Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-05-10
The Cincinnati Platform.

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american.
The Cincinnati Platform.
The following is the text in full
of the preamble and resolutions
adopted at Cincinnati:
The administrator now in power
has rendered itself guilty of wanton
disregard for the laws Of the land,
and Of the powers 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, it has thus
strnck blow at the fundamental
principles of constitutional gov
eminent and the liberties of its citi-
zens. 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 interest. He has
used the public service of the gov
eminent as the machinery of parti-
san and political influence, and in
terfered with technical arrogance
in political affairs of the State and
municipalities, he has rewarded
with influential and lucrative offices,
men who had acquired his favor by
valuable presents, thus stimulating
Generalization in our political life
by his conspicuous example; he
has shown himself as deplorably
unequal to the tasks imposed upon
him by the necessities Of the coun-
try and culpably careless of the re-
sponsibilities of his high Office, the
partisans of the administration as
Stunning to be the Republican party
and controlling its organization,
have attempted to justify such
wrongs and palate such abuses
10 the end Of maintaining the parti-
Fan asccndency they have stood in
the way of necessary Investigations
and Indispensable reform; that no
serious fault could be found with
the present administration of pub
lie affairs, thus seeking to blind the
eyes of the people. They have kept
alive the passions and resentment
of the late civil war to use them for
their own advantage; they have re-
sorted to arbitrary measures in d.
rect conflict with organic law, in
stead of appealing to the better
instincts of the talent and patriot
ism of the Southern people by re-
storing to them those rights which
is indispensable for successful ad-
ministration Of their local affairs,
and would tend to move the patriot
ic and hopeful national feeling
They have degraded them selves,
and name their party as justly emit
tied to the confidence of the nation,
and by base sycophancy to the
dispenser Of executive power and
patronage unworthy of Republican
freemen; they have sought to ST.
lence the voice of just criticism to
stifle the moral sense Of the people,
and to subjugate public opinion by
tyranical party discipline; they arc
striving to maintain themselves in
authority for selfish ends by the un-
scrupulous use of power which
rightfully belongs to the people and
should be employed only in the SER
vice Of the country. Believing that
an organization of this character
thus led and controlled, it cannot
longer be of much service to the
best interests of the republic. We
have resolved to make an independ-
cnt appeal to the sober judgment,
conscience and patriotism of the
American people.
The following is the platform in
full as reported and adopted:
We, the Liberal Republicans of
the United States, in National Con-
vention assembled, at Cincinnati,
proclaim the following principles as
essential to just government:
First, we recognize the equality
OF men before the law, and hold that
it is the duty Of the government in
its dealings with the people to mete
out equal and exact justice to all, of
whatever nativity, race, color, or
persuasion, religious or political.
Second, We pledge ourselves to
maintain the law, the union of these
States, the emancipation and enfran-
chisement, and to oppose any re-
opening of questions settled by the
Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth amendments to the Consti-
tuition.
Third, We demand immediate
and absolute removal of all disabili-
ties imposed on account of the re-
bellion, which was finally subducd
seven years ago, believing that uni
versal amnesty will result in the
complete pacifcation of all sections
Of the country.
Fourth, Local self government,
with impartial suffrage, will guard
the rights Of all citizens more Sc
curely than any centralized power;
the public welfare requires the SUI
premacy of civil over military au-
thority, and freedom Of persons
under the protection of the writ Of