The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-25
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM.

The National Republican party Of the United
States assembled in National Convention in the city
of Chicago, the 2lst day of May, 1866, make tho
following declaration of principles
/. We congratulate the country the assured
success OF the reconstruction policy of Congress- as
eylnced 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 to prevent the people Of such 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
consideration Of public safety OF gratitude and Of
of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs
to the people of those States. t.f
3. We denounce oil forms of reputation as a 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 the spirit of the
laws under which it was contracted.
d. 1t Is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
ton should be equalzed and reduced rapidly as
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 be extended fair period for redemption;
and it is TIE duty of Congress to reduce the rate OF
interest thereon, whenever 1t be honestly DONE
6. That the best policy to diminish our burden of
debt is to improve our credit that capitalists will
seek to loan money ct lower rates of interest than
we now pay and must continue pay so long as re-
pudatcn, partial or tota open or covert, is threat
ened or suspected.
7. The Government of the United States should be
administered with the strictest economy; and the
corruptons which have been shamefully nursed
and fostered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi
cal reform.
s. We profoundly deplore the untmely 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
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 lie Of the citizen; who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national legisla
ture 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
rupton; and who has boon justly fmpeached for
high crimes and misdemeanors, and properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote Of thirty-fve
eenators
g. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Eu.
ropean powers, that because man is a subject
be is always must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States relic of feudal times not
thorized BY the laws of nations, and at with our
national honor and Independence. Nstura1ized cit
liens entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship, as though they were natve-born; and
no citizen of the United States, native natural
ized, must be liable to arrest and Imprisonment by
any foreign power for acts done words spoken in
this country and, ii so arrested and imprisoned IL
is the duty of the Government to interfere in his be-
half
TO- OF oil who were faithful in the trials of the
late war; there mono entitled to especial
honor than the brave soldiers and eeamen who en-
dured the hardships Of campaign and cruise and i'm
perled their lives in the service of the country;
the beunties 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 peopie-a So.
cred legacy bequealhed to the nations protecting
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
fostered and encouraged by liberal and just policy.
IL. This convention declares itself in sympathy
with all oppressed peoples struggling for their rights
10. That we highly commend the spirit of mag
nanimity and forbearance with which men who have
served in the rebellion, but who frankly and
honestly cooperate with In restoring the peace
of tho country and reconstructing the eouth-
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 disquafcations and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels In the same measure
the spirit of dsloyaity will die ont and may be con-
sistent with the safety Of the loyal people,
a. 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 gladness every effort toward maxi
ing these principles living reality on every inch Of
American coll,