The Platform

Thellepubliciwsof the United States in national convention assemblecl, renew tlieir allegiance to the principies upon which they have triumphed ia such succcssive presidential elections, and congratúlate the American people on the attainment of so many results in the legislation and administration by wliicli the Republican party has, after saving the Union, done so much to render its institutions just, equal and beneflcent, the safeguard of liberty and the embodiment of the best thought and highest purposes of our citizens. The Republican party lias gained its strength by a quick and faithful response to the demandsof the people for the freedom and equality of all men, for a united n.ition, assuring the rights of nii ;i:,=, for thf elovotiou ot labor, for an honest currency, for purity in legislation and for ntesrrity and accountability in alldepartments of the gorernment; and it accepts anew the duty of leading the work of progress and reform. CARFIELD'S DEVTIÍ. We lanient the death of President Garfield, whose sound statesmanship, long conspicuous in congress, gave promise of a strong and successful administration, a promise f uil y realized during the short period of bis office as president of the United States. Ilis distinguished suceess in war and peace has endeared him to tlie hearts of the American people. ARTnUR"S ADMIN1STRATI0X. In the administration of President Arthur we reeognize a wise, conservative and patrioticpolicy.underwhich the country has been blessed with remarkable pro perity, and we believe his eminent services are entitled to and will receive the hearty approval of every eitizen. THE TA1ÍIFF. It is the fust duty of a good government to protect the rights and promote the interests of its own p.;ople. The largcst diversity of ndustry is moát productive of the general prosperity and of the comfort and independence of the people. We, therefore, demand that the imposition of duties on foreign imports shall be made not " for revenue only," but that in raising the rcquisite revcnues for the government such duties shall be so levied as to afTord security to our diversilled industries, and protection to the rights and wages of the laborer, to the end that active and intelligent labor, as well as capital, niíiy have its just reward, and the laboring man his full shaie in the prosperity. Agünst the so-called economie system of the Democratie party, which would uegraue our iaDor co tne toreen standard, we enter our earncst protest. The Demo oratie party has failed completely to relieve the people of the burelen of unnecessary taxation by a wise reductiou of the surplus. The Republican party pledges itself to correct the inequalities of the tariff and to reduce the surplus not by the vicious and indiscrirainate procesa of horizontal reduction, but by such methods as will relieve the tax-payer without injuring the laboreror the great productiva nterests of the country. THE WOOL INTEREST. We recognize tlie importance of sheep husbandry in the United States, the serious depression wliich it is now experieneing, and the dangerthreateninglts future prosperity, and we therefore respect the demanda of the representatives of this important agricultural interest for a re-adjustment of the duty upon foreign wool in onler that such {industry shall have f uil nul adequate protection. GOLD AND SILVER COINAGE. We have always recommended the best money known to the civilized world, and we urge that eftbrts should be made to unite all commercial nations in the establishment of an international standard, which shall fix for all the relative value of gold and silver coinagc. INTER-STATE COMMERCE. The regulatiou of commorce with eien nations and between the states in one of the most important prerogatiees of the general jioveniment, and tlie Eepublican party distlncily announccs lts ptirpose to support such legislatloD as will fnlly and efflclently carry out the constitutlonal power of congress over inter-state commerce. HA1I.WAV TBA.IÏ8P0HTATIOH. The principie of the public regulation of rallway eorporntions ia a wise and salutary one for the protection of all classes of the people, and we favor legislation tiiüt shall prevent unjust discrimination and t-xeessive chaiges for transportation, and thut shall secure to to the people and the raihvays alike the fair and eqttal protection of the laws. LABOR AND EDUCATION. We favor the establishment of a national bureau of labor, the enforcement of the eight hour law and a wise and judicious systein of general education by adequate appropriation from the national revenues wherever the same is needed. l'ROTECTION OF RIGHTS OP CITIZENSHIP. We believe that everywhere the protection accorded to a citizen of American birth must be secured to citizens by American adoption, and we favor the settlement of national dirterences by international arbitration. THE LABOR QUE8TI0N. The liepublican party, liaving its birth in a hatred of slave labor and a desire that all men be truly fiee and equal, is uualterably opposed to placing our workingnien in competition with anjr form of servile labor, whether at home or abroad. In tliis spirit we