Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-18
WASHINGTON. d. THURSDAY AFTERNOON OCTOBER 1856

allegiance, directly or indirectly, to any foreign
power whether civil or ecclesiastical and who are
Americans by birth, education and training thus
fulfilling the maxim: AMERICANS ONLY SHALL
GOVERN AMERICA." sas
The protection Of ali citizens in the legal and
proper exercise of their civil and religious rights
AMI privileges; the maintenance Of the right Of
every man 70 the full unrestraned, end peaceful en-
icynerd of his own religious opinions and worship,
and jealous resistance Of all attempts by any sect
denomination or church, to obtain an ascendency
over any other in the State, by means OF any
special privileges or exemption, by any political
combination OF It's members or bya division o.
their,ciyil allegiance with any foreign power, po
tentate, or ,ecclesastic. slej ss W ..3s.s, l
Ix.-rThe reformation, Of the character of our
National Legislature by eleyating to that dignifed
and responsible position men Of higher qualifica-
tions, purer morals, and more unselfsh patriotism
n The restriction Of executive patronage, es-
pecialy in the matter ofappointments 70 office, 80
far as it may be permitted by the Constitution and
consistent with the public good.
xI-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-
tions of nearly all the States by the decisions Of
the most eminent judicial authorities; and by the
clement Of rour, political system; and, as the Holy
Bible is at once the source Of Christianity and the
depository and fountain Of all civil and religious
freedom, we oppose every attempt TO exclude IL
from the schools thus established in the States NJ
h XII.-The American party having arisen upon
the ruins in spite ofthe opposition Of the Whg
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
eyated sectional hostility into positive element
of political power, and brought our institutions
into peril 1t has therefore become the imperative
duty of the American party to interpose for the
purpose of giving peace TO the country and per-
petuity to the Union. And as experience has
shown It impossible to reconcile opinions SO ex-
erenie 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 final and conclusive
settlement'of that subject, in spirit and in sub
stance.
And regarding it the highest duty to avow their
opinions uponga subject so important in distinct
and unequivocal terms, it is hereby declared as the
sense of this National Council, that Congress pos
sesscs no power under the Constitution, to legis-
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-
pressly pretermiting 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 10
legslate upon the subject of Slavery within the
Territories Of the United States, and that any in
reference by Congress with Slavery as it exists in
the District of Columbia, would be violation. Of
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 weakest; restraining, by all the
power Of the government, all its citizens from in
reference with the internal concerns Of nations
with whom we are at peace. ag
XIV.--This National Council declares that all
the principles of the Order shall be henceforwad
everywhere openly avowed 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
Der, and IL recommends that there be no conceal
ment of the places of meeting of subordinate cou-
cils. #1.F.w ta #sT
E. B. BARTLETT, of Kentucky,
- President Of National Council.
@. ID. DEsHLER, ofNew Jersey, 1 80
,.I,.. ~ Corresponding Secretary. -
| JAMES M. STEPHENS, of Maryland,
Recording Secretary. I,4s