Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1880-09-22
THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
PLATFORM.
....ADoPTED AT....
T H e.

ADOPTED AT....
Chicago, June 8, 1880.
The Republican party, in National Conven-
tion assembled, at the end of twenty years
since the Federal Government was first COM
mitted to its charge. submits to the people
of the United States this briet report of its
administration. 1t suppressed 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 payment
in coin of all National obligations, and has
given us a 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 81 900 miles in
1860 TO more than 50 900 miles in 1879. Our
foreign trade has increased from S7O0,00O,-
600 to 81 l150 600, 600 in the same time and
our exports, which were s20OOO0OO less than
our imports in 1860, were 1864, 900 900 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 S30.OO0,0O0 for soldiers and sailors
pensions 1t has paid s0,oO0,00o of the
public debt, and by refundIug the balance
at lower rates has reduced the annual inter
est charge from nearly sl5O, 100000 to less
| than sGg, 900 900 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 than we have ever en-
joyed.
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 ditiicul-
ties should be preserved that the peace
regained should bo 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 failure generation; that the
pensions promised should be paid; that the
debt s. 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 steaiely encouraged
Second-The Constitution of the United
States is the supreme law, and not mere
contract Out Of the Confederate States it
made 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 eduSation 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,
t5Fourth--The Constitution wisely forbids
Congress to make any law respecting the es-
tablishment Of religion, but 1t 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 as to lay the same prohlbi-