Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-05-29
TIE REPUBLIC AN NATIONAL
PLATFORM.

1 We congratulate the country on tho as
surcd success of the reconstruction policy o
Congress as evidenced by the adoption in a
majority Of the States lately in rcba,lion O.
constitutions securing equal, civil ami polite
al rights to all, and regard it as the duty o
the Government TO sustain these constitutions
and prevent the people of such States from
being RENTED to q state of anarchy or mill,
tary rule.
= The guarantee by Congress Of equal suf.
frage to all loyal men in the South was de.
manded by every consideration of public
safety, of gratitude and Of justice, and mus
be m iintained, while the question OF sufflag
in ali the loyal States properly belongs to tht
people of those States.
3 We denounce all forms of population a:
n national crime; and the national honor re
quires the payment of The public Indebtedness.
in the utmost good faith TO our creditors a
home and abroad, not only according to ,ht
letter bu; the spirit of the laws under which
it was contracted.
4 1t is due to the labor of the nation thai
taxation should be equalizel AMI reduced as
rapidly as the national faith will permit.
3 The national debt, contracted as it has
been for the preservation of the Union for ali
time to come, should be extended over a la +
period for redemption, and It is the duty OF
Congress to reduce the rate of interest thereon
whenever 1t can honestly be done.
u The best policy tc dimlnisn our burden OF
debt is TO improve our credit thar capitalists
will seek 10 lend us money at lower rates of
interest than we now pay, and must continue
10 pay so long as reputation, partial or total,
open or covert, is threatened OF suspected.
: The Government OF the United States
should be administered with the s~trictest
economy, nn3 the corruptions which have been
SO shalnetully nursed and fostered by Andrew
Johnson, cali loudly for radical reform.
s We profoundly depiore the untimely and
tragic death Of Abraham Lincoln, and regret
the accession of Andrew Johnson 20 the Pres
idency, who has acted treacherously to the
people who elected him and the cause he was
pledged 10 support; has refused to execute the
laws; has used his high Office to induce other
officers to violate the laws; has employed his
executive power 10 render Insecure The lives
property, peace, liberty and lite OF The citizen
has abused the pardonin5 power; has de-
nounced the National Legislature rs uncon-
Atitutional; has persistently aud habitual!y
resisted, by every means IN his power, every
proper attempt at the reconstruction OF the
States lately in rebellion; has perverted the
public patronage into an engine Of wholesale
corruption, and has been justly impeached for
high crimes and misdemeanor, and properly
pronounced guilty thereof by the Votes eff 80
Senators.
8. The doctrine of Great Britain and other
European Powers that because a man is once
a subject he is always SO, must be resisted at
every hazard by the United States as a relic
Of the feudal times. Not an. horized by the
laws Of nations, and at war with our national
honor and independence. Naturalized citizens
are entitled to be protected in ell their rights
Of citizenship as though they We're native
born; no citizen of the United Stat as, native
or naturalized, must be liable for arrest or i'm
prisoned by any foreign power for acts done
or words spoken in the country, AMI ii arres-
ted and imprisoned, il, is the duty OF the Gov
eminent to interfere in his behalf.
10 OF oil who were faithful in the trials Of
the late war there are none entitled to more
especial honor than the brave soldiers anl
seamen who endured the hardshir- of the camp
and the cruise, and imperiied their lives in
the service Of the country. The bounties and
pensions Appropriated By Law TO these brave
defenders OF the Union are Obligations never
to be forgotten. The widows ant orphans Of
the gallant dead are the wards Of the people,
Q sacred legacy bequeatiled 10 the protecting
care of the Tn ted States.
IL Foreign emigration, which in the past
has added SO much to the wealth and ~increas,
ed the resources o this natio II, the asylum Of
all nations, should be fosterei by a liberal
and Just policy.
II This Convention declares lis sympathy
with all oppressed people who are struggling
for their rights.
The following supplementary resolutions
were adopted as a part Of the platform.
Res-lred, That we recognize the great prin
ciples laid down in the Declaration Of indie
pendence as the true foundation OF Democratic
Government, and we hail with eladness every
effort toward making these principles a living
reality on. every inch Of American soil.
Resolcsd, That WI highly commend The spirit
of magnanimity and forgiveness with which
men who have served the rebellion, and who
are now frankly and honestly cooperating
with us in restoring the peace Of the country,
aud in reconstructing the southern State Cows
ernment upon the basis Of impartial justice
and equal rights, are received back into the
communion of the loyal people. and that We
are in favor of the removal of tae d S luaiii
cations and restrictions imposed upon the lltC
rebels in the same measure rs the spirit Of
disloyalty dies out, and as may be consisten,
with the safety of the loyal people.