Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1871 — Vallandlgham’s Platform. [ARTICLE]

Vallandlgham’s Platform.

Since the day when Senator Douglas announced the opposition to the Lecompton fraud, and proclaimed that if the people of Kansis did not want slavery it should not be forced upon them, there has been no such formidable and sweeping departure from the accepted policy of the Democratic party as that proclaimed at Dayton by Mr. Vallandingham. Evidently a new departure has been determined upon by the Ohio Democracy. Mr. Vai landingham’s platform is in no essential particular in conflict with the last national Republican platform. Indeed, it is somewhat in advance of it, since the last National Republican platform affirmed that the question of negro suffrage in the North ought to be left to the States to decide for themselves. In one sense, Mr. Vallandigham has committed burglarly, for he has broken into the Republican wardrobe and stolen all the old qlothes he could lay his hands on. The question is, whether he and his party will be thoroughly disguised in their new garments, or whether they will be recognized, arrested, and brought to justice for larceny. That Mr. Vallandigham is an able poli"ticiau it would be useless to deny. It is not generally known, but it is true, that he was prepared to sink his own prejudices and vote for the nomination of Mr. Chase in the last Democratic National Convention. Although not an original Chase man, as the New York delegates were, he was willing to become one for the sake Of success. His colleagues from Ohio, however, would not go with him. The Border Rufllians triumphed, and Seymour was nominated. He has now brought forward the most startling platform, from a Democratic point of view, that the party has ever been invited to stand upon. And he has, undoubtedly, brought it forward for the same reason that he was prepared to vote for Chase —for the sake of success. Having cut loose from all the distinctive issues upon which the Democratic party upheld slavery, the rebellion, and the lost cause, and under which it has held out encouragement to the “ unconquered’’ chivalry of the South, he marks out and defines the policy which the party must ac cept for the present and future. It is declared : 1. That the Constitution, with its amendments, shall be strictly construed. 2. That the Democratic party pledges itself tq the faithful execution of the instrument as amended, “so as to secure equal rights to all persons under it, without distinction of race, color, or condition.” 3. The absolute equality of each State within the Union, with no power to expel a to deprive it of the rights of representation in Congress and in the Electoral College. 4. The maintenance of State and local governments for State and local purposes, and a General Government for national purposes only, with independence of the several departments of the government. 5. That all acts of legislation are repealable, and may be changed, and cannot be a binding finality beyond the action of future congresses. 6. That an act of universal amnesty should be passed, 7. That the public debt should be paid as early as possible consistent with moderate taxation. 8. That the manner and cost of collecting the revenue should be reformed, and taxation reduced to meet the necessities of the government economically administered. 9. That there shall be a searching reform of the civil service. 10. That there should be a strictly revenue tarill’. li. That taxation should be based on wealth, ami not on population, and persons should be compelled to contribute according to the amount and not the character of their property. 12. That specie payments should be restored. 13. That there is no necessary conflict between labor and capital. 14. That there .shall be no more grants of land to corporations; such lands to be held as homesteads, or~solH tn actual settlers only. 15. That the party will oppose the scheme to acquire San Domingo “as a job ” and J>y*the means proposed. 16. That the recent act of Congress, called the KtnKlux bill, is in direct conflict with the spirit ami letter of the constitution. 17. That the Republican party of 1871 is not the Republican party which existed previous to the war, nor the ‘'Union party” during the war, but it is “ only an administration, or Grant party, dating back to March 4,1809, and is to be judged by its record since them.” As to all that is past, they accept bodily and without reservation the acts and policy of the Republican party from March 4. 1801, to March 4, 1809. A more triumphant vindication of the wisdom and rectitude of the course of that party during those memorable years has rarely, if ever,, been given by the opposition to the ruling party in this or any other country. We presume that Mr. Vallandigliam is acting advisedly, and that this platform is not merely the creation of his brain, but is the result of grave deliberation with other party leaders. The move is an adroit one, but it has its weak points. It is in conflict with the feeling, w ishes and hopes of the leading Democrats of dU least fifteen of the States—these fifteen Stales having one-third of the electorakvote. It is,equally in conflict with the lifelong prejudices of a large section of the party in a majority of the other States. Nevertheless, it is possible that this platform will be substantially affirmed in the next. National Convention. It will, however, still lack the most important clement of success, and that is the ability to satisfy the American people that, once in power, the Democratic party would honestly and faithfully carryout the programme. To be successful, the party must depend upon the supportof Admiral Semmes, Toombs, Frank Blair, and every rebel and Confederate politician in the country, including the Ku Klux. Can a party thus constituted, thus led and officered, command the confidence of the people in a promise to uphold reconstruction, the Avil and political equality of the blacks,"and to execute the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments of the Constitution! 1 Jumping on the Republican platform is not sufficient. The people will probably conclude that the interests of freedom can be better entrusted to those who have already fought for freedom than to those who have always fought against it.— Chicago Tribune TnE South Norfolk (Conn.) Sentinel tells a romantic story of a young lady who some months ago was employed as a hat-trimmer in a manufactory of that city. One day, being more than usually "disgusted with her tddious-apd prosaic occupation, on the impulse of the moment she wrote her name and address upon the* lining of a hat she had finished, and patiently awaited the result. The hat, with hundreds of others, was sent off to the “ trade," and finally purchased by a young New Yorker, who chanced to discover the name upon the lining. Being of a romantic turn of mind, he wrote to the young lady, an intimacy followed, and the upshot was the marriage of the two last week.