The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-08
The Independent Republican Move
ment nj Pittsburgh. !

nenI Ut t1IISDuERus
The independent" or reform" Re-
publlcans of Allegheny county, Pa, held
a Convention on Wednesday and nomi-
mated full ticket for Congress, Leg
islaturc md county officers. Maj. VIM.
Frcw was nominated for Congress in the
92d and F. r. Brunot IN the Esd dis
tricL
Tho following is the platform adopted:
RcUEued, BY tue Republicans Of Allie
gheny county in convention assembled,
Ihat we do affirm the principles embodied
in the platforms Of the Chicago COnyen-
ton of 1868, and the State Convention
which met in Philadelphia in 1860; in the
various reconstruction measures adopted
by Congress; in the Fifteenth Amendment
To the Constitution Of the United States.
The noblU services rendered by the Re-
publican party in the preservation Of our
free American Government, and in SeCur-
ing 10 all persons justice, equality OF
rights, and all the rights OF man, consti-
tule an imperisliable record, and entttlc
the party 10 the continued confidence Of
tho American people.
9. That the present imperative duty Of
Republicans Is to keep the party 0rgani-
cation pure and inCorruptible, and main
tain in lively activity the strength and
energy of tho party. This can be done
only by placing and keeping in official
stations representatives OF the party wor-
thy Of the public confidence. The great
need Of the day is that nominations for
Office DO made under tho dictatiOn and
c0mpulsion Of public opinion; and the
chief purpose Of this Convention Is to
bring the Republican masses into more
active participation in the business Of
making nominations, to the end that the
party be honestly and efficiently repre-
sentcl. Our sole aim and object is pOrty
publication.
3. Tint reform in tho administration Of
our party affairs is indispensable to the
maintenance of Republican asCendancy
in Pennsylvania. The General Assembly
has become reproaCh to the State, and
the public confidence has been withdrawn
from 1t. Corrupt special legislation has
grown into an engroSSing and tflEhtlul
public evil, dcbauching the public moral
ity, and CntNiling enormous burdens on
the State. 1t is publicly charged In the
newspaper press, md generally believed,
that tho high offices In the git OF the
Legislature are bought and sold. The
remedy for these evils Is with the people,
and can be exercised only by tho selection
of honest and capable representatives,
and by restricting the legislative power Of
the General Assembly through COnsti'
tutionAl Convention. t..
4. That we condemn the mode in use
in this county Of making nominations for
Office as unfair, and rs affording opportu-
mites for the practice OF fraud and cor
ruption at tho primary meetings and in
the conventions; as giving origin to polit-
ical brokerage, "slate making" and other
liscreditaOlo practices by which the will
Of tho people Is defeated; and, rs q cOnse-
0uence, resulting frequently in the NOM
nation Of candidates unworthy tho conf
dcnCC Of the people. 1t is not forgotten
that many good men have come into Office
under the system now condemned; but
experience has shown that the system
itself provides no cffcctual security for
honesty and competency in tho selection
Of candidates, and that party purity and
success demand in improved method,
8. Thatthe greatest danger to our party
and country ut tho present time Is tho cor.
ruption That pervddcs tho public service,
and the wild scramble FOR Office. The
doctrine that to the victor belongs the
spoil, Is demOralizing and destroying tho
Government, and we, therefore, insist that
the disposition Of patronage and public
offices be taken from partisans mud given
only to competent persons, on the prinCi.
ple Of the JenCkes Civil Service bill.
:. o. That the laws that give 10 Clerks,
Registers, Proth0notarics and SherifEs,
ten, twenty and thirty thousand dollars
per annuun, and TO Judges three to five
are absurd and wrong, and we call upon
the Legislature TO enact law that will
compensate according to tho talent and
labor required, and that all fees over rca
sonable and fixed compensation shall bC
Maid into the public treasury.
I. That tho culpably lax adminlstra
tion Of the license laws by the County
Commissioner in granting licenses, II
many instances, 10 persons not qualified
by moral character or by compliance Will
the requirements OF the laW, Is q great and
crying evil, resulting iii an alarming In
crease OF tho vice OF intemperance, and
the sorrOwful train Of woes and crimes