Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-10-27
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Is THE
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE.

In OrQ0r GnaG Gjl0 1uG0lIlS0ub FOb0ES
may read the record and declared pur-
poses of the Democratic party in the
light of history, we here print the plat
form of that party adopted in National
Convention, 1868, just after the close of
the rebellion. Read carefully their de-
clared purpose as to the ballot, to the
emancipated slaves, and of amnesty to
rebels; and their purpose to pay the
public debt in deprecated currency
after having taxed it. To say nothing
of the remainder of the platform, these
mean the reinstatement of the blacks,
the restoration of the rebel masters to
power, and the depreciation of the of
the irredeemable government currency
to fifty cents on the dollar, which would
have ruined half the people of the land.
Read it carefully:
The Democratic party. in National
Convention assembled, reposing it's trust
in the intelligence, patriotism, and dis
eliminating Justice of the people, stand
ing upon the constitution as the foun-
dation and limitation of the powers of
the Government, and the guarantee of
the liberties of the citizen, and recog-
nizing the questions of slavery and
secession as having been settled, for all
time to come, by the war or the volun-
tary action of the Southern states in
constitutional conventions assembled,
and never to be renewed Or regulated,
do, with the return of peace, demand !:
1. Immediate restoration of all the
states to their rights in the Union I'M
der the constitution, and of civil gov
eminent to the American people.
2. Amnesty for all past political Of
fences, and the regulation of the elective
franchise in the states by their citizens.
3. Payment of the public debt of the
United States as rapidly as practicable;
all moneys drawn from the people by
taxation, except so much as is requisite
for the necessities of the Government,
economically administered, being hon.
estly applied to such payment, and
where the obligations of the Govern
ment do not expressly 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, to be paid In the lawful
money of the United States.
4. Equal taxation of every species of
property according to it's real value, in
Guiding Government bonds and other
public securities.
5. One currency for the Government
and the people, the laborer and the of
fce-holder, the pensioner and the SOL
der, the producer and the bondholder.
6. Economy in the administration of
the Government; the reduction of the
standing army and navy; the abolition
of the FIeedman's bureau and all po-
litical instrumentalities designed to Sc
cure negro supremacy; simphfcation of
the system, and diecontinuance of in
quisitorial modes of assessing and col
lecting internal revenue, SO that the
burden of taxation may be equalized
and lessened: the credit of the Govern
ment 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
upon foreign imports, and such equal
taxation under the internal revenue
laws as will afford incidental protection
to domestic manufactures, and as will,
without impairing the revenue, impose
the least burden upon and best promote
and encourage the great industrial in
terests of the country.
7. Reform of abuses in the admins
tration, the expulsion of currupt men
no Oh
Offices, the restoration of rightful au-
thority to, and the independence of,
the executive and judicial departments
of the Government, the subordination
of the military to the civil power, to
the end that the usurpations of Con-
gress and despotism of the sword may
cease.
s. Equal rights and protection for
naturahzed and native-born citizens at
home and abroad, the assertion of Amer
lean nationality which shall command
the respect of foreign powers, and fur
nish an example and encouragement to
people struggling for national integrity,
constitutional liberty, and Individual
rights and the maintenance of the rights
of naturalized citizens against the abso-
Lutte doctrine of immutable allegiance,
and the claims of foreign powers to
punish them for alleged crime COM
mitted beyond their Jurisdiction.
In demanding these measures and
reforms, we arraign the Radical party
for it's disregard of right and the I'M
paralleled oppression and tyranny
which have marked its career.
After the most solemn and unani-
NOUS pledge of both Houses of Con-
gross to prosecute the war exclusively
for the maintenance of the Covert
ment, and the preservation of the
Union under the Constitution, it has
repeatedly violated that most sacred
pledge under which alone was rallied
that noble volunteer army which car
ried our flag to victory. Instead of
restoring the Union, it has, so far as in
it's power, dissolved it, and subjected ten
States, in time of profound peace, to
military despotism and negro suprem-
acy. It has nullifed there the right of
trial by jury; it has abolished the
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