Year: 1868

| fcRvsCsossSy sS8t1A0tbous CNuuVtstIy
was to require that the revolted States
should bs re-sdmittd to rticipation in
the government against which they
have erred, only on such basis rs to in
crease and fortify, not to weaken or en-
danger, the strength and power Of the
nation. Certainly, no one ought to
have claimed that they should be read
mitted under such rule that their organ
ization as States could ever again be
used, rs at the opening Of tho war, to
defy the national authority or to destroy
the national unity. y.--Thls principle has
been the polar star of those who have in
tiexibly insisted on the Congressional
policy your Convention so cordially en-
dorsed.


Batiled by executive OPPOSITION and by
persistent refusals to accept any plan Of
reconstruction protfered by Congress,
justice and public safety at last COM
bined to teach MS that only by an en-
largement Of suffrage in those states
could be desired aud be attained, and
that it was more safe to give the ballot
to those who loved the Union than
those who had sought Intellectually to
destroy it. The assured success of this
Legislation Is being written on the ada
mant of history, aud will be our trium-
Phant vindication. More clearly too,
| than ever before does the nation now
recognize that the greatest glory of u re-
public il that it throws the shield Of its
protection over the humblest and weak
est Of its people, and vindicates tho
rights Of the poor and the powerless AZ
faithfully As those of the ricl and the
powerful.


rejoice, too, in this eoas,eetion, to
fluid in your platform the broad and
fearless avowal that naturalized citizens
must be protected abroad ut every haz-
ard, as though they were native born.
Our whole people are foreigners, or de-
sendants Of foreigners. Our fathers es-
tablisl.ed by arms their rights to be call
ed nation. 1t remains for us to estab
lishthe right to'welcome to our shores
| all who are willing by oaths of allegiance
to become American citizens. Perpet-
ual allegiance; ~ claimed abroad, Ia only
another name for perpetual bondage,
aud would make all slaves to the soil
where they first saw the light. Our lAn-
tio,al cemeteries prove how faithfully
these oaths Of fidelity to- their adopted
land have been sealed in the life Of
thousands upon thousands. Should we
not, then, be faithless to the dead if we
did not protect their living brethren in
the full enjoyment Of that nationality
for which, side by side with the native
born, our soldiers of foreign birth laid
down their lives?


1t was fitting, too that the representa-
tives of a party which had proved 80
true to national duty in time Of war
should speak SO clearly in time of peace,
for the maintenance, untar nlslssd, OF the
national honor, national credit and good
faith rs regards its debt--tlAe cost Of
our national existence. ear~ - g.


do not need to extend this reply ky
further comment on a platform which
has ELECTED such hearty approval
throughout the land. The debt Of graf
itude it acknowledges to the brave men
who saved the Union from destruction :;
the frank approval Of amnesty based on
repentance and loyalty; the demand of
the most rigid economy and honesty in
the government the sympathy Of the
party of liberty with all throughout the
world, who long 6br the liberty we here
enjoy, and the recognition of hesublime
principles of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence are worthy of the organiza-
ton on whose banners they are to be
written in the coming contest. It's past
record cannot be blotted out or forgot
ten. If there had been no Republican
party, slavery would to-day cast its
baleful shadow over the Republic. If
there had been no Republican party,
free press and speech would be Us un-
known from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande as ten years ago. II the Republi-
can party could have been stricken from
existence when the banner Of rebellion
was unfurled. and when the response Of
"No Coercionn was heard ut the North
we would have had no nation to-day
But for the Republican party daring to
risk the odium of tax and draft laws, our
flag could not have been keptfiying in the
field until the long looked for victory
came. Without republica n party the
civil rights bill, the guaran tee Of equaIi-
ty under the law, of the humble aud the
defenceless, rs well as to the strong,
would not be to-day upon our national
statute book.


With such inspiratio ms from the past,
and following the example Of the found
ers of the Republic who called the VIC
torious General Of the Revolution to
preside over the land his triumphs have
saved from its enemies, / cannot doubt
that our labors will be crowned with
success, and it will be success that
shall bring restored hope, confidence,
prosperity and progress, South as well
as North, West as well as East, and
above all the blessings under Providence