Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-05-10
LIBERAL REPUBLICAN
Address and Platform.


rendered itself guilty of wantOn disregard |
of the laws of the land, and of usurpation
of powers not granted by the Constitution. |
1t has acted as if the laws had binding |
force only for those who are governed, and |
not for those who govern. 1t has thus |
struck blow at the fundamental prlnci- |
Piles of constitutional government and the |
liberties of citizens. The President OF the |
United States has openly used the powers |
and opportunities of his high Office for the |
promotion Of personal ends. He has kept |
VIGOROUSLY corrupt and unworthy men in |
places of power and responsibility to the |
detriment of the public interests.
he has used the public service of the !
Government as machinery of partisan and |
personal influence, and inteTftred with ty- |
rannical arrogance ia the political affairs OF
States and municipalities. He has re- !
Warded with Influential and lucrative offices !
men who had acquired his favor by valu
able presents, thus stimulating demoraliza-
ton of our political life by his conspicuous
example. He has shown himself deplora-
bly, unequal to the tasks imposed upon him
by the necessities of the country, and Gull
Dably careless of the responsibilities OF his
high office.
The partisans of the A ADMINISTRATION, as
summing to be the Republican party and con-
trolling its organization, have attempted to
!
abuses, TO the end Of maintaining partisan
| ascendeDcy.
They have stood in the way of necessary
| Investigations and indispensable reforms,
pretending that 10 serious fault could be
! found with the present administration OF
/ public affairs, thus seeking to blind the
! eyes of the people. They have kept alive
| the passions and resent nentS OF the late
| civil war, to use them to their own adVan-
1,ou arbitrary
! measures, in direct conflict with the organ
! ic law, instead of appealing to the better
! instincts and latent patriotism Ofthe South
ern peODle. by restoring to them those
rights, the enjoyment of which is lndlspen-
sable to successful administration oftheir
local affairs, and would tend to promote
patriotic and hopeful national feeling
They have degraded themselves and the
name of their party, once justly entitled to
the confidence of the nation, by base
sycophancy to the dispenser of Executive
power and patronage, unworthy of Repub-
lican freemen. They have sought to stltie
the voice of just criticism. to stitle the NOR
al sense Of the people and to suhjugate pub
lie opinion by tyranpical party discipline
They are striving to maintain themselves
in authority for selfish ends by an unscru-
puluus use of power which righttully be-
longs to the people, and should be employ
ed only in the service of the country.
Believing that an organization thus led
and controlled can no longer be of ser
vice to the best interests of the Republic,
we have resolved to make an Independent
appeal to the sober judgment, conscience
and patriotism of the American people.
We, the Liberal Republicans of the
! United States, in National Convention as
sembed at Cincinnati, proclaim the follow
ing principles essential to a just Govern
ment:
First-We recognize the equality of all
men before the law, and hold that it is the
duty of the Governmental its dealings with
the people to meet out equal and exact JUS
, tice to all of whatever nativity, race, color
or persuasion, religious o. political.
Second-We pledge ourselves to main
tain the Union of these States, emancipa-
, ton and acknowledgements, and to oppose
any re-opening Of the questions settled by
! the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments Of the Constitution.
Third-We demand the immediate md
absolute removal Of all disabilities imposed
, on account of the rebellion, which was
finally subdued seven years ago, believing
that universal amnesty will result in the
complete pacficatiOn of all sections Of the
, country.
Fourth-Local government, with i'm
partial suffrage, will guard the rights Of all
citizens more securely than any centralized
power, The public welfare requires the
supremacy of the civil over ihe military au-
thoTity, and the freedom of person under
the protection of the huJeOS. corpus. We
demand for the individual the largest lib
erty consistent with public order, for the
States selEgovernment, and for the nation
g a return to the methods of peace, and the
constitutional limitation OF power.
81 Fifth-The civil service Of the Govern
ment has become 3 ,1are instrument Of
partisan tyranny and personal ambition,
and an object Of selfish greed. Ii is a
scandal and reproach upon our free insti-
buttons, and breeds a decentralization
,, dangerous to the perpetuity of republican
government. We, therefore, regard a
thorough reform of the civil service as one
of the most pressing necessities of the hour;
that honesty, capacity 2nd fidelity consti-
tute the only valid claims to public employ
nent; that the officers OF the Government
cease to be a matter OF arbitrary favOrjtlSn
and patronage, and that public stations be-
come again posts Of honor. To this end it
is imperatively required that no President
shall be candidate for reelection.
Gi1th.-We demand system of Federal
> taxation which shai. net unnecessarily in
terfDre with the industry OF the people, and
which small provide means necessary to
pay the expenses Of the government, eco
nomically administered, pensions, the in
tereSb on the puDIc dept, ana moderate
!; reduction annually Of the principal thereof,
: and recognizing that there are in our midst
honest bat. trreGoLciable differences of
; opinion with regard to tile rcspectlZe sys-
TENS of protection and free trade, We re-
: NIT discussion of the subject to the people
, of their Con resSional districts, and to the
: decision of Congress thereon, wholly free of
Executive inYerr erenco or dictatiOn.
Seyenth-The public crsdit lu4s1 pc sa-
credly maintained, and We denounce Tepu-
:, diatIon i'll every form and guise. =.
: Eighth-A speedy return to specie pay
mcLts 5 demanded alike by the highest
! considerations OK commercial morality and
= honest gOvt sIlInGnt, - 80 40 '-
Ninth-We remember with gratitude the
heroism and sacrifices of the soldiers and
Z sailors of the Republic, and no act of ours
shall ever detract from their Justly earned
!, famc Or the full reward of their patriotism.
i Tenth-4Fe arc opposed to al further
}. grants Of lands to railroads. or other c5rpo-
I rations. The public DOMAIN should be
held sacred 10 actual settlers.
Eleyenth-We hold that it IS the duty OF
= the Government in its intercourse with
i forsign nations to cultivate the friendship
of peace by treating with all on fair end
: equal terms, regarding it alike dshonofaile
! either to demand what is not right, or to
submit to what is wrong.
Twelfth-For the promotion and success
: OF these vital principles, and the support
: OF the candidates. nominated oy this Con
vention, we inyte and cordiIly Welcome
the cooperation of all patriotic citizens
; without regard to previous political affiIia-
= tions.
FFeIiPnlnaI a G