The weekly American banner. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1855-18??, 1855-08-17
and Of punishment. for political indie

serviency, and Of punishments for political inde-
pendance.
Disgust for the wild hunt after Office, which
characterizes the nge.
These on the one hand. On the OF, sr:-
Imitation Of the practice of the purer days Of
the Republic; and admiration Of the maxiiu that
"office should seek the mar, and not the man
Office" and Of the rule that, the just mode Of as
certaining fitness for Office is the capability, the
faithfulness, and the honesty of the incumbent
or candidate.
VIII. Resistance to the agcresslvc policy
and corftpung tendencies of the Ron4h Catho-
lie Churchin our country, by the Advancement
to all political stations executive, legislative,
judicial, or diplomatic Of those only who do not
hold civil allegiance. directly or indirectly, to
any foreign power, whether civil or ecclesiasti-
cal, and who are Americans by birth, education,
and training thus fulfilling the maxim, "Ameri-
cans only shall govern America"
| The projection of all citizens in the legal aud
proper exercise oftheir civil and religious rights
and privileges; the maintenance of the right Of
every man to the full, unrestrained, and peace
full enjoyment, ofhis own religious opinions and
worship, and jealous resistance of all at
tempts by any sect, denomination or church, to
obtain an ascendcncy over any other in the
State by means of any special privileges or ex-
emption, by any political combination of its
members or by division Of their civil allegiance
with any foreign power, potentate, or ecciesi-
astic.
TX. The reformation Of the character of our
National Legislature, by elevating to that Dig
niied and responsible position men of higher
qualifications, pure morals, and more unselfsh
patriotism.
X. The restriction of executive patronage
especially in the matter Of appointments to Of.
fee, so far as it may be permitted by the Con-
stitution, and consistent with the public good
XI. The education of the youtlof our coun-
try in Schools provided by the State: which
schools shall be common to all, without distinc.
ton of creed or party, and free from any in6u
ence or direction off denominational or partisan
character.
i And, inasmuch as Christianity, by the Consti
+ tutions Of nearly all Of the States; by the de
Icisions ofthe most eminent judicial authorities
Ifan1 by the consent Of the people of America
is considered an element Of our political system
and, as the Holy Bible is at once the sourse O
Christianity, and the depository and fountain o
all civil and religious freedom, we oppose ever,
attempt to exclude it from the schools thus estab
lished in the States.
XII. The American party having arisen up
on the ruins and in spite of the opposition of tn
Whig or Democrats parties, cannot be held i,
any manner responsible for the obnoxious act
or violated pledges of either; that the systemat
ic agitation of the Slavery question by thos
Plies having elevated sectional hostility in
positive element Of political power, and brough
our institutions into peril it has therefore becom
! the imperative duty Of the American party
ihterpose, for the purpose of giving peace I
the country and perpetuity to the Union.-
And as experience has shown it impossibl
: to reconcile opinions SO extreme as thos
/. which seperate the disputants, and there can
no dishonor in submitting to the laws, the N,
tiona Council has deemed it the best guarantt
y of common Justice and of future peace, to abit
} by and maintain the existing laws upon Il
s subject of slavery as final and conclusive Sc
y tlement of that subject in spirit and in su
n stance. -
e And regarding in the. highest duty to avo
their opinion upon subject so important,
a distinct and unequNocal TERMS it is hereby
l. clared as the sense of the National Counc
IS that congress possesses no power under the CO
ne stitution to egslate upon the subject Of Slave
a. in the States where it does or may exist, or
o. exclude the State from admission into the U
n, ion because its Constitution does or does n
I'd recognize the Institution of Slavery as part
her social system; and explessly pretermitti
Sc any expression of opinion upon the power
d; Congress u establish OF prohibit slavery in a
ne territory, it is the sense of the National Cou
e, Gil that Congress ought not to legislate up
or the subject Of slavery within the Territory
the United States, and that any interference
ry Congress with Slavery as it exists in the d
trict of Columbia would be violation of [
mt spirit and intention of the compact by viii
n the State of Maryland ceded the District to
United States and breach of the Natio
,o- Faith.
is. XII. The policy of the Government of
cal United States, in its relations with foreign g
he ,ernments, is to exact justice from the strong
and do justice to the weakest; restraining,
the all the power Of the government ,al its citiz
the from interference with the internal concerns
he nations with whom we are at peace.
ith XIV. This National Council declares {
!. all the principles Of the Order shall be her
the forth everywhere openly avowed, and that e
nd, member shall be at liberty to make known
m existence Of the Order, and the fact that
OF himselfis member, and it recommends
BUS there be no cencealment Of the places of m
or ing of subordinate councils.
lin- Il. B. BARTLETT, of Kentucky,
the President Of National Counci
C. d. DEsHLER, of New Jersey,
a.. Corresponding Secretdr!
nil nil JAMES M. STEVENS, Of Maryland,
;tr-l Recording Secretdr-