National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-06-08
THE REPUBLICAN, PLATFORM.

ministrati0n. 1t suppressed rebellion, which
had armed nearly million of men to subvert
tho national authority. Applause.l 1t re-
| constructed the union Of the states, with free
dom instead Of slavery as its cornerstone.
| [Applause.l IL transformed 100000 human
| beings from the likeness of things to the
rank of citizens. Applause IL relieved
congress from the infamous work of
hunting fugitive slaves, and charged ii
to see that slavery does not exist. 1t
has raised the value of our paper currency
| from thirty eight per cent. to the par of gold.
| [Cheers.l 1t has restored upon a solid basis
payment in coin for all tho national obliga-
tions, 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 tho point from where six per cent. bonds
sold at SO to that where four per cents are
eagerly sought ut premium. Under It's ad-
nItnistratiOn railways have increased from 81, =
600 miles in 1870 10 more than $4,000 miles in
| 1879. Our foreign trade has increased from
800 100000 to ST. $50, 600 600 in tho same time,
and our exports, which were $50 100000 less
than our imports In 1860 were S264, 900 900
more than our imports in 1879 Applause ]
| Without resorting TO loans it has since the war
| closed betrayed tho ordinary expenses Of gov
ernment besides the accruing interest on the
public debt and dsbursed annually more than
| S30000,000 for soldiers pensions. 1t has paid
SSS000,0O0 on tho public debt, aud by re-
funding the balance vt lower rates has reduced
tho annual interest charged from nearly S1jl,
100000 to less than $s0,0000 900. All the in
dustries of The country have revived, labor is
| in demand, wages have increased and
| throughout the entire country there is evi.
dcnce ofa coming prosperity greater than we
have ever enjoyed. Upon this record the re-
publican party ask for the continued conf
denCe and support of the people, and this con.
ventiOn submits for their approval the follow
ing statements of the principles and purposes
which will continue to guide and inspire its
efforts:
First--We affirm that the work of the last
twcnty-onc years has been such us to COM
mend itself TO tho favor of the nation, and
that tho fruits of tho costly victories which
| We have achieved through immense difficult
| ties should be preserved, after that the peace
rcgained should be chelishcd; that the
discovered union, now happily restored, should
be pcrpetuated, and that tho liberty secured
to this generation should be transmitted un.
diminished TO future generations; that the
order established aud tho credit acquired
should never be impaired; that the pension.
promised should be extinguished by the full
| payment of every dollar thereof; that the re
| viving industries should be further promoted
aud that the commerce, already so great
should be encouraged.
Second-The constitution of the United
States is a supreme law, and not mere con
tract. Out of cOnfederated states it made
sovereign nation. Some powers are denied
while the others are denied TO tho states. Blu
the boundary between tho powers delegated
and those reserved is to be determined by tho
nation aud not by the state tribunals. Zap
plause
Third-The work of popular education /.
one left to the care of the several states. bu
it is tho duty of the national government t,
Int hat tn lkn nF ;t,,
tional duty. The intelligence of tho nation
is but the aggregate of the intelligence in til,
several states, and the destiny of the nation
must be guided not by the genius of any on,
state, but by the average genius OF all.
Fourth-rhe constitution wisely forbid
congress to make any law respecting an cstab
lishment of religion, but IL is idle to hope tina
the nation can be protected against the inlu
ence of sectarianism while each state is exposed
to its domination. We, therefore, recommend
that the constitution be so amended as to lay
the same prohibition upon tho legislature o
each state, and to forbid tho appropriation
of public funds to the support of sectariai
schools. Cheers.l
Fifth-We affirm the belief avoWed in 1876
= that the duties levied for the purpose of reve
nuc should DO discriminate us to favor Ameri
can labor, [applausel; that no further grant o
the public domain should be made to any rail
} way OF other corporation; that slavery haviu
y, rished in the states, its twin barbarity
polygalny, must die in the territories LAP
plauscl that everywhere the protection ac
T corded to citizens of American birth must b
secured to citizens of American adoption AM
that we esteem IL tho duty Of congress to de
velop and improve our water courses aud har
bors but insist that further subsidies to pri
, waite persons or corporations must cease; tina
the obligations of the republic to the men VIII
; preserved its integrity in the hour of battl
, are undiminshcd by the lapse of fifteen year
| since their final victory. To do them pei
, pGtual honor is and shall forever DO the CRATE
full privilege and sacred duty OF the America
people.
Sixth--Sincc the authority to regulat
immigration aud intercourse between tn
United States aud foreign nations rests wit
the congress- or with the United States aud il
lreaty-making power, the republican party
regarding the unrestricted immigration of III
Chinese as an evil OF great magnitude, in
woke the exercise OF tho powers to rest rain an
limit that immigration by the enactment q
such lust, humane and reasonable provision
: us will produce that result.
> Sevcnth-That the purity and patriotism
which characterize the earlier career of Ruth
erl0rd b. Hayes in peace and war, and whic
guided the thoughts Of our immediate predC
cessors to him for n presidential candidat,
have continued to inspire him in his careC
-, cord to his administration the honOrs whiC
are duo to AN efficient, just aud courtcou
D discharge of the public business, and wi
honor his nterpOsition between tho peopI
and proposed partisan laws, Cheers
Eighth-Wo charge upon the Democrat
I parly the habitual sacrifice Of patriotism am
Justice to the supreme and Unsuitable lust q
Office aud patronage, and to obtain possession
of the national aud state governments, aud tn
control of place aud position, they have Oh
strueled all effort to promote the purity and /
conserve the freedom Of suffrage, aud have dc
} viscd fraudulent certificates and returns
have labOrcd TO unseat lawfully elected mem
bcrs oil congress, to secure at all hazards tn
! seats Of majority OF the states in the house o
, representatives; have eudcayOrCd to OcCup
! by force aud fraud the places of trust given +
others by the people Of Maine, and rescued b,
4 the courage in action Of Names patriotic sons
/, have, by methods vicious in principle and ty
rannicnl in practice, attached partisan legisa
(, tiou to appropriation bills upon whose passag
the very movements Of government depend
. have crushed the rights Of individuals hav
advocated the principles and sought the ilvo
of rebellion against the nation, and hay
endeavored to obiterato the sacred memo
RIGS of the war and to overcome It's iuesti
mably valuable results of nationality, per
sonal freedom aud individual equality. Tn
equal, steady aud complete enforcement Q
laws aud tho protection OF all our citizens il
the enjoyment of all privileges and immunitie
Guaranteed by the constitution ara the frs