The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1868-10-15
NATIONAL UNION REPUBLICAN
PLATFORM.

otSpe United States assembled in Ma
iSnal Convention in Il o City Of Chicago
on the Goth day of May, 1868. make
tho following declaration Of principles:
/. We congratulate the county ou
thO assured success OF the reconstruction
policy of Congress as eviuced by the
adoption in 0 majority oflbe States lately
in rebellion Of Constitutions securing
equal civil and political rights to all,
and regard il as The duty Of the Govern
msnt TO sustain these Constitutions and
prevept the, people OF such States from
being RENTED TO a state OF anarchy or
military rule.
q The guarantee by Congress Of
equal suffrage 70 allloyol men in the
South was demanded by every consider
alton Of public safety, of gratitude and
ofjusticO, and must be maintained, while
the question oil suffrage in all the loyal
States properly belongs TO tho people Of
those States.
8. We denounca all forms of repudia
tion as q national crime, and national
honor requires the payment Of the pub,
lie Indebtedness in the utmost good faith
TO our creditors at hume and abroad,
not only according 10 the letter but the
spirit ofAbe laws under which il wa.
contracted.
4'-ItiS due TO the labor Of the nation
that taxation should be equaiized aud re
duced Ssropidly as national faith will
permit. at'
s The national debt, contracted as il
has hscn for the preservation Of the
Union Tor all time to come. should be
extended over fair period for redempt.
ion, and it is The duty Of Congress to re,
duce the rate Of interest thereon when
ever it can honestly be done.
0. That the best policy to diminish
our burden Of debt is SO to Improve
our credit that capitalists will seek
to lend US money at lower rates Of
interests than we now pay, and mus,
continue to pay, SO long as tepudiOrlou,
partial or total, open or covert. is Ihrea!
ened.
Z, The Government Of The United
States should be administered with the
strictrsI economy. The corruptions
which have been so shamerully nutsed
and fos'ercd BY Andrew Johnson, call
loudly for radical reform.
8 We profoundly dtplore the untime
1y and tragic death Of Abr,ham Lin
coin. and regret the accession OF Andrew
Johnson to the Presidency. who has
'actsd treacherously to the people who
elected him and the cause be was Piled
gsd 10 support; has usurred high legis-
latiVe and Judicial functions; has refused
60 execute the laws; has used his high
Office 10 induce other officers 10 violate
the laws; has employed his executive
power TO render insecure the lives, prop.
erty, peace, liberty and life Of the citizen;
has abused the purdouing power; has
denounced tho National Legislature as
unconstitutional; has persislently and
.habitually resisted by every means in his
power, every proper attempt at the re
construction Of the States lately in re-
'bellOn; has perverted the public patro
mage into an engine Of wholesale cor
ruption, and has been Justly impeacbed
for high crimes and isdemeauOrs. aud
properly pronounced guilty thereof by
the votes Of thihy-fve Senators.
9. The doctrine Of Great Britain and
other European Powers, that because a
man is once subject he is always SO,
must be resisted al every hazard BIZ the
United States as relic Of the feudal
times, not authorized by the law Of na
tions, and at war with our national hon
or aud independence. NaluraIized clii
;zons are entitled to be protected in all
their rights Of citizenship, as though
they we're native born No citizen OF
the United States, naive naturoliznd,
must be liable 10 arrest or Imprisonment
by any foreign Power for acts done OF
words spoken 10 this country; and if SO
arrested and imprisoned, it is the duty
Of the government 10 interfere in hisbshal
10. 0fall who were faithful 10 the
trials of The late war There were none co.
titled to more especial bonor than the
brave soldiers and seamen who endured
the hardships Of the camp anil cruise,
and imperiled their lives in the service
oflheir country, The bounlies and psn,
sions appropriated by law for these brave
defenders Of the Union are sBbsatiOus
never TO be forgotten. The widows and
orphans oil the gallant dead ste tie wards
Of the peoplc-O sacred legacy bequea,h
ed to tho United SIssgs protecting care,
IL. Foreign emigration, which in the
npast has added SO much to the wealth
and increased The resources OF this ia
tion--lhe asylum Of all notioNs--skcp!d
be lOslered by liberal and Just policy,
IL. This convention declares its sym,