The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-07-23
THE CHICAGO PLATFORM.

l. We congratulate the country on the assured sue
cess of the reconstruction policy of Congress evil
denced by the adoption in majority of the States
lately in rebellion Of Consultations securing equal
civil and political rights to all and regard it the
duty of the Government to sustain these institutions
and prevent thepeople Of such States FROM being
| mitted t. q state Of anarchy and military rule.
2. The guarantee by Congress of equal suffrage t,
all loyal men in the South was demanded by every
consideration of public safety, of gratitude and of
and must be maintained while the questions of
suffrage In all the loyal States properly belongs to
! the people Of those States.
3. We denounce all forms of reputation as
| national crime; and national honor requires the
payment Of the in the utmost good
faith to all creditors at home and abroad, not only
according to the letter. but the spirit, Of the laws
under which it was contracted.
T. 1t is due to the labor of the nation that taxation
should he equazed and reduced rapidly as national
fith will permit.
g. The national debt, contracted it has been for
the preservation of tho Union for al time to come
should be extended over fair rerod for redemption,
and 1t is the duty Of Congress to reduce the rate O.
interest thereon whenever it honestly be done.
& That the best policy to diminish our burden Of
debt is to 80 improve our credit that capitalists will
seek to lend money at lower rates of interest than
We now pay, and must continue to pay 80 long as re-
pudation, partial total open covert threaten
ed or expected. ..-.
7. The Government Of the United States should be
administered with the strictest economy. The COR
rurtions which have been 20 shamefully nursed and
fosterel by Andrew johnson call loudly for radical
form.
8. We profoundly deplore the untimey and tragic
death of Abraham Lincoln, and regret the accession of
Andrew johnson to the Presidency, who has acted
reacherously to the people who elected him and the
cause he was pledged to support; has usurped high
legislative and judicial functons has refused to
cute the laws has used his high Office to induce other
officers to ignore and violate the laws has employed
his executive powers to render insecure the property
peace, liberty and life of the citzen has abused the
pardoning power; has denounced the National Legs-
lature - unconstitutional; has persstently and
rupty resisted BY every means in his power, every
proper attempt at tho reconstruction of the States
lately In rebellion; has perverted the public patro
mage into engine Of wholesale corruption, and has
been justly impeached for high crimes and misde
meanors and properly pronounced guilty thereof by
the votes of thirty-hve Senators.
h 9. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Euro
pean powers, that because is once subject he
il always must be resisted at every hazard by the
United States relic of the feudal times not au-
thorized by the law of Nations and at with our
national honor and independence Naturalizcd citi.
entitled to be protectedin all their rights of
citsienship. as though they were native born. No
citizen of the United States, native or naturalzed
must he liable to arrest imprisonment by any for
eign power for acts done or words spoken in this
country and if 80 arrested and imprisoned it is the
duty of the Government to interfere in his lehalf
10. OF all who were faithful in tho trials of the
late war there were none entitled to more especial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardships of the campaign and cruise and
iuperlled their lives In the service of the country
The bounties and pensions provided law for these
brave defenders of the nation obligations to
be forgotten. The widows and orphans of the gallant
dead the wards of the people, sacred legacy be
queathed to the nations protecting care.
II. Foreign emigration, which in the past has add
ed 10 much to the wealth, development of resources
and increased tho Of the nation-the asylum of
the oppressed Of al nations-should be fstered and
encouraged by liberal aud just policy.
II. This Convention declares its sympathy with all
Of tho oppressed people who are struggling for
their rights. ~-~..