The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-03-30
Platform of tho
AMERICAN PARTY,
RESOLUTIONS.

AVl i AN L IL
RESOLUTIONS.
/. Resolved, That the highest civic duty
of an American citizen is to promote the
prosperity Of his own country; thatto do
this he should endeavor to preserve, strength
en- and defend the principles of American
republiconism, as they were promulgated
in the Revolution of 1776, and incorporated
in the constitution of the United States. b,
And to this end we hold it indispensable
that every citizen who has the privilege OF
voting in elections should be acquainted
with the constitution, both by capacity to
read aud understand it in the language in
which it is written, and by such long and
familiar intercourse with the country and its
institutions as is necessary to Undue his
mind with the distinctive American percep-
ton OF the nature Of free government. and
with that sentiment of attachment to it
which shall render him at oil times It's effec-
tive friend and supporter.
That with this view of the qua,ific ations
for citizenship, we proclaim it to be fun
damental precept OF our republican system,
that America should be governed only by
Americans. -
2. Resolved, That whilst we have full con-
| fdence in the strength of our nationality, as
| it is cherished and defended by our native
citizens, and With scarcely less attachment,
maintained by numbers of citizens of foreign
birth, who by long domes,ica,ion have been
identified with our people, we are vet deeply
impressed with conviction that, in the ex.
traordinary concourse of aliens which recent
Undue ements have brought to our land; in the
peculiar incompetency of many of them,
from education and habits of life, to become
thorough American citizens; in the attrac.
ton which. both from their numbers and
their facility to be misled, they offer to the
ambition of demagogues, who have not
scrupled to make use of them as allies to Sc
cure selfish ends; in the frequent evidence
that they afford Of their incapacity to appre.
ciate the right of suffrage, when they have
obtained il by the operation Of our present
system Of naturalization, and to the manifold
abuses TO which this right is subject in their
hands; that the time has come when il is es.
sential to the purity Of our government and
its wholesome administration, that the laws
regulating the admission of foreigners to
citizenship should be revised, and that either
longer term for probation for citizenship
and more rigid provisions for comforting i,
should be established, or that the naturaliza.
) ton laws should be wholly repealed.
8. Resotred, That we regard it to be the
interest and duty of our government and peo
pie to give to the honest and meritorious Dor.
ton Of the immigrants from foreign lands
who seek an asylum in the United States, q
, friendly reception; to extend to them bro
lection and encouragement; to confer upor
r them every right necessary TO the security
IN thoir xvo lfaro in yho
they may employ themselves; and to demon
strate to them, by liberal and considerable
/. hospitality, that it is both the policy AMI
: pride OF our country to share the benefits o
our free government with all mankind who
may prove themselves worthy of such partici
patton.
4. Resolved. That we acknowledge re-
, Iigious federation to be an essential ant
fundamental principle of free government
, and we declare that we hold the right o.
conscience-by which we mean especially
the freedom of opinion and the privilege O
every man to worship God in such manner
and according to such belief as his own con
vctions dlctate-to be amongst the dearest
and most sacred rights of freemen; that VIZ
will defend these rights against all assaults
from whatever quarter; and that in this de-
, termination we know no distinction of creed
; nor sect. nor person, holding that the Stat,
should exercise no other control over thes,
rights than that which may be necessary I,
guard the public morals against Iicentou
abuse, and to secure to every one the full
I and peaceful enjoyment of his religious
opinion and worship.
5. Resolved, That as necessary to reli
gious liberation, and as indispensable to il
! healthful support, we regard every attempt O
any one sect, or denomination. or church, I,
! obtain an ascendency over others in the Stat,
by the demand of especial privilege or ex
emption OF any kind, within the sphere O
= political rights and duties, and still more, an,
d cOmbinat on of the members of any demon
ination to obtain political power by concer
, of action, in the performance of civic gov
i eminent, to be dangerous to that equality o
rights which should belong to all ci,ize ms
!. hostile to the order of society, and conspic
: uously Objectionable as step towards tn
subsection OF civil power to ecclesiastical in
fuence; that we therefore take our stan
against all such attempts, wherever we ma,
find disposition to make them.
y 6. Resolved, That we cherish, with tn
highest Appreciation, the education of tn
> youth Of our country in schools provided b.
the State, believing such institutions to b.
the most valuable anxilaries to enlightene