The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-02-11
PLATFORM

I
Resolved, First. That rejoicing. as
we do over the steady growth of the
national prosperity which began in
1876 with the change of the balance
Of trade in our favor, and over the sue.
cessful resumption and maintenance
of specie payments, we may reasonably
claim the financial snundness and
prosperity Of the country as the nat.
ural result Of the financial policy we
rs a party have sustained.
Second The resumption of specie
payments having been accomplished
at the time appointed by law and the
finances of the country being in a
thoroughly healthy condition, we
regard it as unwise to engage in any
new attempts at financial legislation.
The country is under our financial
system as it is, and we know no good
reason why that system should be now
disturbed
Third-The persistent efforts Of the
free traders to destroy our tariff piece.
meal by legislation to repeal the duties
on special articles, admonish us of the
necessity Of adhering more strongly
than ever to the tariff policy of the
past twenty years, which has built up
our grand system of manufactures,
fostered the revenues of the govern.
ment, aud promoted our national
prosperity. The business of the
country will not bear this tinkering of
the tariff, and if any revision of that
tariff is to be made at all it should be
doneIhrough commission of capable
men after a patient and through
hearing of all parties to the interests
involved.
Fourth-We object most decidedly
to all attempts to enact a new tariff
through the agency of commercial
treaties. A treaty ramed, negotiated,
discussed and ratified in secret is not
a proper method of regulating the rev.
enues of the government.
Fifth-Iu view of the recent events
in Congress and in the Southern States,
and latteriy in the State of Maine, we
deem this fitting opportunity to re
affirm our adherence to the following
principles, VIZ:
1st The union of the states, with
equal rights, indestructible by any un.
constitutional means.
I'd. Protection to the person, liberty
and property Of the citizen of the
United States in each and every por-
ton of our common country, wherever
he may choose to move, demanding of
him only obedience to the laws and
proper respect for the rights of others
Sd. Strict integrity in fulfilling all
our obligations state and national.
4th. The perfect security of free
thought, free speech and free press,
and of equal rights and privileges to
all men everywhere, irrespective Of
nationality, color or religion.
5th. A FREQ and pure ballot. thor
onghly protected, so every man enti-
tied to cast vote may do so Just once
at each election. without fear of mo.
lestainn, moral or physical, on ac.
count Of his political faith, nationality
or the hue of his skin.
9th. Honesty in elections. The
people having the virtue and the hero
ism to govern themselves, our Gov.
ernment must depend for its stability
upon honest elections. Until man
is considered infamous who casts an
illegal vote our Government will not
be safe, and whoever deprives citizen
of his right to vote, or of the legal
effect of his vote, is traitor TO our
government.
7th. An honest count of all votes
legally cast, aGd an honest return of
whoever is elected, free from all at.
tempts to defraud the people of their
chnice through technicalities or by an
arbitrary rejection OF their votes.
Sixth-We extend the Republicans
Of Maine our congratulations over the
peaceful and successful resistance to
an effort to defraud the people of that
State Of the right to choose their own
representatives, and to the attempt to
steal the government of that state.
Oar republican form Of government
will be a signal failure when any
political party can succeed in defying
the public will as shown by the people
at the ballot box.
Seventh-We deeply regret the
growing tendency to throw elections
aside on mere technicalities and in.
formalities. The right of the people
to choose their public servants is toe
sacred to be subverted upon any
pretext that the returns of elections
are deficient in some trivial matters o
form.
Eighth We thank our Senators anC
Representatives at Washington in tn,