Year: 1868

PLATFORM


Flrst-We congratulate the country on
the assured success of the reconstruction pol.
icy of Congress as evidenced by the adoption


in majority of the States lately in rebellion
| of a Constitution securing equal civil and po-
litical rights to all and we regard it as the
duty of the Government to sustain these
Constitutions and prevent the people of such
States from being remitted to a state of anar-
chy or military rule.


Second-The guaranty by Congress of
equal suffrage to all loyal men in the South
public safety, gratitude and justice, and
must be maintained; while the question Of
suffrage in all the loyal States properly be-
longs to the people oc those States.


Third-We denounce all forms of re-
pudiation as national crime. and declare
that the national honor requires the pay
ment of the public Indebtedness in the utmost
good faith to our creditors at home and
abroad, not only according to the letter, but
according to the spirit of the laws under
which it was contracted.


Fourth-It is due to the labor of the ma
tion that taxation should be equalized and
reduced as rapidly as the national faith will
permit.


Fifth-The national debt, contracted as


it has been for the preservation of the Union
for all time to come, should be extended over
fair period to reduce the rate of interest
thereon, whenever it can honestly be done.
| Sixth-That the best policy to diminish
our burden of debt is so to improve our credit
that capitalists will seek to lend us money
at lower rates of interest than we now pay,
and must continue to pay so long as repu.
| tnk,A t,o1
threatened or suspected.


Seventh-The Government of the United
States should be administered with the strict
est economy. The corruptions which have
been so shamefully nursed and fostered by
Andrew johnson call loudly for radical re.
| form


Eighth-We profoundly deplore the un-
timely and tragic death of Abraham Lincoln,
and regret the accession of Andrew johnson
to the Presidential chair, who has acted
treacherously to the people who elected him
and the cause he was pledged to support
has usurped high legislative and judicial
functions; has refused to execute laws has
used his high Office to induce other officers
to violate laws has employed his executive
power to render insecure the lives, property,
peace, liberty, and life of citizens has abus-
ed the pardoning power has denounced the
national legislative as unconstitutional has
persistently and habitually resisted by every
means in his power every proper attempt at
| the reconstruction of the States lately in re-
bellion has perverted the public patronage
into an engine of wholesale corruption and
has been justly impeached for high crimes
and misdemeanors, and pronounced guilty
thereof by the votes of thirty five Senators.
Ninth-The doctrine of Great Britain and
0fh fhnrE Al l.
is once subject he is always so, must be
resisted at every hazard by the United States
as relic of feudal times, not authorized by
| the law of nations, and at war with our ma
tional honor and independence and natural
lzed citizens are entitled to be protected in
all their rights of citizenship as though they
were native born no citizen of the United
States, native or naturalzed. must be liable
70 arrest or imprisonment by any foreign
Power for acts done or words spoken in this
country, and if so arrested and imprisoned
it is the duty of Government to interfere in
his behalf.


| Tenth-Of all who were faithful in their
trials of the late war there were none more
fitted for especial honor than the brave SOL
diers and seamen who endured the hardshins
of camp and cruise and imperiled their lives
in the service of their country. The bonn-
| olOS onu Fcnoiono apProprldteu Dy law tor
these brave defenders of the Union are obli
cations never to be forgotten. The widows
and orphans Of the gallant dead are the
wards of the people-a sacred legacy be-
| queathed to the United States for its protect
ing care.


Eleventh-Foreigni immigration in the past
has added so much to the wealth and increas-
ed so much the resources of this nation, the
asylum of all nations, that it should lie fos-
tered by a liberal and just policy.
Twelfth-This Convention declares its
sympathy with all oppressed people who are
| struggling for their rights.


Resolved, That we highly commend the
spirit of magnanimity and forgiveness with
which the men who have served in the re.
belion and who are now frankly and honestly
cooperating with us in restoring the course
of the country and in reconstructing the
| Southern States on a basis of impartial
Justice and. equal rights, are received back
into communion with the loyal people, and
that we are in favor of the removal of the
disaualifcatious and restrictions imposed
upon the late rebels in the same measure and
spirit of loyalty as may be consistent with the
safety of the loyal people.


| Resolved, That we recognize the great
principles laid down in the Declaration of
| independence as the foundation of democratic
government and we hail with gladness every
effort toward making these principles
living reality on every inch of American soil.


Resolved, That the adjournment of this
Convention shall not work the dissolution OF
the same, but it shall remain as organized,
subject to be called together at any time and