Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1880-10-30
HE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
PLATFORM.
..c.ADoPTKD AT....
Chicago, June 8, 1880.
IT H E

The Republican party. in National Conven-
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
subvert the National authority. 1t recon-
structed the union of States with freedom,
instead of slavery, as its corner stone. 1t
transformed 100000 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 it
has restored upon a solid basis the psymen.
in coin of all National obligations. and has
given us a currency absolutely good and equal
| In every part of our extended country. 1t has
| lifted the credit Of the Nation from the point
| where per cent. bond sold at sc, to that
where -four per cent bonds are eagerly sought
! at q premium. Under its administration rail-
ways have increased from 81 900 miles in
1860 to more than $1,000 miles in 1879. Our
foreign trade has increased from S700 ,000,-
600 TO sl,150000,000 in the same time; and
our exports, which were 500, 900 900 less than
our mports in 1860, were s26i, 100000 more
than our imports in 1870. without resorting
to loans, 1t 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 $50. 900 900 for soldiers and sailors
pensions. 1t has paid S3S0,000 900 Of the
public debt, and by refundIng the balance
at lower rates has reduced the annual inter-
est charge from nearly $50. 100000 to less
than 500 200 900 All the industries of the
country have revived. Labor is in demand.
Wages have increased, and throughout the
entire country there is evidence of COM
ing prosperity greater thsn we have ever en-
| joyed.
UPoN THIS RECORD
The Republican party asks for the continued
conf ience and support Of the people, and
this Convention submits for heir approval
the following statement of the principles and
purposes which will continue to guide its
purposes:
Fir.t-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 perpetuated, 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 50 much reduced should be extinguished
by the full payment of every dollar thereof;
that the reviving industries should be further
promoted, and that the commerce already so
great should be steadely encouraged.
Second-The Constitution of the United
| States 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; but 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 the National Government to
aid that work to the extent of its constitution
al ability. The intelligence of the Nation is
but the aggregate of OF 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,
nFourth--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 ssctarianism while each State is
exposed to Its particular domination. We
therefore recommend that the Constitution
be 80 amended as to lay the same prohihi-
tions npon the Legislature OF each State, and
to forbid the appropriation of public funds
| to the support of sectarian schools.
Fifth--we reaffirm the belief avowed in
1876. that the duties levied for the purpose
of revenues should so discriminate as 20 IA
vor American Labor That no further grant
of the public domain should be made to any
railroad or other corporation. That slavery
having persisted in the States. its twin bar
barity, polygamy, must die in the Terrisories.
That everywhere the protection accorded to
a citizen of American birth must be secured
to a citizen by American adoption. That it
is the duty of Congress to develop and i'm
prove our watercourses and hsrbors, but we
issist that further subsidies to private per-
sons or corporations must cease That the
ordinations to the men who preserved its in
tegrity in the day of battle are undiminish-
ed by the lapse of fifteen years since their
final victory. Their perpetual honor is, and
shall forever be. the grateful privilege and
the sacred duty of the American people.
sixth-since the authority to regulate immi'
sIation 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