National Republican., 1876-08-29
p L A T z O r NJ
OF THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY

Na44ONAh 611 ODA1OhN hlt1
IAdopted at Cincinnati, June Is, 1S7s.I
When, in the economy of Providence, thi
land was to be purgei of human slavery, and
when the strength of the government of tht
people by the people and for the people was tc
be demonstrated, the Republican party came
into power. Its deeds have passed into his
tory, and we look back to them with pride
Incited by their memories and high aims fol
the good of our country and mankind, and
looking to the future with courage, hope and
purpose, we, the representatives of the party,
the National Convention assembled, make the
following declaration of principles
| l. The United States of America is nation,
| not 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.
2. The Republican party has preserved these
| governments TO the hundredth anniversary of
| the nations birth, and they are now the en-
bodiments of the gleat truths spoken at its
| cradle-"that all men are created equal; that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights, among which are life, lib
| erty and the pursuit of happiness; that for the
| attainment of these ends governments have
| been instituted among men, deriving their just
| powers from the consent of the governed 1"
Until these truths are cheerfully obeyed, or,
If need be, vigorously enforced, the work of
the Republican party is unfinished.
3. The permanent pacification of the South
ern section of the Union, and the complete
protection of its citizens IN the free enjoyment
of all their rights are duties to which the Re-
publican party stands sacredly pledged. The
power to provide for the enforcement of the
principles embodied In the recent constitu-
tional amendments is in the Congress of the
United States, and 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 anv Just
causes Of discomfort on the part Of any class,
and fol- 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 impera lively demand Con-
gress and Chief Exec utive whose courage
and fidelity to these duties shall not falter
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 fits purpose to
discharge its just obligation TO public creditors,
and solemnly pledged its faith to make pYovi-
sion, at the earliest practic able 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. Under the Constitution the President and
heads of departments are to make nomina-
tions 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 Represent
tatiYes, who may be judges and accusers,
should not dictate appointments to office. The
invariable rule for appointments should have
reference to the honesty, fidelity and capacity
I I'll. l.
| party in power for places where harmony and
vigor of administration require its policy to be
represented, but permitting all others to be
| filled 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 view to its security and perma-
| mence, 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-
| tons 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
| be adjusted to promote the interest of Ameri-
can labor and advance the prosperity of the
| whole country.
9. We rea1firm our opposition to further
| grants of the public lands to corporations and
monopoles, 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
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 of power In the
States for that purpose.
II. II is the immediate duty of Congress to
investigate the effect of the immigration and
importation of Mongolians upon the moral
and material interests of the country.
u. The Republican party recognizes with ap-
proval the substantial advances recently made
toward 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 md other huh.
lie trusts. The honest demands of this class
of citizens for additional rights and privileges
and immunfties should be treated with respect
full consideration.
13. Tine Constitution confars upon Congress
sovereign power over the Territories 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
70 our soldiers and sailors must be fulfilled.
The grateful people will always hold those
WHO periled their lives for the country's pres
eryation in the kindest remembrance.
10. We sincerely deprecate all sectional
feeling and tendencies. We therefore note
with deep solicitude that the Democratic
party counts as its 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
being the same in character and spirit as when
\ 1t sympathized with treason; with making It's
control of The House of Representatives the
triumph and the opportunity Of the nations
recent foes; with reasserting aud applauding
in the National Capitol the sentiments of un-
repented rebellion; with sending Union SOL
diers 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 and
tmbecile upon the overshadowing financial
question; with thwarting the ends of justice
| by its partisan misLlanagement and obstruc-
tien of investigation: with proving itself,
through the period of its ascendancy In the
Lower House Of Congress, utterly incompetent
to administer the Government. We warn the
country against trusting a party thus alike
unworthy, recreant and incapable.
IL. The National Administration merits
commendation for its honorable work in the
management of our domestic and foreign