Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-03
NUMBER 60.
From the North Carolina Star.
The American Party-Its Principles and
s4 Objects.

tion, which they hoped would secure to themselves
and their prosperity the blessings of civil and
lgious liberty, A CRISIS, which more mperatively
demanded the devotion, zeal, frmness, and cease
less vigilance OF every true patriot, than that which
now threatens the peace and prosperity of the
country and the integrity and stability of its Union
IN times past, when such men as Washington,
Adams, Ames, Wythe, Madison Livingston, Mar
shall, Jefferson, Sherman, and long list of others,
equally illustrous for their abilities and virtues,
honored the high places of trust to which they
were called by the suffages Of their countrymen,
political parties existed and conflicts Of opinion
prevailed-each side urging its peculiar convictions
Of principles or policy, with all the ability and ar
dor which 1t could command, yet in those ranks
none were found who did not have in view. in all
they said or did, the good Of the republic, and
whose minds and hearts were not absorbed and d.
rected by patriotic devotion to the prosperity
and honor of their common country
But what a melancholy change has come over
the political condition and prospects Of that coun-
try-presentng state Of things, which, in contrast
with that, created by the sterling virtues which
characterized the public conduct and career of the
fathers OF the Republic cannot be contemplated by
their descendants without the deepest humiliation,
reproached as they must be, by the burning refec-
ton, that peradventure, their own degeneracy may
| render unayailng for good, the sacrifices and
trials Of the past and cast blight over the future
prospects ofthe Republic!
For years, the elements of political corruption
and discord have been at work In our country to
most alarming degree Under the infamous doc
trine--" TO THE vIcToRs BELONG THE sPoILs"---
selfshness has usurped the place Of patriotism,
public Offices political ministerial and judicial,
have been prosttuted, as rewards for unscrupulous
partisan services and devotion--have been set up
at public auction and bartered to secure the votes
OF factious foreign population, who, ignorant of
the true principles of our government, and imbued
with none of its spirit, are the willing and supple
tools Of unprinciped and aspiring demagogues
We have seen faction arrayed against faction
the extremes Of each meeting on one common
ground, and for one common and determined pur-
pose-the dissolution Of the Unioni We have
witnessed the rapid approach of that period and
condition of things, earnestly deprecated by the
immortal Washington "mLen parties ass,eae a
geographical Discrimination" engendering bitter
ness, distrust and enmity between the different
sections of the Union, which, if not checked by
the conservative spirit Of the people, must end in
the disgrace and overthrow of our republican in
stitutions! We have seen the immigration of for
eigners to our cosntry, increasing in geometrcal
progression, which threatens to incorporate into
our political system, an element at once dangerous
to our peace and security. We have witnessed
the rapid spread under the mild and tolerant spirit
of our government, Of religious sect or system
which, whatever may be the piety Of its members
powers, at once dangerous TO the civil, and de-
structive Of the religious liberty, which govern
ment was established to protect and perpetuate
We have seen all this, and much more, well calcu.
lated to excite the indignation, awaken the vigil
lance, and arouse the energies of the good and
patriotic of the whole naton-who when dangers
threaten, and the hour Of their comtrys advcrsity
draws near, have still left, thank God! enough OF
the noble and brave spirit of their fathers to in
duee l.n, 70 throw off the vile shackes of party,
20 ien and sectional demarogues and stand forth
In solid phalanx, and with undaunted hearts, ior
her rescue and protection
The effects Of the poison have suggested the an
tidote--the elements which caused the storm have
pointed out the haven Of safety The fact can no
longer be hidden or denied-it has fallen like a
thunderbolt upon the heads of the corrupt and
corrupting leaders of the lawless factions, and rot
ten parties which have infested and cursed the
country-that the conservative American spirit of
the nation has been aroused and that there has
sprung up an organization which is destined to res
cue our institutions and government from the hands
Of those who are huTying them onward TO condi-
ton, worse, and more degrading, if possible, than
that which cursed the Roman people under the
bloody factions Of Marus and Sylla or the corrupt
sway of the triumyirate Of 0ctavius, Lepidus, and
Antony That organization has assumed the name
of "rHE AMERICAN PARTY" and asby its principles
and the purposes IL has In view, it must stand or
fall in the judgment Of the people, II il but proper
that those principles should be subjected to fair
and candid examination, and those purposes under
90 the strictcst scrutiny. To such investigation
and scrutiny the candid attention of the public IL
invited and TO those who from past political asso-
cations-personal motives or preconceived preju.
dices, have already without examination, declared
hostility to the American party, II may not be pre-
sumptuous to say, in the words Of the Athenian,
"SrRIKE but HEARW
What, then, are the principles upon which the
"American party" Is based, aud whatare It's purpo-
sesH First and foremost it win oppose, resist,
check and put down, IL possible, that foreign in
huence which they consider dangerous to our in
stitutions and inimcal to the integrity and harmo
ny Of the Union. They have not forgotten, nor
can they ever forget the solemn warning Of the
great Washington, in his farewell legacy TO his
countrymen Against the insidious wiles of for
egn influence, / conjure you TO believe me, fellow
citizens, the jealousy Of free people ought to be
constantly awake, since history and experience
prove, that foreign influence is one Of the most
baneful foes Of Republican govenmentp This
warning should be deeply impressed on the heart
every American The voice Of this sage and patriot
still appeals to his counrymen, TO keep their jcalou-
sy constantly awake" TO the wics Of foreign in.
fuence, and conjures them to sleepless vigilance
against its baneful influence And has II come to
this, that Americans are to be denounced, as avow-
tons and reasonable to the principles Of free gov
crnment, when they are but following the solemn
advice and express counsels Of the Father Of his
Countryg And do there not exist at this time,
stronger and more numerous causes than ever be-
fore existed especially at the period when the
warning Of Washington was given TO awake our
jealousy and vigilance against foreign influence?
Let us appeal 10 facts.
In 1914, the foreign population Of the United
States was about two and half millions Up to
the present time, it must have increased to nearly
FIVE and half millions, OF all nations Between
1920 and 1880, the average number Of foreign i'm
migrants was about twenty thousand per year
from 1880 to 1840 about seventy thousand year.
In 1847 they increased TO two hundred and forty
thousand, and in 1850 to upwards OF three hun
dred thousand. During the last year, 1854 nearly
one million Of foreigners came 10 The United States
Hereafter, aured by the land bounties held out to
them by the iniquitous laws of Congress, and drv-
| en- by the commissions, famnes, and wars Of Eu-
| rope. who can tell where this immense food Of i'm