National Republican., 1876-08-09
p L A T T O r M
OF THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY
I Adopted ct Cincinnati, June Is, 1851


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. 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 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.
2. The Republican party has preserved these
governments TO the hundreGLh anniversary of
the nations birth, and they are now the en-
bodiments of the gleat truths spoken at its
crad]c-"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 pacitication 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-
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 feI 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 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 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 Represen
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
of the appointees, preferring friends of the
in r,la
yigor of administration require its policy to be
represented, but permitting all Others to be
filed by persons selected with sole reference
10 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-
tions 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 reafirm 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
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. 1t is the immediate duty of Congress to
investigate the effect of the immigration and
importation Of Mongolians upon the moral
snd material interests of the country.
II. The Republican party recognizes with ap-
proval the substantial advances recently male
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 superiu-
tendence OF education, charities Ind other hub
lie trusts. The honest demands of this class
OF citizens for additional rights and privileges
and immmities should be treated with respect
full consideration.
sovereign power over the Territories of the
United States for their government. In the
exercise Of this power, it is the right and the
cuty 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 those
who periled their lives for the country's pres
ervatiOn in the kindest remembrance.
10. We sincerely deprecate all sectional
feeling and tendencies. We therefore note
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.
l6. We charge the Democratic party as
being the same in character and spirit as when
1t sympathzed 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 pro-
posing to repudiate the plighted faith of the
Government; with being equally false and
imbecile upon the oyershadowing financial
question; with thwarting the ends of justice
by its partisan misuanagement and obstruc-
tisn 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
comnenJation for its honorable work in the
management of our domestic and foreign
Il Hl,o.