Year: 1876

ting all Others to be filled by persons
selected with sole reference to the
efficiency of public service and the
right all citizens have in the honor of
rendering faithful service.


Sixth, we rejoice in the quickened
conscience of the people concerning
political affairs and will hold all pub
lie officers to a rigid responsibility;
and engage that the prosecution and
punishment of all who betray official
trust shall be speedy. thorough and
unsparing.


Seventh, the public school system
of the several states is the bulwark
of the American Republic, and with
the view to its security and perma-
nence, we reeomend an amendment
4, the constitution Of the United
States forbidding the application of
any public funds or property for
the benefit of any schools ar institu-
lions under sectarian control.


Eighth. she revenue necessary for
current expenditures and the obliga-
tion of the public debt must he large
ly derived from duties on importa-
tions. which SO far as possible should
be adjusted to promote the interests
of American labor and advance the
prosperity OF the whole country.


Ninth, we reaffirm our opposion
to further grants of public lands to
corporations and monopolies, and de-
mand that the National domain be
devoted to free homes for the people.


Tenth. 1t is the imperative duty
of the government SO to modify exis-
ting treaties with European govern
ments that protection shall be afford
ed TO adopted American citizens, that
Is given to the native born; that all
necessary laws should be passed to
protect immigrants in the absence of
power in the states for that purpose.


Eleventh. 1t is the immediate duty
of Congress 10 fully investigate the
effect of the immigration and impor-
tation of Mongolians upon the moral
and material interests of the country.


Twelfth. The republican party
recognizes with approval the SUBJ
stantial advance recently made to-
ward the establishment of equal
rights for women by the many impor-
tant amendments effected by republi-
can legislatures in the laws which
concern the personal and property
relations of wives, mothers and Wild
ows. and by the appointment and
election of women to superintend
education, charities and other pub
lie trusts. The honest demands of
this class of citizens for additional
rights and privileges and immuni-
ties should be treated with respectful
consideration.


Thirteenth. The convention con-
fers upon congress sovereign power
over the TIE rritories of the United
States, for their government, and in
the exercise of this power it is the
right and the duty of congress to
prohibit and exterpate in the territor-
les that relic-of bsrbarism, polygamy;
and we demand such legislation as
shall secure this end and the supre-
macy of American institutions in all
the territories.


Fourteenth. The pledges which
the nation has given our soldiers and
sailors must be fulfilled, the grateful
people will always hold those who
perilled their lives for their country's
preservation in the kiLdes remem-
brance.


Fifteenth. We sincerely deprecate all
sectional feeling and tendencies we
therefore note with deep solicitude
that the Democratic pa rty counts as
its chief hope Of success upon the
ELECTORAL vote of a united South,
secured through the efforts Of those
who were recently arrayed against
the nation; and we invoke the earn
est attention of the country to the
grave truths that success thus
achieved would reopen sectional strife
and imperil the national honor and
human rights.


Sixteenth. We charge that the
Democratic party is the same in char
acter and spirit, as when it sympa-
thised with treason; with making its
control of the House of Representa-
tives the triumph and the opportu-
nifty of the nations recent foes; with
reasserting and applauding at the
national capitol the sentiments of
unrepented rebellion; with sending
union soldiers to tho rear and pro-
noting confederate soldiers to the
front; with deliberately proposing to
repudiate the -plighted faith of the
government; with being equally false
and imbecile; with overshadowing
the ends of justice by its partisan
and obstruction of
investigation; with proving itself
through the period of its ascendency
In the lower house of ofcongress utterly
incompetent to admister to the gov