Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-11-05
WASHINGTON D. G.. MONDAY AFTERNOON NOVEMBER 8 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: "ANrRIcASs ONLY sHALL
G0vKRN AMERICA" t,.S
Tho protection Of all citizens in the legal and
proper exercise Of their civil and religious rights
and privileges; the maintenance Of the right Of
every man to the full pnrestrained, end peaceful en-
jcymeM ofhis 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-l
tentate, or ecclesiastic. s.,.,
TX The reformation Of the character of our
National Legislature, BY eleyatng to that dignifed
and responsible position men Of higher qualiica-
tions purer morals, and more unsefsh patriotism.
X.--The restriction of executive patronage, es-
pecially in the matter ofappointments to Office, 30
far as II may be permitted by the Constitution, and
consistent with the public good.
III 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 denominational 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
consent Of the people Of America, is considered an
element Of our political system; and, as the Holy
Bible IS at once the source Of Christianity, and the
depository aud 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 Gbnoxious acts Of violated
! pledges Of either. And the systematic agitation
~
evated 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-
pctuity to the Union. And as experience has
shown IL impossible to reconcile opinions 30 ex-
.reme as those which separate the disputants, and
as there can be no dishpnor 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 spd In sub.
/ stance. s#
\, And regarding 1t the highest duty to avow their
opinions upon subject SO Important In distinct
and unequivocal terms it is hereby declared az 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 or may exist 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 cx-
pressly pretermitting any expression Of opinion
upon the power of Congress to establish or pro-
hibt Slavery in any Territory, IL Ia the sense of
the National Council that Congress ought not to
| cgislate upon the subject of Slavery within the
Territories Of the United States, and that any in
terference by Congress with Slavery Ii exists in
the District of Columbia, wonld 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 tho 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 ofthe government, all its citizens from in
| reference with the internal concerns Of nations
with whom we are at peace.
'XIV.-This National Council declares that all
the principles of the Order shall bo henceforward
| everywhere openly avowed; and that each mem
Der shall be AZ liberty to make known the existence
of the Order, and the fact that he himself Ia a mem
ber, and IL recommends that there be NO conceal
ment of the places of meeting Of subordinate coun-
ellis. 8iw fG tft
r. B. BARTLETT, of Kentucky,
PTssident Of National Council.
@. ID. DEsHLER, of New Jersey, III
Corresponding Secretary.
JAMES NJ STEPHENS, Of Maryland, F
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