232 



CONNECTICUT. 



are unalterably devoted to the principle and practice 

 of territorial expansion, and the consequent exten- 

 sion of our American inheritance of free, enlightened, 

 and constitutional government ; that they are never- 

 theless sternly opposed to any such expansion of 

 the territorial area of the republic in any direction, 

 north or south, by fraud, violence,pr intimidation ; 

 and that the acquisition of San Domingo, in the 

 manner and by the means now in progress by the 

 present Administration, is justly liable to the 

 gravest suspicions, fraught with danger to the sta- 

 bility of our institutions, and meets with our un- 

 qualified condemnation. 



Resolved, That, reiterating a time-honored prin- 

 ciple of the Democratic party ; \ve adopt the words 

 of the resolution introduced into the United States 

 Senate by the Hon. Carl Schurz, of Missouri, in re- 

 gard to the disfranchisement of sixty thousand citi- 

 zens of that State ; that due regard for the funda- 

 mental principles of our system of government, as 

 well as every consideration of sound statesmanship, 

 demands the removal of the disqualifications and 

 disabilities of citizens ; and further, we indorse the 

 assertion of this eloquent leader of the reformers, 

 that the party which still attempts to proscribe and 

 disfranchise its opponents merely for the purpose 

 of maintaining itself in power, and of monopolizing 

 the offices, will lose all moral influence over public 

 opinion, and will be bound to go to the bottom. 



Resolved, That the source of power being in the 

 people, free schools and general education are essen- 

 tial to good government and the perpetuation of 

 free institutions. 



Resolved, That the appropriation by the Eadical 

 party of near two hundred millions of acres of the 

 public domain to railroad corporations and specula- 

 tors deserves condemnation. The territory thus 

 given away is greater than the entire area of Ger- 

 many, embracing a population of forty-five millions ; 

 and this wasteful extravagance is crippling our re- 

 sources, and lessening the ability of the Government 

 to provide free homesteads. They have parted with 

 lands which would have provided in the future two 

 hundred acres for each of one million families. 



Resolved, That we approve of the judicious man- 

 agement of the Executive department of the State, 

 and are gratified to learn that five hundred thousand 

 dollars of the State debt is to be paid within the 

 present fiscal year. 



Resolved, That in Governor James E. English, and 

 the gentlemen associated with him, on the ticket, 

 we have the fullest confidence. We pledge to them 

 a united and cordial support. 



The Republicans met in State Convention 

 in the same city, on January 25th. Marshall 

 Jewell, of Hartford, was again nominated for 

 Governor; for Lieutenant-Governor, Morris 

 Tyler, of New Haven ; for Secretary of State, 

 Hiram Appelman; for Treasurer, David P. 

 Nichols ; for Comptroller of Public Accounts, 

 James W. Manning. Before adjourning, the 

 members of the convention unanimously adopt- 

 ed a series of resolutions, as follows : 



1. Resolved, That we gladly renew our allegiance 

 to the principles and policy of the Republican party, 

 and we challenge the history of political organiza- 

 tions to parallel the record of its ten years of national 

 rule. A gigantic rebellion has been suppressed, 

 armies of a million raised and disbanded, four mill- 

 ions of slaves set free, labor made free and honor- 

 able, free homesteads offered to all settlers, the Pa- 

 cific Railroad built, universal liberty and equal civil 

 and political rights for the first time secured by con- 

 stitutional amendments, the States that broke their 

 connection reconstructed and restored, taxation fre- 

 quently reduced, the Jast reduction being eighty- 

 millions a year, the national debt greatly reduced, 



two hundred millions of the reduction taking pla 

 under the present Administration^ the national credit 

 raised at home and abroad, the price of gold brought 

 steadily downward, the revenues vigilantly collected 

 and honestly disbursed, the perfect citizenship of 

 all adopted citizens for the first time protected by 

 settling the doctrine of expatriation, the Monroe 

 doctrine vindicated in the case of the French inva- 

 sion of Mexico, peace maintained and the national 

 character kept in the highest respect throughout the 

 world. We Know no way of judging the future but 

 by the past. The Republican party has never made 

 a pledge to liberty and union which it has not re- 

 deemed. From beginning to end, it has met the 

 desperate opposition of the Democratic party. 



2. That the Republican party can be trusted in 

 the future as in the past to deal wisely and honestly 

 with finance, taxation, and currency, its opponents 

 showing by their congressional votes and various 

 conventions that they favor measures which, if adopt- 

 ed, tend to result in repudiation and bankruptcy. 

 We renew our approval of legislation seeking the 

 resumption of specie payments, the permanent es- 

 tablishment of a sound national currency, and a 

 tariff sufficient for revenue carefully adjusted to the 

 tax-paying abilities of all classes, and promoting 

 and encouraging the great industrial interests of 

 this country. 



3. That it is the duty of the Government to en- 

 force the strictest economy in all its expenditures, 

 and to refuse all appropriations, direct or indirect, 

 which may be solicited in aid of private schemes 

 and enterprises. 



4. That the Republican majority in Congress, by 

 its courage in considering and its energy in handling 

 the difficult questions which it has encountered, and 

 by the wisdom and thoroughness of the measures 

 whereby it has thus far disposed of those questions, 

 has deserved well of the republic. 



5. That President Grant, by his integrity, his pa- 

 triotism, his directness and vigor of action, his un- 

 wavering fidelity to the principles of the Republican 

 party, his just deference to the opinions of Congress 

 and of the people, and by his firmness in the discharge 

 of his high duties, has commanded the confidence 

 of the nation ; that under his administration we may 

 be sure that, so far as he can accomplish such result, 

 the laws will be faithfully executed at home, and 

 the honor of the republic fully maintained abroad ; 

 and that we especially approve the calm and tem- 

 perate spirit in which he has made manifest his de- 

 termination to secure a settlement of the Alabama 

 question and the fishery question, in such a manner 

 as to maintain peace and exact justice at the tame 

 time. 



6. That we shall heartily approve such a reform 

 the civil service, with such tenure of office in the 

 subordinate departments of the Government, as ma^ 

 be most likely to secure competent and faithful of 

 ficers in every branch of the administration. 



7. That the legislation of this State for the 

 fifteen years is honorable to the Republican pa'i __ 

 in whose hands it has steadily been. The war ws 

 energetically sustained, and in peace the taxes have 

 been annually reduced, large payments have an- 

 nually been made upon the State debt ? the demands 

 of educational and humane institutions liberall " 

 met, and the character of the State, in all respec 

 maintained. 



Whereas, The statistics of this Commonwealtl 

 show that intemperance, violence, and crime, 

 alarmingly on the increase : therefore 



1. Resolved, That it is the duty of the Legislature, 

 as the guardians of the public weal, seriously to in- 

 quire what further legislation may be necessary to 

 give efficiency to existing laws, so that the peace, 

 security, and health of the- community may be pro- 

 tected. 



2. That general education is essential alike to 

 the preservation and prosperity of the republic, tha 



