Our Presidents and how we make themMcClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
History
Our Presidents and how we make them
McClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
Presidents -- United States -- Election
Chester A. Arthur, N. Y. 468
Elihu B. Washburne, Ill. 199
Marshall Jewell, Conn. 43
Horace Maynard, Tenn. 30
Edmund J. Davis, Texas 20
Blanche K. Bruce (Col.), Miss. 8
James L. Alcorn, Miss. 4
Thomas Settle, Fla. 2
Stewart L. Woodford, N. Y. 1
[Illustration: CHESTER A. ARTHUR]
The nomination was promptly made unanimous. The following platform was
unanimously adopted:
The Republican party in national convention assembled, at the end
of twenty years since the Federal Government was first committed to
its charge, submits to the people of the United States this brief
report of its administration. It suppressed the Rebellion which had
armed nearly a million of men to subvert the national authority. It
reconstructed the Union of the States with freedom instead of slavery
as its corner-stone. It transformed four millions of human beings from
the likeness of things to the rank of citizens. It relieved Congress
from the infamous work of hunting fugitive slaves, and charged it
to see that slavery does not exist. It has raised the value of our
paper currency from thirty-eight per cent. to the par of gold. It
has restored upon a solid basis payment in coin for all the national
obligations, and has given us a currency absolutely good and equal in
every part of our extended country. It has lifted the credit of the
nation from the point where six per cent. bonds sold at eighty-six
per cent. to that where four per cent. bonds are eagerly sought at
a premium. Under its administration railways have increased from
thirty-one thousand miles in 1860 to more than eighty-two thousand
miles in 1879. Our foreign trade has increased from seven hundred
million dollars to one billion, one hundred and fifty million dollars
in the same time, and our exports, which were twenty million dollars
less than our imports in 1860, were two hundred and sixty-four
million more than our imports in 1879. Without resorting to loans,
it has, since the war closed, defrayed the ordinary expenses of
government besides the accruing interest on the public debt, and has
annually disbursed more than thirty million dollars for soldiers’
pensions. It has paid eight hundred and eighty-eight million dollars
of the public debt, and, by refunding the balance at lower rates,
has reduced the annual interest charge from nearly one hundred and
fifty-one million dollars to less than eighty-nine million dollars.
All the industries of the country have revived, labor is in demand,
wages have increased, and throughout the entire country there is
evidence of a coming prosperity greater than we have ever enjoyed.
Upon this record the Republican party asks for the continued
confidence and support of the people, and this convention submits for
their approval the following statement of the principles and purposes
which will continue to guide and inspire its efforts:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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