UNITED STATES. 



781 



communication, of railroad and water transportation 



and travel to the lowest practical point, by force of 

 lu\v* wisely anl justly framed, with retercnoe not 

 only t<> the interests of capital employed, but to tho 

 higher claims of the general good. 



4. The suppression by law of lotteries and gam- 

 bling iu gold, stocks, and produce, ami every form 

 of iiioiu-N and property, and the penal inhibition of 

 tin' use of tho public mails for advertising schemes 

 of gum tiling and lotteries. 



.". Tlir abolition of those foul enormities, polyg- 

 amy and the social evil, and the protection of tne 

 purity, peace, and happiness of homes by ample and 

 efficient legislation. 



6. The national observance of the Christian Sab- 

 bath, e.stalilislied by laws prohibiting ordinary labor 

 and business in all the departments of the public 

 service and private employments works of neces- 

 sity, charity, and mercy excepted on that day. 



7. The establishment of mandatory provisions in 

 the national and State constitutions, and by all neces- 

 sary legislation, of a system of free public schools, 

 and for universal and enforced education of all the 

 youth of the land. 



8. The free use of the Bible, not as a ground ot 

 religious creeds, but as a text-book of the purest 

 morality, the best liberty, and noblest literature, in 

 pur public schools ; that our children may grow up 

 in its light, and that its spirit and precepts may 

 pervade our nation. 



9. The separation of the Government in all its de- 

 partments and institutionSj including the public 

 schools and all funds for their maintenance, from the 

 control of every religious sect or other association, 

 and the protection alike of all sects by equal laws, 

 with entire freedom of religious faith and worship. 



10. The introduction into all treaties hereafter 

 negotiated with foreign governments of a provision 

 for the amicable settlement of international diffi- 

 culties by arbitration. 



11. The abolition of all barbarous modes and in- 

 struments of punishment, the recognition of the 

 laws of God and the claims of humanity in the dis- 

 cipline of jails and prisons, and of that higher and 

 wiser civilization worthy of our age and nation, which 

 regards the reform of criminals as u means for tho 

 prevention of crime. 



12. The abolition of executive and legislative pa- 

 tronage, and the election of President, Vice-Presi- 

 dent, United States Senators, and of all civil officers, 

 so far as practicable, by the direct vote of the people. 



13. The practice of a friendly and liberal policy 

 to Immigrant! of all nations, and the guarantee to 

 them of ample protection and of equal rights and 

 privileges. 



14. The separation of the money of the Govern- 

 ment from all banking institutions. The nation- 

 al Government only should exercise the high pre- 

 rogative of issuing paper-money, and that shoula be 

 subject to prompt redemption, on demand, in gold 

 and silver, the only equal standards of value recog- 

 nized by tne civilized world. 



15. The reduction of the salaries of public officers 

 in a just ratio with the decline of wages and market- 

 prices. The abolition of sinecures, unnecessary 

 offices, and official fees and perquisites. The prac- 

 tice of strict economy in the Government expenses, 

 and a free and thorough investigation into any and 

 all alleged abuses of public trusts. 



General Green Clay Smith, of Kentucky, was 

 nominated for President of the United States, 

 and G. T. Stewart, of Ohio, for Vice-President. 



A convention of Independents, commonly 

 called the National Greenback Convention, as- 

 sembled at Indianapolis, Ind., on May 17th. 

 Nineteen States were represented by 239 del- 

 egates. A series of resolutions was adopted, 

 and candidates for President and Vice-Presi- 



dent wero nominated. The resolutions were 

 as follows: 



The Independent party IB called into existence by 

 the necessities of the people, whose Industrie* are 

 prostrated, whose labor is deprived of in ju>t re- 

 ward, as the result of the serious mismanagement of 

 the national finances, which errors both the Repub- 

 lican and Democratic parties neglect to correct. And 

 in view of the failure of these parties to furnuth re- 

 lii-t'to the depressed industries of the country, there- 

 by <li>appointing the just hopes and expectations of 

 a suffering people, we declare our principles, and 

 invite all independent and patriotic men to join 

 pur ranks in this movement for financial reform and 

 industrial emancipation. 



1. We demand the immediate and unconditional 

 repeal of the specie resumption act of January 14, 

 1875, and the rescue of our industries from the ruin 

 und disaster resulting from its enforcement ; and we 

 call upon all patriotic men to organize in every con- 

 gressional district of the country, with the view of 

 electing Representatives to Congress who will carry 

 out the wishes of the people in this regard, and stop 

 the present suicidal and destructive policy of con- 

 traction. 



2. We believe that the United States notes issued 

 by the Government, and convertible on demand into 

 L nited States obligations, bearing a low rate of in- 

 terest, not exceeding one cent a day on each one 

 hundred dollars, and reexchangeab'le for United 

 States notes at par, will afford the best circulating 

 medium ever devised ; such United States notes to 

 be full legal tender for all purposes except for ray- 

 ment of such obligations as are by existing contracts 

 expressly made payable in coin. And we hold that 

 it is the duty of the Government to provide such a 

 circulating medium, and insist, in the language of 

 Thomas Jefferson, ''that bank -paper must be sup- 

 pressed, and the circulation restored to the nation, 

 to whom it belongs." 



3. It is the paramount duty of the Government, in 

 all its legislation, to keep in view the full develop- 

 ment of all legitimate business, agricultural, mining, 

 manufacturing, and commercial. 



4. We most earnestly protest against any further 

 issue of gold bonds for sale in foreign markets, by 

 which we would be made, for a long period, hewers 

 of wood and drawers of water to foreigners especially; 

 as the American people would gladly and promptly 

 take at par all the bonds the Government may need 

 to sell, provided they are made payable at the option 

 of the holder, and bearing interest at 8iVo per cent, 

 per annum, or even a lower rate. 



5. We further protest against the sale of Govern- 

 ment bonds for the purpose of purchasing silver 

 to be used as a substitute for our more convenient 

 and less fluctuating fractional currency, which, al- 

 though well calculated to enrich the owners of silver- 

 mines, yet in operation it will still further oppress, 

 in taxation, an already overburdened people. 



Peter Cooper, of New York, was nominated 

 for President of the United States, and New- 

 ton Booth, of California, for Vice-President. 

 Mr. Booth subsequently declined, and the va- 

 cancy was filled by the appointment, as candi- 

 date, of Samuel F. Gary, of Ohio. The nomi- 

 nation was formally tendered to Mr. Cooper, on 

 May 81st, by a committee of the convention 

 appointed for that purpose. On the same day 

 Mr. Cooper replied as follows : 



Nw YORK, May 81, 1ST6. 

 Hon. MOSES W. FIELD, Cnairman. and Hon. THOMAS 



J. DURANT, Secretary of the- Rational Execvtitt 



Council of the Independent /br/y. 



GENTLEMEN: Your formal official notification of 

 the unanimous nomination tendered by the National 



