Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-08-27
National RepublIc.n Platform.

The National Union Republican party OF the
! limited states assembled In National Conven-
lion in the ctv OF Chicago ON the 10th day of May
1865, make the following declaration oi prin'
ciples: -, ,,,. nc
sured succes of the reconstruction policy OF Con-
gress as eyinced by the adoption IN majority
OF the states lately in rebellion OF Oh
securing equal civil and political rights 70 an
and regard 1t as the duty OF the government ~
sustain these constitutions and to prevent the
people of such States from being remitted 10
state of anarchy or milltary rule.
lSec0d-The guarantee Dy congress oi equai
suffrage to all loyal men IN the Souihi was ue-
manded by every consideration OF public safely
of ofgratitude and ofjustice, and must be MAIN
tanned while, the question OF fsunrage IN all the
loyal States properly belongs TO the people oi
Thrd~We denounce all forms of repudiation
as a national crime, and national honor requlr-
es the payment Of the Indebtedness in tne ut,
most GOOD faith to all creditors, at home and
abroad, not only according TO the letter put the
spirit of the laws under which IL was conlrac-
Eo,.rth-It is due to the labor of the nation that
taxation should be eQualized and reduced as
rapidly as the national faith Will permit
Fif6-The national debt, contracted as II has
been, for the preservation OF the Union ior an
time TO come, should be extended over laif
period for redemption. and IL Is the duty OF Son-
gress to reduce the rate thereon, when-
ever il can honestly be done.
ssrtt-Tlat the best policy TO diminish our
burden of debt is to SO improve our credit that
capitalists will seek to lend us money at lower
rates of interest than we now pay. ana must
or total, open or covert, is threatened or sus-
pected.
Sepe,utt-The Government of the United states
should be administered with the strictest econo-
my. The corruptions which have been SO
shamefully nursed and fostered by Andrew
Johnson, call loudly for radical reform.
Eightt-We profoundly deplore the untimeiy
and tragic death OF Abraham Lincoln; and re-
greet the accession OF Andrew johnson TO the
Presidency, who has acted treacherously TO the
people who elected him, and the cause lie was
pledged to support; has usurped high legislative
The laws; has used his high Office TO induce
other officers TO violate the laws; has EN-
ployed his Executive power TO render 1ase-
cure the property, peace, liberty and life o. the
citizen; has abused the pardoning power; has
denounced the National Legislature as uncon-
stitutional; has persistently and habitual-
every proper attempt at the reconstruc-
tion of the States lately in rebellion; has per-
verted the public patronage into an engine
of wholesale corruption, and has been justly i'm
peached for high crimes and misdemeanors and
properly pronounced guilty thereof by the evote OF
N1th-The doctrine of Great Britain and other
European powers. that because a nan is once a
subject he is always SO, must be resisted at every
hazard by the United States as relic of the feu-
dal times not authorized by the law OF nations
and at war with our natioual honor and inde-
pendence. Naturalized citizens are entitled to be
protected in all their rights of citizenship as
though they were native born. No citizen of
the United States, native or naturaliZed, must
be liable to arrest and i'm prisonment by any for
eign power for acts done or words spoken in this
country and il SO arrested and imprisoned, II is
the duty of the government to interfere in his
behalf
Ieysth-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 sea-
men who endured the hardships of the camp
and the cruise, and imperilled their lives in the
service of the country. The bounties and PEN
sions provided by law for these brave defenders
of the union are obligations never to be forgot
ton. The widows and orphans of the gallant
dead are theiwards of the people-a sacred legacy
beQueathed to the nations protecting care.
Eerenth-Foreign emigration which in the
past has added so much to the wealth, and in
creased the resources of this nation-the asy-
lum of all nations-shoud be fostered and en-
couraged by liberal and just policy.
TtueluU-This Convention declares its SYM
pathy with all oppressed people which are
struggling for their rights.
Resolued, That we recognize the great princi-
Piles laid down in the Declaration OF 1ndepen-
dence as the true platform of democratic gov
ernment, and we hail with gladness every effort
toward making these principles a living reality
on every inch nf American soil.
Resolved, That we highly commend the spirit
of magnanimity and forbearance with which
men who have served in the Rebellion but who
now frankly and honesty cooperate with us in
restoring the peace of the country and recon-
structing the Southern State governments upon
the basis of Impartial Justice and Equal Rights
are received back into the communion of the
loyal people; and we favor the removal of the
disqualifcations and restrictions imposed upon
the late Rebels in the same measure their
sistent with the safety of the loyal people.