Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-24

lhc OOhseutlOH VI the AMEhASAN AAhi
OF VIRGINIA, which met at Winchester, on
Tuesdey, the 18th Of March, appointed the under
signed committee, to make publication, over their
names, of the following;
Basis Principles OF the American Party of
Virginia.
Determined to preserve our political institutions
in their original purity and vgor and to keep them
unadulterated and unimpaired by foreign influence,
either civil religious well as by home faction
and home demagogaism and believing that an
American policy religious, political, and CONNER
cal necessary for the attainment Of these snds we
shall observe and carry out in practice, the follow
ing principles:
/. That the suffrages Of the American people
for political Offices, should not be given to any
ether than those born on our soil, and reared and
matured under the influence Of our institutions.
2. That no foreigner ought to be allowed to ex-
ercise the elective franchise till hc shall have re-
sided within the United States a sufficient length
Of time to enable him to become acquainted with
the principles and imbued with the spirit of our
institutions, and until he shall have become tho
roughly identified with the great interests Of our
country.
8. That whilst no obstacle should be interposed
to the immigration of all foreigners of honest and
industrious habits, and all privileges and immuni-
ties enjoyed by any native-boIn citizens Of our
country should be extended to all such immigrants.
administrations; yet all legal means should be
adopted to obstruct and prevent the immigration
Of the vicious and worthless, the criminal and
pauper sts AS
A. That the American doctrine Of religious tol-
Grafton, and entire absence of all prescription for
opinions sake, should be cherished as one Of the
very fundamental principles Of our civil freedom,
and that any sect or party which believes and main
tains that any foreign power, religious or pstica,
has the right to control the conscience or direct
the conduct of freeman, occupies position which
is totally at with the principles Of freedom Of
opinion, and which is mischieyous in its tendency
and which principle, If carried into practice would
prove wholly destructive of our religious and civil
liberty.
5. That the Bible in the hands Of every free cit
izen is the only permanent basis of all true liberty
and genuine equality.
g. That the intelligence of the people is neces-
sary to the right use and the continuance Of our
liberties, civil and religious; hence the propriety
and Importance of the promotion and fostering OF
all means of moral and intellectual culture by some
adequate and permanent provision for general ed
ucation. la
4 That the doctrine Of availability, now 20 prev
alent and controlling, in the nomination Of candi
dates for Office in total Disregard TO all principles
of right, Of truth, and Of Justice, Is essentially
wrong, and should be by all good mon condemned.
8. That as general rule, the same restrictions
should be prescribed to the exercise Of the power
Of removal from Office, as are made necessary to be
observed in the power Of appointment thereto
and that executive influence and patronage should
be scrupulously conferred and jeslously guarded.
Q. Thst the sovereignty Of the States should be
supreme in the exercise Of ~ powers not express
ly delegated to the federal government, and which
may not be necessary and proper to carry out the
powers go delegated and that this principle should
be observed and held sacred in al organizations Of
the American party. M
TO- That all sectarian intermeddling with politics
or political institutions, coming hom Whatever
source II may, should be promptly resisted by al
such means - seem to be necessary and proper for
this end. t,s .s''
IL. That whilst the perpetuity Of the present
form Of the federal government of the United
States is actually necessary for the proper develop
ment Of all the resources Of this country, yet the
princyple Of ofnon-interventon, both on the part Of
the federal government and ef tho ssvsral Htates
Of the Union In the municipal ahirs Of sAch other,
Is essential TO peace and prosperity Of our country,
and 70 the uell-being and permanence Of our inst-
tutions, and at the same time the only reliable
bond of brotherhood and union
| IL. The red repnblicanism and Kcentious indul-
gence In the enjoyment Of civil privileges, are a
much to be feared and deprecated by an friends
10 wel-regulated government and true liberty, ~
any OF the forms OF monarchy and despstism.
Is. That the true Interests and welfare Of this
country, the honor Of this nation, the individual
and private rights ofits citizens, conspire to de-
mand that all other questions arising from party
organizations, or from any other sonrce, should be
held subordinate TO and in practice made to yield
| 70 the great principles herein promulgated.
ANDREW e. KENNEDY, OF jefferson,
GEORGE d. GRAY, of Culpeper.
JOSIAH DABBS Of Halifax.