The Cincinnati Platform

The tollowing i the platform adoptod unaniniously by tho Cincinnati Liberal Eepublican Coiwention : The administration now in power has rendereditselfguilty of wanton disrg:ir.l ef tho laws of the land and of nüurprng powers not granted by the Constitution. It has aetcd as if tho laws had a binding forcé only for thoso who uro goverued and not for thoso who govorn. It has thus struck a blow at the fundamental principies of constitutional gowrnment and tho liberties of the citizen. Thü Presidont of th-e United States has openly usod tho powors and opportuuities of his high oiBcu for the promotion of personal ends. Ho has kept notoriously corrupt and unworthy men in places of power and rospactability to the detriment of tho public interest. Ho has used tho public service of the goverument as a ; majhinury of partisan and' personal ! fluence, and interferoil with teohnioal j rogance in th political aiïairs of States and muniuipaUtics. Ho has fow&rded with iniluential uiul lucrativo, oiticos racu who had aoquirad" his favor by valuable presonts, thus stimulat.ing tho demoralization of our political by his oonspicuous exninple. He husshown himsolf doplorably uoaqual to tho tasks imposed upon liim by tho neco&sities of tho country, and eulpably oateleu of the eeponsihilitcs of his high office. T!ih partisans of tho administration, assuming to bo tho Republican party and oontrolling its orgauization, havo attouiptod to justify such wrongs an4 abuses to bho oud of maintuining partisan ascendanoy. ïhcy have stood in the way of nocessary investigat'ons and neoessaxj reform that no Borious faalt inay bo föund with the present admiiustration of public affaiis, thus seeking to blind tho eyes of tho peopl . They havo kept aiivo the passious and resentmeats of the lato civil war to uso thoiu for thoir own advantage. Thcy have resorted to urbitrary measures in direct oonflict with the law, inatsad of appoalrng to the bettor instiucts and latent piitriotisin of the Southern peoplo by restoring to them. tho rights tho enjoyment of which is indispensable for tho succssful administration oí' thoir local affairs, and would tend to ïnovo a p itriotic and hopeful national feeling. They have degrade! themselves and tho namo of thcir party, oncu justly cntitled to tho contidence of the nstion, by a base sycophancy to the disposer of execiitive power and patronage uinworthy of Eapublican freemen. They have sought to silence the voice of just criticism, to stifle the mor.il .use of tho poople, and to subjugate public opinión by tyraunical party disciplino. They are Btiiiing to niuintain themsolves in autliority for seltish ends by au unscrupulous use of tho power which rightfully Lylongs to the poople and should bo employed only in the service of tho country. Believing that au organization thu& led and controlled ca)i no longer bo of service to tho best interests of the llepublic, we have resolved to make an iudepondent appeal to the sober judgrndn-t, cousoienoü aud patriotism of the American people. We, the liberal ltepublicans of theUnited States, in National Uonvention nsseinbled-' at Cineinnati, proclaitn tho following iwiucixjles as essential to tjnst government : 1. We recognize the oquality of men beforn the law, and hold that it is the j áaty of the goverument in it -s dealiugs with tho poople to mete out equal aud i exact justice to all, of whatever nativity, race, color or persuasión, religious or politica.1. 2. Wo pledge ourselves to maiutaiu the union of these States, emancipation and franchisement, and to oppose uny roopeuing of tho questions settled by the thirtc-enth, fourteenth and fifteonth uineudinents of the Constitution. 2. We demaud tho imraodtate and absolute removal of all disabilitios imposed on account of the rebelüon, whioh v;is fihally subdued soven vears ago, believing that universal amnesty wiil result in the completo pacification of all sections of the country. 4. Local self-government, with impartial suö'rage, will guard the rights of all citizens more securely than any centralized power. The public welfare ivquirethe supremacy of the civil over the military authority and free&oni of p:i'son ons éei. thü proteetïon of the habcas corpus. "YTc de-.iiand for tho individual tho largest liberty consistent with public ordor, for tho States self-govornment, and for the nation a return to tho inethods of peaco and the constitutioaal Iiuiitatio2.s of power. 5. The civil service ofilie govornment has becúiue a roijre instrument of jjartisan; tyrauny and püijoiiiil anibition,. and an object of selfish greed. It is a scandal and reproach on freo institutions and bi'eeds a deinoraiization daugerous to the perpetuity of repubiican govornment. 6. We therefore regard a thorough refarm of the civil service as one of the wost pressing neecssities of the hour. ïhai faoiiesiy. capuuity axiá fidohtj' constituto tho uuly valid claiar to public employiuent. That the offices of the-governnitnt oettM to be a matter of arbitrary favoritism and patronage, and that ■ gublio station becomos a post of honor. To this end is imperatively required that no President be a caudidato for re-election- 7. We demanda system of federal taxatibn whi"hshall not unnecessarily iuterfere with tho inclustry of t!ie jjeople, and which shall provide the means nectssary to pay the expenses of the governmont, econoniically administured, t!ie pensions, the interest on tho public dabt, a moderato animal leduction of the principal thereof; anfL xecognizigg that there are ib-our uiidst Uoaeat but irreconcilable differencos of opinión with regard to the respective systLins of protc-otiou aud free trade, wo remit the disoussion. of the subijecfc so íLu people in their Coiigrcssioual distrii:' a.ad tho decisión of Oon-giress therton, whoüy froe of executive iu.toiference or diotation. . The public orodi-fc must he sacredly maintnined, and wc douounce repudiaiiu;; in nvery foRB and guise. 9. A speedy retuin to specie payment k domanded alike by tho highest consideïationu of commercial murality and houtffck gOYCínmoiit. Sö. We twtaeniber with gratitude the sneritteea of the soldiers aud stiil.iis of the Bepnblio, and no act of ours shall wea-doteaotfron] tiieir juatly earned fume or ils atiwacdl of their patriotism. 11. Wo opposed lo all further grants of lanf& to railroads or other corporations. Tho publio domaiu shouid be held sacred to actuivi sottlers. 12. Wo hold thut it U tho dutj of the Covernnient in its intercourse with foreig natious to cultívate thfr friíü-.dships oFyëaoe by treating with all on fuir and uauat (ui'iiii, regarding it alike diülxonorabfe eitliov to djstnand vhat is not vigtit or to.submit t'j. wliat is wrong. 13; For tho promotion and succes3 ei these vitü-L piiuJes and tho Bupporc of thp canaidares itojiinated by this Convention wo invite aud ourdially wclcome tha co-opcration oL uil patriotic citizcue, without regard to previovs political aliiliationa.