Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-16
WASHINGTON ID. @. FRIDAY AFTERNOON MARCH 16 1855 n


| Our Principles.
Fsrst. We shall advocate repeal Of the
laws Of naturalization, or If that cannot be ac-
complished. then such modification Of those
laws, as win prevent future immigrants from
becoming citizens, short Of . residence Of
twenty -one years, after taking the oath Of ale
glance to the United States, and of a5jurGtion
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 arc either
paupors or criminals, and to send back to the
countries from which they come, all such for
eigners 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, imme-
diate and ample satistaction for sucA outrage,
and proper indemnity against the repetition
thereof #
Third. We shall oppose the election or ap-
pointmcnt Of any Joreign-5orn citizen to any
office Of trust honor or emolument, under the
Federal or State governments, or the employ
ment or enlistment Of such persons in the army
or navy In time of war !; maintaining, as we
do the opinion, that the natioe,5oyn citizens Of
the United States have the right to govern the
land Of their birth; and that all immigrants
from abroad should be centent with the enjoy
ment Of life, liberty and property, under our
institutions, without seeking to participate in
the enaction, administration, or execution Of
our laws.
F5urth. We shall advocate and urge the
adoption of such an amended form Of an oath
10 support the Constitution Of tho Uaited
States, and to be administered to all persons
elected or appointed to any 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
erplicitly recognise the obligations and bind
ing force of the Constitution of the United
States, as paramount to all obligations Of adhc-
sion or allegiance to any foreign prince, power,
potentate, or authority whatever, under any and
all circumstances.
FIFTH. We shaE maintain the doctrine that
no one Of the States Of this Union has the right
to admit to the enjoyment Of .trse suffrage any
person Of foreign birth, who has not beer. first
made citizen Of the United States, according
10 the " uniform rule OF naturalization pre-
scribed by Congress-, under the provisions Of
the constitution
SirtA. We shall oppose, now and hereafter,
any union Of Church and State" no matter
what class Of religionists shall seek to bring
about such union.
Secenth. We shall vigorously maintain the
pested 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 a6rIdgment Of religious liberty, holding
ii as cardinal maxim, that retigioss faith is a
question between each individual and his God
and over which no political government, or other
human power, can rightfully exercise any su-
pervision or control, taRy time, in any place,
or in any form.
Ninth. We shall oppose al "higher law"
doctrines, by which the constitution is to be set
at nought violated, or disregarded, whether by
politicians, by religionists, or by the adhercnts
or followers Of either, or by any other class Of
persons.
Tenth. We shall maintain and defend the
constitution rs 1t stands, the Union as 1t ex-
lists, and the rights Of the States, without di-
minutjon as guaranteed thereby: opposing at
all times, and to the extent of our ability and
influence, all who may assail them, or either of
them.
Ezeusnth We shall oppose no man, and sus-
tain no man, on the ground of his opposition
| TO, or his support of, Democratic measures, or
Wig measures; but we shall oppose those who
oppose our doctrines, and sustain those who
sustain our doctrines. =
7IelftA. And lastly, we shall use our utmost
exertions to build up an american party, -
whose maxim shall be:
AMERICANS SHALL RULE THxIR CoUNTRYi
|
AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
| in the Assembly Of Virginia In the beginning of
| the year 1856:
Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts 10 influence II by tenn
pord punishments or burdens, or by civil incapa-
citations, tend only to beget habits Of Hypocrisy
and meanness and are a departure from the plan
Of the Holy Author of our religion, who, being Lord
both Of body and Of mind, yet chose not TO prop
agate by coercons on either, as was In his almighty
power TO do; that the impious presumption Of leg
slatures and rulers civil as well as ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but fIlible and uninspired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith Of
others, setting up their own opinions and modes Of
thinking the only true and infalble, and as such
endeavoring TO impose them upon others, hath es-
tablished and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through all tine;
that to compel man TO furnish contributions of
money for the propagation Of opinions which he
dsbeeyes, is sinful and tyrsnnical; that even the
forcing him to support this that teacher Of his
own religious persuasion is deprving him Of the
comfortable liberty of giving his contributions
70 the particular pastor whose morals he would
| make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive tonghteousness and is Withdrawing from
| the ministry those temporal rewards which, pro
ceeding from appreciation Of their personal con-
duct, are an additional inctement TO earnest and
unremittng labors for the instruction Of mankind;
that our civil rights have no dependence on our re-
ligious opinions moro than our opinions In physics
or geometry; that, therefore, the prescribing Of
any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by
laying upon him an incapacity OF being called TO
the Offices Of trust and emolument, unless he pro-