denounce the importation of contract labor, whether from Europe or Asia, as in otïeuse against the spirit of American institutions, and we pledge ourselves to sustain the present luw restricting Chinese immigration and to provide such fiirther legislation as is necesaary to carry out its purposes. THE CIVIL SERVICE. The reform of the civil service auspiciously begun under Republican administration should be cornpleted by the further extensión of the reformed system already establislied by law to all the grades of the service to which it is applicable. The spirit and purpose of the reform should be observed in all executive appointiaents and all laws at variance with the objects of. existing reform legislation should be repealed to the end that the (langer to free institutions which lurk in the power of official patronage may be wïsely and effectively avoided. PUBLIC LANDS. The public lands are a heritage of the people of the United States and should be reserved as f ar as possible forsmall holdings by actual settlers. We are opposed to the acquisitiou of large tracts of these lands by corporations or individuals, especially where such holdings are in the hands of non-resident a'iens. and we will endcavor to obtain such legislation as will tend to coriect tliis evil. We deniand of Congress the speedy forfi'iture of all land grants wliich have lapsed by reasonand non-coinpliance with tlie acts of Lncorporatlon, in all cases where there has been nolittenipt in good faith tn perform the conditions of puch grants. EKHSI0N8. Tlie grateful thanks of the American people are due to the union soldiere and sailors of the late war, and the Republi1 can party stands pledged to suitable pensions for all who were disabled, and for the widows and orphans of those who died in the ww The Republican party also pledges itself to the repeal of the limitation contained in the arreáis act of 1879, so that all invalid soldiers shall share alike and . their pensions begin with the date of disability or dUcharge and not witli the date of the application. FOREIGN POLICY. Tho Republican party favors a policy ¦ which shall keep us from entangling alliances with foreign nations, and which gives us the right to expect that foreign nations shall refrein from meddling in in American aftairs - the policy which seeks peace and trade with all powers, but especiiilly those of the western hetnisphere. AMERICAN COMMERCE. We (Iemand the restoration of our navy to its old-time strength and efficiency, that it may in any sea protect the rights of American citizens and the Interests of American commeice, and we cali upon Congress to remove the burdens under which American shipping Is depressed, so that it may again be true thut we havo a commeice whicli leaves no sea unexplored and a navy which takes no law from superior force. TERRITOniAI. OFFICES. Htxolced, That appointmenls by the president to offices in the territorios should be made from the bona fide citizens and reeidents of the territories wherein they are to serve. POLYGAMY. lliKoheil. That it is the duty of congress to enact snch laws as shall promptly and ettectually suppress the system of polygamy within our territory, and divorce the political from the ecclesiastical power of the so-called Mormon church, and that the law so enacted should be rigidly enforced by the civil authorities if possible, and by the military if need bc. NATIONAL AND STATE RIGIITS. The people of the United State?, in their oiganized capacity, constitute a nation and not a mere confederacy of state?. The national governinent is supreme within the sphere of its national duty, but the states have reserved rights which should be faithfully maintained. Each should be guarded with jealous care, so that the harmony of our system of governinent rnnj be preserved and the union kept inviolale. a frf.e ballot. The porpetuity of our nstitntions rests upon the maintenance of a free ballot and honest count and correct return. We denounce the fraud and violencc practiced by the Democracy in the soutliern states by which the will of the voter is defeated as danrerous to the pretermiten of free institutions, and we tolemn iy arr.iigu the ! Democratie party as being the ftullty racipient ot the fruits oí siich lraud and violence. 8YMPATHY FOR SOITIIEKS EEFUBLICAN8. j We extend co the Republicans of the south, regardless of their foriner party affiliations, our cordial fympathy, and pledge to lliem our most earnest endeavors to promote the passage of such i legislation as will secure to every citi.en, I of whatever race or color, the full and complete recogiiition, possession and ercise of all clvll and politiral righta. i Review of His Brlllinut. Career. James G. Blaine was bom January 31, 1830, at the Indian Hill farm, Washington couiity, Pennsylvania. Mr. lilaine's boyhood days wcre passet! at Lancaster, Oliio. He was the third son of Bphralm L. Blaine, a justice of the peace. lieing elected prothonotary of the county eourt in 1842, the eider Blaine sent James to Washington College In 184o, from whlch he graduated n the fall of 1847 at the age of 17 years. On leaving college the youthful graduate