Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-19
WASHINGTON D. c. MONDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY ls
Our principles.

Our Principles.
First. We shall advocate repeal of the
laws of naturalization, or If that cannot be ac-
complished. then such modification Of those
laws, as viii prevent future immigrants from
becoming citizens, short Of residence Of
twonty-one years, after taking the oath Of ale
glance to the United States, and Of G6juration
Of all other powers, potentates, and princes.
Second. We shall advocate the passage of a
stringent law by Congress to prevent the i'm
migration hither Of foreigners, who are either
pGupers or criminals, and to send back to the
countries from which they come, all such for
eigncrs Of these classes as may, in violation Of
such law, hereafter reach our ports; and to
require the President Of the United States to
demand from any government, which may
send hither such classes Of its subjects, imms-
diGto and ample satiyfaction for such outrage,
and proper indemnity against the repetition
thereof
Third. We shall oppose the election or ap-
pointment Of any Jorsigss-5orn citizen to any
Office Of trust honor or emolnment under the
Federal or State governments, or the employ
ment or enlistment Of such persons in the army
or navy IN time Of mar maintaining, as we
do the opinion, that the nGtiue-Born citizens Of
the United States have the right to govern the
land Of their birth; and that all immigrants
from abroad should be content with the enjoy
ment Of life, liberty and property, under our
institutions, without seeking to participate in
the enaction, administration, or execution oi
our laws.
Fbnrth. We shall advocate and urge the
adoption Of such an amended form of an oath
to support the Constitution of tho United
States, and to be administered to all persons
elected or appointed toany Office Of trust, honor,
or emolument, under the Federal or State gov.
ernments as win effectually exclude from such
offices all persons, who shall not directly and
eyplicitly recognise the obligations and bind
ing force Of the Constitution Of the United
States, as paramount to all obligations Of adhe-
sion or allegiance to any foreign prince, power,
potentate, or authority whatever, under any and
all circumstances
FIFTH We shall maintain the doctrine that
no one Of the States Of this Union has the right
to admit to the enjoyment Of .tres suffrage any
person Of foreign birth, who has not been first
made a citizen Of the United States, according
TO the "uniform rule" of naturalization pre-.
scribcd by Congress, under the provisions ol
the constitution. 4
Sirth. We shall oppose, now and hereafter,
any union Of Church and State" no matter
what class of rcligionists shall seek to bring
about such union
Seventh. We shall vigorously maintain the
rested rights of all persons of native or foreign
birth, and shall at all times oppose the slightest
interference with such vested rights.
Eighth. We shall oppose and protest against
all a6ridyment Of religious liberty, holding
It as cardinal maxim, that religious faith ID !
question between each individual and his God,
and over which no political government, orother
human power, can rightfully exercise any sn.
pervision or control, at any time, in any place,
or in any form.
Ninth We shall oppose all "higher law"
doctrines, by which the constitution is to be set
at nought, violated, or disregardsd, whether by
politicians, by religionists, or by the adherents
or followers of either, or by any other class Of
persons. -..t.
Tenth. We shall maintain and defend the
constitution as it stands, the Union as It ex-
lists, and the rights Of the States, without d.
minution as guaranteed thepeby: opposing at
all times, and to the extent of our ability and
influence, all who may assail them, or either OF
them.
Eleventh We shall oppose no man, and sus-
tain no man, on tho ground of his opposition
to, or his support of, Democratic measures. or
Whig measures; but we shall oppose those who
oppose our doctrines, and sustain those who
sustain our doctrines.
71eEfth. And lastly, we shall use our utmost
exertions TO build up an "American party y
whose maxim shall be: =.
AMERICANS SHALL RULE THEIR CousrRYi {
AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
In the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning Of
the year176e: 4
Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts to influence ii by tem-
poral punishments or burdens or by civil incapa-
citations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy
and mcanness, and are departure from the plan
ofthe Holy Author Of our religion, who, being Lord
both of body and Of mind, yet chose not TO prop
agate by coercions either, as was In his almighty
power 10 do; that the impious presumption of leg
islatures and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but hllible and uninspited
men, have assumed dominion over the faith of
others setting up their own opinions and modes Of
thinking as the only true and infable, and as snch
endeavoring to impose them upon others, hath es-
tabIished and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through all trae
that TO compel man 10 furnish contributions Of
money for the propagation of opinions which he
disbeleves is sinful and tyrannical that even the
forcing him to support this or that teacher of his
own religious persuasion is depiving him Of the
comfortable liberty of giving his contributions
TO the Psrticulrr pastor whose. morals he would
make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive to righteousness and Is Withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards, which, pro-
ceedng from an appreciation Of their personal CON
duct, are an additional incitement TO earnest and
unremitting labors for the instruction Of mankind
that our civil rights have no dependence ON our re-
lefous opinions moro than our opinions in physics
or geometry that, therefore, the prescribing Of
any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by