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

The Republican party in National
Convention assembled, at the end Of 20
years since the Federal Government
was first committed to its charge, sub
mits to the people of the United States
this brief report of its administration.
1t suppressed rebellion which had
armed nearly a million of men to sub
vert the National authority. 1t recon
structed the union of the States with
freedom instead of slavery as its cor
ner-stone. 1t transformed 100000 of
human beings from the likeness OF
things to the rank of citizens. 1t relleV-
ed Congress from the infamous work OF
hunting fugitive slaves and charged 1t
to see that slavery does not exist. 1t
has raised the value of our paper curren-
cy from 3S per cent to the par of gold.
1t has restored upon solid basis pay
ment in coin for all the National obliga-
tions, and has given us currency abSo-
lutely good and equal in every part OF
our extended country. 1t has lifted the
credit of the Nation from the point
where per cent bonds sold at S6c., to
where per cent bonds are eagerly
sought at premium. Under its admin
istration railways have increased from
81 900 miles in 1860 to more than $4,000
miles in 1879 Our foreign trade has
| increased from S70O,000,000 to $780,
100000 in the same time, and our ex-
ports, which were S20,OOO,00O less than
our imports in 1860, were S264,000,000
more than our imports in 1879 IapplauseI
Without resorting to loans it has since
the war closed betrayed the ordinary
expenses of government, besides the ac-
cruing interest on the public debt, and
has annugIly disbursed more than $780,
100000 for soldiers pensions. 1t has paid
1856, 100000 of the public debt, and by
refunding the balance at lower rates has
reduced the annual interest charge from
nearly S151,OOO,OOO to less than SS9,OO0,-
600. All the industries of the country
have revived, labor is in demand, wages
have increased, and throughout the en-
tire country there is evidence of COM
ing prosperity greater than we have ev-
er enjoyed.
Upon this record the Republican par
ty asks for the continued confidence and
support of the people, and this Conven-
tion submits for their approval the fol-
lowing statements of the principles and
purposes which will continue to guide
and inspire its efforts:
| FIRsT-We affirm that the work Of
the last tWenty-one years has been such
as to commend itself to the favor of the
Nation, and that the fruits of the costly
victories which we have achieved thro'
| immense difficulties should be preserv-
ed; that the peace regained should be
cherished; that the discovered Union,
now happily restored, should be perpet-
uted, and that the liberties secured to
this generation should be transmitted
uRdiminiShed to future generations
that the order estasblihed and the credit
acquired should never be impaired; that
the pensions promised should be extin-
guished by the full payment of every
dollar thereof that the reviving indus
tries should be further promoted, and
that the commerce, already so great,
should be steadily encouraged.
SECoND-The Constitution of the Uni
ted States is a supreme law and not a
mere contract; out of confederated
States it made sovereign Nation. Some
powers are denied to the Nation, while
others are denied to 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.
THHIRD-The work of popular educa-
tiOn is one left to the care of the several
States, but it is the duty of the Nation
al Government to aid that work to the
extent of its constitutional duty. Tie
intelligence of the Nation is but the ag-
gregate of the intelligence in the several
States, and the destiny of the Nation
must be guided not by the genius of any
one State, but by the average genius of
all.
FoURTH-The Constitution wisely
forbids Congress to make any law re-
spectlng All establishment of religion,
but it is idle to hope that the Nation
can be protected against the influence
of sectarianfsm while each State is ex-
posed to its domination. We therefore
recommend that the Constitution be so
amended as to lay the same prohibition
upon the Legislature of each State, and
to forbid the appropriation of public
funds to the support of sectarian schools.
FIFTH-We affirm the belief avowed
in 1876 that the duties levied for the
purpose of revenue should so discrimi-
nate as to favor American labor; that
no further grant of the public domain
should be made to any railway or other
corporations; that slavery having per-
ished in the States, its twin barbarity,
| polygamy, must die in the Territories !;
that everywhere the protection accord
ed to citizens of American birth must
be secured to citizens of American
adoption, and that we esteem it the du-
ty of Congress to develop and improve
our water courses and harbors, but insist
that further subsidies to private per-
SONS or corporations must cease; that
the obligations of the Republic to the
men who preserved it's integrity in the
hour of battle are undiminiShed by the
lapse of fifteen years since their final
victory-to do them perpetual honor is,
and shall forever be, the grateful privi-
lege and sacred duty of the American
people.
SIXTH-Since the authority to regu-
late immigration and intercourse be-
tween the United States and foreign ma
tions rests with Congress or with the
United States and its treaty making
Ipowers, the Republican party, regarding
unrestricted immigration of the Chi
nese as an evil of great magnitude in
woke the exercise of those powers to re-
strain and limit that immigration by the
enactment of such just, humane and
reasonable provisions as will produce
that result.