Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-18
WASHINGTON. D. @. FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY is, 1855.

The Convention Of the AMERICAN PARTY
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 vigor, and to keeRthem
unadulterated and unimpaired by foreign influence,
either civil religious, as well as by home faction
and homo demagoguism and believing that an
American policy, religious, political, and CONNER
cia necessary for the attainment Of these onds we
shall observe and carry out in practice, the follow
ing principles:
i. That the suffrages Of the American people
for political Offices, should not be given to any
other than those born on our soil, and reared and
matured under the influence Of our institutions.
Q. That no foreigner ought to be allowed to en-
ercise the elective franchise, till he shn have rs-
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-
country should be extended to all such immigrants;
xcept that Of participating in any of our political
administrations; yet all legal means should be
adopted to obstr,ct and prevent the immigration
Of the vicious and worthless, the criminal and
pauper.
4. That the Amsricdn doctrine of religious toll
Grafton, and entire absence Of all prescription for
opinions sake, should be cherished as one of the
very fundamental principles of our OWL freedom,
l.a.ta
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 war with the principles OF freedom of
opinion and which Is mischieyous In It's tendency,
and which principle, il carried into practice would
prove wholly destructive of our religious and civil
liberty.
5. That the Bible in the hands of every free cit
zen is the only permanent basis Of all true liberty
and genuine equality.
6. That the intelligence Of the people Ia neoes-
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.
z. That the doctrine of availability, now SO prev
alent and controlling, in the nomination Of candi-
dates for Office, in total disregard to oil principles
wrong, and should be by all good men condemned.
s. That. as general rule, the same restrictions
should be prescribed 10 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 jealousy guarded
9. That the sovereignty of the States should be
supreme in the exercise of all powers not express
" delegated to the federal government, and which
L.
powers so delegated, and that this principle should
be observed and held sacred in all organizations Of
the American party.
10. That all sectarian intermeddling with politics
or political Institutions, coming from whatever
source it may, should be promptly resisted by all
such means as seem TO be Necessary and proper for
this end
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
principle ofnon-intervention, both on the part of
the federal government and of the several States
of the Union in the municipal affairs Of each other,
is essential to peace and prosperity of our country
and 10 the well-being and permanence Of our inst-
tutions, and at the same tine the only reliable
bond Of brotherhood and union.
IL. The red repnblcanism and licentious indu-
gence in the enjoyment Of civil privileges are az
much 10 De feared ami deprecated py All Iriends
TO well-regulated government and true liberty, as
any of the forms OF monarchy and despotism.
13. That the true Interests and welfare of this
country, the honor Of this nation, the individual
and private rights fits citizens, conspire TO de-
mand that all other questions arising from party
organizations from any other sonrce, should be
held subordinate TO and in practice made to yield
to the great principles herein promulgated.
ANDREW Z. KENNEDY, Of Jefferson,
GEORGE d. GRAY, of Culpeper
JOSIAH DABBS Of Halifax.