NEW JERSEY. 



547 



, That by tlie unprecedented reduction of 

 the national debt ; by the large reduction of interest 

 upon the public loans, and the restoration of the na- 

 tional credit in all markets of the world ; by the wise 

 and happy adjustment of the late threatening con- 

 troversy with Great Britain ; by its houestj straight- 

 forward policy, and its high, patriotic spirit, the na- 

 tional Administration is entitled to our warmest com- 

 mendation and active support. 



Resolved, That we are heartily in favor of such a 

 reform of the civil service as shall make appoint- 

 ments to public office dependent upon fitness and 

 character, and allow removals for cause onty. 



Resolved, That the great facilities for foreign com- 

 merce afforded by the capacious and safe harbor of 

 the State upon the Hudson River facilities which 

 oceanic steamship lines, in the rapidly-growing 

 commerce of the country, are beginning to appre- 

 ciate demand and should receive national recogni- 

 tion by the erection of Jersey City into a port of 

 entry, and the establishment there of an independent 

 custom-house. 



Resolved, That the liberal provision made by the 

 last State Legislature for the cause of education, 

 looking as it does to the care and culture of every 

 child in the State, thus giving evidence that the Ee- 

 publican party now is, and hereafter proposes to be, 

 devoted to the elevation of the masses and the uni- 

 versal diffusion of light and knowledge, of education 

 and morality, has our most cordial approbation ; and 

 ^ye commend this policy to the favorable considera- 

 tion of our fellow-citizens of all classes and condi- 

 tions, as eminently^ fit to place the State in the very 

 front rank of her sisters of the Union. 



Resolved, That the present system of private and 

 special legislation is the source not only of unneces- 

 sary expense to the State and the public, but also of 

 legislative corruption, and this convention there- 

 fore declares itself in favor of the passage of a gen- 

 eral law of incorporation, and of the abolition, as far 

 as practicable, of all special and private legislation. 



The Democratic Convention was attended 

 by 835 delegates. Hon. Joel Parker, of Mon- 

 mouth, was nominated. The following plat- 

 form was adopted : 



The representatives of the Democratic party of 

 the State of New Jersey, in convention assembled, 

 appealing to the citizens of the State for a continued 

 support of its principles and its candidates, point to 

 these facts : They have urged the adoption of a sys- 

 tem of general laws, under which capital and labor 

 may find full and equal protection, and healthful 

 competition take the place of enterprises born of 

 special legislation and maintained by corruption. 

 They have maintained the unsullied reputation of 

 the *State as to judicial appointments, and in all 

 their appointments, executive and legislative, have 

 given honest and capable officers to the people. 

 They have maintained the dignity of the State, and 

 the constitutional rights and privileges of all its in- 

 habitants, irrespective of nationality, religious faith, 

 or political creed. They have largely increased the 

 sinking fund of the State, and added to the gen- 

 eral funds, so that the assets are now more' than 

 sufficient to pay all the obligations of the State of 

 every description. They show an amount equal to 

 over $1,000,000 collected and bonded under the ex- 

 ecution of the riparian laws. They have collected 

 nearly $300,000 from the United States Government 

 since the last Governor proclaimed that the accounts 

 between this State and the national Government 

 were substantially settled. The amounts thus saved 

 and collected have been nearly enough to pay all the 

 ordinary expenses of ^the State government since it 

 came into Democratic hands. They have main- 

 tained the credit of the State by judicious economy, 

 and its obligations stand second to none Federal or 

 State in commercial value. The Democrats of New 

 Jersey are proud of this record of their administra- 



tion, and challenge a comparison of it with that of 

 any Kepublican State in the Union. Upon the great 

 Federal questions, we declare that we favor a prompt 

 and complete amnesty of all persons for political 

 offences ; that we favor the raising of a revenue for 

 the economical support of the Government and the 

 payment of the principal and interest of the national 

 debtj and, so far as such revenue is raised from the 

 tariff, it is to be upon the principle of taxation upon 

 luxuries, and the abolishment of taxes upon the ne- 

 cessaries of life ; that the Democratic party recognize 

 the laboring element of the country as the true 

 source of national wealth and strength, between 

 which and capital no antagonism can exist, so long 

 as the right and dignity of labor are properly recog- 

 nized, and there is no duty the party owes to the 

 country or to itself, superior to the full protection 

 of the laboring interests ; that, denouncing all con- 

 spiracies against law and good order, North or South, 

 we protest against the extraordinary grant of mili- 

 tary power given by the late Congress to the Presi- 

 dent, and declare the same to be most dangerous in 

 precedent, and unnecessary in fact ; that the Demo- 

 cratic party in the present, as in the past, recognize 

 the Constitution and the amendments thereto as the 

 organic law'of the country, and not as open political 

 questions of the day. We believe that the Govern- 

 ment of the United States is, as it ought to be, a 

 government of limited powers ; that these powers 

 are prescribed and enumerated in the Constitution 

 of the United States ; which Government is founded 

 upon its adoption by the people, and creating direct 

 relations between it and all its subjects. It is not a 

 supreme, unlimited, imperial, consolidated Govern- 

 ment; but that it has its distinct and recognized 

 sphere of action, already ample ; the governments of 

 the separate States have their distinct and recog- 

 nized sphere of action ; and that it is to the last 

 degree important to the preservation of local inde- 

 pendence, to the universal diffusion of political 

 vitality, to the prevention of military despotism, to 

 the security of individual rights, and the perpetuity 

 of our institutions, that these separate spheres of 

 action should be kept forever distinct and invio- 

 lable. 



The canvass was animated, both candidates 

 entering personally into the contest. The 

 result was the election of the Democratic 

 candidate. The total vote was 158,745 ; Joel 

 Parker had 82,362 votes, and Cornelius Walsh 

 76,383; Parker's majority 5,979. The total 

 vote for Congress in 1870 was 157,426 ; Re- 

 publican majority 3,426. The total vote for 

 Governor in 1868 was 163,288. Theodore F. 

 Randolph, Democrat, over John J. Blair, Re- 

 publican, 4,622. The Legislature was carried 

 by the Republicans : in the Senate there are 

 12 Republicans against 9 Democrats ; and in the 

 House 36 Republicans against 24 Democrats. 



Important changes were made in the man- 

 agement of the leading railroads of the State 

 during the year, and various railroad projects 

 were presented. In the summer, the Camden 

 & Amboy, the Philadelphia & Trenton, the 

 Delaware & Raritan Canal, and the N"ew ' 

 Jersey Railroad & Transportation Companies, 

 were leased to the Pennsylvania Central Rail- 

 road Company, at a rental of ten per cent, 

 per annum, in accordance with the following 

 terms : 



1. The lessee to pay the rent at all times during the 

 said term, notwithstanding any future action of any of 

 the corporations or their stockholders ; and, in order 

 to secure the individual interest of each stockholder 



