged
crime committed beyond their jurisdic-
ton.
In demanding these measures and re-
forms we sTraigu the Radical psrty for
its disregard of right and the unparalleled
oppression and tyranny which have mark
cd its career. After the most solemn and
unanimous pledge OF both houses of Con-
gress TO prosecute the war exclusively for
the maintenance of the government and
the preservation of the Union under the
Constitution, it has repeatedly violated
the most sacred pledge under which alone
was.rallied that noble volunteer army
which carried our flag to victory. In
stead of restoring the Union, 1t has, 40
far as in its power, dissolved il, and sub
jected ten States, in time of profound
peace, TO military despotism and negro
supremacy. 1t has nullified there the
right of trial by jury; it has abolished
the habeas corpus, thst most sacred writ
of liberty; it has oVerthrown the freedom
of speech and the press; it has substituted
arbitrary seizures and arrests, and militia
~ trials, and secret star chamber inqui-
siiions for the constitutional tribunals; it
mas disregarded in time of peace the right
of the people to be free from searches
and seizures; it has catered the post and
telegraph offices, and even the private
rooms of individuals, and seized their pri-
vste papers ana letters without anyspecifc
charge or notice of affidavit, as required
by the organic law; it has converted the
American Capitol into a Bastile; it has
established system of spies and espiou-
age to which no constitutional mon&rchy
Of Europe would now dare TO resort; it
has abolished the right of appeal on i'm
portant constitutional questions to the
supreme judicial tribunals, and threatens
to curtail or destroy its original jurisdic-
ton which is irevocably vested by the
Constitution; while the learned Cdief
Justics has been subjected to The most
| atrf,cioue oalI1rnniee merely hecaIIee he