Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1880-09-11
THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
PLATFORM,
....ADoPTED lAr....9
Chicago, June 5, 1880.
T H e

. 1ne hepuDilchu parry, III NhtionhiO OOHNSn-
tion assembled, at the end of twenty years
since the Federal Government was first CON-
mitted to its charge. submits to the people
of the United States this brief report of its
administration. 1t suppressed Q rebellion
which had armed nearly 100000 of men to
subverf the National authority. 1t recon-
structed the union of States with freedom,
instead Of slavery, ns its corner stone. It
transformed 4, ,Oo0 900 human beings from the
likeness OF things to the rank of citizens. 1t
relieved Congress from the infamous work
of hunting fugitive slaves, and charged it
to see thai slavery does not exist 1t has
raised the value of paper currency from
thirty-eight per cent. to the par Of gold. 1t
has restored upon a solid basis the payment
in coin of all National obligations. and has
given us q currency absolutely good and equal
in every part of our extended country. Ithas
lifted the credit Of the Nation from the point
where per cent. bond sold at So, to that
where four per cent bonds are eagerly sought
at premium. Under its administration rail
ways have increased from 81 600 miles in
1860 to more than $1,000 miles in 1879. Our
foreign trade has increased from 500, ,00o,-
600 to S1,150,0O0,0O0 in the same time: and
our exports, which we're 500 600 900 less than
our imports In 1860, were s26i. 900 more
than our imports in 1870. without resorting
to loans, it has, since the close of the war,
betrayed the ordinary expenses of the Gov
ernment besides the accruing interest on the
public debt. and has disbursed annually
more than $4,000 900 for soldiers and sailors
pensions. 1t has paid SSS0.00o,O00 of the
public debt, and by refunding the balance
at lower rates has reduced the annual inter-
est charge from nearly sl5O,OO0,OOO to less
than s69. 900 900. All the industries of the
c1uu,ry have revived Labor is in demand.
Wages have increased, and throughout the
entire country there is evidence of COM
ing prosperity greater than we have ever en-.
joycd.
UPON THIS RECORD
The Republican party asks for the continued
confidence and support of the people, and
this Convention submits for their approval
the following statement of the principles and
purposes which will continue to guide its
purposes:
First-We affirm that the work of the last
twenty-one years has been such as to COM
mend itself to the favor of the Nation, and
that the fruits of the costly victories which
we have achieved through immense Difficult.
ties should. be preserved; that the peace
regained should be cherished; that the dis.
severed Union. now happily restored, should
be perpetusted, and that the liberties secured
to this generation should be transmitted un.
diminished to future generation; that the
pensions promised should be paid; that the
debt } much reduced should be extinguished
by the full payment of every dollar thereof;
that the reviviag industries should be further
promoted, and that the commerce already SO
great should be steadely encouraged.
Second-The Constitution of the United
.ates is the supreme law. and not a mere
contract. Out of the Confederate States it
made a sovereign Nation. Some powers are
denied to the Nation, while others are retain
ed by the States; bur the boundary between
the powers delegated and those reserved is to
be determined by the National and not by the
State tribunals.
Third-The work of popular education is
one left to the care of the several States; but
1t is the duty of tine National Government to
aid that work to the extent of it's constitution
al ability. The intelligence of the Nation ia
but the aggregate of o: the intelligence in the
several States, and the destiny of the Nation
must be guided not by the genius of one
State, but by the average genius of all.
Fourth--The Constitution wisely forbids
Congress to make any law respecting the es =
tablishment of religion, but it is idle to hope
that the Nation can be protected against the
influence of sectarianism while each State is
exposed to its particular domination. We
therefore recommend that the Constitution
be SO amended az TO lay the same prohibi-
tions npon the Legislature OF each State, and
to forbid the appropriation of public funds
to the support of sectsrisn schools.
Fifth-We reaffirm the belief svowed in
1876, that the duties levied for the purpose
of revenue should so discriminate as to ia
vor American habor. That no further grant
of the public domain should be made to any
railroad or other corporation. That slavery
having perished in the States, its twin bar
bSrity. polygsmy, must die in the TerrisorIes.
That everywhere the protection accorded to
citizen of American birth must be secured
to u citizen by American adoption. That it
is the duty of Congress to develop and i'm
prove our watercourses and harbors, but we
issist that further subsidies to private per-
sons or corporations must cease. That the
oblinations to the men who preserved its in
tegrity in the day of battle are undmiuish-
ed by the lapse of fifteen years since their
final victory Their perpetual honor is, and
shall forever he, the grateful privilege and
the sacred duty Of the American people.
sixth-since the authority to regulate immi-
9Iation and Intercourse between the United
States and foreign Nations rests with the
Congress of the United States and its treaty
making powers. that the Republican party.