Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-07-11

IN the State, by means OF any Speclai pIishe-
ges or exemption, By any political combina-
ton of its members, or by a division OF their
civil allegiance with any foreign power, po-
tentate or ecclesiastic.
TX The reformation of the character of
our national Legislature, by elevating to that
dignified and responsible position men of high
or qualifications, purer morals, and more un-
selfish patriotism.
x. The restriction of executive patronage
especially in the matter of appointments to of
fce-so far as it may be permitted by the constl-
tuition, and consistent with the public good
XI. The education of the youth of our
country in schools provided by the State;
which schools shall be common to all, without
distinction of creed or party, and free from
any influence or direction of a denominational
or partisan character.
And, inasmuch as Christianity, by the con-
stitutions of nearly all the States, by the de-
cisions of the most eminent judicial authori-
ties, and by consent of the people of Amer
lea, is considered an element of our political
system. and as the Holy Bible is at once the
source of Christianity, and the depository and
fountain of all civil and religious freedom, we
oppose every attempt to exclude it from the
schools thus established in the States.
XII The American party having arisen
upon the ruins and in spite of the opposition
of the whig and democratic parties, cannot be
held in any manner responsible for the obnox-
ious acts or violated pledges of either. And
the systematic agitation of the slavery ques-
ton by those parties having elevated sectional
hostility into a positive element of political
power, and brought our institutions into peril,
it has become the imperative duty of the
American party to interpose, for the purpose
of giving peace to the country and perpetuity
to the Union And as experience has shown
it impossible to reconcile opinions so extreme
as those which separate the disputants, and
as there can be no dishonor in submitting to
the laws, the national council has deemed it
the best guarantee of common justice and of
the future peace, to abide by and maintain
the existing laws upon the subject of slavery,
as final and conclusive settlement of that
subject in spirit and in substance.
Aud regarding it the highest duty to avow
their opinions upon subject SO important, in
distinct and unequivocal terms, it is hereby
declared as the sense of this national council,
that Congress possesses no power under the
constitution, to legislate upon the subject of
slavery in tho States whore it does or may ex-
ist, or to exclude any State from ADMISSION
into the Union. because its constitution does
or does not recognize the institution of slavery
as part of its social system; and expressly
preterinitting any expression of opinion upon
the power of Congress to establish or prohib-
it slavery in any Territory, it is the sense of
the national council that Congress ought not
to Iegislate upon the subject of slavery within
the territory Of the United States, and that
any interference by Congress with slavery as
it exists in the District of Columbia. would be
a violation of the spirit and intention of the
compact by which the State of Maryland ce-
ded the District to the United States, and a
breach of the national faith.
XIII. The policy of the government of the
United States, in its relations with foreign
governments, is to exact justice from the stron-
gest, and do justice TO the weakest; restrain
ing, by all the power of the government, all
its citizens from interference with the internal
concerns of nations with whom we are at
peace
XIV This national council declares that
all the principles of the order shall be hence
forth everywhere openly avowed; and that
each member shall be at liberty to make
known the existence of the order, and the fact
that he himself is member; and it recon-
mends that there be no concealment of the
places of meeting of subordinate councils.
e. P. BARTLETT, of Kentcy,
President of the National Council
c. D. DEsHLER, of New Jersey. Cor. Sec
JAS. NJ. STEPHENS, of Maryland, Rec Sec
On the adoption of the foregoing platform by
a majority of the convention large body of
the delegates seeded and published the fol-
lowing manifesto:
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
The undersigned, citizens of the various
States assembled at Philadelphia on the four
teenth day of June, 1865, feel constrained,
+l, <>f off, 20 cf,,
the following principles.
1st. The unconditional restoration of that
time-honored compromise known as the Misa
souri, prohibition, which was destroyed in ut
ter disregard of the popular villa wrong no
lapse of time can palliate and no plea for its
continuance can justify; and that we will use
all constitutional means to maintain the posi-
tive guaranty of this compact until the object
for which it was enacted has been consummat-
ted by the admission of Kansas and Nebraska
as free States.
3D. That the rights of settlers in Terri
tories to the free and undisturbed exercise of
the elective franchise guaranteed to them By
the laws under which they are organized
should be promptly protected by the national
executive, wherever violated or threatened,
and that we cannot consistently act with those
who will not aid Us ia tie correction of those
national wrongs, and will not eren permit
tnelr fair consideration and full discussion.
ou. ne further declare our continued and
unaiterabie determination to use all honorable
enor's 10 secure such modification of the
na1uralization !. laws, aided by such an eleva-
.i .ion u Puollc sentiment, as shall preserve the
.lue ,h'erests OF the nation and shall guarantee
Tue e"1ee VIA! principles of a Republican Gov
ernmensIsp.rstaqt :. freedom. free Bibze. and