The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-09-10
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM OF MICHIGAN.

igan, assembled by its delegated representative
in the city of Jackson, upon the spot where th,
National Republican party was born, after al
unbroken supremacy in the State Of quarter
OF a century and ia the nation OF two score OF
years, grateful I Q an overrulng Providence anC
loyal people for the grand achievements OF
the past, here declares itself now, as ever faith
full to the great principles OF liberty, equality
before the law, the perpetual union OF the
States, the supremacy of the nation, free press
thought, speech and ballot, and the invincble
sacredness OF the constitutional results Of the
war for the Union.
2. With pride and satisfaction it challenges
scrutiny of Its record during the past rs years
"a record unequaled in the history OF parties
since the foundation OF the government.
/ Among accomplished results we here recall
the conservation Of the territories to freedom !;
the abolition OF slavery in the District OF Co.
lumbia; the preservation OF the integrity of the
Union against the greatest and most cruel re-
bellion in history; the provision OF free home
steads for free men; the emancipation CT over
100000 OF slaves; the comforting OF equal civil
the creation Of war currency never equaed,
and the restoration of that currency, by coed
faith and honesty, to equality with the best
money in the world; the payment, with heroic
fidelity, of more than wo-thirds OF the cost Of
the war; the vast reduction OF the principal
and interest OF the public debt, and the eleva-
ton Of the public credit until the nations four
per cent. bonds are eagerly sought at par; the
linking OF the two oceans with bonds OF iron
the enactment or just and equal pension and
bounty laws for the defenders OF the Union
and their widows and Orphans the settlement
OF momentous internationally questions by peace
full arbitration, and the elevation OF the United
States 10 the rank Of first-class nauon, grand
in peace and mighty in war, making govern
ment of the people, by the people and for the
people respected around the whole earth.
During this same period the Democratic par
ty has been, as party, abjectly pro-slavery,
time-servng, unpatrotlc, in part reasonable,
reactionary and obstructive. 1t Frustrated the
nations credit; 1t undermined the bulwarBs Of
the constitution with the perncious doctrine of
State Supremacy; it armed the rebellion; it en-
couraged treason it discouraged the defence OF
the nations Life; opposed the draft Inaugural
ted bloody riots; declared for truce with reb-
els in arms; pronounced the war failure;
DETAINED the greenback out of STARE of its
honest value bitterly opposed freedom for the
slave, civil rights for the freedman, and the
franchise for the black citizen; denounced the
constitutional amendments as revolutionary
and void :" denied freedom OF speech press and
ballot in the South by shot-guns, intimidation
and tissue ballots gained control o. both houses
OF congress; and attempted to revolutionize the
government by refusing necessary supplies, and
by coercion OF the Executive, after having fail
ed to steal the Presidency by bribery.
1t is now conspirirg, under pretenses OF re-
pentance false upon their face, to install "the
lost cause in the capital OF the nation to re-
organize the supreme court 10 undo al war
legislation, and to make 1t easy to annul the
constitutional amendments and bankrupt the
treasury with rebel war claims and compensa-
ton for emancipated slaves.
With this record behind us, and our face set
courageously and confidently to tue duties and
responsibilities OF the future, we DO ere de-
clare:
1. That the administration of the consutu-
tlon, the protection Of the Union, and the en-
forcement Of the constitutional amendments
should be entrusted to their friends. and not to
their enemies, who have reentlessly sought to
destroy them each and all.
2. That the blight OF slavery;wll not have
been wholly eradicated until all men shall be
in fact, as they arc OF right, equal before the
law.
3. We demand for every citizen. rich and
poor, white and black, North and South, the
right and privilege OF casting his ballot once,
and but once, at each election, aud OF having
that ballot fairly counted and returned, without
terror or shot-guns frauds OF tissue ballots, or
cheats of cipher dispatches.
4. We believe that the United States are
union, not confederacy: nation, not aleague.
The constitution is supreme law, and not
treaty between foreign powers.
D. The Union must and shall be preserved;
the public faith must be maintained the public
debt must be faithfully paid the pensions OF
the nations defenders and their dependents
must be sacredly guarded the public lands pre-
served for actual settlers: fidelity, intelligence
and efficiency exacted in the public service with
out destroying the freedom OF the office holding
the laws for the protection OF the putty OF cleo
tons must be adhered to and enforced; educa
ton must be fostered; industry, economy, tenn
perance and morality encouraged and stimula-
ted; and the public funds strictly devoted to
public and unsectarlan uses.
6. In collecting revenues for the current ex-
penses OF the government and the payment OF
the public debt imposts should be so arranged
as to relieve from taxation as far as practicable
the necessities Of the poor, and at the same
time to afford incidental protection to Ameri
can labor from competition with the illpald Ia
Dor OF other lands.
z. The Republican party has ever been the
friend of the laboring class.
1t has abolished the competition of slave la
Dor.
1t enacted the homestead law; placed on the
statute book 1.-THE eight hour law" and framed
benefcent measures for the protection OF imm-
grants.
Ii recognizes the fact that the great mass OF
our people must ever belong to the aboring
class; and while il denounces all agrarianism
and communism, and will hold sacred all rights
OF property and contract, il Will make the rights
and interests OF the great laboring class the OBJ
jects OF its jealous care
g. Resolved, That the ticket for State officers
this day nominated is confidently commended |
to the electors Of Michigan as one eminently |