National Republican., 1876-08-26
p Z A T f O r M
OF THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, PARTY

When, il 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. Its deeds have passed into his
tory, and we look back to them with pride.
Incited by their memories and high aims for
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 a nation,
not q 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
crad]e-'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"
Until these truths are cheerfully obeyed, or,
if need be, vigorously enforced, the work of
the Republican party is unfinished.
3. The permanent pacifcation of the South
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-
ecutive Departments of the Government to
put into immediate and vigorous use all their
constitutional powers for removing any 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 imperatively demand Con-
gress and Chief Executive 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 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. Under the Constitution the President and
heads of departments. are to make nomna-
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 Represen,
tatives, 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
OF the appointees, preferring friends of the
party in power for places where harmony and
VipOr of alui niStratilD nc tn ha
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.
8. We rejoice In the quickened conscience of
the people concerning political affairs, and will
hold all public officers to a 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
be adjusted to promote the interest of Ameri- |
can labor and advance the prosperity Of the
whole country.
9. We reaffirm 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.
TO- 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.
IL. 1t 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.
II. The Republican party recognizes with sp- |
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 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 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.
IA. The pledges which the nation has given |
to our soldiers and sailors must be fulfilled. |
The grateful people will always hold those |
who periled their lives for the country's pres /
erVatiOn in the kiDdest
Is. We sincerely deprecate ell 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 q 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 /
it sympathized with treason; with making its
control of the House of Representatives the |
triumph and the opportunity of the nations |
recent foes; with reasserting and 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 pre- |
posing to repudiate the plighted faith of the |
Government; with being equally false and |
imbecile upon the oVershadowing financial |
question; with thwarting the ends of justice |
by its partisan mismanagement and obsrruc- |
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.
II. The National Administration merits |
commendation for its honorable work in the |
management Of our domestic and foreign |
affairs, and President Grant deserves the con- |