The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-06-05
RADICAL PLATFORM.

The platform adopted by the Chica-
go Radical Convention is as follows =
The National Republican party of the
United States, assembled in National
Convention in the City of Chicago, on
the Goth day of May, 1868, make the
following declaration of principles:
First. We congratulate the country
on the assured success of the reconstruc-
ton projects of Congress, as evinced
by the adoption in a majority Of the
States lately in rebellion of constitu-
tions securing equal civil and political
rights to all, and regard it as the duty
of the government to sustain these in
stitutiOns and to prevent the people of
such States from being remitted to a
state of anarchy.
Second. The guarantee by Congress of
equal suffrage to all loyal men at the
South was demanded by every consid-
Grafton Of public safety, of gratitude,
and Of justice, and must be maintain
ed while the question Of suffrage in
all the loyal States properly belongs to
the people of these States.
Third. We denounce all forms of re-
pudiation as national crime ;
and national honor requires the
payment of the public indebted
ness 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 cantrac-
ted.
Fourth. tits due to the labor of the
nation that taxation should be equali-
zed, and reduced as rapiply as the ma
tional faith will permit.
Fifth. The nati0naI,deb contracted,
as it has been for the preservation of
the Union for all time to come, should
be extended over fair period for re-
demption, and it is the duty Of Con-
gress to reduce the rate of interest
thereon whenever it can honestly be
done.
Sixth. That the best policy to denim
ish our burden ofdebt is to so improve
our credit that capitalists will seek to
loan us money at lower rates of inter-
est than we now pay, and must contin-
ue to pay, so long as reputation, par
tial or total, open or covert, is threa-
tened or suspected.
,SeUenth. The government of the I'm
tied States should be administered
with the strictest economy, and the
cOrruptiOns which have been so shame
fully nursed and fostered by Andrew
Johnson call loudly for Radical re-
form.
Eighth. We profoundly deplore the
untimely and tragic death of Abraham
Lincoln, and regret the accession of
Andrew johnson to the Presidency,
who has acted treacherousIy to the peo-
pie who elected him and the cause he
was pledged to support; has usurped
the legislative and judicial func-
tions; has refused to execute the laws !;
has nSed his high office to induce other
officers to ignore and violate the laws :;
has employed his executive power to
render insecure the prosperity, peace
and liberty or life Of the citizens has
abused the prdoning power; has
denounced the National Legislature as
unconstitutional has persistently and
cOrruptly resisted, by every measure
in his power, every proper attempt at
the reconstruction of the States lately
in rebellion; has perverted public pat
rOnage into an engine Of wholesale cor
ruption and has been justly impeached
for high crimes and misdemeanOrs and
properly denounced guilty by the vote
of thirty-fve Senators.
Ninth. The doctrine of Great Britain
and other European powers that be-
cause a man is once a subject he is al
ways so, must be resisted at every haz-
ard by the United States as a relic of
the feudal times, not authorized by the
law of nations, and at war with our ma
tional honor and independence. Nat
uraliZed citizens are entitled to be pro-
tected in all their rights of citizenship
as though they were native born, and
no citizen Of the United States, native
or naturalized, must be liable to arrest
and imprisonment by any foreign pow
er for acts done or words spoken in this
country. And if so arrested and i'm
prisoned, it is the duty Of the govern
ment to interfere in his behalf.
Tenth. OF all who were faithful in
the trials of the late war there were
none entitled to more especial honor
than the brave soldiers and seamen,
who endured the hardships of campaign
and cruise and emperiled their lives in
the service of the country. The boun-
ties and pensions provided by law for
these brave defenders of the nation,
are obligations never to be forgotten.
The widows and orphans Of the gal
liant dead are the wards of the people,
sacred legacy bequeathed to the ma
TONS protecting care.
Elerenth. Foreign immigration,
which in the past has added so much
to the wealth and development of the
resources and the increase of power of
this nation-the asylum of the oppress-
ed of all nations should be fostered
and encouraged by a liberal and just
policy.
TirRIfth. This convention declares