Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-06-17

ness, and will honor his interposition
between the people and proposed parti-
San laws.
EIGHTH-We charge upon the Demo
cratic party the habitual sacrifice of pa
triotism and justice to a supreme and
Unsuitable lust of Office and patronage;
and to obtain possession of the Nation
al and State Governments and the con-
troll of place and position they have OBJ
structed all effort to promote the purity
and to conserve the freedom of suffrage,
end have devised fraudulent certifica-
tions and returns have labored to un-
seat lawfully elected Members of Con-
greSs, to secure at all hazards the vote
of majority of the States in the House
of Representatives have endeavored to
occupy by force and fraud the places of
trust given to others by the people of
Maine, and rescued by the courageous ac-
ton of Names patriotic sons; have, by
methods vicious in principle and tyran-
nical in practice, attached partisan legiS-
lation to appropriation bills,upon whose
passage the very movements of the Gov
ernment depend, and have crushed the
rights of individuals; have advocated
the principles and sought the favor of
rebellion against the Nation, and have
endeavored to obliterate the sacred
memories of the war, and to overcome
its inestimably valuable results of ma
tionality, personal freedom and individ-
ual. equality.
The equal, steady and complete en-
forcement of laws and the protection of
all our citizens in the enjoyment of all
privileges and immunities guaranteed
by the Constitution are the first duties
|Of the Nation. The dangers of Solid
South can only be averted by a faithful
performance of every promise which
1.-THE Nation has made to the citizen. The
|eXecution of the laws and the punish
ment of all those who violate them are
the only safe methods by which an en-
during peace can be secured and genu-
inc prosperity established throughout
the South. Whatever promise the Ma
tion makes the Nation must perform,
and the Nation cannot witlesafety rele
gate this duty to the States. The Solid
South must be divided by the peaceful
agencies of the ballot, and all opinions
must there find free expression, and to
..ais end the honest votes must be pro-
tected against terrorism, violence or
fraud.
And we affirm it to be the duty and
the purpose of the Republican party 10
use every legitimate means to restore all
the States of this Union to the most
perfect harmony that may be practica-
bic, and we submit it to the practical,
sensible people of the United States to
say whether it would not be dangerous
to the dearest interests of our country
at this time to surrender the admins
tration of the National Government to
the party which seeks to overthrow the
existing policy under which we are SO
prosperous, and thus bring distrust and
confusion where there are now order,
confidence and hope.
The Republican party, adhering to the
principles affirmed by the last National
Convention, of respect for the Constitu-
tienal rules governing appointment to
Office, adopts the declaration of President
Hayes that the reform in the Civil Ser
vice shall be thorough, radical and COM
plete; to that end it demands the coop
Grafton of the legislative with the exec
utive departments of the Government,
and that Congress shall so legislate that
fitness, ascertained by proper practical
tests, shall admit to the public service.