The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-30
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM

The 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:
1. We congratulate the country on the assured
success of the reconstruction policy OF Congress- as
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 sustain those institutions
and to prevent the people Of such States from being
RENTED to a 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 tho question
of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs
to the people of those States
3. We denoubce all forms of reputation as q ma
tional crime; and the national hanor 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 equalized, and reduced rapidly as
the national faith will permit
s. The national debt, contracted as it has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come
should BIO extended fair period for redemption;
and it is 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 improve credit that capitalists will
seek to loan money at lower rates of interest than
we now pay and must continue 10 pay so long as re-
ened or susp ected.
7. The Government of the United States should be
administered with the strictest economy; and the
corruptions which have been so shamefuliy nursed
and fustered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi-
cal reform.
s. We profoundly deplore ths untnely 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 usurped
high legislative and judicial functions; who has re-
fused to execute the laws 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 citizen; who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national iegisla-
ture unconstitutional; who has persistenty 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.
9. The doctrine of Great Britain and other Eu.
ropean powers, that because man is once subject
he ia always must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States, relic of feudsl times not au-
thorized by the laws OF rations aud war with our
national honor and independence Naturalized cit.
izens are entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship, es though they were natiyeborn 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
thlB country anr ii so arrested and imprisoned 1t
Ia the duty OF the Government to interfere In his be-
half.
10. Of all who were faithful in the trials of the
late war, there were none entitled to more especial
honor than tho brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardships Of campaign and cruise and i'm
perilled 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 sa
cred legacy bequeathed to the nations protecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added 30 much to the wealth, deveopement, and re-
sources and increase of power to this republic the
asylum of the oppressed of all nations, should be
fosiered and encouraged by liberal and Just policy
IL. This convention declares itself in sympathy
wthall oppressed peoples struggling for their
10. That we highly commend the spirit of mag
nanimity and fofbearance with which men who have
honestly cooperate with 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 disquaihcstions and restrictions i'm
ppsed upon the late rebels In the same measure as
the spirit of dsloyaly will die out aud 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 trne foundation of democratic government
and hail with gladness every effort toward max
ing these principles living reality every inch of
American soil.