The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-05-10
Address and Platform of the Liberal Re
publcans.
THE ADDRESS.

| ne AuIHlnISUrdulOn now IN power
has rendered itself guilty of wanton
| disregard of the laws of the land, and
usurped powers not granted by the
Constitution. 1t has acted as if the
| laws had binding force only for those
who govern. 1t has thus struck a blow
at the fundamental principles of consti.
stutional government and the liberty of
| the citizen. 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 notoriously corrupt and unworthy
men in places of power and response
bility, to the detriment of the public
interest. He has used the public service
OF Inc government as machinery of
partisan and personal influence, and
interfered with tyrannical arrogance in
the political affairs of States and muni.
cipaiities. He has rewarded, with in
huential and lucrative offices, men who
had acquired his favor by valuable
presents; thus stimulating demoraliza-
tion of our political life by his cOnspic-
uous example. He has shown himself
deplorably unequal to the tasks impos
ed upon him by the necessities of the
country, and culpably careless of the
responsibilities of his high Office, The
partisans OF the Administration, as.
suming to be the Republican party and
controlling its organization, have at
tempted to justify such wrongs and pal
late such abuses, to the end of main-
tanning partisan ascendancy. They
have stood in the way of necessary in
vestigations and indispensable reforms,
pretending that no serious fault could
be found with the present administra.
ton of public affairs; thus seeking to
blind the eyes of the people. They
have kept alive the passions and resent.
ments of the late civil war, to use them
for their own advantage.
They have resorted to arbitrary meas
ures in direct conflict with the organic
law instead of appealing to the better
instincts aud latent patriotism of the
Southern people by restoring to them
those rights, the enjoyment Of which is
indispensable for successful adminis-
tration of their local affairs, and would
tend to move 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 pat. |
ronage unworthy of Republican free |
men; they have sought to stifle the |
voice of just criticism, to stifie the
moral sense of the people, and to sub |
jugate public opinion by tyrannical
party discipline. They are striving to
maintain themselves in authority for
selfish ends by an inscriptions use of
the power which rightfully belongs to |
the people, and should be employed |
only in the service of the country. Be-
lievihg that an organization thus led
and controlled can no longer be of SER
vice to the best interests of the RepGb. |
lie, we have resolved to make an indie. |
pendent appeal to the sober Judgment,
and patriotism of the Amer.
lean people.
THE PLATFORM.
We, the Liberal Republicans of the
United States, in National Convention
assembled at Cincinnati, proclaim the |
following principles as essential to lust |
government:
FT&: We recognize the equality of |
all men before the law, and hold that |
1t is the duty of Government in its
dealings with the people to mete out |
equal and exact justice to all of what. |
ever nativity, race, color, or persua.
sion, religious or political.
Second: We pledge ourselves to main.
tain the union OF these States, enamel. |
patton and enfranchisement, and to op.
pose any reopening of the questions
settled by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth.
and Fifteenth Amendments to the
Ihard: We demand the immediate
ana absolute removal of all disabilities
imposed on account of the Rebellion,
Whlch was tinally subdued seven years
ago, believing that universal amnesty
VIII result in complete pacification in
all sections of the country.
FOurh: Local elf.government, with
suffrage, will guard the rights
oI all citizens more securely than any
centralized power. The public wei
are requires the supremacy Of the civil
over tne military authority, and free.
iom OF person under the protection of
he habeas corpus. We demand for the
Individual the largest liberty consistent
With public order for the State, self.
and for the nation return
% the methods of peace and the con.
'utntional limitations of power
run; The Civil Service of the Gov.
ernment has become mere instrument
d partisan tyranny and personal am.
Dltion ana an object of selfish greed, 1t
$ a scandal and reproach upon free in.
Institutions and breeds a demoraliza.
lion dangerous to the perpetuity of re.
publican government. We therefore.
regard such thorough reforms of the
Civii Service as one of the most press.
ng necessities of the hour; that honesty
capacity, and fidelity constitute the
,nly valid claim to public employment
hat the offices Of the Government
ease to be matter of arbitrary favor.
tism and patronage, and that public
station become again a post of honor.
10 this end 1t is imperatively required
hat no President shall be a candidate
or reelection.