went to Kentucky and tauglit school, hls father at this period being comparatively poor and haring insnfficient ineans to support the large turnily of which he was the head. Mr. Blaine met his present wlfè In Kentucky. Shortly after their niarriage tliey went to her former home, Kennebec, Me., whcre lic cntered the Journal lstic profession, assuming control of the Kennebec Journal, and afterward of the Portland Advertiser. He immedlately sprang into a position of influence in state politics, and at the age of 25 was recognized as ene of the young leaders of the Republican party. At the age of 20 years he was selected Chairman of the Executive Coramtttee of the Republican orgrwtzation of the state, a position he has held ever since. In 1S58 he was elected to the Maine Legislature, and servcd in that capacity for four years, two of which he was Speaker of the House of Representa ti ves. In 1862 he was choseu a Kepresentative in Congress, from which time he has been prominently before the public. 11e was elected Speaker of the House of liepresentatives in March, 1869, and was reelected in 1871, and three years later entered on his third term as such. In 187;i he took his seat on the Hoor ol the House, and was recoguized as the leader of the Republican minority, the Democratie " tidal wave1' of 1874 having given them the majoritv. His dash and brilliancy as the üepublican leader on the floor of the House made him a popular candidato for the Presidency in 1870, he, on the first ballot, receiving 298 votes, and on the seventh ballot, on which Haycs was nominated, receiving Hl votes. 'l'he same year (íovernor Connor, of Maine, appointed him United States Senator, to succeed the Hon. Lot SI. Morrill, who resigned to accept the position of Secretary of the Treasury. At the following session of the Maiue Legislature he was elected tohis seat in the United States Senate. Four years ago he was again put ward as i candidate for the Presidency, aiul after thirtv-siv vniwa .i-- -. defeated by the late James A. Garfield. On the inauguration of President Gartield, Senator Blaine was appointed Secretary of State, wkich positinn lie resigned severa! montks after the death of the lamented President, owing to a difl'erence in his ideas froni those of President Artluir on matters of public pollcy. Since his retirement from the Cabinet he has been engaged in literary pursuits, having wrltten during that period his " Twenty Years in Congress." Throughout his dii:tinguished career he has been always regarded as á man of good temper and temperament, with a powerful intellectual veliemence. Daring his career In Congress and the Senate lie delivered many eloquent speeclies. His studies have been largely on political questionsand hlstory. IJiicrSketchorHisLiro. General John A. Logan, the nomiuee for Vice-President, is essentially a western man, who claims Chicago f or blshonu His fathcr, Dr. John Logan, emigrated from Ireland in 1823, and settled in Jackson county, Illinois. His niotlier was Elizabetli Jenkins, a nativa of Terinessee. He first mw lightof day In Jackson county, Illinois, on Feb. 1), 1820. lien; be received a partlal etlncation from his fatber and suck teachers a happened to be in tlie district. Wlien the Mexican wnv brolce out lie volunteered and ivas ehosen a lieutenant In a COinpnny of the First Illinois Infantiy. He becaine adjutant of his regiment and did good service. He returned to his lióme in 1848 and comtnenced the study of law. In 1851 lie eDtered uto practico with his ancle. Tlie next year he was elected prosccuüng attorney of the Tliird Judicial District, and later to the 8tate legislatnre, being reelected three times. In 1858 he was ehosen a nietiiber of congress from the Nlnth District by a large democratie majority, At the conclusión of hl(' teim he was reelected. Hewasan ardent supporter of Stephen A. Douglnslo tliecampaign of60. He joined the military foices at the front and was in the first battle oí Buil Hun. He returned home and belped to orgauize the Twunty-fhst Illinois lnfantry and was commissioned as colonel. He was in the battles of Fort Doncls.m and BbUofa, and on March 3, 1802, was mnde Brigadier Oetieral. He wns an Uve worker dnring the siege oí' Vieksbmg. General Grant stelectcd him for consultation ín consUleratlon of liis ?ervlces, .nul on Jnly 4, 1WW, lie led the inaicli uto Vicksburg1. Wiien General Mcl'her.son was killed Logan aucceeded him n command of the Armyof the Tennessep. Hisexploits wereulways holil and fearless tbrougbont the long oampatgn. When the war was over General Logap decllned the position of Minister to Mexico, and in 1860 he was elected to Conress f rom the Stateat-large in Illinois ly a majonty of 55,987. In the Fortieth Congress he was one of the manareis oí' the impeachment of President Johnson. ín 1870 he was elected by the Illinois Legislatura to succeed Richard Vates in the United States Senate. He was defeated, however, at tbc close of his term, the tlon. David Davia being his successor; but in 187!) he was a;ain elected to succeed Oglesby. Ilis career since then lias been suffloiently wellknown not torequire further mention.