The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-04
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM

Tho National Republican party of the United
States assembled in National Convention in the city
of Chicago, on the 2lst day of May 1866, make the
following declaration. OF principles: ar
l. We congratulate the country on the assured
success OF the reconstruction policy OF Congress- as
evlnced by the adoption, in the majority of the
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 prevent the people of such States from being
rernitted to q 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 of
Justice and must be maintained while the question
of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs
to the people of those States.
8. We denounce all forms of reputation as a ma
tional crime; and tho 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 1t was contracted.
4. II is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
ton should be eaualized, and reduced a. rapidly
| the national faith will permit. ~
s. Tho national debt, contracted it has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come
should DO extended fair period for redemption
and is the duty of Congress to reduce the rate OF
iNterest thereon whenever 1t be honestly done.
| g. That the best policy to diminish burden of
debt is to SO improve our credit that capitalists will
seek to loan US money lower rates Of interest than
we now pay, and must continue TO pay long as re-
pudaton, partial or total open covert, is threat
/ ened or suspected.
| T. The Government OF the United States should be
| administered with the srictest economy; and the
corruptions which have been shamefully nursed
and fostered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi
| cal reform. TsrltH
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
treacherously to the people who elected him and the
| cause lie was 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
laxy pho haa axa MOI
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 legsla-
| ture as unconstitutional; who has persstenty 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 msdemeaDors, and properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote of thirty five
| Senator's f ~. tt.s.
8. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Eu.
ropean powers, that because man is subject
he al ways must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States relic of feudaI times not aii-
thoized by the laws OF Lations, and atwar with our
| national honor aud Independence. Naturalized ct-
zens entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship, as though they were native-born; and
no citizen of the United States native 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 Of the Government to interfere in his bs
half.
|
late war, there entitled to more especial
honor than the brave soldiers and eeamen who on
dured the hardships Of campaign and cruise and inn
pered their lives in the service of the country
the bouuties and pensions provided by the laws for
these brave defenders of the nation are obligations
never to be forgotten the widows aud orphans of
the gallant dead are the wards of the peoplea sa-
cred legacy blqueaihed to the nations protecting
| care.
H. Foreign immigration, which in The past has
aided much TO the wealth, deyelopement, and re-
Sources and increase of power to this republic the
asylum of the oppressed of all nations, should be
fostered aud encouraged by liberal and just policy
u. This convention declares itself in sympathy
wthalI oppressed peoples struggling for their rights
10. That we highly commend the spirit of mag
nanmity aud forbearance with which men who have
served in the rebellion, but who now frankly and
honestly Cooperate with us in restoring the peace
of tho country and demonstrating the South
ern State governments upon the basis of impartial
justice and equal rights, received back into tho
communion OF the loyal peoples and We favor the
removal of the dsqualihcAtions and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels in the same measure as
the spirit of disoyaty will die out aud may be con
sistent with the safety of the loyal people.
a. That We recognize the great principles leid
down IN the Immortal Declaration of Independence
as the true foundation of democratc government
and we hail with gladness every effort toward max
ing these principles living reality every inch O
| American soil