The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-25
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM.

Che National Republican party of the United
States assembled in National Convention in the city
OF Chicago on the 2lst day of May, 1856, make the
following declaration of principles:
1. We congratulate the country on the assured
OF the reconstruction policy of Congress,
svinced 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 ut 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 denouncs all forms of reputation as ma
tionsl 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 1t was contracted.
4. 1t is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
ton should be equalzed and reduced az rapidly as
the national faith will perait.
5. The national debt, contracted it has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come,
should be extended fair period for redempton;
and it is the duty of Congress to reduce the rate of
interest thereon, whenever 1t can 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
now pay, and must continue 10 pay so long as
pudiation partial or total open or covert ia threat
I. The Government of the United States should be
administered with the strictest economy; and the
corruptions which have been 80 shametully nursed
and fostered by Andrew johnson call loudly for radi-
cal reform.
s. We profoundly dcpiore the untimely and tragic
death Of Abraham Lincoln, and regret the accession
to the Presder ~ of Andrew Johnson who has acted
treachsrously the people who elected him and the
cause he was pledged to support; who has usurpsd
high legislative and judicial functions; who has re-
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 citzen who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national lagsla-
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 besn juatly impeached for
high crimes and misdsmeanors, and properly pre-
nouncsd guilty thereof by the vote Of thirty-fv
Senators.
o. The doctrine of Great Britain aud other Eu.
ropean powers, that because man is once subject
he is always must BIO resisted at every hazard by
the United States, relic of feudal times, not
thorizcd by the laws OF nations, and at war with our
national honor and independence. Naturalized cit.
liens entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship as though they were nativeborn; 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 so arrested and imprisoned 1t
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; thers wore none entitled to more especial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardships of campaign and cruise and i'm
psrled their lives in the service Of the country
the bounties 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 the wards of the people--a
cred legacy bequeahed TO the nations protecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added 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 msg-
nanmity and forbearance with which men who have
served in the rebellion, but who now frankly and
honestly cooperate with In restoring the peace
OF tho country and reconstructing the south-
err State governments upon the basis of impartial
justice and equal rights are received back into the
communion OF the loyal people; and we favor the
removal of the disquacstions and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels in the same measure as
tho spirit of disloyalty will die out and may be cou
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 true foundation of democratic government
and hail with gladness every effort toward max
ing these principles living reality on every inch Of
American SOIL