CONNECTICUT. 



205 



to accept its peculiar views, the convention 

 .rted ana authorized its Executive Com- 

 mid.. I*, take independent action and nomU 

 niito State officers. 



The Democratic-Liberal party assembled in 

 Convention at Now Haven, on February 

 J:>il, to nominate their candidate for Governor, 

 and iilso to appoint delegates to the General 

 Democratic Convention, to be held in the fol- 

 lowing summer at St. Louis, Mo., for nomi- 

 nating candidates for President and V ice-Pres- 

 ident of the United States. Delegates were 

 present from every town in the State. 



After the convention had been permanently 

 organized, and a numerous State Central Com- 

 mittee appointed, a delegate moved, u that the 

 old State ticket be renominated by acclama- 

 tion." The motion was seconded, and unani- 

 mously passed. (The names presented in the 

 renominated ticket, with Charles R. Ingersoll, 

 of New Haven, at their head, as Governor, are 

 set down in the C XXJLOP.BDI A for 1875 under 

 this article.) 



These delegates were empowered to appoint 

 substitutes. 



The chairman of the Committee on Resolu- 

 tions reported the following, which were 

 adopted by the convention unanimously : 



The Democratic-Liberal party of Connecticut, in 

 convention assembled, on this 23d day of February, 

 1876, pledge themselves anew to the principles which 

 they have repeatedly adopted, and which the people 

 of this State have approved. 



1. The Constitution of the Union shall be main- 

 tained, with the supremacy of the civil over the 

 military authority ; and we demand for the individ- 

 ual the largest liberty consistent with public order : 

 for the State self-government; and for the Federal 

 Administration a return to the methods of peace and 

 the constitutional limitations of power. 



2. The civil service of the Government has become 

 alarmingly corrupt. It is an instrument of personal 

 ambition and an object of selfish greed. It has be- 

 come a reproach to free institutions. We, therefore, 

 regard thorough reform of the civil service as one or 

 the most pressing necessities of the hour, and be- 

 lieving that honesty, capacity, and fidelity, constitute 

 the only valid claim to public employment, we de- 

 mand that public station shall become again a post 

 of purity and honor. 



8. The public credit of the Union must bo main- 

 tained. Federal taxation should provide means nec- 

 essary to pay the expenses of the Government, eco- 

 nomically administered, and for a steady reduction 

 of the national debt ; while the tariff laws should be 

 adjusted for the purpose of revenue only. 



4. The public lands must be preserved for actual 

 settlers; and subsidies of money or lands to corpo- 

 rations and speculators should cease entirely. 



5. The Democratic majority in the House of 

 Representatives are especially 'deserving of popular 

 support in their policy of reducing the expenditures 

 of the Federal Government to the actual needs of 

 the public service, thus cutting off the supplies 

 which, have for eleven years invited corruption and 

 fed an army of plunderers. 



6. That the only currency known to the Constitu- 

 tion of the United States is gold and silver ; and 

 coin forms the only stable basis for the commercial 

 necessities of the world. The Democratic party of 

 the Union has never failed to recognize and sup- 

 port this essential principle. But, following a great 

 und costly war. we find an irredeemable currency at 

 our doors. It is, therefore, the duty of Congress to 



adopt Buch measures as shall lead to an early re- 

 sumption of specie payments, while guarding its 

 acts by that prudence which the interests of com- 

 mercial, iniiuutucturing, and industrial pursuits im- 

 peratively demand. 



7. That the act of the lant Congress passed by the 

 Republican majority, declaring that there Khali t>c 

 specie payments on the first day of January, 1679, 

 wan a scheme of more party expediency. (Supported 

 by no measure tending to secure resumption, it wu 

 a deception and a fraud. Us results have been in- 

 jurious, aa the business interests of the country 

 could not be shaped and conducted to harmonize 

 with an ineffective and deceptive act. We respect- 

 fully ask Congress to substitute for it well-defined 

 and practical legislation, tending to an accumulation 

 of coin as a basis for resumption, or the funding 

 and cancellation of a portion of the greenback circu- 

 lation in a convertible bond, bearing a low rate of 

 interest. 



8. That this convention, having confidence in the 

 ability and integrity of the Senators and Represent- 

 atives in Congress" from this State, rely upon such 

 action at their bunds as will aid in placing the 

 finances of the country upon the constitutional 

 basis. 



Upon the conclusion of the reading of the 

 foregoing platform, a delegate from New Haven 

 offered a resolution in favor of greenbacks, 

 and set forth the reasons for its adoption at 

 length. A delegate from Hartford spoke against 

 the passage of the resolution, which was lost. 



The two following resolutions' were also 

 offered, and adopted : 



Resolved, That the Democratic Legislatures and 

 administrations in this State have been economical, 

 prudent, and in the interests of the people ; and this 

 policy we demand at the hands of future Legislatures 

 and executive officers. 



Resolved, That in our present Executive, Governor 

 Charles R. Ingersoll, we recognize a public officer 

 of commanding ability and purity of character. Ris- 

 ing above the level of partisan conflicts, he ia guided 

 by just principles, and the welfare of the people, 

 whose interests he serves with unfaltering fidelity ; 

 and Messrs. Sill, Sanger, Raymond, and Goodrich, 

 are faithful public officers, who are deserving the 

 continued confidence of the people. 



The Republicans met in convention at Hart- 

 ford, on February 29th. There was a large 

 attendance of delegates from all parts of the 

 State. 



The following is the ticket : For Governor, 

 Henry C. Robinson, of Hartford ; Lieutenant- 

 Governor, Frederick J. Kingsbury, of Water- 

 bury ; Secretary of State, Francis A. Walker, 

 of New Haven ; Treasurer, Jeremiah Olney, 

 of Thompson ; Controller, Eli Curtis, of Water- 

 town. 



Upon the selection of delegates to the Na- 

 tional Republican Convention at Cincinnati, 

 it was agreed, after some discussion, that they 

 should be chosen by district conventions com- 

 posed of the delegates present from the sev- 

 eral districts. The convention then resolved 

 itself into district conventions, who chose 

 their respective delegates. 



The following platform was reported by the 

 chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, 

 and adopted : 



The Republican party in Connecticut reaffirms its 

 devotion to the Union and the Constitution, and its 



