The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-08-01
Tho Republican Platform.


ton in session at Chicago on the 2ist inst:
The National Republican party Of the Uni.
| tod States, assembled In National Convention
In the city Of Chicago on the goth day Of May.
1868, make tho following declaration Of prinei.
| pies:
First-We congratulate the country on the
assured success Of the reconstruction policy
Of Congress, as ovinced by the adoption, in q
majority Of the States lately in rebellion, Of
Constitutions securing equal civil and political
rights TO sn, and regard It as the duty Of the
Government TO sustain these Institutions, and
to prevent the people Of such States from b.
ing RENTED to state Of anarchy.
Seeond-The guarantee Of Congress Of equal
suffrage TO all loyal men at the South was
demanded BY every consideration Of public
ta.ety, Of gratitude and Of justice, and must
be mainta ned, while the question Of suffrage
In all the loyal States properly belongs to the
peop'e Of those States.
Third-we denounce all forms Of rcpudia-
tion aticr II crime, and the nation al honor
requires the payment Of the public indebted.
ness in the utmost good faith to sli creditors,
at home and abroad, not only according to
the letter but the spirit Of the laws under
which II was contracted.
Fourth--It Is due to the labor Of the nation
that taxation should be cqualiEed, and reduced
ms rapidly fs the national faith will permit.
FiftI-The national debt, contracted as IL
has been for the preservation Of the Union for
all time to come, should be extended over fair
period for redemption, and Il is the duty Of
Congress to reduce the rate OF interest there.
on whenever it can possibly be done.
SiIth-That u best policy to diminish our
burden Of debt is to so improve our credit
that ca pitalists will seek to loan US money at
lower rates Of interest than we now pay, and
must continue to pay so long rs reputation,
partial or total, open or covert, Is threatened
or suspected,
seven.b-The Government Of the United
States should be administered with the strict.
est economy, aud tho corruptions which have
oeen so shamefully nursed and fostered by
Andrew johnson call loudly for radical reform.
Eighth-we profoundly deplore the untimely
and trngic death Of Abraham Lincoln, and re.
gret the accession Of Andrew johnson to the
Presidency, who has acted treachcrously to the
people who elected him and the cause he
was pledged to support; has usurpod legisla.
tive and judicial functions; has refused to ex.
ocute the laws; has used his high office to 10.
duce other officers TO ignore and violate the
laws has employed his executive power TO
render insecure the prosperity, peace, liberty
and life of the citizens; has abused the par.
donipg power; has denounced the National
Legislature as unconstitutional has persis.
tently and corrupty resisted, by every means
| In his power, every proper attempt ut the TO.
construction Of the States lately in rebellion;
has perverted the putlic patronage into an
engine Of wholesale corruption, and has been
justly imFeached for high crimes and misde.
meanOrs, and properly pronounced guilty by
the votes Of thirty-6ye Senators.
Ninth-The doctrine Of Great britain and
other European powers, that because a man Is
once subject no Ia always so, must be resist
/ nd At ha1arI Nv he -nit IL
relic Of tho ieudal times, not authorized by
| the law Of nations and at war with our ma.
| tiOnRl honor anu Independence. NGturalized
citizens are entitled TO be protected in all their
rights Of citizenship as though they were ma
tive born, and no citizen Of the United States,
native or natural'Zsd, must be liable to ar.
rect and impri:or ncnt by any foreign power
for acts done or words spoken In this country.
And II so arrested and imprisoned, It is the
duty Of thu Government to interftr 10 IN his be.
half.
Tonth-Of ail who wore faithful in the trials
Of the late war there were meme entitled to
nero especial honor than tho brave soldiers
aud seamcn Who endured the hardshiEs of
campaign and orui;e, and impcriled their
Hives In the service oGtho country. Tho boun-
ties and pousiors provided by law for these
/ tIRyo defenders VI tho nation arc obligations
hover to be forgottca. The widows and OF.
people, sacred legacy h'iueathed to the ma
tons protecting care.
Eloyonth-Forcign emigration, which in
the post has added So much to the wealth and
| development Of tho resources and the increase
Of power Of this nhtcn, "tbe asylum of the
| oppressed Of all nations, should be iostered
and encouraged by lIberL and just policy
Twelfh--This convention declares its sym:
rsthy with nil the oppressed people who are
struggling for their rights.
On motion Of General Carl schurE, the fol.
lowing additional resolutions were unanimou,i
ly adopted NJ part of the platform.
Resoivtd, That We highly commend tho
| spirit Of magnHnimity and forbearauce with
which the men who have served in the rebel.
lion, but now frankly and honestly CO operate
with US in restoring the peace Of the country
and reconstructing the Southern STATE Gov.
ernments upon the basis Of impartial Justice
Rnd equal rights, are received back into the
| communion Of the loyal people, and we favor
the removal Of the disqualifcstions and re-
strictions imposed upon the late rebels in the
| same measure as their spirit Of loyalty will
direct, and as may be consistent with the
safety Of the loyal people.
Resoired, That we recognize the great prin.
cip'es laid down in the immortal Declaration
Of Independence as the true foundation Of
democratic government, and we hail with
b'eNhSsp
principles living reality on every inch of the
American soil.
GRANT AND COLPAN-THEIR LETTERS OF AC-
CErTANCE-THE PLATFORM ENDORSED.
The following are the letters Of General Grant
and Hon Schuyler Colfnx, accepting the nomi.
nation for the Presidency aud Vice Presidency
Of the United States by tho Republican Ma
tional Convention:
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 20, 1868
Gen. Jostph X Harkcy, Presidsni National
| Union Republican Communicable formally
accepting tho nomination of the National
| Union Republican Convention, Of tho 2lst Of
May instant, it seems proper that some state.
ment of views beyond the mere acceptance Of
the domination should DO expressed.
The proceedings Of the Convention were
marked with wisdom, moderation and pGtri-
otism, and believe express the feelings Of the
great mass Of those who sustained the country
through its recent trials. endorse their re.
solutions, If elected TO the Office of Presi.
dent o. the United States, It will DO my en-
dcavOr to administer ali the laws in good faith,
| with economy, and with the view Of giving
peace, quiet and protection everywhere. In
times like the present 1t Is impossible, or, ut
least eminently improper, to lay down u poll
cy to be adhered to, right or wrong through
an administration of four years New politi.
cal tissues, not forester, are constantly arising;
the views Of the public on old ones are con.
Stautly changing and purely administrative