Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-20

ments o. others only as they shah square with, or
dier fiom bis owni that 1t is time enough, for the
rightfa purposes Of civil government, for its Off
Gers TO interfere when principles break out into
overt acts against peace and good order; and
nnaiy tnat truth is great and win prevail iflef to
herself that she y the proper and sufficient antag
onist o. error, and has nothing to fear from the
conflict unless by human interposition dsarmed Of
her natural weapons, free argument and debate
errors ceasing 70 be dangerous when it Is permitted
freely to combat them
BE q, therefore, enacted 5y the General As
sembty That no man shall be compelled to fire.
quent or support any religious worship, place. or
ministry whatsoever, nor shall he be enforced. re-
strained molested, orbufdened in body or goods
shall he otherwise suffer on account
opinions OF belief but that all men shan be free to
profess, and by argument to maintain, their onin-
ions in matters Of religion, and that the same shall
IN no wise diminish, enlarge, Or affect their civil
And though we wen know this Assembly, elected
BY the people for the ordinary purposes Of legis
lation only have no power to restrain the acts Of
c:eding assemblies, constituted with powers
equal to our own; and that, therefore, to declare
this act irreyocable would be Of no effect in law:
yet we are free to declare, and do declare, that the
rights hereby asserted are Of the natural rights Of
mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter
passed 70 repeal the present. or to narrow its ope-
rations such an act will be an Infringement Of
natural right. .Hsa
The following preamble and resolutions,
adopted at mass meeting Of the citizens Of
washington, on the 27th day Of September
last, present the general sentiments Of the
American party" In this city, and viii doubt
less be read with interest by the friends Of
American principles throughout the country,
to wit:
=, where's = public meeting Of citizens Of Washing
Ton was held at Carusps Saloon, the 10th instant
upon call made inl and approved BY the Executive
organ the proceedings Of which, in the resolutions
sgd e have been adoptd at that meeting and in the
speeches q certain selected orators at subsequent
adjourned meeting, are now spread before the public
eye n thc colunins Of said organ, and It's Kindred
prosses with appreciation and whereas said rcsolu-
nons however dressed up IN abstract professions Of
heart and necessary 70 the saety Of the constitution
ana % me peace and prosperity Of our country and
where's, the Executive is invoked therein ID remove
nom public employment such officeholders as enter
prescriptions Of both wings and Democrats for an
honest difference Of opinion. Therefore st
Hasosced That mere professions Of love TO the con-
sttatlon and to civil and religious freedom, when
and vigilant guardians Of American liberty whose
apprehensions have been excited 1t behofding the
strides that have been made toward complete con-
troi oi our government BY the subjects Of foreign
potentate we!lknown as the ayowed enemy Of our
whole American system, TO whose overthrow they
RssolJed, That as yigant custodians of that bene-
neent system Of civil and religious freedom bequeath
cd TO us by the fathers of the republic IL is duty
TO meet and repef all insidious attacks upon lib
critics as well as all open assaults and that we view
with indignation and alarm the assertion of priDc
ponents af t6e Hama, III; T,rt =, ~ RI ffa;taa
states, subversive of republican institutions
winch constitute aggressions of such a character
that, II not now resisted, will lead at distant day
TO the overthrow of the American Constitution and
the complete establishment of despotsm.
hesolced That while, In the past political divisions
OF the country, as Wings and Democrats, we have
struggled in honest conflict over eontested principles
and measures all Of which are now settled, yet In
the present crisis Of danger 10 all that both parties
hold dear we viii bury every remembrance Of past
opposition and pledge 70 each other our lives, our
fortunes and our sacred honor" net 10 our
ertions until our country shall be freed ffom the
dangers that now menace IL rss riui sl
Rssoired, That we proclaim as the cardinal princi-
pies of our political and moral creed sacred regard
for the constitution In all its provisions upon which
are based our glorious American principlesTreedom
OF speech, freedom of opinion, freedom Of conscience,
freedom OF the press, together with school system
for the diffusion Of intelligence, sancfed by an open
Bible the rule Of faith and practice holding as an
establshed principle that intelligence and virtue are
essential 70 the success Of free government =
Resobcsd, That while we welcome 10 our country
the victims Of tyranny from foreign lands, and offer
them place by our side under the shield Of
sttution we claim for Americans the right ogovern
their own country; and those who do not like our
government have our hearty consent 10 70 elsewhere
Res,vsd That the fourth resolution of the meeting
At Csrnsfs Saloon, recommending 70 the President OF
the United States prescription OF all officers Of the
federal government who may have thought it 10 be-
come members Of the association Of Know KDoth-
datia xUhio hofnr tia al
bad been recognised and acted upon by the Exccu-
tive OF the United States-aproposes an alarming and
dangerous ipfrscton Of the principles Of segoyern-
ssd oss tDr .se s5a
distinction Of party, sect or creed.
Resotued, That every Protestant denomination in
the United States maintains The constitutional prin-
eiple Of separation Of Church and State-in which
principle many American Catholics sincerely ooncur,
while on the other band, the ,Pspal Church abroad
openly, and always and everywhere maintains the
doctrine Of obcdience Of the civil 10 the ecclesiastical
authority, both in Europe and America; the sad and
ruinsus effects Of which, in the one are seen IN
countless ennigrants flying from It's tyranny and
misery 70 our own happy land, and in the other in
the ignorance and poverty Of the masses, in the
insurrectons masssorss, and proverbial instability
OF our Southern sister Republics.
ResotUed, That upon these principles we appeal
from the opinions, whose proclamation has caused
this meeting, 10 the people Of tho United States |;
and, although we might infer they are an exponent
Of executive feelings from the official positions Of
those who controlled the proceedings, yet we will still
hope that the President who alone has the power,
will arrest the prescription already begun Of faithful
ofice-holders both Democrats and whies for daring
70 entertain American and Protestant sentiments
and viii reject the mcrcenary suggestion urged upon
him by the fourth resolution Of the meeting last week.
~ covert scheme TO crafty the appetite Of Office
seekers at the expense Of many who xealously and
efficiently aided In his elevation 70 power and whose
removal under existing circumstances win FIX in
delibe stain upon him as a man and as the President
Of the United States
feso1ced That having seen the denunoiations that
almost daily issue from certain presses against the
"fusionists If the North who are denounced as abb
serbed IN "the traitorous factions which distract
those Sates by which they are one after another be-
ing placed in opposition 10 the administration, we
were astonshed TO hear the pressing invton in the
second resolution Of our opponents 70 Of all po-
lticsi opinions, without regard 10 their political
antecedents," 70 form "fusien" with them in their
future action-an invitation broad enough 10 include
Garrison Abby Kelly, and Fred, Douglas, besides
their coadiutors In the two houses Of Congress.
Resoepea That we, too, appeal 70 all Americans
who love the Union which arnust be preserved" and
the oonstitution which established and maintains it.
and the rirhta of the vrhich and