National Republican., 1876-07-04
Natiaual gepubIifau
Platform Of the National Republican Party.

When, In the economy of Providence, this
land was to be purgei of human slavery, and
when the strength Of the government of the
people by the people and for the people was to
be demonstrated, the Republican party came
| into power. It's deeds have passed into his
tory, and we look back to them with pride.
| lncited by their memories and high aims for
the good of our country and mankind, and
looking to the future with courage, hope aud
purpose, We, the representatives of the party,
tie National Convention assembled, make the
following declaration of principles
| 1. The United States of America is a nation.
not a league. By the combined working of
the national and State governments, under
! their respective constitutions, the rights of
every citizen are secured at home and protected
! abroad.
,. The Republican party has preserved these
| governments TO the hun6Tsdth anniversary Of
| the nations birth, and they are now the en-
bodineats of the lg,eat truths spoken at its
| cradlG-''that all zen are created eGynal; that
| they are endowed by their Creator with certain
| inalieDable rights, among which are life lib
| erty and the pursuit CT happiness; that for the
| attainment OF these ends governments have
been instituted among men, deriving their just
| powers iIOm the consent OF the governed"
Until these t3aths are sbesrfulIy obeyed, or,
| if iced be, vigorously e2iorced, the work OF
| the Republican party is unfinished.
| ). Tie permanent pacifcatiOn of the South
| srn section Of the Union, and the complete
protection of its citizens in the free eEjoyment
| Of all their rights are duties to which the Re-
| publican party stands sacredly pledged. The
| power to provide for the enforcement of tho
| principles embodied in the recent ccastitu-
| tional amendments is in the Congress Of the
| United States, ard We declare it to be the
\ solemn obligation of the Legislative and Ex-
| ecutiye Departments of the Government to
| put into immediate and vigorous use all their
| constitutional powers for removing any Just
4 Of diS ANTI nn RI IL,
and for securing TO every American citizen
| complete liberty and exact equality in the ex-
ercise of all civil, political and private rights
| To this end we imperatiyely demand a Con
gress and Chief Executive whose courage
| and fidelity to these duties shall not f.Iter
| until these results are placed beyond dispute
| or recall.
4. In the first act of Congress signed by
| President Grant, the National Government as
| suued to remove any doubts of its purpose to
discharge its just obligation to public creditors,
and solemnly pledged its faith to make provi.
sion, at the earliest practicable moment, for
the redemption of United States notes in coin
Commercial prosperity, public morals and the
| national credit demand that this promise be
fulfilled by continuous and steady progress
to specie payment.
5. nder the Constitution the President and
| heads of departments are to make nomina-
| tioDS for Office, the Senate is to advise and
consent to the appointments, and the House
| of Representatives is TO accuse and prosecute
faithless officers. The best interests of the
public service demand that these distinctions
be respected, and that Senators and Represen-
tatiYes, vino may be judges and aceusers,
should not dictate appointments to office The
inyariable rule for appointments should have
reference to the honesty, fidelity and capacity
| of the Apprentices, preferring friends Of the
| party in power for places where harmony and
yigOr Of administration require its policy to be
represented, but permitting all others to be
| filed BY persons selected with sole reference
to the efficiency of the public service and the
right of all citizens to share in the honor of
rendering faithful service to their country
6. We rejoice in the quickened conscience of
the people concerning political affairs, and will
hold all public officers to rigid responsibility,
and engage that the prosecution and punish
ment Of all who betray official trusts shall be
speedy, thorough and unsparing.
Z. The public school~system of the several
| States is the bulwark of the American Repub.
| lie, and, with a view TO its security and perma-
mencc, We recommend an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States forbidding
the application of any public funds or prop
erty for the benefit of any schools or institu-
| tiors under sectarian schools.
S. The revenue necessary for the current ex-
| penditures and the obligation of the public
debt must be largely derived from duties on
importations, which, so far as possible, should
Re adjusted to promote the interest of Ameri-
can labor and advance the prosperity of the
whole country.
9, We reafilrm our opposition to further
grants of the public lands to corporations and
| monopolies, and demand that the national do
main be devoted to free homes for the people.
10. 1t is the imperative duty of the Govern
ment to modify existing treaties with European
Governments, that the same protection shall
1 be afforded to the adopted American citizen
that is given to the native born, and that all
necessary laws should be passed to protect
| immigrants in the absence CT power in the
States for that purpose.
II. 1t is the immediate duty of Congress to
investigate the effect of the Immigration and
| importation Of MongoliaDs upon the moral
| and material interests of the country.
T.. The Republican party recognize with ap-
| prevail the substantial advance recently made
tow ard the establishment of equal rights for
women, by the many important amendments
effected by Republican Legislatures in the
laws which concern the personal and property
| relations of wives, mothers and widows, and
| by the appointment of women to the superin-
| tendence of education, charities and other hub
| lie trusts. The honest demands of this class
of citizens for additional rights and privileges
| and immunities should be treated with respect
| full consideration.
IS. The Constitution confers upon C06gress
| sovereign power over the Territori5s of the
| United States for their government. In the
| exercise of this power, it is the right and the
| duty of Congress to prohibit and eXtirpate in
| the Territories that relic of barbarIsm, polyg-
amy, and We demand such legislation as shall
secure this end and the supremacy of Ameri-
can institutions in all the Territories.
II. The pledges which the nation has given
to our soldiers and sailors must be fulfilled.
The grateful people will always hold thc=,
who periled their lives for the country'S :. IS
| ervation in the kindest remembrance.
Is. We sincerely deprecate all sectional
feeling and tendencies. We therefore note
with deep solicitude that the Democratic
party counts as it's chief hope of success on
the electoral vote of united South, secured
through the efforts of those who were recently
arrayed against the nation; We invoke the
earnest attention of the country to the grave
truth that a success thus achieved would re
| open sectional strife and imperil the national
| honor and human rights.
16. We charge the Democratic party as
Icing the same in character and spirit as wher
| it sympathiZed with treason; with making its
control of the House of Representatives the
| triumph anu the opportunity OF the nation S
| recent foxs: with reasserting and applaudtne
! in the National Capitol the sentiments OF un
repcnted rebellion: with sending Union sol
| liers to the rear and promoting Confederate
| soldiers to the front: with deliberately pro
! posing to repudiate the plighted faith Of the
Government; with being equally false All
= | imGecile upon the oVersnauoNlng nnancla
| question; with thwarting the ends of justice
| BY its partisan misnanagement and obstruc
> tien of investigation: with proving itself
through the period of its ascendancy In tht
| Lower House of Congress, utterly incompetent
, | to administer the Government. We warn the
| country against trusting a party thus alikt
, unworthy, recreant and incapable.
Il. The National Administration merit:
commendatiOn for its honorable work In tht
management of our domestic and foreign
| affairS and President Grant deserves the con