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nated him, and as tending to the promotion of the 

 public welfare. Eecognizing that the work is but 

 begun, we shall hail with satisfaction its prompt 

 ana vigorous prosecution, in which the President 

 may confidently rely upon the cordial support of 

 the country. 



The passage of this was advocated by Mr. 

 Curtis, but it was voted down by a vote of 295 

 to 105. The Convention was led by Senator 

 Eoscoe Conkling, who attacked Mr. Curtis, 

 and defended the platform as reported and 

 adopted. 



The platform adopted was as follows : 



The Republicans of New York, true to the 

 achievements of an unequaled history, and faithful 

 to the demands of an uncompleted mission, make 

 the following declarations : 



1. The office of government is to conserve order, 

 peace, and safety, and to protect every citizen in the 

 enjoyment of every right implied by the Constitu- 

 tion and the laws. Unity and fraternal relations in 

 all States and sections, and between all States and 

 sections, are of the first and highest importance, and 



the Republican party of New York will heartily sup- 

 port every measure, authorized by law, adapted to 

 establishing and maintaining commercial and indus- 

 trial prosperity and tranquillity, justice, and obedi- 

 ence to lawful authority. The Constitution ordains 

 that "the United States shall guarantee to every 

 State in this Union a republican form of govern- 

 ment." The only republican government known to 

 the constitution of any American State is a govern- 

 ment chosen by the people. The question whether 

 a case has arisen requiring the President to employ 

 military force to protect lawful State authority 

 against domestic violence is, by the Constitution, 

 committed to his decision and to his responsibility. 

 Taking no issue with any decision of this kind 

 which nas been made by the National Executive in 

 respect to the employment of troops, and expressing 

 no opinion in regard to the methods and attendant 

 proceedings employed in any instance, we cherish 

 the hope that the action taken in relation to the 

 Southern States will result in peace, tranquillity, and 

 justice, and no act of the Republicans of New York, 

 conducive to its good effects, shall be withheld. 



2. We insist on purity, frugality, and efficiency 

 in every branch of the public service, National and 

 State. To that end we hold these requirements 



VIEW OF ALBANY FROM GBEENBUSU. 



practical and just : 1. No needless office or officer, 

 or public ag_eut, should exist. 2. Compensation for 

 official service should be fair and just, but in no 

 case excessive. 3. Fit men, and no others, should 

 hold public trusts. 4. Every official, high or low, 

 should be required at all times faithfully to perform 

 his duty, and the whole of it. 5. No official or 

 office-holder should be subject to political or parti- 

 san assessments, or to interference in any way with 

 his political rights or action, and plain laws should 

 forbid and punish all attempts to make or enforce 

 such assessments, or to control or to abridge, in any 

 respect, the absolute freedom in political action 

 which in this country belongs to all voters alike. 



In connection with the subject we recur with satis- 

 faction to that portion of the letter of acceptance 

 of Mr. Hayes, wherein he declares that the found- 

 ers of our Government meant that the officer should 



be secure in his tenure as long as his personal char- 

 acter remained untarnished, and the performance of 

 his duty satisfactory. In furtherance of this view, 

 we commend, as worthy of consideration, legisla- 

 tion making officers secure in a limited fixed tenure, 

 and subject to removal only as officers under State 

 laws are removable in this State on charges to be 

 regularly and openly preferred and adjudged. 



3. We hold honest service or labor the best and 

 highest exertion for American citizens ; and those 

 who labor for others, whether for the Government 

 or for private employers, are as fully entitled as any 

 citizen can be to absolute freedom in all political, 

 civil, and religious affairs. They owe the full ser- 

 vice they agree to render, and to their employers 

 they owe nothing more. The Constitution of the 

 United States and of the State of New York, and 

 the laws, establish equal rights for all citizens and 



