UNITED STATES. 



777 



we invite all Republicans of New York who agree 

 with us to cooperate in our action. 



Henry R. Selden, Horace Greeley, Fred. A. Conk- 

 ling, William Dorsheimer, Sinclair Tousey, Sigis- 

 muud Kaut'mann, E. Krackowizer, Ira O. Miller, 

 Edwin K. Keynolds, William H. Briggs, Charles W. 

 Godard, Henry D. Lloyd, William W. Goodrich, 

 Waldo Ilutchins, Hiram Barney, Freeman J. Fithian, 

 George P. Bradford, Benjamin A. Willis, Horace 

 Betnis, Louis Lowenthal. 



The following letter also appeared from Mr. 

 Charles Francis Adams, who was spoken of as 

 the probable candidate of the convention, and 

 who was then on his way to the Geneva Arbi- 

 tration : 



BOSTON, April 18, 1872. 



Mr DEAR MB. WELLES : I have received your let- 

 ter, and will answer it frankly^. I do not want the 

 nomination, and could only be induced to consider it 

 by the circumstances under which it might possibly 

 be made. If the call upon me were an unequivocal 

 one, based upon confidence in my character earned 

 in public life, and a belief that I would carry out_in 

 practice the principles which I professed, then, in- 

 deed, would come a test of my courage in an emer- 

 gency ; but if I am to be negotiated for, and have 

 assurances given that I am honest, you will be so 

 kind as to draw me out of that crowd. With regard 

 to what I understand to be the declaration of princi- 

 ples which has been made, it would be ridiculous in 

 me to stand haggling over them. With a single ex- 

 ception of ambiguity, I see nothing which any hon- 

 est Republican or Democrat would not accept. In- 

 deed, I should wonder at any one who denied them. 

 The difficulty is not in the professions. It lies every- 

 where only in the manner in which they are carried 

 into practice. If I have succeeded in making my- 

 self understood, you will perceive that I can give no 

 authority to any one to act or speak for me in the 

 premises. I never had a moment's belief that, when 

 it came to the point, any one, so entirely isolated as I 

 am from all political associations of any kind, could 

 ba made acceptable as a candidate for public office; 

 but I am so unlucky as to value that independence 

 more highly than the elevation which is brought by 

 a sacrifice of it. This is not inconsistent with the 

 sense of grateful recognition of the very flattering 

 estimates made of my services in many and high 

 quarters, but I cannot consent to peddle with them 

 for power. If the good people who meet at Cincin- 

 nati really believe that they need such an anomalous 

 being as I am (which I do not), they must express it 

 in a manner to convince me of it, or all their labor 

 will be thrown away, 



I am, with great respect, yours, etc., 



CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. 



DAVID A. WELLS, Esq., Norwich, Conn. 



On May 1st a large convention of the Lib- 

 eral Republicans assembled in Cincinnati, Ohio, 

 and was organized by the appointment of Sen- 

 ator Carl Schurz, of Missouri, as permanent 

 chairman. The following resolutions as a plat- 

 form were adopted : 



We, the Liberal Republicans of the United States, 

 in National Convention assembled at Cincinnati, 

 proclaim the following principles as essential to just 

 government : 



and 



a vv m 1*1 1U. lHJiU U licit) 1U 10 cuo VAU.UJ VA \s *-/ 



its dealings with the people, to mete out equal and 

 exact justice to all, of whatever nativity, race, color, 

 or persuasion, religious or political. 



2. We pledge ourselves to maintain the union of 

 these States, emancipation and enfranchisement, and 

 to oppose any reopening of the questions settled by 

 the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments 

 to the Constitution. 



3. We demand the immediate and absolute removal 

 of all disabilities imposed on account of the rebellion, 

 which was finally subdued seven years ago believing 

 that universal amnesty will result in complete pacifi- 

 cation in all sections of the country. 



4. Local self-government, with impartial suffrage, 

 will guard the rights of all citizens more securely 

 than any centralized power. The public welfare re- 

 quires the supremacy of the civil over the military 

 authority, and freedom of person under the protec- 

 tion of the habeas corpus. We demand for the in- 

 dividual the largest liberty consistent with public 

 order, for the State self-government, and for the na- 

 tion a return to the methods of peace and the consti- 

 tutional limitations of power. 



5. The civil service of the Government has become 

 a mere instrument of partisan tyranny and personal 

 ambition, and an object of selfish greed. It is a scan- 

 dal and reproach upon free institutions, and breeds a 

 demoralization dangerous to the perpetuity of repub- 

 lican government. We therefore regard such thor- 

 ough ^reforms of the civil service as one of the most 

 pressing necessities of the hour; that honesty, ca- 

 pacity, and fidelity, constitute the only valid claims 

 to public employment ; that the offices of the Gov- 

 ernment cease to be a matter of arbitrary favoritism 

 and patronage, and that public station become again 

 a post of honor. To this end it is imperatively re- 

 quired that no President shall be a candidate for re- 

 election. 



6. We demand a system of Federal taxation which 

 shall not unnecessarily interfere with the industry 

 of the people, and which shall provide the means 

 necessary to pay the expenses of the Government, 

 economically administered, the pensions, the inter- 

 est on the public debt, and a moderate reduction 

 annually of the principal thereof; and, recognizing 

 that there are in our midst honest but irreconcilable 

 differences of opinion with regard to the respective 

 systems of protection and free trade, we remit the dis- 

 cussion of the subject to the people in their congress- 

 ional districts, and to the decision of Congress there- 

 on, wholly free of Executive interference or dictation. 



7. The public credit must be sacredly maintained, 

 and we denounce repudiation in every form and guise. 



8. A speedy return to specie payment is demand- 

 ed alike by the highest considerations of commercial 

 morality and honest government. 



9. We remember with gratitude the heroism and 

 sacrifices of the soldiers and sailors of the republic, 

 and no act of ours shall ever detract from their justly- 

 earned fame, or the full reward of their patriotism. 



10. We are opposed to all further grants of lands 

 to railroads or other corporations. The public do- 

 main should be held sacred to actual settlers. 



11. We hold that it is the duty of the Government, 

 in its intercourse with foreign nations, to cultivate 

 the friendship of peace, by treating with all on fair 

 and equal terms, regarding it alike dishonorable 

 either to demand what is not right, or to submit to 

 what is wrong. 



12. For the promotion and success of these vital 

 principles, and the support of the candidates nomi- 

 nated by this convention, we invite and cordially wel- 

 come the cooperation of all patriotic citizens, without 

 regard to previous affiliations. 



The votes on the nomination of the candi- 

 date for the presidency were given, on each of 

 the six ballots, as follows : 



1. We recognize the equality of all men before the 

 hold that it is the duty of Government, in 



