cause, of the elective
franchise. It maintains the supremacy of the national government
on all national affairs, while observing and protecting the rights
of the states. It has tried to secure the equality of all citizens
before the law. It opposes all distinctions among men, whether
white or black, native or naturalized. It invites them all to
partake of equal privileges, and secures them an equal chance in
life. It has secured, for the first time in our history, the rights
of a naturalized citizen to protection against claims of military
duty in his native country. It prescribes no religious test.
While it respects religion for its beneficial influence upon civil
society, it recognizes the right of each individual to worship God
according to the dictates of his own conscience, without prejudice
or interference. It supports free common schools as the basis of
republican institutions. It has done more than any party that ever
existed to provide lands for the landless. It devised and enacted
the homestead law, and has constantly extended this policy, so that
all citizens, native and naturalized, may enjoy, without cost,
limited portions of this public land. It protects American labor.
It is in favor of American industry. It seeks to diversity
productions. It has steadily pursued, as an object of national
importance, the development of our commerce on inland waters and
on the high seas. It has protected our flag on every sea; not the
stars and bars, not the flag of a state, but the stars and stripes
of the Union. It seeks to establish in this republic of ours a
great, strong, free government of free men. It would, with frankness
and sincerity, without malice or hate, extend the right hand of
fellowship and fraternity to those who lately were at war with us,
aid them in making fruitful their waste places and in developing
their immense resources, if only they would allow the poor and
ignorant men among them the benefits conferred by the constitution
and the laws. No hand of oppression rests upon them. No bayonet
points to them except in their political imaginings.

"We would gladly fraternize with them if they would allow us, and
have but one creed--the constitution and laws of our country, to
be executed and enforced by our country, and for the equal benefit
of all our countrymen. If they will not accept this, but will keep
up sectionalism, maintain the solid south upon the basis of the
principles of t