The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-22
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM

The National Republican party of the United
States assembled in National Convention in the city
of Chicago, on the 21st day Of May 1866, make the
following declaration of principles;
1. We congratulate the country on the assured
success of the reconstruction policy of Congress-
evlnced by the adoption, in the majority of the
States lately in rebellion, OF constitutions securing
equal civil and political rights to all; and 1T is the
duty of the Government to sustain those institutions
and to prevent the people of such States from being
RENTED to a state of anarchy.
z, The guaranty by Congress OF equal suffrage to
all loyai men at 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 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 aud abroad
not only according to letter, but the spirit of the
laws under which it was contracted.
A. 1t is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
ton should be equazed, and reduced as rapidly as
the national faith will permit.
g. The national debt, contracted as 1t has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to eome
should be extended over fair period for redemption
and il is the duty of Congress to reduce the rate of
interest thereon whenever it can be honestly done.
9. That the best policy to diminish our burden of
debt is to 80 improve credit that capitalists will
seek TO loan money at lower rates of interest than
we now pay, and must continue TO pay SO long
pudiation partial total open covert, is threat
ened or suspected. fst
I. The Government of the United States should be
administered with the strictest economy; and the
corruptions which have been SO shamefuliy nursed
and f5stered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi
cal reform.
s. We profoundly deplore the untimeIy 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 usurpsd
high legislative aud 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 peace, liberty
and life of the citizen; who has abused the pardon
ing powers who has denounced the national legisla-
ture as unconstitutional; who has persistently and
corrupty 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 misdeneanors, and properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote Of thirty five
Senator's
O. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Eu.
ropean powers, that because man ID once subject
he always must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States relic of feuda times not ell-
thorzed by the laws of rations and at war with
national honor and Independence. Naturalized cit
liens are entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship, as thonga they were natve-born and
lied, must be liable to arrest and Imprisonment by
any foreign power for acts done or words spoken in
this and II so arrested ana Imprisoned, it
is the duty OF the Government to interfere in his be-
half
TO- of all who were faithful in the trials of the
late war there were none entitled to more especial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardships Of campaign and cruise, and i'm
perilled their lives in fe 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 the wards of the people-a sa-
cred legacy bequeathed to the nations protecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added 50 much to the wealth, developement and
sources and increase of power to this republic, the
asylum of the oppressed of all nations should be
fostered and encouraged by liberal and just policy.
IL This convention declares itself in sympathy
with all oppressed peoples struggling for their rights
IS. That we highly commend the spirit of mag
nanimity aud forbearance with which men who have
served in the rebellion, but who now frankly and
honestly corporate with us in restoring the peace
of tho country and reconstructing the south-
ern State governments upon the basis of impartial
Justice and equal rights received back into the
communion OF the loyal people; and we favor the
removal Of the dsqualiicions and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels in the same measure as
the spirit Of dsloyaty will die out and may be con-
sistent with the safety Of the loyal people.
IA. That recognize the great principles laid
down in the immortal Declaration Of Independence,
as the true foundation of democratic government
and we hail with gladness every effort toward maxi
ing those principles living reality on every inch of
American soil.