The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-25
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM

Ihe National Republican party of tho United
States, assembled in National Convention in the city
of Chicago, on the 2lst day of May, 1868, make TIL
| following declaration Of principles:
| l. We congratulate the country on the assured
success of the reconstruction policy of Congress al
evinced 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 O state OF anarchy.
2 The guaranty by Congress of equal suffrage to
| all loyal men at the South demanded by every
consideration of public safety, of gratitude and Of
justice, aud must be mainta'ned while the question
of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs
to the people of those States.
3. We denouDce 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 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.
ton should be equalzed and reduced as RAPIDLY as
the national faith will permit.
6. The national debt contracted as it has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come
should be extended fair period for redemption
and it is the duty of Congress reduce the rate Of
interest thereon, whenever it be honestly done
9. hat the best policy 10 diminish our burden OF
debt is to SO improve credit that capital sts wi
seek to loan money at lower rates of interest thai
we now pay, and must continue to pay long as re-
rudaton, partial total, open covert is tin
eped or suspected.
7. The Government of the United States should ba
administered with the strictest economy; and the
corruptous which have bsen shamefnliy nursed
and fJstered by Andrew johnson call Loudly for radi-
cal reform.
s. We profoundly deplore the untmeIy 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 he was pledged to support who has usurpad
high legislative and judicial functions; who has re-
fused to execute the lava who has used his Ugh
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 ctizsn who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national legisla-
ture as unconstitutional; who has peTsistently and
corruptly resisted, by every 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 Who'll. sale cor
ruption aud who has been Justly impeachsd for
high crimes and misdemeanors, and properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote of thirty five
Senators.
0. The doctrine of Great Britain and other En-
ropean powers, that because man is once subject
he is always must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States as relic of feHdal times
thoIized by the laws of iations and war with our
national honor and independence. Naturalzed cjt.
liens are entitled TO protecton 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
auy foreign power for acts done or words spoken in
this country and, if arres ed and imprisoned il
is the duty OF the Government to interfere in his bo.
half.
TO- OF all who were faithful in the trials of the
late war, there entitled to more esnecial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
Gnred the hardsips Of campaign and cruise and in-
perited their lives in the service of the country:
the bountos ana pensions provided by the laws for
these brave defenders of the nation obi cations
never TO be forgotten the widows and orphans Of
the gallant dead ara the wards of the peope-a sa-
cred legacy bequealhed to the nations protecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added so much to the wealth, deyelopement and re-
sources, and increase of power to this republic tho
asylum OF the oppressed of all nations should be
tosiered and encouraged by liberal aud just policy
IL. This convention declares itself 10 sympathy
with all oppressed peoples struggling for their ghts
nanimity and fosbearance 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 reconstructDg the South
err State governments npon the basis of impartial
justice and equal rights, received back into the
communion OF the loyal pc pie; and we favor the
removal OF the dii qua ifcations and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels in the same measure as
the spirit of dsloyaty Eil die out AMI may be COR
sistent vii the safety of the loyal people.
IA. That we recognize the great principles laid
down in the immortal Declaration of inde pendeuce
as the true foundation Of democratic government
and we hail with gladness every effort toward max
Ing these principles living reality every inch of
American soil.