WISCONSIN. 



labor, and that prison-labor bo utilized by tho State, 

 with no intermeddling of contractors. 



That wo inflexibly oppose all fusion or 

 coalition with i-ither of tho old parties, and invite 

 honest men of all parties to unite with us in tho in- 

 terests of tho wealth-producing, tax-paying classes of 

 tho United States. 



There were thirty counties represented in tho 

 Convention by 180 members. 



Tho Republican State Convention assembled 

 at Madison on July 23d. J. B. Cassidy of Rock 

 County was chosen permanent President. The 

 following State officers were nominated : For 

 Governor, William E. Smith ; for Lieutenant- 

 Governor, James M. Bingham ; for Secretary 

 of State, Hans B. Warner ; for Treasurer, Rich- 

 ard Guenthor ; for Attorney-General, Alexan- 

 der Wilson; for Superintendent of Public In- 

 struction, William 0. Whitford. The following 

 platform was adopted : 



The Republicans of Wisconsin, by their representa- 

 tives assembled in State Convention, declare their ad- 

 hesion to the following propositions : 



1. The Republic of the United States is a nation, not 

 a confederacy of sovereign States, and its Government 

 is clothed with permanent authority for the regulation 

 of all subjects of national concern. 



2. The elections of members of Congress are na- 

 tional elections, and as such the whole country is inter- 

 ested in having them fairly and peacefully conducted, 

 so that every voter may be afforded an opportunity to 

 exercise his right of suffrage freely and without fear 

 of personal violence, to vote once, and only once, at a 

 given election, and to have his voto honestly counted 

 and returned. It is the duty of the national Govern- 

 ment to enforce this right. Tho Republican party is 

 opposed to any military interference with the elec- 

 tions, except when it 13 necessary to maintain tho 

 public peace and protect tho constitutional rights of 

 citizens. In no instance under a Republican admin- 

 istration have the United States troops interfered with 

 the exercise of free suffrage on the part of the people. 

 The Democratic party, by the votes of its Representa- 

 tives in Congress against the proposition to prohibit 

 the presence in tho vicinity or tho polls, not only of 

 United States troops, but of all men armed with deadly 

 weapons, have clearly shown tho bad faith and hypoc- 

 risy of its affected horror of bayonets at the polls. It 

 would permit an armed mob of ita own partisans to 

 surround tho ballot-box, but would prohibit tho em- 

 ployment of United States soldiers to protect peaceful 

 citizens from intimidation and violence at tho hands 

 of the mob. 



8. Tho refusal of a mere majority hi Congress to 

 make appropriations of money already collected by 

 the tax from tho people for the ordinary and legiti- 

 mate expenses of the Government, for tho purpose of 

 compelling the President by such refusal to approve a 

 measure which ho regards as unwise and wrong, was 

 revolutionary in principle, subversive of tho Consti- 

 tution, and deserving the condemnation of all good 

 citizens. 



4. The practice of attaching what are popularly 

 termed political riders to appropriation bills is wicked 

 legislation, and should bo prohibited. 



6. Tho thanks and grateful recognition of tho peo- 

 ple are duo to President Hayes, and to tho RcpuMu-un 

 members of Congress, for tneir firm and successful re- 

 sistance to the attempts made by the Democratic party 

 to disarm the national Government on election days, 

 and to repeal all the laws for protecting the security 

 of the ballot-box, and providing for the detection and 

 punishment of fraudulent voting. 



6. The successful resumption of specie payments 

 has vindicated the wisdom of the Republican policy 

 on that subject, and afforded a signal illustration of 

 the lack of honesty of tho statesmanship which led 



tho Democratic party to oppose resumption, and to 

 <!i- ! if that it was impossible. It haa already borne 

 i s t ruits in enabling tho Government to fund 

 its debt at four per cent, intercut, or an economy of 

 many millions per annum, and in promoting a leel- 

 ing of confidence and security that b already giving a 

 powerful impetus to business and industry and cnter- 

 I'ri-i'. Tho interests of all classes of people are beet 

 promoted by a currency possessing or representing 

 intrinsic value, such as we have at present, and bear- 

 ing a fixed relation to tho world's money and that of 

 commerce. All attempts to modify existing laws ha a 

 way to introduce a depreciation or fluctuation in the 

 value of the money of the country should meet with a 

 firm and determined resistance. 



7. That it is tho duty of Congress to enact laws to 

 carry out the provisions of the Constitution with its 

 amendments, and to secure to the people of the States 

 the rights guaranteed by it ; and that laws, when en- 

 acted, are supremo and must be obeyed and enforced, 

 and the recent attempts of the Democratic Congress 

 to repeal and strike from tho statute-books such laws, 

 some of which were placed there by our fathers and 

 have been enforced nearly a century, has no parallel 

 hi the history of the country. 



8. That our Governor and State officers are entitled 

 to the thanks and approval of the people for their wise 

 and faithful administration of the public trusts com- 

 mitted to them. 



The Democratic State Convention met at 

 Madison on September 9th. James R. Doolit- 

 tle of Racine was chosen President. Alexan- 

 der Mitchell was nominated for Governor, with 

 the understanding that if he declined the nom- 

 ination the nominee for Lieutenant-Governor, 

 William J. Vilas, should be substituted in his 

 stead. The latter declined the nomination, 

 and was replaced upon the ticket by George 

 II. King. The remainder of the ticket was 

 made up as follows: For Secretary of State, 

 Samuel Regan ; for Treasurer, Andrew Ilahen; 

 for Attorney-General, J. Montgomery Smith; 

 for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ed- 

 ward Searing. The platform adopted, besides 

 other resolutions denouncing the rule of the 

 Republicans in the South, condemning the in- 

 auguration of President Hayes, and deprecat- 

 ing the dangers of centralization, contained the 

 following: 



That the Democratic party adheres to the financial 

 doctrine which it established when hi power, that the 

 constitutional currency of the country, and tho basis 

 of all other, should be gold and silver coin ; and so we 

 maintain that all national Treasury notes and author- 

 ized currency should be convertible into tho same on 

 demand. 



That tho Democracy does not forget that to the 

 promptness, valor, endurance, and noble devotion of 

 the patriotic volunteers of the army and navy in the 

 late war this country is indebted, under Providence, 

 for the salvation of its form of government and the 

 constitutional liberty and prosperity now enjoyed by 

 all its citizens, and again thankfully acknowledges 

 tho debt of national and individual gratitude which is 

 due to tho living and dead heroes of the nation, an 

 obligation which increases with years, and which en- 

 titles tho survivors to receive all'the marks of appre- 

 ciation and honor which a grateful people can properly 

 bestow. 



That the administration of State affairs ought to be 

 conducted with greater economy, and greater efforts 

 be made to diminish tho burden of taxes ; that all offi- 

 cial salaries and fees and all expenditures for State 

 charitable, educational, and penal institutions, raised 

 to meet the necessities of high-priced times, must now 

 be correspondingly reduced, and all useless boards 



