The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-12

reform, which was moved in the convention
as an amendment by Mr.. Barker of Massachu
sets and adopted with considerable opposi
ton. After the amendment was agreed to
however the whole platform as amended was
adopted Unanimously.
THE PLATFORM.
The Republican party, in National Conven
ton assembled, at the end of twenty years
since the Federal Government WAS first com
mltted to its charge submits to the people OF
the United States this brief report of its adj
ministratlOn
1t suppressed rebellion which had armed
nearly a million Of men to subvert the Ma
tonal authority; IT reconstructed the Union
of States with freedom instead OF slavery as its
cornerstone; it transformed 100000 human
beings from the likeness OF things to the rank
Of citizens; it relieved Congress from the in.
famous work of hunting fugitive slaves, and
charged it to see that slavery does not exist
it has raised the value of our paper currency
from 80 per cent 70 the par of gold 1t has re-
stored, upon solid basis, payment in coin Of
all National obligations, and has given US a
currency absolutely good and equal i'll every
part OF our extended country; ii has lifted the
credit OF the Nation from the point where 9
DtI Ctul DoutlS SolIl az on, w tldb NuCIC = pei
cent bonds are eagerly sought at a premium.
| Under It's administration railways have in
creased from 81 900 miles in 1860 to more than
SO, 600 miles in 1879 Our foreign trade IN
creased from $100,000,000 to 81, 10000 900 IN
| the same time, and our exports, which were
$50 900 900 less than our imports in 1860, were
1865 OO0,O more than our imports in 1879.
Without resorting to loans, it has since the
war closed, betrayed the ordinary expenses Of
Government besides the accruing interest on
the public debt, and has disbursed annually
more than $30,0O00O0 for soldiers and sail.
ors' pensions. 1t has paid 1880 900 600 of the
public debt, and, by refunding the balance at
lower rates has reduced the annual interest
charge from nearly $l500OO,0OO to less than
$3.50, 600 600. All the industries OF the country
have revived, labor is in demand wages have
increased, and throughout the entire country
there is evidence of a coming prosperity great.
err than we have ever enjoyed.
| UPON THIS RECORD
the Republican party asks for the continued
confidence and support of the people, and this
Convention submits for their approval the fol
lowing statement Of the principles and pur-
poses which will continue to guide and inspire
its efforts:
| Frst.-Wc affirm that the work of the Re.
publican party for the last twenty years has
been such rs to commend it to the favor of the
Nation that the fruits of the costly victories
which we have achieved through immense
difficulties should he preserved that the peace
regaincd should be cherished; that the Union
should be perpetuated, and that the liberty Sc.
cured to this generation should be transmitted
undiminished to other generations that the
order established and the credit acquired
should never be impaired; that the pensions
promised should be paid; that the debt so
much reduced should be eytlnguished by the
full payment of every dollar thereof; that the
revlving industries should be further promot-
ed, and that the commerce already increasing
should be steadily encouraged.
SecOnd-The Constitution of the United
States is a supreme law and not a mere con-
tract Out of cOniederated states il made a
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 deter.
mined by the National and not by the State
tribunal.
| Ihird-The work of popular education is
one left to the care of the several states but It
Is the duty of the National Government to aid
that work to the extent of Its constitutional
ability. The intelligence OF the Nation is but
the aggregate of the intelligence in the several
states, and that the destiny of the Nation must
be guided not by the genius of any one state,
bu, by the average genius of all.
! FOurth-The Constitution wisely fOrbids
Congress TO make any law respecting the es-
Enlistment of religion, but it is idle to hope
that the Nation can be protected against the
influence of secret sectarianism, while each
state Is exposed to its domination. We, there.
| fore, recommend that the Constitution be so
ameRded 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,
FJfth-We reaflirm the belief avowed IN
| 1876 that the duties leyied for the purpose of
revenue should so discriminate as TO favor
American labor; that no further grants of the
public domain should be made to any railway
or other corporation; that slavery having per-
ished IN the states its twin barbarity, polyga-
my, must die In the Territories; that every
where the protection accorded to citizen Of
American birth must be secured to citizens by
American adoption. That we deem 1t the du-
ty of Congress to develop and improve our
seacoast and harbors, but insist that further
subsidies to private persons or corporations
must cease; that the obligations Of the Repub-