The Portland daily press., 1868-06-11
The Republican Platform.

The National Republican Party of the United
States, assembled in National ConUention, in the
city of Chicago The Twentieth day of May, 1868
make the toSleaoing declaration Of principles:
First We congratulate the country on the assur-
ed success OF the reconstruction policy of Congress-
as evinced by the adoption by majority of the
States lately in rebellion, of constitutions securing
equal civil and political rights to all. 1t is the duty
of the government 10 sustain these institutions and
to prevent the people of such States from being re-
mitted to state OF anarchy.
Second-The guarantee by Congress of equal suff-
rage to all loyal men at the South demanded by
every consideration of public safety of gratitude,
question of suffrage in the loyal States properly be-
longs to the people of those States.
Ihrd-We denounce all forms of repudia ion as a
national crime. The national honor requires the
payment of the public Indebtedness in the utmost
good faith, to all creditors at home and abroad, not
only ding to the letter. but to the spirit OF the
law under which it was contracted.
Fourth-It is due to the labor of the nation that
taxation shall be equazed and reduced as rapidly
as the national faith shall permit.
Fifth-The national debt contracted it has
been the preservation of the Union for all time
to come, should be extended over fair period for
redemption and is the duty of Congress to reduce
the rate OF interest thereon whenever it can he hon.
estly dcne.
Sixth-The best policy to diminish our burden of
debt, is to so improve our credit that capitalists will
seek to loan money at lower rates ofnterest than
we now pay, and must continue t. pay so long
pudation partial or total open or covert is threat
ened or suspected
Seventh-The government of the United States
should be administered with the strictest economy,
and the corruptions which have been so shamefully
nursed aud fostered by Andrew Johnson call loudly
for a radical reform,
Eighth.~We profoundly deplore the untimely and
tragic death OF Abraham Lincoln, and regret the ac
cession of Andrew johnson to the presidency; who
has acted treacherously to the people who elected
him and the cause he was pledged to support; who
has ururpe1 high legislative and judicial functions;
who has refused to execute the laws; who has used
his high office to induce other officers to ignore and
violate the laws: who has emplOyed his executive
powers to render insecure the property, the peace
the liberty and the life of the citizen; who has
abused the pardoning power; who has denounced
the national legislature as unconstitutional who
| has persstently and corruptly resisted by every
measure in his power every proper ATTEMPT at the
reconstruction OF the States lately in rebellion; who
has perverted the public patronage into engine OF
wholesale corruption, and who has justly been i'm
peached for high crimes and misdeme and prop
ly pronounced guilty thereof by vote of So Sena-
| tors.
European powers, that because man is once sub
ject he is always so, must be resisted at every haz
| ard by the United States as a relic of the feuda
times, not authorized by the law of nations and a
| war with rational honor and independence
Naturaized citizens entitled to be protected il
all their rights OF citizenship as though they were
native born; and no citizen of the United States
native naturalZ ed must be liable to arrest ant
Imprisonment by any foreign power for acts done o.
words spoken in this country and if they are so ar
rested and imprisoned it is the duty of the govern
| ment to interfere in their behalf.
Tenth-Of all who were faithful in the trials o
the late war there entitled to more speca
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who EN-
| dured the hardships of campaign anu cruise and i'm
perlled their lives in the service of the country
The bounties and pensions provided by law for thes
brave defenders are obligations never to be forgot
| ten; the widows and orphans of the gallant dea
| are the wards of the people-a sacred legacy be
| uueathed to the nations fostering care.
| Eleyenth-Foreign emigration, which in the pas
has added so much to the wealth, development an