Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-06-28
Iowa Republican Platform.

State Governments, under their respec-
tive constitutions, the rights of every
citizen should be secured at home and
protected abroad and the common well
fare promoted. Any failure on the part
OF either the National or State Govern
ments to use every possible constitu-
tional power to afford ample protection
to their citizens, both at home and
abroad, is a criminal neglect of their
highest obligation.
Ii. Against the assaults of traitors
and rebels the Republican party has
preserved these Governments, and they
represent the great truths spoken to the
world by the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, that all men are created equal"
that they ARE endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights, among
which are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness, that for the attainment of
these ends governments have been in
stituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned, which consent is evidenced by a
majority of the lawful suffrages of the
citizens, determined in pursuance of
law; and in order that this end may be
justly and fully reached, the Republi-
can party of Iowa demands "that every
qualified elector in every State, South
and North, Democrat or Republican,
black or white, shall be permitted, I'M
disturbed by force and unawed by fear
to vote at all elections at the place pre-
scribed by law, and nowhere else, just
once and no more than once; and that
every vote so cast shall be honestly
counted, and that every person chosen
by such votes to any Office shall be free
ly indicted into it, and effectively sup
ported in the discharge of it's duties;
and every well-informed person knows
that with such freedom tof elective ac-
ton and honest administration as are
herein demanded, at least five of the
Southern States are Republican by large
majorities, and that they are now in the
Democratic party solely through force,
fraud, intimidation and failure to en-
force the principles herein set forth.
Ill. The permanent pacifcation of
the Southern section of the Union, and
the complete protection of all its citi-
zens in all their civil. political, personal
and property rights, is duty to which
the Republican party stands sacredly
pledged. In order to redeem this pledge
it placed the recent amendments in the
Constitution of the United States, and
upon the righteous basis of said amend
ments it will go forward in the work of
pacification until peace shall come
through right-doing and contentment
through justice.
~. The new Democratic dogma of
home rule" which seeks to shut out
from participation in the political affairs
OF the Southern States all citizens who
oppose the Democratic party and are
not natives of said States, and in obed-
fence to the spirit of. which every man
from the North, of Republican senti-
mcnts, is termed "carpet-bagger,' is
hereby denounced as the worst phase of
State rights yet developed, and we de-
mand for the people Of Iowa absolute
freedom to 90 whithersoever they may
please, within the limits of the Nation,
with perfect enjoyment of their rights
as citizens, to utter their sentiments, by
speech or press, upon all subjects touch
ing their interests, and all matters of
public concern.
V. That the armed conflict between
the traitors and rebels who sought to
destroy the Republic, and the patriots
who defended it and preserved it, was
more than a mere trial of physical force
between Greeks" 1t was a struggle
of right against wrong, of true civil
cation against false one, of good gov
eminent against anarchy, of patriots
against traitors, wherein the Republi-
can party was the defender of right, the
champion of a true civilization, the pro-
moter of good government, and in whose
ranks patriots marched against and ov-
ercame traitors and whoever fails to re-
gard the Republican party from this
standpoint and in this light, fails to
comprehend it's character, its achieve
ments, its purposes and its duties, and
whoever treats with the Democratic
party from any other standpoint, mani
tests incapacity to understand palpable
facts, and will be overwhelmed with
disaster
VI. That the soldiers who fought
the battles of the Republic are entitled
to special credit" for the heroism
which they displayed, for the hardships
which they endured, for their unselfsh
devotion to liberty and order, and for
the great fact that the war turned out
as it did; and discredit in like degree
attaches to the traitors and rebels who
fought to destroy the nation. Whoever
fails to appreciate these facts is dere-
lict in the duty he owes to the Republi-
can party.
VII. That the Republican party is
the party of order, and is opposed to all
lawlessness in whatever quarter the
same may arise or in whatever form it
may appear.
VIII. That the wisdom of the fnan-
cial policy of the Republican party is
made manifest by it's merits. 1t has
brought specie and paper practically to-
gether months before the date fixed by
law for the resumption of specie pay
mcnt by the government; it has given
to all classes money Of the same value;
it has placed our nation on an equal
footing with the other great nations of
the world in all matters Of financial con-
Germ; it has promoted the refunding of
the national debt at low rate of inter
est; it has maintained the national credit;
and any change in this policy which will
tend to obstruct it in it's work of restor-
ing specie payment whereby paper cur
rency becomes absolutely as valuable as
gold and silver, standard coin, of reviv-
ing business, promoting industry, and
maintaining the public credit, is hereby
denounced as wholly evil and injurious
to the best interests of the country.
TX. That the organized raid on the
Treasury by the Southern Democratic
members of Congress for the payment
Of hundreds of millions of dollars of
rebel war claims is an unparalleled i'm
pudence, and a present danger, against
the success of which the triumph Of the
Republican party is our only security.
X. That we favor wisely adjusted
tariff for revenue.
XII. In the matter of the faithful
administration of tho public funds, the
Republican party challenges the closest
scrutiny and invites comparison with
any and all other agencies in public or
private affairs. Notwithstanding the
vast sums-amounting to thousands Of
millions OF dollars collected and dis
bursed by Republican administrations,
the percentage of loss is less than can
can be shown by any other political par
ty that has ever been intrusted with the
control of public affairs or by individu-
ais in their own private business, thus