Year: 1872

4
the laws and dealing justly with their neigh
| bors


| 1t has steadily decreased, with firm hand,
the resultant disorders of great war, and ini
tiated wise policy towards the Indians. The
Pacific Railroad, and similar vast enterprises,
have been generously aided and successfully
conducted. The public lands are freely given
to actual settlers immigration is protected,
encouraged, and the full acknowledgment of
the naturalized citizens rights has been secur-
ed from European Powers. The national cur
rency has improved in reputation and the ma
tional credit has been sustained under extra
ordinary burdens, and new bonds have been |
| negotiated at lower rates. The revenues have
been carefully collected and honestly applied |
Despite the annual large reductions from the
rates of taxation, the public debt has been re-
| duced during Grants presidency at the rate of
one hundred million dollars per year. A great
| financial crisis has been avoided and peace
and plenty prevail throughout the land. Men
acng foreign difficulties have been peacefully
and honorably compromised, and the honor
and power Of the nation has been kept high
throughout the world. This glorious record Of
the past is the partys best pledge for the
future. We believe the people will not intrust
| the Government to any party or combination
| of men composed of those who chiohy have
resisted every step in this beneficial progress.
| SECOND-Complete liberty and exact equal
ity in the enjoyment Of all civil, political and
public rights should be established and effect
ually maintained throughout the Union, by
| efhcient and appropriate State and Federal
| legislation Neither the law nor its admins
| tration should admit of any discrimination in
respect to citizens, by reason of race, creed,
color, or previous condition of servitude.
THIRD-The recent amendments to the Ma
| tional Constitution should be cordially sus-
tanned, because they are right not merely
| tolerated because they are law and should be
carried out according to their spirit by appro-
pirate legislation, the enforcement of which
can be safely trusted only to the party that
secured the amendments.


F0URTH-The National Government should
seek to maintain an honorable peace with all
nations, protecting its citizens everywhere and
sympathizing with all people who strive for
greater liberty.


FIFTH-Any system Of civil service under
which the subordinate positions of the Gov
ernment are considered as rewards for mere
party zeal, is fatally demoralizing, and we
therefore favor reform Of the system by laws
which shall abolish the evils of patronage and
make honesty, efficiency and fidelity essential
qualifications for public position, without prac-
tically creating life tenure of office.
SlATH-We are opposed to further grants
OF the public lands TO corporations and monop-
olies, and demand that the national domain
shall bo set apart for the free uses of the
| people.


| SEVENTH-The annual revenue, after pay
ing the current expenditures, should furnish
moderate balance for the reduction of the
principal of the debt; and revenue, except so
much as may be raised by duties on topacco
and liquors, ought to be raised by duties on
lmportations, the scale of which should be so
adjusted as to aid in securing remunerative
, wages to laborers and to promote the indus
tries, growth and prosperity of the whole
country.


EIGHTH-We hold in undying honor the
soldiers and sailors whose valor saved the
Union. Their pensions are Il sacred debt of
| the nation, and the widows and orphans of
those who died for their country are entitled
to the care Of tho Government and the graft
tude of the people We favor such additional
legislation as will extend the bounty of the
Government to all our soldiers and sailors who
were honorably discharged and who in time
of duty became disabled, without regard to
the length Of their service or the cause of such
discharge.


NINTH-The doctrine ofgGreat Britain and
other European Powers concerning allegiance,
once subject always a subject" having at
last, through the efforts of the Republican
party, been abandoned, and the American idea
OF the right of the individual to transfer his
allegiance having been accepted by European
nations, it is the duty of our Government to
guard with jealous care the rights of adopted
| citizens against the assumption of unauthor-
lied claims by their former governments and
We urge the continued and careful encourage
ment and protection of voluntary immigration
| TENTH-The franking privilege ought to be
abolished and a way prepared for reduction
in the rates of postage.


ELEVENTH-Among the questions which
press for attention is that which concerns the
relation of capital and labor, and the Repub-
lican party recognizes the duty of so shaping
legislation as to secure full protection and an
ample field for capital, and for labor, which
creates for capital the largest opportunities,
| and just share of mutual profits of those two
great servants of civilization.


| TWELFTlI-We hold that Congress and the
President have only fulfilled an important
duty in their measures for the suppression of
violent and reasonable organizations in GER
tain of the lately rebellious regions, and for
the protection Of the ballot box and, there
fore they are entitled to tho thanks of the
nation.


THIRTEENTH-We denounce repudiation
of the public debt, in any form or disguise, ms
| a national crime. We witness with pride the
reduction of the principal of the debt and of
| the rates of interest upon the balance, and we
confidently expect that our excellent national
currency will be perfected by the speedy re-
sumption of specie payment.


| FOURTEENTH-The Republican party is
mindful of its obligation to the loyal women
of America for their noble devotion to the
cause of freedom. Their admission to useful
ness is received with satisfaction, and the
honest demands of any class of citizens for
additional rights should be treated with re-
spectful consideration.


FIFTEENTH-W heartily approve Of tho
action of Congress in relation to the rebellious
States, and rejoice in the growth of peace and
fraternal feeling throughout the land.


SIXTEENTH Tho Republican party pro
poses to respect the rights reserved by the
people to themselves as carefully as the powers
delegated by them to the State and Territorial
governments. 1t disapproves of any resort TO
unconstitutional laws for the purpose of remov-