Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-07-24
The Platforms.

Below we give the platform adopted by
the National Republican party at Chicago
in May last, followed by the Democratic
platform adopted at New York on the 4th
of July. We had proposed to review the
platforms, to compare them, and show
wherein they differed, and to point out the
excellencies of each, but we came across a
much ADLER article on the subject than we
could hope to write, and insert it tn the
place of what we intended to write. II
will be found on the first page, headed,
"The two Platforms" Read the platforms
carefully, study them thoroughly, and
preserve them for future reference, as
points involving the relative merits of the
two documents may often come up during
the canvass:
OUR PLATFORM.
The National Union Republican party OF
the United States, assembled in National
Convention in the city of Chicago, on the
goth of May, 1868, make the following dec
laration of principles:
l. We congratulate the country on the
assured success of the reconstruction poll.
cy of Congress as evidenced by the adop-
ton in majority of the states lately in re-
bellien, of constitutions securing equal
civil and political rights to all, and regard
it as the duty of the Government to sus-
tain these constitutions and prevent the
people of such states from being RENTED
to a state of anarchy or misrule.
2. The guarantee by Congress Of equal
suffrage to all loyal men in the South was
demanded by every consideration of public
safety, of gratitude, and of justice, and
must be maintained, while the question OF
suffrage in all loyal states, properly belongs
to the people Of those states.
3. That we recognize the great princi
pies laid down in the Declaration of indie.
pendence as the true foundation of demo.
critic governments and we hail with gladness
every effort toward making these princi.
Piles living reality on every inch of Amer
lean soil.
4. That we highly commend the spirit
of magnanimity and forgiveness with which
the men who have served the rebellion, and
who are now frankly and honestly coop
Grating with US in restoring the peace Of
the country, and in reconstructing the
Southern State governments upon the ba
sis of impartial justice and equal rights
are received back into the communion OF
the loyal people, and that we are in favor
of the removal of the disqualifcations and
restrictions imposed upon the late rebels
in the same measure as the esprit of disloy-
atty dies out, and as may be consistent
with the safety of the loyal people.
5. We denounce all forms ofrepudiation
as national crime; and national honor
requires the payment of the national in
debtedness in the utmost good faith to
our creditors at home and abroad not only
according to the letter, but the spirit of
the laws under which it was contracted
6. 1t is due to the labor of the nation
that taxation should be equalized and re-
duced as rapidly as national faith will per-
NIT
Z. The national debt, contracted as it
has been for the preservation of the Union
for all time to come, should be extended
over fair period for redemption, and it is
the duty of Congress to reduce the rate Of
interest thereon, whenever it can be hon
estly done.
s. That the best policy to diminish our
burden of debt is to improve our credit, so
that capitalists will seek to lend us money
at lower rates of interest than we now nav
and must continue to pay, as long as repu.
diation, partial or total, open or covert. is
threatened or suspected
3. The government of the United States
should be administered with the strictest
economy. The corruptions which have
been so shamefully nursed and fostered by
Andrew johnson, call loudly for a radical
reform.
10. We profoundly deplore the untime-
ly and tragic death of Abraham Lincoln,
and regret the accession of Andrew John
son to the Presidency, who has acted
treacherously to the people who elected
him, and the cause he was pledged to sup.
port, has usurped high legislative judicial
functions, has refused to execute the laws
has used his high Office to induce other
officers to violate the laws has employed
his executive power to render insecure the
lives, property, peace, liberty and life OF
the citizen; has abused the pardoning
power; has denounced the National Legis-
lature as unconstitutional has persistent
emily and habitually resisted by every
means ia his power, every proper attempt
at the reconstruction of the states lately in
rebellion; has perverted the public patron
age into an engine of wholesale corruption,
and has been justly impeached for high
crimes and misdemeanors, and properly
pronounced guilty thereof by the votes OF
thirty-five Senators.
IL. The doctrine of Great Britain and
other European powers, that because a
man is once a subject he is always so,
must be resisted at every hazard BY the
United States as relic Of the feudal times
not authorized by the law of nations, and
at war with our national honor and indie
pendence. Naturalized citizens are entitled
to be protected in all the rights of citizen
ship, as though they were native born.
No citizen of the United States, native or
naturalized. must be liable to arrest or i'm
prisonment by any foreign power for acts
done or words spoken in this country; and
if so arrested and imprisoned, it is the duty
of the government to interfere in his be-
half
ID. OF all who were faithful in the trials
of the late war there were none entitled to
more especal honor than the brave soldiers
and seamen who endured the hardships Of
the camp and cruise, and imperiled their
lives in the service of the country. The
bounties and pensions provided by law for
these brave defenders of the Union, are
obligations never to be forgotten The
widows and orphans of the gallant dead