St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-05-24
NEW YORK. Nav 20. I~13

INV York. May %. l~72.
GcnIlcINcu | have chosen NOT tu
acknowledge Your letter of the I'd inst
until | could learn how the work OF
NOur convention WAS received in all
parts of our great country. and jude,
whether that work WIS approved and
ratified 10y the md>S of the people.
Their response has from day to dnl
reached me. through tclcgrIm~. letters.
and the comments of journalists ind,-
pendent of official patronage and Indit
itTcnt To the smiles al troWn> of power.
The number and character of tlc>,.
unc"m>traimcd. umpurcha>rd. unsolicited
uttcraucc> satisfy me that the move
mcut which found expression at Gin
cinnati has received the stamp of public
approval, and been hailed 10y uILi"li-
~ of ON countlNmcn H. the harhimgrI
of 4 better day fnl the rcpuhic.
do not mi>imtrlprct this approval a>
especially complimentary To- my self. nor
even To the chivalrnu> and justly r>-
trcmcd gentleman with whose name |
thank Nour convention tul aS>ucjatinu
mine. receive and welcome it a> Il
spontaneous and deserved tribute t" he
admirable platform of principles " here
in NoIII convention - ter>lv. So lucidly
50 iurcihlN. set forth the convictions
which iupcllrd and the purposes which
guided lis cnuI~c-a platform which.
casting behind it the wreck and rubbish
of worm-nut contentious and hN-g"mt
trudS cInhodir> in lit and few words
the needs and aspirations of to-day.
Though thousands stand ready t"
condemn ynm every act. hardly Il >ll-
liable of criticism or cavil has hccna aimed
at vour platform. of " hich the substance
may ne fairly epitnmizcd IT'S tollows:-
First. all the political rights and
franchises which have been acquired
through our late bloody CONFUSION must
and shall hc guaranteed. maintained.
enjoyed, respected ever more.
second. all the political rights and
franchises which have been lost through
that CONFUSION should and must he
promptly restored and rc-c>tahliShcd.
50 that there shall he hcncrtorth no
prescribed class and no DISTINGUISHED
caste within the limits of our Union.
whose long -eStramgcd people shall rell-
mite and tratcInizc upon the broad basis
of universal amnesty with impartial
suffrage.
Third. that. subject to our solemn
constitutional obligation to maintain
the equal rights or all citizens. our
policy should aim at local Sclf-govcrm-
meut. and not AT Capitalization that
the civil authority should he supreme
over the military; that the writ of
hahcas corpus should he jealousy up
held Us the Safeguard of our personal
freedom: that the individual citizen
should enjoy the largest liberty con-
>istcnt with public order: and that there
shall he no federal >ubvcrsiom of the
internal policy of the several states and
municipalities, hut that each shall he
left free to enforce the rights and pro
mote the wcll-hcing of lis inhabitants
10y such means ~ the Judgment of its
own people shall prescribe.
Fourth. there shall he Il real and not
merely Il stimulated reform in the civil
service of the republic. to which end it
is indispensable that the chief dispenser
of its vast official patronage shall he
shielded from the main temptation to
Use his power sclti>hly. by Il rule mex
orally forhiddimg and precluding his
reelection.
Fifth. that the raising of revenue.
10y tariff or otherwise. shall he
and treated Us the peoples
business. to he shaped and
by them through their repre-
>rntativc> in Congress. whose action
thereon the president must neither over
rule by his veto. attempt to dictate. nor
presume 10 punish 10y hestowing offices
only on those who agree with him or
it from those who do not.
Sixth. that the public lands must he
>acredlN reserved for occupation and
acquisition 10y cultivatorS. and not Icck-
lessly >quandered on the projectors of
for which our people have no
present need. and the premature con-
>truction of which is annually plInging
us into deeper and deeper ahysses of
foreign Indebtedness
Saveuth, that the. achievement of
these gland purposes Of universal be
ncticcnce is expected and sought at the
hands of all who approve them. ire
>pective of past affiliations.
Eighth, that the public faith must at
all hazards he maintained, and the
national credit preserved.
Ninth. that the patriotic devOtedness
and lnestimable services of on fellow