Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/63

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Political History of Oregon.
53

the payment of the public indebtedness in the uttermost good faith to all creditors at home or abroad, not only according to the letter, but the spirit of the laws under which it was contracted. And for this purpose we favor strict economy in the administration of the national government, and the application to such payment of all surplus revenue from whatever sources derived, and that taxation should be equalized and reduced as rapidly as the national faith will permit.' The platform expresses sympathy with men of all nationalities, striving for self-government; opposes any change in the naturalization laws which shall admit to citizenship foreigners not now entitled thereto; favors a judicious system of railroad and river improvements, and insists upon congress making liberal grants of aid; favors a tariff for revenue with such discriminations in favor of domestic manufactures as will not diminish its efficiency for the purposes of revenue; favors universal amnesty to those people whose states have been restored to their full relations to the Union; favors education and opposes any diversion of the common school funds to any other purpose than the support of the common schools. Declares that it recognizes in the union republican party the measures and men who saved the government from destruction, and that its continuance in power is the only safeguard to national peace and prosperity.

The democratic state convention which met April 10, 1872, adopted a platform of nine resolutions, in substance declaring in favor of a strict construction of the constitution; the restoration of the states to their rights; opposes corruption in all departments of the government; declares against privileged classes or capital; expresses its approval of a tariff to raise money only for the necessary expenses of the federal government, and not for benefit of monopolies. It condemns as unconstitutional