Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-17
WASHINGTON. D. g, THURSDAY AFTERNOON MAY II, 1855

The Convention of the AMERICAN PARTY
OF VIRGINIA, which met at Winchester, on
Tuesdey, the 18th of March, appointed the under.
signed committee, to make publication, over their
names, of the following:
Basis Principles Of the American Party OF
Virginia.
Determined to preserve our political institutions
in their original purity and vgor, and ID keeb them
unaduterated aud unimpairsd By foreign influence,
either Civil Or religious, as well as by home faction
and homie demagoguism; and believing that an
American policy religious, political, and CONNER
cia necessary for the attainment of these ends we
shall observe and carry out in practice, the follow
ing principles:
l. That the suffrages Of the American people
for political Offices, should not be given to any
ether than those born on our soil, and reared and
matured under the influence of our institutions
2. That no foreigner ought to be allowed to ex-
ercise the elective franchise till he shall have re-
sided within the United States sufficient length
of time to enable him to become acquainted with
the principles and imbued with the spirit Of our
institutions and until he shall have become tho
roughly identified with the great interests Of our
country.
3. That whilst no obstacle should be interposed
to the immigration OF all foreigners Of honest and
industrious habits, and all privileges and immuni.
ties enjoyed by any native-boIn citizens of our
country should be extended to all such Immigrants,
kept that Of participating in any of our political
administrations; yet all legal neans should be
adopted to obstruct and prevent the immigration
Of the vicious and worthless, the criminal and
pauper.
4. That the AmericGn doctrine Of religious toll
grafton, and entire absence of all prescription for
opinions sake, should be cherished as one of the
very fundamental principles of our civil freedom,
and that any sect party which believes and main
tains that any foreign power, religious or pslticsl,
has the right to control the conscience or direct
the conduct Of freeman, occupies position which
Is totally at with the principles Of freedom OF
opinion and which is mischievous in its tendency,
and which principle, if carried into practice, would
prove wholly destructive of our religious and civil
liberty.
8. That the Bible In the hands of every free cit
Aen is the only permanent basis of all true liberty
and genuine equality.
8. That the intelligence Of the people is neces.
sary to the right use and the continuance of our
liberties, civil and religious; hence the propriety
and Importance Of the promotion and fostering Of
all means of moral and intellectual culture BY some
adequate and permanent provision for general ed
ucation.
4. That the doctrine of availability, now 50 prev
alent and controlling, in the nomination Of candi-
dates for Office, in total disregard to all principles
Of right, of truth and Of Justice, is essentially
wrong, and should bo by all good men condemned
8. That, as general rule, the same restrictions
should be prescribed to the exercise Of the power
Of removal from Office, are made necessary to be
observed in the power of appointment thereto
and that executive influence and patronage should
be scrupulously conferred and jealously guarded.
.. That the sovereignty of the States should be
supreme In the exercise Of all powers not express
" delegated to the federal government, and which
may not be necessary and proper TO carry out the
powers 50 delegated, and that this principle should
be observed and held sacrcd in al organizations q
the American party.
10. That Al seCssrisn insenneddlhs with polisics
or political institutions, coming from whatever
source 1t may, should be promptly resisted by al
such means rs seem 70 BE- necessary and proper for
this end
II. That Whist the perpstulsy Of the present
form of the federal government cf the United
States Is actually necessary ~ ~ proper develop
ment Of all tho resources ofthis country, yet the
principle Of ofnon-intervention, 10Th cn the pert Of
the federal government and of the several Htates
Is essential TO peace and prosperity If our country
and to the well-being and permsnsnse ofour insti-
tutions, and at the same t.me tAs only rsllable
bond Of brotherhood and union eait
IL The red rcpublcanim and E0enfjous indul-
gence In the enjoyment Of civil privileges, ars -
much to be feared and deprecated BY an friends
TO well-regulated governzent and tras nbcrty, -
any Of the forms OF mouarchy and dssps1ism-
lS That the true iitercsts and welfare Of this
country, the honor Of this nation, the individsAl
and private rights its citisena ccnspirc 70 H.
mand that ell other questions ariuing from party
organizations, from any other sonrue, sho1ld be
held subordinate 10 and in practice made 70 Yield
TO the great principles herein promulgated
ANDREW Z. KENNEDY, Of Je6srson,
GEORGE d. GRAY, of CuIpeper,
JOSIAH DABBS of Halifax u sag