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UNITED STATES. 



Convention of the Independent party at Indianap- 

 olis, on the 17th inst., to me for the high office of 

 President of the United States, and Hon. Newton 

 Bjoth, of California, for Vice-President, is before 

 me, together with an authenticated copy of the ad- 

 mirable platform which the convention adopted. 



While I most heartily thank the convention, 

 through you, for the great honor they have thus con- 

 ferred upon me, kindly permit me to say that there 

 is a bare possibility, if wise counsels prevail, that 

 the sorely-needed relief from the blighting effects 

 of past unwise legislation relative to finance, which 

 the people so earnestly seek, may yet ba had through 

 either the Eepublican or Democratic party, both 

 of them meeting in national convention at an early 

 date. 



It is unnecessary for me to assure you that, while 

 I have no aspiration for the position of Chief Magis- 

 trate of this great republic, I will most cheerfully 

 do what I can to forward the best interests of my 

 country. 



1 therefore accept your nomination conditionally, 

 expressing the earnest hope that the Independent 

 party may yet attain its exalted aims, while permit- 

 ting me to step aside and remain in that quiet which 

 is most congenial to my nature and time of life. 



Most respectfully, your obedient servant, 



PETER COOPER. 



The Republican Convention assembled in 

 Cincinnati on June 14th, and was organized by 

 the appointment of Edward McPherson, of 

 Pennsylvania, as president. A series of resolu- 

 tions was adopted, and candidates nominated 

 for President and Vice-President. The resolu- 

 tions were as follows : 



When, in the economy of Providence, this land 

 was to be purged of human slavery, and when the 

 strength of government of the people, by the people, 

 and for the peoplo, was to be demonstrated, the Re- 

 publican party came into power. Its deeds have 

 passed into history, and we look back to them with 

 pride. Incited by their memories to high aims for 

 the good of our country and mankind, and looking 

 to the future with unfaltering courage, hope, and 

 purpose, we, the representatives of the party in Na- 

 tional Convention assembled, make the following 

 daclaration of principles : 



1. The United States of America is a nation, not 

 a league, by the combined workings of the national 

 and State governments under their respective insti- 

 tutions. The rights of every citizen are secured at 

 home and protected abroad, and the common welfare 

 promoted. 



2. The Republican party has preserved these gov- 

 ernments to the hundre dth anniversary of the na- 

 tion's birth, and they are now embodiments of the 

 great truths spoken at its cradle, " that all men are 

 created equal; that they are endowed by their Cre- 

 ator with certain inalienable rights, among which 

 are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that 

 for the attainment of these en is governments have 

 been instituted among men, deriving their just pow- 

 ers from the consent of the governed." Until these 

 truths are cheerfully obeyed, or, if need be, vigor- 

 ously enforced, the work of the Republican party is 

 unfinished. 



3. The permanent pacification of the Southern 

 section of the Union, and the complete protection 

 of all its citizens in the free enjoyment of all their 

 rights and duties, to which the Republican party 

 stands sacredly pledged. The power to provide for 

 the enforcement of the principles embodied in the 

 recent constitutional amendments is vested by those 

 amendments in the Congress of the United States ; 

 and we declare it to be the solemn obligation of the 

 legislative and executive departments of the Govern- 

 ment to put into immediate and vigorous exercise 



all their constitutional powers for removing any just 

 causes of discontent on the part of any class, and 

 for securing to every American citizen complete 

 liberty and exact equality in the exercise of all civil, 

 political, and public rights. To this end, we impera- 

 tively demand a Congress and a Chief Executive 

 whose courage and fidelity to these duties shall not 

 falter until these results are placed beyond dispute 

 or recall. 



4. In the first act of Congress signed by President 

 Grant, the national Government assumed to remove 

 any doubts of its purpose to discharge all just 

 obligations to the public creditors, and "solemnly 

 pledged its faith to make provision, at the earliest 

 practicable period, for the redemption of the United 

 States notes in coin." Commercial prosperity, pub- 

 lic morals, and national credit demand that the 

 promise be fulfilled by a continuous and steady 

 progress to specie payment. 



5. Under the Constitution, the President and 

 heads of departments are to make nominations for 

 office, the Senate is to advise and consent to ap- 

 pointments, and the House of Representatives is to 

 accuse and prosecute faithless officers. The best 

 interest of the public service demands that these 

 distinctions be respected ; that Senators and Repre- 

 sentatives, who may be judges and accusers, should 

 not dictate appointments to office. The invariable 

 rule in appointments should have reference to the 

 honesty, fidelity, and capacity of the appointees, 

 giving to the party in power those places where 

 harmony and vigor of administration require its 

 policy to be represented, but permitting all others 

 to be filled by persons selected with sole reference 

 to the efficiency to the public service, and the right 

 of all citizens to share in the honor of rendering 

 faithful service to the country. 



6. We rejoice in the quickened conscience of the 

 people concerning political affairs, and will hold all 

 public officers to a rigid responsibility, and engage 

 that the prosecution and punishment of all who be- 

 tray official trusts shall be swift, thorough, and un- 

 sparing. 



7. The public-school system of the several States 

 is the bulwark of the American Republic ; and, with 

 a view to its security and permanence, we recom- 

 mend an amendment to the Constitution of the 

 United States, forbidding the application of any pub- 

 lic _ funds or property for the benefit of auy schools 

 or institutions under sectarian control. 



8. The revenue necessary for current expenditures 

 and the obligations of the public debt must be large- 

 ly derived from duties upon importations, which, so 

 far as possible, should be adjusted to promote the 

 interests of American labor and advance the pros- 

 perity of the whole country. 



9. We reaffirm our opposition to further grants of 

 the public lands to corporations and monopolies, and 

 demand that the national domain be devoted to the 

 free uses of the people. 



10. It is the imperative duty of the Government 

 so to modify existing treaties with European Govern- 

 ments that the same protection shall be afforded to 

 the_adopted American citizens that is given to the 

 native-born, and that all necessary laws should be 

 passed to protect immigrants, in the absence of power 

 in the States for that purpose. 



11. It is the immediate duty of Congress to fully 

 investigate the effect of the immigration and im- 

 portation of Mongolians upon the moral and mate- 

 rial interests of the country. 



12. The Republican party recognizes with approv' 

 al the substantial advances recently made toward 

 the establishment of equal rights for women by the 

 many important amendments effected by Republican 

 Legislatures, in the laws which concern the personal 

 and property relations of wives, mothers, and wid- 

 ows ; and by the appointment and election of women 

 to the superintendence of education, charities, and 

 other public trusts. The honest demands of this 



