Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-14

AABnsAoA PuPoooS VI civil government, Tor It's 0fn-
Gers 70 Interfere when principles break out into
overt acts against peace and good order; and
nnaly that truth Is great and win prevail flef to
herself that she is the proper and sufficient antag-
onist OF error, and has nothing to fear from the
conflict, unless by human interpositon dsarraed Of
her natural weapons, free argument and debate,
errors ceasng to be dangerous when it is permitted
freely to combat them.
10 d therefore, enacted by tho General As
sen6Iy, That no man shall be compelled to fire.
quent or support any religious worship, place, or
ministry whatsoever, nor shall he be enforced, re-
strained molested or burdcned in his body or goods
orsha he otherwise suffer on account ofhisrepous
opinions or belief but that all men shall be free to
profess, and by argument to maintain, their opin-
ions In matters of religion, and that the same shall
in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil
capacities.
Z And though we well know this Assembly elected
by the people for the ordinary purposes of legis-
lation only, have no power to restrain the acts Of
succeeding assemblies, constituted with powers
equal to our own; and that, therefore, to declare
this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law :
yet we are free to DECLARE and do declare that the
rights hereby asserted are Of the natural rights of
mankind, and that If any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present. or to narrow its ope
rations, such an act will be an Infringement of
natural right
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 vigor and to keep them
unadulterated and unimpaired by foreign influence,
either civil or religious as well as by home faction
and home demagoguism and believing that an
American policy, religious, political, and CONNER
ca 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
other than those born on our soil, and reared and
matured under the influence of our institutions
O. That no foreigner ought to be allowed to ex-
ercse the elective franchise till he shall have re-
sided within the United States a 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.
s. That whilst no obstacle should be interposed
to the immigration of all foreigners of honest and
industrious habits, and all privileges and mmuni-
ties enjoyed by any native-boIn citizens of our
country should be extended to all such immigrants
xcept that of participating in any of our political
administrations yet all legal means should be
adopted to obstruct and prevent the immigration
Of the vicious and worthless, the criminal and
pauper.
4. That the American doctrine of religious tol.
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 pstcal,
has the right to control the conscience or direct
the conduct Of freeman, occupies position which
Is totally at war 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
ben Is the only permanent basis Of all true liberty
and genuine equality.
: Q. That the intelligence of the people Is Heces-
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
al means of moral and intellectual culture by some
adequate and permanent provision for general ed
ucation.
4. That the doctrine Of availability, now 30 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, b essentially
wrong, and should be 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, as are made necessary to be
observed In the power Of appointment thereto;
and that executive influence and patronage should
be scrupulously conferred and jeslously guarded
Q. That the sovereignty Of the States should be
supreme In the exercise Of all powers not express
ly delegated to the federal government, and which
may not be necessary and proper to carry out the
powers 30 delegated and that this principle should
be observed and held sacred in all organizations Of
the American party.
10. That all sectarian intermeddling with politics
or political institutions, coming from whatever
source 1t may, should be promptly resisted by all
such means a. seem TO be necessary and proper for
this end.
IL. That whilst the pepetuity Of the present
form of the federal government of the United
States is actually necessary for the proper develop
ment Of all the resources OF this country, yet the
principle ofnon-intervention, both on the part of
the federal government and of the several States
of the Union, In the municipal affairs Of each other
u essential 70 peace and prosperity of our country,
and 70 the wel-being and permanence Of our insti-
tutions, and at the same time the only reliable
bond Of brotherhood and union.
IL. The red repnblcanism and Hcentious indul-
gence In the enjoyment Of civil privileges, are as
much TO be feared and deprecated by all friends
TO well-regulsted government and true liberty, as
any Of the forms of monarchy and despotism.
Is. That the true Interests and welfare of this
country, the honor Of this nation, the individual
and private rights Of its citizens conspire to de-
mand that all other questions arising from party
organizations, or from any other sonrce, should be
held subordinate TO and in practice made to yield
TO the great principles herein promulgated.
ANDREW 4. KENNEDY, OF Jefferson,
GEORGE ID. GRAY, Of Culpeper,
A n n - tr-