The true northerner., 1880-09-17
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM OF MICHIGAN

Nationai nepuDncan party was born, after
= unbroken supremacy in the State of quart
OF century and in the nation OF two score
years, grateful . an overriding Providence a,
loyal people for the grand achievements
the past, here declares itself ow. as ever, faitl
i ful to the great principles OF liberty, equal
e before the law, the perpetual union OF Il
v States, the supremacy of the nation, free pres
@ thought, speech and ballot, and the inyincib
q sacredness OF the constitutional results of th
!, war for the Union
+ 2. With pride and satisfaction it challenge
4 scrutiny Of Its record during the past 25 year
r "a record unequaled in the history OF partie
I since the foundation of the government.
| Among accomplished results we here recal
the conservation OF the territories to freedom
the abolition OF slavery In the District OF Co
lumbia; the preservation Of the integrity OF th,
Union against the greatest and most cruel re.
belion in history; the provision OF free home.
steads for free men; the emancipation of owe,
100000 Of slaves tho conferrpg Of equal civil
and political rights upon the emancipated race
the creation Of war currency never equaled
and the restoration of that currency, by good
faith and honesty, to equality with the best
money in the world; the payment, with heroic
fidelity, OF more than two-thrds OF the cost OF
the war; the vast reduction OF the principal
and interest OF the public debt, and the eleva-
ton OF the public credit until the nations four
per cent. bonds are eagerly sought at par; the
linking OF the two oceans with bonds of iron ::
the enactment OF just and equal pension and
bounty laws for the defenders OF the Union
and their widows and orphans the settlement
OF momentous international questions by peacs-
fui arbitration, and the elevation OF the United
States to the rank OF a frst-class nation, grand
IN peace and mighty in war, making govern
ment OF the people, by the people and for the
people" respected around the whole earth.
During this same period the Democratic par
ty has been, as party, abjectly pro-slavery,
time-serving, unpatriotic, in part reasonable,
reactionary and obstructive. II prostrated the
nations credit; 1t undermined the bulwarks OF
the constitution with the perncious doctrine Of
State Supremacy il armed the rebellion il en-
couraged treason; it discouraged the defence OF
the nations life; opposed the draft inaugura-
ted bloody riots; declared for truce with reb-
els in arms; pronounced the war q failure
DETAINED the greenback out of share of its
honest value; bitterly opposed freedom for the
slave, civil rights for the freedman, and the
franchise for the black citizen denounced the
constitutional amendments as Revolutionary
and void )" denied freedom Of speech. press and
ballot in the South; by sbot-guns, intimidation
and tissue ballots gained control o, both houses
OF congress; and attempted to revolutionize the |
government by refusing necessary supplies, and
by coercion OF the Executive, after having fail
ed to steal the Presidency by bribery.
1t is now conspiring, under pretenses OF re-
pentance false upon their face, to install the
lost cause in the capital OF the nation to re-
organize the supreme court; to undo all war
legislation, and to make 1t easy 10 annul the
constitutional amendments and bankrupt the
reasury with rebel war claims and compensa-
ion for emancipated slaves.
With this record behind Us, and our face Sc.
ourageously and confidently TO the duties and
responsibilities OF the future. we do ,ere de-
lare:
l. Tha. the administration OF the constltu-
ION, the protection OF the Union. and the en-
orcement OF the constitutional amendments
hould be entrusted to their friends, and not to
heir enemies, who have relentessly sought to ,
estroy them each and ALL
2. That the blight OF slavery will not have |
cen wholly eradicated until all men shall be
TACT, as they are OF right, equal before the
w. r
8. We demand for every citizen. rich and
oor, white and black. North aud south. the =,
ght and privilege OF casting his ballot once. l
nd Dut once, at each election, aud Of having 1
lat ballot fairly counted and returned, without
error OF shot-guns, frauds OF tissue ballots, or A
,eats OF cipher dispatches.
4. We believe that the United States are n :.
mon, not a confederacy nation, not league
ne constitution is supreme law and not a
eaty between foreign powers. Il
D. Ihe Union must and shall be preserved
10 pubic faith must be maintained; the public L
'Dt must be faithfully paid the pensions Of NJ
10 nations defenders and their dependents VI
ust De sacredly guarded; the public lands pre-
rved Tor actual settlers fidelity. intelligence
10 efhciency exacted in the public service, with
It destroying the freedom OF the Office holding
Izen specie resumption must be maintained;
9 laws Tor the protection OF the purity OF cleo
ms must be adhered to and enforced educa-
'n must be fostered industry, economy, tenn
rance and morality encouraged and stimula-
! and the public funds strictly devoted to co
bic and unsectarian uses. OF
b. In collecting revenues for the current ex- tn
nses OF the government and the payment OF an
3 public debt, imposts should be so arranged AL
TO relieve from taxation as far as practicable tel
necessities OF the poor, and at the same ed
ne to afford incidental protection to Ameri- CT
labor from competition with the ill-paid la Th
T OF other lands. da
!. The Republican party has ever been the fol
end OF the laboring class. act
{ has abolished the competition OF slave Ia tat
J. Co
{ enacted the homestead law placed on the in
tute book the eight hour law" and framed an
ieticent measures for the protection OF immi- be
nts. no,
recognizes the fact that the great mass OF In
people must ever belong to the laboripQ an,
's; and while it denounces all agrarianism thi
communism, and will hold sacred all rights err
property and contract, it VIII make the rights sal
interests OF the great laboring class the OBJ we
q OF its jealous care
Resolved, That the ticket for State officers 132
day nominated is confidently Commended =
the electors Of Michigan as one emineptlv
thy OF their support. T.
The Republicans or Michigan recognize in ~,
les Abram Garfield, our nominee for Presi- er.i
t, the patriot volunteer soldier, the wise and si,,
erlenced statesman, the profound political drn
lomist, and the pure and noble man: and in The
Ster A. ArthQr a patriOf iuriSf .nI