Year: 1868

u


TIER ISSUES or THE CAMPAIGS.
| Nobody complains that the Issues on


which the Democratic party asks the
verdict of the people have not been
squarely and boldly presented Without
stopping to weigh with much nicety what
is Immediately practicable, The Demo-
cratic National Convention has clearly
set forth the great principles on which
the government ought to be administered,
and avowed its determination to bring
the administration TO this true standard as
speedily as possible. Even If the ceun.
try is compelled to -acquiesOe temporarily
ID some things which cannot at once be
completely remedied, the Democratic
party, says the New York TYorld, neTer-
theless deem itOf vital consequence to
prevent the recent violations of the Con.
stitution from being erected into prece-
dents. If adverse winds drive the nayi>
gator off his course, that is no reason
why he should SO alter his charts that
every future voyager must pursue the
track which has been forced upon him
by tempestuous weather. 3.


The Democratic party asserts, in Its
platform, and asks the country TO pro-
nOunce, that the reconstruction policy of
Congress is in fragrant violation of the
Constitution, I'VE may be unable to
replace the country at once in the same
condition in which It would have been il
this policy had not been carried into ex-
ecution; but asthis policy has grown up
since the Presidential election. and the
people have not yet had an opportunity
to pronounce upon its merits, it is right
that their verdict should nov be taken.
Il is notorious that the Southern States
were refused admission into the first
Congress that assembled after the close
Of the war for no other reason than be-
cause the Republicans feared that their
votes, united with those of the Northern
Democrats would put the Republican
party out of power The restoration Of
the Union has been postponed for four
years for partisan objees Gen. Grant
himself was Of opinion, in the latter part
ofthe year 1865, that the Southern States
might then be Immediately readmitted

with perfect safety. After a tour of in-
spection, he reported in writing to the
President that the Southern people were
loyal, and that there was no obstacle to
the prompt restoration Of the Union
The Democratic party holds its opponents
responsible for all the bad blood and Ills
feeling that has been created by the re-
fusal of Congress to comply with the
advice given by General Grant.
Even 80 late as the fall elections
of 1866, the Republican party virtually
confessed that the federal government
had no authority to confer the elective
franchise upon the Southern negroes
The issue they presented in those elec-
tions was the sO>called fourteenth consti.
tutional amendment, which left the con.
troll Of the suffrage to the States, but
diminished the number Of their repre-
sentatiyes il they excluded any class of
inhabitants from the suffrage on account
of their color They confessed that they
had no right to do even this except by an
amendment 10 the Constitution; and by
asking the Southern State governments
to certify this amendment, they fully
conceded their validity. The Republican
party is therefore condemned by its own
admissions 1t has overthrow State
governments which it acknowledged TO be
valid, and it has introduced negro suffrage
by mere act of Congress after confes.
sing that that subject could be reached
only by an amendment to the Constitu-
tion. The Democratic party asks the
verdict of the people on this monstrous
hypocricy and bad faith on these self
confessed violations of the Constitution
on the character Of General Grant who
testified, three years ago, that the South
ern people were then so loyal that they
might safely be restored, and who is now
the candidate Of the party that spurned
his advice s'


The Democratic party also asS the
verdict Of the people on the exemption Of
the wealthy bondholders from taxation.
The party expects the government to
keep its engagements, but it wants the
question decided whether such engage
ments are right, and whether in future
issues of bonds, such unjust exceptions
shall prevail 1t is conceded by every
body that the public debt cannot long re-
main in its present shape. The present
bonds must, as rapidly as possible, be re-
placed by others Shall the owners Of
the new bonds be taxable like other
owners Of property The Democratic
party want this question decided, and de-
mand that it shah be decided in the
affirmative. Il has been said that the
Supreme Court has given an opinion that
government bonds cannot be taxed by
State authority. But nobody ever pre-
tended that they cannotbe made taxable
by Congressional permission TAs Demo-
cratic party demand that the new bonds
which must be issued, shall be issued
under a law authorizing their taxation at
the same rates as other property, but at
no higher rates, in order that the public
burdens may be equitably distributed
according to the ability Of taxpayers


We ask the people to condemn the un-