Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-13
Republican Platform.

Platform of the Republican Party as adopted
at Cincinnati. June 10th, 1876
When in the economy of Providence this land
was to be purged of human slavery and when
the strength of the Government of the people,
by the people, for the people was to be demon
atrated, the Republican party came into power.
Its deeds have passed into history, and We look
back to them with pride melted by their memo
RES and high aims for the good of our country
and mankind and. looking to the future with
,lnfaltering courage, hope and purpose, we. the
representatives of the party in National Con-
veation assembled, make the following declara
tion of principles:
The United States Of America is a nation
not n league. BY the combined workings Of the
National and State Governments Under their
respective Constitutions, the rights Of every
citizen are secured at home and protected
abroad, and tha common welfare promoted.
= The Republican party has preserved those
Governments to their hundredth anniversary
Of the nations birth, and they embodi
ments Of the great truths spoken at its cradle,
that "all men are created equal " that they are
endowed by their Creator with certa in inalien-
able rights, among which are life, liberty, and
the pursuit Of happiness; that for the attain
Inent of these ends, Governments have been in
stitutrd among mon, deriving their Just powers
from the consent of the governed" Until these
truths are cheerfuly obeyed, or, if need be. Wig
orously enforced, the work OF the Republican
party is unfinished.
:. The permanent paciicatfon of the South
ern section of the Union, and the complete pro
lection of its citizens in the froe enjoyment Of
all their rights, are duties to which the Repub-
lican party stands pledged The power to pro-
vide for the enforcement of the principles en-
bodied in the recent Constitutional Amendments
Is vested by those amendments in the Congress
ofthe United States; and we declare it to be the
solemn obligation of the Legislative and Exec
utive DcRa rtments of the Government to put
into immediate and vigorous exercise all their
constitutional powers for removing any just
causes of discomfort for securing to every Amer
lean citizen complete liberty and exact equality
in the exercise of all civil, political, and public
rights. To this end we peratively demand a
Congress and a Chief Executive whose courage
and fidelity to these duties shall not falter until
these results are placed beyond dispute re-
call.
4. In the first act of Congress signed by Presi-
dent Grant the National Government assumed
10 remove any doubts of its duties to discharge
all just obligations to public creditors, and
4solemnly pledged its faith to make provision at
the earliest practicable period for the redemp-
tion of United States notes in COIN CONNER
cial prosperity. public morals, aud the national
credit demand that thi. promise be fulfilled by a
continuous and steady progress to specie pay
5. Under the Constitution the President and
heads of departments to make nomi. ctions
tor office, the Senate is to advise and to consent
to appointments. and the House of Representa-
tivesis TO accuse and prosecute faithless officers
The best interest OF tho public service demand
that these distinctions be respected that Sena-
tors and Represen tatives, who may be judges
and accusers, should not dictate appointments
to>ofice. The invariable rule for appointments
should have reference to the honesty. fidelity
and capacity OF, the apprentice. giving to the
party IN power those places where harmony and
vig,T of administration requires 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 rem
dering faithful service to their country.
6. We rejoice in the quickened conscience of
the people concerning political affairs, and
will ,hold all officers to a rigid responsibility,
and engage, that the prosecution and punish
speedy, thorough and unsparing.
Z, The public school system of the several
States is the bulwark of the American Republic
and with 4 lew to its security and permanence.
recommend an amendment to the Constitution
of the United State forbidding the application
of any public funds or property for tho benefit
of any schools or institutions under sectarian
control.
s. The revenue necessary TOR, current expen-
dtures and the obligations of the public debt
must be largely derived from duties on import
ations, which, so far a. possible, should be ad-
justed to promote the interest of American labor
and, advance the prosperity Of the whole coun-
.. We reafIirm our opposition to further grants
of the public lands to corporations and monop-
oles, and demand that the national domain be
devoted to free homes for the people.
10, 1t is the imperitiye duty of the Govorn-
ment so to modify existing treaties with Euro
pean Covenants 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 i'm
migrants in the absence Of power in the States
for that purpose,
II. Its the immediate duty of Congress to
I
and importationof Mongolians upon the moral
and material interest of the country.
r. The Republican party recognizes withap-
prevail the substantial advance recently made to-
ward the establishment of equa! rights for
women by the many important amendments
effected by Republican Legislature in the laws
which concern the personal and property rela-
tions of wives, mothers, and widows, and by the
appointment and election of women to the
per intendence of education charities and other
public trusts The honest demands of this class
sf citizens for additional rights and privileges
and mmunities should be treated with respect
sat consideration.
Is. The constitution eonfers upon Congress
sovereign power over the Territories Of the Unit
ed States for their government, and in the ex
ercise of this power it Is the right and the duty
of Congress to prohibit rnd extirpatoin the Teri
itores that relic of barbarism, polygamy, and
we demand such legislation as shall secure this
end, and the supremacy OF American lnStl-
buttons in all the Territories.
IL The pledges which the nation has given to
our soldiers and sailors must be fulfilled; the
greateful people will always hold those who per-
lied their lives for the country preservation IN
the kindest remembrance.
Is. We sincerity deprecase all sectional feel
ing and tendencies we therefore note with deep
solcitude that the Democratic party counts as
its ebisf hope of success upon the electoral vote
Of the united South, secured throug h the efforts
of those who ere recently arrayed against the
nation and We invoke the earnest attention
af the country to q grave truth that success
thus achieved would reopen sectional strife and
imperil the national honor and human rights,
IL. We charge the Democratic party as being
the same in character and spirit as when II sym.
pathized with treason with making its control
of the House of Representatives the triumph
and the opportunity of the nations recent foes
with asserting and applauding in the National
Capitol the sentiments of unrewentant rebell-
ion with sending Union soldiers to the rear and
promoting Confederate soldiers to the front;
with deliberately proposing TO repudiate the
plighted faith of the Government: with being
equally false and imbeeile: with oyershadowing
the ends ofjustlce by the partisan mismanage
,sent and obstruction of vestiSation; with
nroying itself through the period of its ascen-
dancy in the Lower House OF Congress, utterly
;nco;nnetent to administer the Government
W. warn the country against trusting 3 party
mus alike unworthy. recreant. and incapable.
Ia. The National Administration merits COM
incubation for its honorable work in the man
agement of domestic and foreign affairs. and
President Grant deserves the hearty grttltude