Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-06
WASHINGTON D. c. SATURDAY AFTERNOON OCTOBER 6 1855

over any other in the State, by means Of any
special privileges or exemption, by any political
combination of its members, or by division Of
their civil allegiance with any foreign power, po-
tentate, or ecclesisstic. ,S a
IX-The reformation of the character of our
National Legislature, by eevating to that dlgnifed
and responsible position men of higher qualifica-
tons, purer morals, and more unselfsh patriotism
X,--The restriction of executive patronage, es-
pecialy in the matter Of appointments to Office, so
far as il may be permitted by the Constitution, and
consistent with the public good
xL--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 dcnominational or partisan character.
And, inasmuch as Christianity, by the Constitu-
tons of nearly all the States, by the decisions Of
the most eminent Judicial authorities; and by the
consent of the people Of America is considered an
element Of our political system; and, as the Holy
Bible s 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.-Phe American party having arisen upon
the ruins and in spite of the opposition Of the Wing
and Democratic parties, cannot be In any manner
responsible for the obnoxious acts Of violated
pledges of either And the systematic agitation
Of the slavery question by those parties having ell
evated sectional hostility into positive element
Of political power, and brought our institutions
into peril, it has therefore become the imperative
duty Of the American party to interpose for the
purpose of giving peace to the country and per-
petuty to the Union. And as experience has
shown it impossible to reconcile opinions 80 ex-
:reme 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 future peace,
to abide by and maintain the existing laws upon
the subject of slavery, as a final and conclusive
settlement of that subject, in spirit and in sub
stance 4anN 3i} l9 Aast 8ai
And regarding it the highest duty to ayow their
opinions upon subject so important, in distinct
and unequivocal terms it is hereby declared Us the
sense Of this National Council that Congress pos
sesses no power, under the Constitution, to legs-
late upon the subject of Slavery in the States
where It does or may exist or to exclude any State
from admission into the Union, because its Consti-
tuition does or does not recognise the institution
of Slavery as part of its social system and ex-
rpressly pretermitting any expression Of opinion
upon the power of Congress to establish or pro-
hibit Slavery in any Territory, it is the sense Of
the National Council that Congress ought not to
legislate upon the subject of Slavery within the
Territories Of the United States, and that any in
teerence by Congress with Slavery as il exists in
the District of Columbia, would be . violation oi
the spirit and intention Of the compact by which
the State of Maryland ceded the District to the
United States, and breach Of the National faith.
XIIL-The policy of the Government of the
United States, in its relations with foreign govern
ments is TO exact justice from the strongest, and
do justice to the weakssg restraining by all the
power Of the government all lbs citizens from in.
reference with the internal concerns of nations
with whom we are at peace. M
xIy.--This National Council declares that all
the principles OF the Order shall DO henceforward
everywhere openly ayowed and that each mem
Der shall be at liberty to make known the existence
of the Order, and the fact that he himself is mem
bes, and it recommends that there be no conceal
ment Of the places Of meeting Of subordinate coun-
ellis. ..ffa t,
Z. B. BARTLETT, Of Kentucky,
President of National Council
@. D. DEsHLER, of New jersey
Corresponding Secretary.
JAMES M. STEPHENS, of Maryland, .s
Recording Secretary