350 



ILLINOIS. 



the rebellion had hurled their power against it for 

 more than four years ; and now, when peace has once 

 again visited the land, we imperatively demand that 

 afl the rights, privileges, and obligations of the Fed- 

 eral Constitution be evermore reinstated in their full 

 force and effect. 



Resolved, That the right of suffrage shall be limited 

 to the white race in this country, and, while we un- 

 hesitatingly declare this shall be the law in our State, 

 we fully recognize the right of the people in each and 

 every State to determine for themselves, free from 

 any outside interference, from any power whatever. 



Resolved, That the intended and designed political 

 effect of the so-called reconstruction measures of the 

 present and last Congress is to deliver over the politi- 

 cal control of the Southern States to the lately eman- 

 cipated negroes therein, and thereby thus aid, by the 

 utter prostration of the white men t citizens thereof, 

 to retain the lease of power the ruling party have so 

 long held, and which they have so flagrantly abused, 

 all of which we will resist as freemen by every means 

 which is given us by the Constitution of the country. 



Resolved, That the vast bulk of the indebtedness 

 of the country, known as 5.20's, are lawfully payable 

 in legal-tender notes of the Government, and should 

 be so paid, as the said obligations are within the 

 power of the Government to relieve and discharge ; 

 and that whereof the faith of the Government is 

 pledged to pay in gold, we will so fulfil, and beyond 

 this we will not go. 



Resolved, That the present system of national banks 

 can and should be abolished at once, and the notes 

 of the said institutions redeemed, and their place re- 

 lieved by non-interest bearing notes of the Govern- 

 ment, thus saving annually to the people twenty mill- 

 ions of dollars. 



Resolved, That all the wealth of the country, 

 whether invested in Government securities or other- 

 wise, should sustain its full and fair share of taxation. 



Resolved, That the present attempted impeachment 

 of the President of the United States exhibits to the 

 world the malignancy of the representatives of a 

 party, part of whom were repudiated by their con- 

 stituents at the last expression of their views, and 

 who, to secure a partisan advantage, would destroy 

 in their power a coordinate branch of the Government. 



Resolved, That the nation is deeply indebted to the 

 soldiers and sailors who gallantly defended it in the 

 late war of rebellion, and that the memory of those 

 who perished in the conflict should and will be held 

 in grateful remembrance, and their widows and 

 children should be tenderly cared for by the nation ; 

 that those who returned and are in our midst we con- 

 gratulate, and tender them the assurance of our honor 

 and regard, and trust they will aid in perpetuating 

 the liberties of the Constitution of the country they 

 periled their lives to save. 



_ Resolved, That, recognizing the doctrine that alle- 

 giance is alienable, our national Government should 

 protect American citizens abroad, whether native or 

 foreign-born, and any outrage committed on the per- 

 son of an American citizen by a foreign government 

 should be resisted at every cost, and at all hazards. 



Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Democracy 

 of Illinois, we find in the political life and character 

 of Hon. George H. Pendleton, of Ohio, the assurance 

 of his entire accord with the principles we have here 

 declared ; and, recognizing in him the possession of 

 every quality fitting for that station, we do declare 

 him to be the choice of the Democracy of this State 

 for President of the United States, and do instruct 

 the members from this State to the National Conven 

 tion to vote as a unit, and to use all honorable means 

 in their power to secure his nomination by that body 

 for that position. 



The following was also reported by a mi- 

 nority of the committee, hut was laid on the 

 table, and the majority report adopted without 

 amendment : 



Resolved, That our delegates to the National Con- 

 vention are instructed to insist upon the policy of 

 paying 5.20 bonds in the lawful money of the coun- 

 try as a part of our national platform : and while we 

 recognize in the Hon. George H. Pendleton, of Ohio, 

 a statesman of the first order, and a pure patriot, we 

 deem it inexpedient at this time to trammel our dele- 

 gates in their choice of candidates, but desire that 

 they shall, after a full and fraternal conference with 

 the delegates of other States, favor the nomination 

 of those candidates best suited to the positions, and 

 most likely to be elected at the polls. 



The nominations for the State ticket were : 

 John E. Eden, of Moultrie, for Governor; W. 

 H. Van Epps, of Lee, for Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor ; Gustavus Van Hoersbeck, of Clinton, 

 for Secretary of State ; Jesse J. Phillips, of 

 Montgomery, for Treasurer; and Eobert E. 

 Williams, of McLean, for Auditor. 



The Eepublican State Central Committee 

 published a call for a Eepublican Union State 

 Convention, to he held at Peoria on the 6th of 

 May, representing the voters of Illinois " who 

 support the congressional plan of reconstruct- 

 ing the disorganized States ; who are in favor 

 of their speedy admission to a participation in 

 the Government ; who are in favor of retrench- 

 ment of public expenditures; of honest and 

 economical administration of government ; of 

 reducing taxes to the greatest practical extent ; 

 of maintaining the national faith and honor 

 inviolate ; who are opposed to paying the rebel 

 debt or damages for loss of slaves caused by 

 treason and rebellion ; who are in favor of the 

 protection of all American citizens, native and 

 adopted, everywhere ; and who are in favor of 

 the election of a President and Vice-President 

 whose faith to the loyal people of the nation 

 will not be broken."-* 



The convention met in accordance with this 

 call, and proceeded to make the following nom- 

 inations: for Governor, Major-General John 

 M. Palmer, of Sangamon ; for Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, John Dougherty, of Union; for Secre- 

 tary of State, Edward Eummel, of Peoria ; for 

 Auditor, General Charles E. Lippincott, of 

 Cass; for Treasurer, Erastus N. Bates, of 

 Marion; and for Attorney-General, Washing- 

 ton Bushnell, of La Salle. The platform adopt- 

 ed was in the following terms : 



The Eepublican party of the State of Illinois, con- 

 tinuing their great contest against the political action 

 which culminated in open rebellion against the Con- 

 stitution and the laws, and which now seeks to save 

 from the wreck of the rebel creeds and rebel armies 

 the seeds of future wars and more intolerant despot- 

 ism, do hereby appeal to the people in the following 

 resolutions : 



Resolved, 1. That we congratulate the country on 

 the assured success of the reconstruction laws of Con- 

 gress as evidenced by the return of six of the eleven 

 seceding States of the Union ; under constitutions 

 securing equal civil and political rights to all; we 

 hold that the policy of Andrew Johnson, supported 

 by the Democratic j>arty, which proposes to confer a 

 monopoly of such rights upon conquered rebels and 

 discontented slaveholders, was fraught with the 

 gravest perils, both to the peace of the nation and to 

 the freedom of individuals. 



2. That it is the duty of Congress to restore the 

 lately-revolted States to their practical relations in the 



