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Land policy.

Immigra

tion.

Public improvements.

Development of organization within the

13. That we protest against any sale or alienation to others of the public lands held by actual settlers, and against any view of the free-homestead policy which regards the settlers as paupers or suppliants for public bounty; and we demand the passage by Congress of the complete and satisfactory homestead measure which has already passed the House.

14. That the Republican party is opposed to any change in our naturalization laws, or any state legislation by which the rights of citizenship hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands shall be abridged or impaired; and in favor of giving a full and efficient protection to the rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or naturalized, both at home and abroad.

15. That appropriations by Congress for river and harbor improvements of a national character, required for the accommodation and security of our existing commerce, are authorized by the Constitution, and justified by the obligations of government to protect the lives and property of its citizens.

16. That a railroad to the Pacific Ocean is imperatively demanded by the interests of the whole country; that the federal government ought to render immediate and efficient aid in its construction; and that, as preliminary thereto, a daily overland mail should be promptly established.

17. Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles and views, we invite the coöperation of all citizens, however differing on other questions, who substantially agree with us in their affirmance and support.

42. The Republican Party and War Politics

During the Civil War the Republican party, which had been carried into power by a minority vote,' became consolidated into a great political organization controlling the federal offices and Republican enjoying all the prerogatives and emoluments connected with them. For a long time after the war the party made its principal appeal to the inflamed passions which the struggle had left behind,

party.

1 This was due to the division among the Democrats in 1860.

and steadily refused to recognize and effectively meet many of the most pressing political issues. In 1876, when it had been sadly discredited in many ways by the corruption which had undoubtedly prevailed under the Grant administrations, and was on the edge of defeat, as the election subsequently revealed, the Republican party put forward the following claim upon the voters for support:

When, in the economy of Providence, this land was to be purged of human slavery, and when the strength of government of the people, by the people, and for the people, was to be demonstrated, the Republican party came into power. Its deeds have passed into history, and we look back to them with pride. Incited by their memories to high aims for the good of our country and mankind, and looking to the future with unfaltering courage, hope, and purpose, we, the representatives of the party in national convention assembled, make the following declaration of principles:

How the

party came

to power.

tion of the party to up

1. The United States of America is a nation, not a league. By The func the combined workings of the national and state governments, under their respective constitutions, the rights of every citizen are secured, at home and abroad, and the common welfare promoted.

2. The Republican party has preserved these governments to the hundredth anniversary of the nation's birth, and they are now embodiments of the great truths spoken at its cradle, "That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that for the attainment of these ends. governments have been instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." Until these truths are cheerfully obeyed, or, if need be, vigorously enforced, the work of the Republican party is unfinished.

hold per

sonal rights

of reconstruction to

3. The permanent pacification of the Southern section of the The work Union, and the complete protection of all its citizens in the free enjoyment of all their rights, is a duty to which the Republican party stands sacredly pledged. The power to provide for the

be com

pleted.

Sectional feeling deprecated.

The Demo

cratic party

in sympathy with

treason.

enforcement of the principles embodied by the recent constitution amendments is vested by those amendments in the Congress of th United States, and we declare it to be the solemn obligation of th legislative and executive departments of the government to pu into immediate and vigorous exercise all their constitutional power for removing any just causes of discontent on the part of any class and for securing to every American citizen complete liberty and exact equality in the exercise of all civil, political, and public rights. To this end we imperatively demand a Congress and a Chief Executive whose courage and fidelity to these duties shall not falter until these results are placed beyond dispute or recall.

15. We sincerely deprecate all sectional feeling and tendencies. We therefore note with deep solicitude that the Democratic party 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 earnest attention of the country to the grave truth that a success thus achieved would reopen sectional strife and imperil national honor and human rights.

16. We charge the Democratic party with being the same in character and spirit as when it sympathized with treason; with making its control of the House of Representatives the triumph and opportunity of the nation's recent foes; with reasserting and applauding in the national Capitol the sentiments of unrepentant rebellion; with sending Union soldiers to the rear, and promoting Confederate soldiers to the front; with deliberately proposing to repudiate the plighted faith of the government; with being equally false and imbecile upon the overshadowing financial questions; with thwarting the ends of justice by its partisan mismanagement and obstruction of investigation; with proving itself, through the period of its ascendency in the lower House of Congress, utterly incompetent to administer the government; and we warn the country against trusting a party thus alike unworthy, recreant, and incapable. . . .

43. The Character of Democratic Opposition in 1884

The Democratic party, having gained strength by the restoration of white supremacy in the South, was quick to take advantage of the weaknesses in the Republican administration and, marshaling its own vote together with that of the discontented Repub licans, was able to carry the election in 1884 principally upon a platform of protest, containing the following indictment of the opposing party:

The Republican party, so far as principle is concerned. is reminiscence. In practice it is an organization for enriching trot who control its machinery. The frauds and jobbery wr have been brought to light in every department of the governmen are sufficient to have called for reform within the kepunim party; yet those in authority, made reckless by the long past of power, have succumbed to its corrupting influence, and save placed in nomination a ticket against which the independen por of the party are in open revolt. Therefore a change UrELASTOM Such a change was alike necessary in 1876, but the wild le poi, k was then defeated by a fraud which can never be forgna er la doned. Again, in 1880, the change demanded in on proje defeated by the lavish use of money contributes se contractors and shameless jobbers, who had barg,15 2 profits or high office. The Republican party ga stolen, and its bought tenures of power, moral character and political capacity.

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Its platform promises are now a list of pa demands the restoration of our navy; it ta beste of millions to create a navy that does not exa. i. gress to remove the burdens under will automa been depressed; it imposed and LE SALLAT It professes the policy of reserving the pr ings by actual settlers; it has gives are to do till now a few railroads and non-rede esta corporate, possess a larger area than ira a a

the two seas. It professes a preferent if us don'

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Democratic promises.

organized and tried to legalize a control of state elections by federal troops. It professes a desire to elevate labor; it subjected American workingmen to the competition of convict and imported contract labor. . . . It "accepts anew the duty of leading in the work of progress and reform;" its caught criminals are permitted to escape through contrived delays or actual connivance in the prosecution. Honey-combed with corruption, out-breaking exposures no longer shock its moral sense. Its honest members, its independent journals, no longer maintain a successful contest for authority in its canvasses or a veto upon bad nominations. That change is necessary is proved by an existing surplus of more than $100,000,000, which has yearly been collected from a suffering people. Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation. We denounce the Republican party for having failed to relieve the people from crushing war taxes, which have paralyzed business, crippled industry, and deprived labor of employment and of just reward.

The Democracy pledges itself to purify the administration from corruption, to restore economy, to revive respect for law, and to reduce taxation to the lowest limit consistent with due regard to the preservation of the faith of the nation to its creditors and pensioners. Knowing full well, however, that legislation affecting the occupations of the people should be cautious and conservative in method, not in advance of public opinion, but responsive to its demands, the Democratic party is pledged to revise the tariff in a spirit of fairness to all interests. But, in making reduction in taxes, it is not proposed to injure any domestic industries, but rather to promote their healthy growth. From the foundation of this government, taxes collected at the custom-house have been the chief source of federal revenue. Such they must continue to be. Moreover, many industries have come to rely upon legislation for successful continuance, so that any change of law must be at every step regardful of the labor and capital thus involved. The process of reform must be subject in the execution to this plain dictate of justice: all taxation shall be limited to the requirements of economical government. The necessary reduction in taxation

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