ILLINOIS. 



nal, State, or local subscriptions in aid of oor- 



Re#>lvl } That we demand the repeal of our na- 



banking law, itn.l IM-IU-VI- tluit the Government 



1 issue legal-tender circulation direct from tha 



.iy, iiiteivhiing.'ubli' lor (i'lVi-rnmcnt bond* 



MI tliu lowest possible rate of interest. 



Rrfoiced, That we hold that patent-laws are too 

 made to subserve the interests of monopolists, 

 uM be carefully revised and restricted. 



Ruoloed, That we are opposed to any construction 

 State constitution that will justify under any 

 .t whatever annual instead of biennial sessions 

 -;tate Legislature. 



Retolved, Tluit existing railroad legislation in this 

 imiiM >>c sustained and enforced until thor- 

 oughly tested before the courts. That we oppose 

 _'islution by Congress, under plea of regulating 

 Commerce between States, which snail deprive the 

 of thi'ir present control and influence through 

 State legislation, and that the claim of the railroad 

 companies to the right to fix their freights and fares 

 Independent of the people involves the highest attri- 

 ( sovereignty, the right of a conqueror to levy 

 contributions at will upon a subjugated people or 

 state ; and, as this power cannot coexist with a 

 government of the people, it must be resisted. 



Retained, That the right of the Legislature to regu- 

 late and control the railroads of the State must be 

 vindicated, established, and maintained as an essen- 

 tial attribute of the State government, and that those 

 holding the doctrine that railroad charters are con- 

 tracts in the sense that they are not subject to the 

 Legislature's supervision and control have no just 

 appreciation of the necessary powers and rights of 

 free government ; and we will agree to no truce, sub- 

 mit to no compromise, short of the complete suprema- 

 cy of the State government in its right, through its 

 Legislature, to supervise and control the railroads of 

 the State in such a manner as the public interests 

 may demand. 



Resolved, That we condemn the practice of our pub- 

 lic officials in receiving free passes from railroads. 



Resolved, That the principle of protection as ap- 

 plied to duties on foreign imports is contrary to the 

 spirit and intent of the Constitution, as it creates a 

 privileged class, levying a tax on a large majority 

 for the benefit of a favored few. We are therefore 

 opposed to all duties levied with this end in view, as 

 unjust, unequal, and we insist upon a repeal of all 

 laws laying such duties, and that taxes shall be lev- 

 ied for revenue and that only. 



Resolved, That this convention earnestly recom- 

 mend to the independent voters of the various con- 

 gressional and legislative districts and counties of the 

 State to put in nomination at an early day and use 

 the best efforts to elect candidates who support the 

 principles herein enunciated. 



Resolved, That the contract system practised in the 

 construction of our public works, national, State, and 

 municipal, has been a fruitful source of corruption 

 and fraud, at the expense of the laboring and me- 

 chanical as well as against public interests, and such 

 system should be revised and reformed. 



Resolved, That we, the Independent Reform party 

 of the State of Illinois, invite tne people of the State, 

 regardless of past political affiliations, to unite with 

 us in support of the platform and ticket of this con- 

 vention, and we appeal to the better judgment of all 

 our business and professional men to lend us their 

 aid and sympathy, remembering, as they well may, 

 that upon our prosperity and happiness depends 

 their success in business. 



The State Convention of the Republican 

 party assembled in Springfield, June 17th, and 

 nominated Thomas S. Ridgway for State 

 Treasurer, and William B. Powell for Super- 

 intendent of Public Instruction. The platform 

 adopted was as follows: 



We, the delegated representative! of the Ik-pub- 

 lican party of Illinois, declare the following to b 

 substantially our political belief: 



1. That emancipation and enfranchisement hav- 

 ing been secured by the thirteenth and fir 



.merits to the Constitution of the United 

 States, and by appropriate legislation for their en- 

 forcement ; and equality of civil rights having been 

 guaranteed by the fourteenth amendment, such 

 guarantee should be enforced by appropriate statutes, 

 so that the broad aegis of Federal power may bu over 

 black and white citizens alike. 



2. That, as one of the consequences of the late 

 civil war, about $882,000,000 of non-interest-bearing 

 Treasury notes were issued to, and are now held by, 

 the people as a safe and convenient currency, it 

 would be unwise and inexpedient, in the present 

 financial condition of the people, to attempt the im- 

 mediate cancellation of any portion of such Treas- 

 ury notes. 



8. That the laws for the establishment of national 

 banks having secured to the States and Territories 

 the best system of bank circulation ever before af- 

 forded to the people, it should be no longer confided 

 to a privileged class, but should be free to all alike, 

 under general and equal laws, the aggregate volume 

 of currency to be regulated by the uutrumuieled laws 

 of trade. 



4. That we reaffirm the declaration of the Na- 

 tional Republican Convention of 1872, in favor of a re- 

 turn to specie payment at the earliest practicable day. 



5. That we commend the measures which have 

 passed the popular branch of Congress, looking to 

 the cheapening and perfection of inter-State railway 

 transportation, and tne improvement of navigation 

 at the mouth of the Mississippi River. 



6. That we are in favor or an amendment of the 

 Constitution of the United States providing for the 

 election of the President and Vice-President by the 

 direct vote of the people, without the intervention 

 of the electoral college. 



7. That the Republican party proposes to respect 

 the rights reserved by the people to themselves, as 

 carefully as the powers delegated by them to the 

 State and Federal Governments ; and it will aim to 

 secure the rights and privileges of the citizen with- 

 out regard to nativity or creed ; and it is opposed to 

 interference by law with the habits, tastes, or cus- 

 toms of individuals, except to suppress licentious- 

 ness or to preserve the peace and safety of the citi- 

 zens of the State. 



8. That while we accord to the railway companies 

 of this State the fullest measure of property rights, 

 we also demand for the people reasonable charges 

 and rigid impartiality in the transportation of pas- 

 sengers and freight such guarantee to be secured by 

 appropriate State and national legislation. 



Relying upon the foregoing declaration of princi- 

 ples and policy, and upon the broad, clear record of 

 the Republican party during its fifteen years of 

 State and Federal administration, we appeal once 

 more to that silent yet conclusive tribunal, the 

 ballot-box, confident that the people will indorse 

 overwhelmingly the action of this representative 

 convention. 



The Democratic Convention met in Spring- 

 field on the 26th of August, and, after much 

 discussion, agreed upon the following plat- 

 form: 



1. The resumption of gold and silver as the basis 

 of currency ; the resumption of specie payments as 

 soon as possible, without disaster to the business 

 interests of the country, by steadily opposing infla- 

 tion, and by the payment of the national indebted- 

 ness in the money of the civilized world. 



2. Free commerce, and no tariff except for reve- 

 nue purposes. 



8. Individual liberty, and opposition to sumptuary 

 laws. 



