The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-10-15
Massachusetts, Republicans.
THEIR NOMINATIONS AND PLATFORM

| THEIR NOMINATIONS AND PLATFORM.
| The Massachusetts Republican State conven-
tion was held at Springfield, Sept. 30. Hon. A.
| W. Beard was chosen temporary chairman and
in the course of his remarks said, among other
| things, that this the first time since 1860
| that the Republicans of Massachusetts had met
| in convention with the National Administration
| in the hands of the Democratic party. Not
| withstanding the defeat in the last Presidential
| election the prosperity of the country is based
| upon the confidence which business men all
| over the country have in the Republican Senate
| of the United States. They have the faith that
| the Senate will prevent vicious and destructive
| legislation upon the tariff, and upon the curren-
| cy. The hope of the business men of the Ma
| tion for the suspension of the coinage of the
silver dollar. for the passage of judicious ma
| tional bankrupt law reets, not upon the Demo-
| cratic party in Congress, but upon the Republ-
can members aided by small minority of
| Democrats. He said that not until there is a
| Republican majority in the National House of
| Representatives would there be fair elections in
| the Southern States. Men who plan and carry
on murderous election campaigns in the South
know that the Democratic House will not ques-
| ton how Democrat obtained his certificate of
| election. lie predicted that Republican ma
| joritv would be elected to the House next year,
and in 1855 a Re- ublican President and a Re
publican Congress would administer the Ma
| TONS affairs He concluded by urging upon
the attention of the convention the fact that the
| election in Massachusetts, this year would be es
peCially important because of its influence upon
national affairs.
| Hon. George +. Hoar was chosen permanent
| chairman, and escorted TO the platform amid
great applause. He than delivered ringing
address. The following platform was reported
and UNANIMOUSLY adopted:
We, the republicans of Massachusetts in con-
vention assembled. reaffirm once more our adj
herence to those principles of freedom, equality
and national supremacy and liberal constitu-
| llonal construction upon which our party was
| founded and by which it has prospered and
been enabled to advance the welfare of the
country We renew our pledges to the soldiers
and sailors of the war that all shall be done for
| them and theirs. both in State and nation, that
| justice and gratitude alike demand. We de-
mand the prompt enactment by Congress of a
| general banking law, substantially as passed by
| the Senate of the United States during the last
| Congress.
We demand the immediate and unconditional
| suspension of the OVervalued silver dollar.
| We urge the vigorous enforcement of the Ed
| munds law in Utah, with the passage of such
amendment as will give it increased efficiency,
| and the encouragement Of the "kansas plan"
of settling the Mormon Territory with law
abiding American citizens.
| We give to the Civil Service act. passed by a
| republican Congress, our hearty and continued
| approval, and, in accordance with our last
national platform, we demand the extension
of the principles of that act to all the business
offices of the government. and the repeal of
the -Four Years Tenure law. We favor any
reforms rcviSOnS or reductions in the customs
duties which will benefit our labor or our in
dustries; but we pledge ourselves again to the
firm maintenance of the protective principle
Which prevents the displacement in cur home
markets of American by foreign products with
consequent dimnution of employment, and
which also guards Us from a competition that
would result in the wages of the American
WOrklngman being regulated by the standard
which foreign manufacturers would dictate.
The Republican party has always been an
essentially national and union party. 1t is OPP
posed to sectionaIism and to geographical div
Isions IN any and every form. 1t has heartily
| and deeply rejoiced in the manifestations Of
| sympathy and good feeling at the South called
forth by the death OF our great soldier and pat
| riot and Republicans we wish for a COM
| plete and perfect reconciliation between the
sections. To have such reconciliation the re-
| suits of the war must be accepted everywhere
in good faith. one result has not been accept
| ed. The negro. enfranchised by the war. is
| largely deprived of his privileges as a voter. In
| certain States elections are mockery, returns
are fraudulent and voting is farce. If we
| were to be silent as to this crying evil we
| should be false to all the traditions and prin-
| ciples of our party. as well as to those Of
American government and American freedom.
| Against this great wrong, 50 dangerous and
| so un-American. yet Vindicaed and maintained
| by successive Democratic majorities in the
| House of Representatives, we propose to
| agitate and to protest We appeal against it TO
| public opinion, both North and South We
| shall seek redress in aroused public conscience
| and in proper legislation. We shall not be
content until the wrong is crushed out and
| justice done. As one specific measure tending
| to remedy this evil we urge upon Congress the
| of ilIpra ORA MT in siI of
| vidinS education in the recent slave States.
As we protest against the suppression of the
| negro vote. so also in the same spirit do we
protest against the election frauds counenanced
| and fo>tered by the Democratic party in Ger
| tain cities of the North. and we denounce the
| action of President Cleveland in pardoning a
| criminal like Lieutenant Mullen, because by so
doing he directly encourages and condones
| these dangerous crimes against the ballot. To
| the able, honest and dignted administration Of
| Governor Robinson We give our hearty APP
| provai. and we pledge to him our earnest and
| answering support.
We urge upon our State Legislature the wis
| dom of submitting to the decision of the people
| the question of biennial elections. We COM
| mend the action of the LeglS stature IN behalf of
| sricter and more direct responsibility i'll mum
| icipal government. We feel keenly the evils
| OF lntcmperance, and are prepared to support
| the most stringent legislation for their sup
preston that can be made effective and we be-
|
| is the rigid enforcement of the existing laws.
| Massachusetts,, under Republican rule, has
| done much for labor. No other Stale APP
| pr0aches our record in this respect. We urge
close and continued attention to all questions
| affecting this great interest. and commend
| to the Legislature a careful consideration of
| the plan of State Board of Arbitration on the
| principle OF employers liability; of the regula-
| tlOn of convict labor so that it shall not COM
pete with honest labor of the Commonwealth
and of more frequent payment of wages by
| corporations. In presenting our candidates
aud our principles to the people of Ma-sachu-
| sets we ask only for fair discussion and can
| did consideration We welcome again those
| who last year severed their party connections
| and united with US for the first time, and we
| gladly open our doors to all who join US in sus-
| tanning our candidates and principles.
| The following nominations were made: Gov
ernor Robinson renomnated for Governor
Oliver Ames for Lieutenant Governor; Henry
| Is. Pierce for Secretary of State. A. w. Beard,
| of Boston, for State Treasurer and Receiver
| General; Charles X. Ladd renominated for Au-
ditOr; Edgar l.. Sherman for Attorney General
| All received a unanimous vote.
Gen. j. X. Hanley then delivered an address.
He said the Republican party still had great
missions to perform. One of these was to right
the wrongs in the South by which the votes of
American citizens have been and are suppress
ed. He said he was independent, nasmuch as
should the Republican party prove itself un-
| faithful upon some of the great questions before
1t he would JOIN in putting dynamite under its
| foundations. and then join the standard of some
new reformer. He called upon the lndepen-
dents to return to the Republican party to help
set it right If IN any way it is wrong. He closed
by expressing complete confidence in the future
OF the party.