672 



OREGON. 



cials in local elections, and the use of large sums of 

 money to defeat the voice of the people through the 

 ballot-box, deserve and receive our severest con- 

 demnation. 



5. That corporations are the creations of law; 

 their franchise and privileges are granted to sub- 

 serve the public interests, and when these are used 

 not to subserve the objects of their creation, but for 

 purposes of oppression and extortion, we declare it 

 to be the right and duty of the Legislature to regulate 

 and control such corporations. 



6. That we favor speedy return to specie pay- 

 ments ; just and equal taxation for support of Feder- 

 al and State Governments ; and that we are opposed 

 to all discrimination in the assessments of lederal 

 revenue for the purposes of protection. 



7. That the free navigation and improvement of 

 the Columbia Biver, the construction of a break- 

 water at Port Orford, the improvement of the Co- 

 quille and Willamette Elvers, and the construction of 

 the Portland, Dalles & Salt Lake Eailroad, are im- 

 provements demanded by the commercial interests 

 of this State, and that the Federal Government 

 ought by all proper means to assist these measures ; 

 that wo are in favor of the bill now before Congress, 

 generally known as the Portland, Dalles & Salt 

 Lake Kailroad bill; and we also favor the early com- 

 pletion of the Oregon & California Eailroad to the 

 southern boundary of the State. 



8. That we disapprove all measures in the inter- 

 ests of capitalists and monopolists against labor, 

 believing that distinctions, if distinctions be made, 

 should be in favor of the laboring class, who consti- 

 tute the mass of our citizens, the producers of the 

 wealth and prosperity of our country. We there- 

 fore approve of the declared principles and sympa- 

 thize with the avowed object of the organization- 

 known as the Patrons of Husbandry, and with those 

 of all other orders having for their object retrench- 

 ment and reform in public affairs, and the social 

 advancement of the people ; that we are opposed to 

 a monopoly in the publication and sale of books 

 used in the common schools of this State, and we 

 are in favor of amending the existing laws in rela- 

 tion to such, so as take away from the publishers 

 of the Pacific Coast Series of readers and spellers 

 the special privileges in relation thereto which they 

 now enjoy. 



9. That the act relating to the fees of sheriffs and 

 clerks ought to be so amended, either by making 

 such offices salaried, or by so reducing the fees now 

 attached to the same, as shall make the compensa- 

 tion received by sucii officers a fair remuneration 

 and nothing more for the services required of them. 

 That the constitution be so amended that all print- 

 ing for the State, after the expiration of the term of 

 the State Printer in office when such amendment is 

 passed, shall be provided for by letting the same to 

 the lowest responsible bidder. That we are in favor 

 of the Litigant act. 



10. That the only legitimate object of govern- 

 ment is the protection of its citizens in their lives, 

 liberty, and property, and the pursuit of happiness : 

 that to accomplish this end direct means only should 

 be resorted to ; that the good resulting from a de- 

 parture from this rule is temporary, the evil last- 

 ing. We are, therefore, opposed to the State en- 

 gaging in the purchase, leasing, or speculating in 

 property of any kind, except such only as is neces- 

 sary for conducting the ordinary functions of the 

 government. 



11. That we favor the immediate construction of 

 a good and serviceable wagon-road along the south 

 bank of the Columbia River, from the mouth of the 

 Sandy River to the Dalles. 



12. That the compensation of all officers should 

 be only such as will be a just remuneration for their 

 services. 



13. Resolved, That we are in favor of congres- 

 sional aid for the construction of the Portland, 



Dalles & Salt Lake Railroad, and also for continu- 

 ing the Oregon Central Eailroad, from St. Joseph to 

 Junction City. 



JResolved, That we are in favor of free trade and 

 direct taxation. 



The Republican State Convention assembled 

 in Salem on the 8th of April, and nominated 

 Richard Williams for Representative in Con- 

 gress, Judge J. C. Tolman for Governor, C. M. 

 Foster for Secretary of State, D. G. Clark for 

 Treasurer, E. M. Waite for State Printer, and 

 L. L. Rowland for Superintendent of Public 

 Instruction. 



The following resolutions were adopted : 



fiesolved, 1. The Eepublican party of the State of 

 Oregon, in convention assembled, declare that the 

 end of government is to secure equal and exact jus- 

 tice to all its citizens with as little infringement as 

 possible upon individual freedom ; that the govern- 

 ment of the people by the people and for the people, 

 interpreted and foreshadowed by the Declaration of 

 Independence, is the true American idea ; that this 

 idea can only be realized by the election of honest 

 and capable men to public office, and by conducting 

 public affairs with strict prudence and in accordance 

 with the sound and approved maxims of business 

 and political economy. 



2. That party organizations are useful and neces- 

 sary, but that, while we are proud of the birth and 

 history of the Republican party, we recognize no 

 such allegiance to political associations as shall pre- 

 vent our fair and candid criticism of the acts of all 

 public men, and that every case of negligence, waste- 

 fulness, or dishonesty, on the part of those having 

 control of public money, ought to be promptly inves- 

 tigated and severely punished, without fear or favor ; 

 that we expect of our State legislators and State 

 officers the strictest integrity and economy, the 

 largest possible relief from the burden of taxation, 

 the maintenance of public education, the preserva- 

 tion of the purity and freedom of the ballot-boXj the 

 enforcement of such laws as will secure to all entitled 

 to suffrage the right to its exercise, and such as will 

 at the same time exclude all fraudulent voting. 



8. That we insist upon the right and duty of the 

 State to control every franchise of whatever kind it 

 grants ; and while we dp not wish that any injustice 

 shall be done to the individual or corporation invest- 

 ing capital or industry in enterprises of this kind, 

 we yet demand that no franchise shall be granted 

 which is prejudicial to the public, in which the 

 rights and interests of the State and the people are 

 not carefully and fully guarded. 



4. That while we recognize the full right of every 

 citizen to express and act upon his convictions upon 

 all questions of public or State interest, no person 

 holding a Federal or State office has the right to 

 seek to influence the action of his subordinates by 

 exciting their fears of loss of place if their opinions 

 or actions shall differ from his own ; and that we 

 are opposed to all interference or participation by 

 them in the conventions of the people for the nomi- 

 nation of their candidates for office. 



5. That we are desirous of political reform, and 

 for honest economy and purity in all official admin- 

 istration. That to secure this is the duty of every 

 citizen ; that to this end every good man should feel 

 bound to participate in politics, and to make an end 

 of bad men forcing their election by securing a party 

 nomination. That we believe there are as good men 

 in the Republican party as out of it, and only the 

 best men should be nominated for office, and only 

 such are entitled to receive the support of the people. 



6. That we sympathize with every movement to 

 secure for agriculture and labor their due influence, 

 interest, and rights, and the Eepublican party will 

 bo their ally in every just effort to attain that end. 



