The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-05
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM

| The National Republican party of the United
States assembled in National Convention in the city
of Chicago, the 21st day of May, 1866, make th,
| following declaration of principles:
| l. We congratulate the country on the assured
success of the reconstruction policy OF Congress,
| evinced by the adoption, in the majority of thu
States lately in rebellion OF constitutions securing
equal civil and political rights to all; and it is the
duty of the Government to sustain those institutions
and to prevent the people of such States from beine
| RENTED to state of anarchy.
2. The guaranty by Congress of equal suffrage to
| all loyal men at the South was demanded by every
consideration OF public safety, OF gratitude, and
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 ma.
tional crime; and the national honor requires the
payment of the public indebtedness in the utter.
most good faith to all creditors at home and abroad
not only according to letter, but tho spirit of the
laws under which it was contracted.
A. 1t is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
ton should be equalzed, and reduced rapidly as
| the national faith will permit.
6. The national debt contracted it has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come
should be extended over fair period for redemption:
and it ia the duty of Congress to reduce the rate
interest thereon, whenever it be honestly DONE
6. That the best policy to diminish our burden of
debt Is to so improve our credit that capitalists will
seek to loan us money at lower rates of interest than
we now pay and must continue to pay long as re-
pudaton, partial total, open covert is threat
ened or suspected.
I. The Government of the United States should be
administered with the strctest economy; and the
corruptons which have been SO shamefuliy nursed
and fostered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi
cal reform.
8. 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 was pledged to support; who has usurped
high legislative and judicial functions who has re.
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 peace, liberty
and life of the citizen who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national legisa-
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 an engine of wholesale cor
ruption; and who has been justly impeached for
high crimes and misdemeanors and properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote of thirty five
Senators.
o. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Eu.
ropean powers, that because is once a subject
he is ways must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States, as relic of feudal times, not
thorized by the laws OF nations and at war with our
national honor and independence Eaturslized cit
izens entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship, as though they were native-born; and
no citizen of the United States, native or natural.
lied, must be liable to arrest and imprisonment by
any foreign power for acts done words spoken in
this country and, if arrested and imprisoned it
Is the duty oil the government 10 Interfere IN his be-
half.
10. Of all who were faithful in the trials of the
late war; there were entitled to more especial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardships 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-a
cred legacy bequeaihed to the nations protecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added SO much to the wealth. Development, and re-
sources, and increase of power to this republic, the
asylum of the oppressed Of all nations, should be
fosored aud encouraged by liberal and just policy.
H. This convention declares itself in sympathy
with all oppressed peoples struggling for their rights
49, That we highly commend the spirit of mag
nanimity and forbearance with which men who have
served ia the rebellion, bu' who now frankly and
honestly cooperate with us In restoring the peace
of tho country and reconstrnoting the South
ern State governments upon the basis of impartial
justice aud equal rights received back into the
communion OF the loyal people; and we favor the
removal of the disquacatiops and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels In the measure as
the spirit of disoyalty will die out and may be con-
sistent with the safety of the loyal people
Ia. That we recognize the great principles laid
down in the immortal Declaration of Independence
as the true foundation of democratic government
and we hail with gadne.s every effort toward max
ing these principles living reality on every inch of
American soil.