The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-31
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;
l. We congratulate the country on the assured
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 to sustain those institutions
and to prevent the people of such States from being
remitted 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
justice, and must be maintained while the question
of suffrage in all tho loyal States properly belongs
to the people of those States.
g. We denounce all forms of repadiation as ma
uonRl 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 tho spirit of the
laws under which it was contracted.
4. 1t is due to the labor of the nation that taxa
tion should be equalized, and reduced rapidly as
the national faith will permit.
s. The national debt contracted il has been for
the preservation of the Union for all time to come
should be extended over fair period for redemption
and it is the duty of Congress to reduce the rate OF
interest thereon whenever 1t can be honestly done.
9. 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 to pay long as re-
pudiation partial or total open covert is threat
ened or suspected.
T. The Government of the United States should be
administered with the strictest economy; and the
corruptions which have been so shamefuliy nursed
and fostered by Andrew johnson call loudly for rad
cal reform.
8. We profoundly deplore the untimely 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
canse he pledged to support; who has usurped
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 CITIZEN who has abused the pardon
ing power; who has denounced the national legisla
ture as unconstitutional who has persistently 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 misdemeapors, and properly pro-
nounced guilty thereof by the vote of thirty. five
Senators.
ropean powers, that because a is once a subject
he ia always must be resisted at every hazard by
the United States as relic of feudal times not a-
thorized by the laws OF nations, and at with
national honor and independence. Naturalized cit
liens entitled to protection in all their rights OF
citizenship as though they were natiye-born; and
no citizen of the United States native or natural.
ized must be liable to arrest and imprisonment by
any foreign power for acts done words spoken in
this country and, ii arrested and imprisoned IL
ia the duty of the Government to interfere in his be-
half
10. OF all who we're faithful In the trials of the
late war; there were none entitled to more especial
honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who en-
dured the hardships Of campaign and cruise and i'm
perlled 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 and orphans of
the gallant dead are the wards of the peoplea sa.
cred legacy bequeathed to the nations projecting
care.
IL. Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added SO 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
fostered and encouraged by liberal and just policy
H. This convention declares itself in sympathy
with all oppressed peoples struggling for their
49, That we highly commend the spirit of mag
nanimity and 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 reconstructing the south-
ern State governments upon the basis of impartial
communion of tho loyal people; and favor the
removal Of the disquacations and restrictions i'm
posed upon the late rebels in the same measure as
the spirit of disloyalty will die out and may be
sstent 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 we hail with gladness every effort toward max.
ing these principles living reality every inch of
American soil.