Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-11-07
WASHINGTON. DE- WEDNESDAY, AFTERNOON NOVEMBER \ 1855

allegiance, directly or indirectly, TO any foreign
power, whether civil or eccesastical, and who are
Americans by birth, education and training-thus
fulfilling the maxim; 'AMKRIoAEs ONLY SHALL
GOVERN AMERICA.n gsaVg i
Tho protection Of all citizens in the legal and
proper exercise Of their civil and religious rights
AMI privileges; the maintenance Of the right Of
every man TO the full unrestrained end peaceful
icy nent 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 Of
their civil allegiance with any foreign power, po-
tentate, or ecclcsastic. VIM
IX--The reformation of the character of our
National Legislature by elevatng to that dignifed
and responsible position men of higher qualiiica-
tions, purer morals and more unSelfish patriotism
X.-The restriction of executive patronage, es-
peciay in the matter Of appointments to office, SO
far 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 a dcnolninational or partisan character.
And, inasmuch as Christianity by the Constitu-
tons of nearly all the States; by the decisions OF
themost eminent judicial authorities; and by the
| u
element of our political system; and, as the Holy
Dible is at once the source of Christianity and the
depository and fountain of all civil and religious
freedom, we oppose every attempt to exclude it
from the schools thus established IN the States.
XII-The American party having arisen upon
the ruins and In spite Of the opposition Of the Wing
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 el-
evated sectional hostility into a 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 AZ experience has
shown it impossible to reconcile opinions so ex-
.reme 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 SUBJ
stance.
And regarding it the highest duty to avow their
opinions upon a subject 80 important in distinct
and unequvoca terms, it is hereby declared as the
sense of this National Council, that Congress pos
sesses no power, under the Constitution to legis-
late upon the subject of Slavery in the States
where it does may exist or to exclude any State
from admission into the Union because it's Consti-
tuition does or does not recognise the institution
of Slavery as apart of its social system and ex-
pressly pretermtting any expression of opinion
upon the power of Congress to establish or pro-
hibt Slavery in any Territory, it is the sense Of
the National Council that Congress ought not to
legisate 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.
XIII-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. s
XIV.--This National Council declares that all
the principles Of the Order shall be henceforward
everywhere openly avowed |; and that each men,
Der shall be At liberty to make known the existence
of the Order, and the fact that he himself is men,
Der, and IL recommends that there be no conceal
'ment of the places Of meeting Of subordinate coun-
ellis.
saH Z. B. BARTLETT, of Kentucky,
4sas President Of National Council
@. ID. DEsHLER, Of New Jersey, G4n
fr Corresponding Secretary.
JANIS NJ. STEPHENS, Of Maryland
4s.+ssrg e ss Recording Secretary.