The free man's press., 1868-08-01
REP u UBLICAN pLATpon1

Chicago, on the 2Oth day of Nan 1sea !" o,fy
| Jo4oecing declaration of PRINCIPLES: NJ MAKE
l. We congratulate the country on +bo
success OF the Reconstruction policy Of ~ssuIa
as eylnced by the adoption in the maoritr st1s
States late!y In rebellion, of constitutions sa. a
ing equal civil and political RIGHTS Il an see
the duty of the Government to susta;n' th 1na ha
stitutions and to prevent the peonla .,C'c as I
States from being remitted to state of on s@s
2. The guarantee by Congress Of eonad aI'VMH ~
frage to all loyal men at the South was da 0N
ed by every consideration of public ssfo4 S4laut
gratitude, and of justice, and must be ma;ns.,..
ed; while the question of suffrage IN N ~
loyal States properly belongs to the penn,e J
those States. Fo
3 We denounco all forms of repudation !.
national crime and the national honor raonna 4.
the payment Of the public Indebtedness n ~
uttermost good faith TO all creditors II boal ~
and abroad, not only according to the letter H.,
tie spirit OF the laws under which II uas ~" ~
traeted, 81 .ae .# "' W.
L. II is due to the labor of the nation that ~
alton should be equalized, and reduced as ron1
ly as the national faith will permit. "p'O
5. The Natioual debt contracted. as if bas boor
tor the preservation of the Union for all time t
come, should be extended over a fair period for
redemption: ana 1t is the duty of Congress ia
reduce the rate of interest thereon, wbenever I
can be honestly done.
q. That the best policy to diminish onr bnrdan
OF debt is to so improve our credit that capta.
lists will seek to loan us money at lower rates Os
interest than we now pay, and must continue IN
pay so long as repudiatlQu, partial or total omen
or covert, is Threatened OF suspected.
Z. The Government % the United States sbeBl8
be administered with the strictest economy. and
the corruptions which have been so shamefulk
nursed and fostered by Andrew johnson cal
loudly for radical reform.
8. We profoundly deplore the untimely and
tragic death of Abraham Lincoln, and regret the
accession 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 warped 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 tba laws
who has employed his executive powers To render
insecure the property, the peace liberty aud sta
of the citizen; who has abused the paldOnlug
power: who has denounced the National Legi5-
latuTe as unconstitutional; who has persistently
and corruptly retisted by every measure in his
power, every proper attempt at the reconstrne-
ton of the States lately in rebellion; who has
perverted the public patronage into an engine
of wholesale corruption, and who has been just
ly impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors,
and properly pronounced guilty thereof by the
vote OF 30 Senators.
9. The doctrine of Great Britain and other
European powers, that because man is once
subject he is always so. must be resisted at every
feudal times, not authorized by the law OF na-
tions and at war with our national honor ana
Independence. Naturalized citizens are ehtse1
10 be protected in all their rights OF eltizehsnP
as though they were native born, ana no cilizoh
OF the United States, native or naturallzed masO
be liable to arrest and imprisonment ny any M ~.
eign power for acts done or words spoken " J. .nn
country; and if so arrested and Imprisoned =
the duty of the Government to interfere III n''
behalf. .n
10. Of all who were faithful in the trials Of tho
late war, there were none entitled to more eSpe-
eia1 honor than the brave soldiers ahd SeaBIea
who endured the hardships OF campaign ap'f -
cruise and inperiled their lives IN the sersngY@ 9e@
the country; the bounties and pensions II Jaaa
by the laws for these brave defenders % 'n' +%o
ton are Obligations never to be 1or3o'110n, tbe
widows and orphans OF the gallant UI'' oo+bp6 "Ir
wards of the people, sacred legacy ''1"''
to the nations protecting care. ,..,os+ has
IL. Foreign emigration-which ID 1he par ard
added so much to the wealth, development ot;on ;l
resources and increase Of power 10 y SDas tons
the asylum of the oppressed OF az IL naTiI liberal
should be fostered and encourageo u! !"
and just policy. ..uo7f;r svn1pa-
L.. This Convention declares 1tSeh II h;oh 11 arc
thy with all the oppressed people "D''A
struggling for their rights
ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS .-..,sl
,-Resolred, That we highly conL.s-o co.-o ,aatna
Of 1na9nanimity and forbeafant5 ~. ~, t0f IN
men who have served i'll the reoei1UD re:1b "a a ~
frankly and honestly cooperate VIII WIN tPs N
toring the country and reconstFuc,tanS;s Of
ern State governments upon the oas,s orasso,siyed if
tai justice and equal rights are reofs.' ee1a and
into the communion Of the ioyai pIffPsrt tions
sya5 the seSS@ Pa@i q poD tie Fss
same measure as their spirit ol 9th IV4b fhe si
direct, and 50 may be consistent "i'H
of the loyal people. +,o rreat pm
Resolced, that We recognize TT g,' ration
pies laid down in the l--l-- a,on of deD
aassssssess 14ss T.: 55; n 3i: s
every effort toward making 'nes1 tr"erlcan soil
living reality on every inch ol h"10