The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-14
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM

1he National Republican party of the United
States, assembled in National Convention in the city
OF Chicago, on the 2ist day of May, 1866, make tho
following declaration of principles
1. We congratulate the country on the assured
success of the reconstruction policy of Congress as
evinced by the adoption, in the majority of the
States lately in rebellion, of constitutions securing
equal civil and political rights to ALI and it is the
duty of the Government to sustain those institutions
and to prevent the people of sach States from being
RENTED to state OF anarchy.
2. The guaranty by Congress of equal suffrage to
all loyal men at the South was demanded by every
confederation of public safety, of gratitude and Of
JUSTICE and must be maintained while the question
of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs
to the people of those States.
3. We denounce all forms of reputation as na-
ional crime; and the national honor requires the
payment of tho public indebtedness in the utter
most good faith to all creditors at home abroad
not only according to letter, but the spirit of the
laws under which it was contracted.
4. 1t is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
tion should be equaliZed and reduced as RAPIDLY es
| the national faith will permit
s. The national debt, CONT acted it has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come
should be extended over fair period for redemption
and 1t 10 the duty OF Congress to reduce the rate of
interest thereon, Whenever it can be honestly done.
8. That the best policy to diminish our burden of
debt Ia to so improve our credit that capitalists will
seek to loan money at lower rates of interest than
we now pay, and must continue TO pay long as re-
pudiation partial or total, open covert, is threat
| ened or suspected.
7. The Government of the United States should be
| administered with the strictest economy; and the
| corruptions which have been shamefaiiy nurled
and fstered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi-
| cal reform. n
s. We profoundly deplore the untimely and tragic
death of Abraham Lincoln and regret the accession
to the Presidency of Andrew Johnson, who has acted
treacherousy to the people who elected him and the
| cause he pledged to support who has usurped
high Legislative and judicial functions; who has
fused to execute the laws who has used his high
office to induce other officers to ignore and violate
| the laws who has employed his executive powers
to render insecure the property the peaee liberty
and life of the citizen; who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national Iegsla-
| ture as unconstitutional who has persstently and
| corruptly resisted, by every means in his power
every proper attempt at the reconstruction of the
States lately in rebellion; who has perverted the
public patronage into engine of wholesale cor
ruption; and who has been justly impeached for
| high crimes and misdemeanors, aud properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote of thirty five
| o. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Eu.
ropean powers, that because man is once subject
he is always must be resisted every hazard by
the United States, a relic Of feudal times not at-
therized by the laws of IONS and at with our
national honor and independence. NaturaIized cit
liens are entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship as though they natve-born; and
citizen of the United States, native or natural.
lied must be liable to arrest and imprisonment bv
any foreign power for acts done or words spoken in
this country; and, If arrested and imprisoned it
Ia the duty OF the Government to interfere in his be-
half.
10. OF all who were faithful In the trials of the
late war, there were none entitled to especial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardshps Of campaign and cruise and i'm
pered their lives in the service of the country !;
the bounties and pensions provided by the laws for
these brave defenders of the nation obligations
never to be forgotten; the widows and orphans of
the gallant dead are the wards of the people- sa-
cred legacy bequeaihed to the nations protecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration which in the past has
added 30 much to the wealth, developement and re-
sources, and increase of power to this republic, the
asylum of the oppressed of all nations should be
fostered and eacou aged by liberal and just policy.
IL. This COO senton declares itself in BY mpathy
with all oppressed peoples struggling their rights
| Is. That we highly comneld she spirit of ma e.
nanimity and forbearance with which men who have
served in the rebellion, bu' who now frankly and
honestly cooperate with us in restoring the peace
| of tho country and reconstructing the kouth-
ern State governments upon tho basis of impartial
justice and equal rights, received back into the
! communion OF the loyal people; and favor the
removal of the disquaiicstions and restrictions i'm
posed upon the Ii 20 rebels in the same measure as
the spirit of dsloyaity will die out aud may be
sistent with the SAFETY of the loyal people.
Ia. Thai we recognize the &. eat principles laid
| down 10 the mnor cal Declaration of independence,
as the true foundation Of democratic COVE. emens
aud we hail with gadne3s every effort toward MAX
ing these principles living reality every inch OF
| American soil.