Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-06-30
PAQUEMINE PARISH OF BERVLIE LA. JUNE 80, 1855

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
depositary and fountain of all civil and reliei.
GUS freedom, we oppose every attempt to ex.
clude 1t 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 held
in any manner responsible for the obnoxious
acts or violated pledges of either. And the
systematic agitation of the slavery question by
these parties having elevated sectional hostilli-
| ty into a positive element of political power,
and brought our institutions into peril, it has
become the imperative duty of the American
party to interpose for the purpose of giving
peace to the country and perpetuity to the Un-
| ion. And as experience has shown it impos-
sible to reconcile opinions so extreme 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 guar.
! antee 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 SUBJ
stance.
And regarding it the highest duty to avow
their opinions upon subject so important in
distinct and unequivocal terms, it is hereby
declared as the sense of this National Council
that Congress possesses no power under the
Constitution to legislate upon the subject of
slavery in the States where it does or may ex.
ist, or to exclude any State from admission in
to the Union because its Constitution does or
does not recognize the institution of slavery
as part Of its social system; and expressly
pretermittiDg any expression of opinion upon
the power of Congress to establish or prohibit
slavery in any Territory, it is the sense of the
National Council that Congress ought not to
legislate upon the subject of slavory within
the Territory Of the United States, and that
any interference 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
Governments. is to exact justice from the
strongest and to do justice to the weakest, re-
straining BY all the power of the Government
all its citizens from interference with the inter.
nal concerns of nations with whom we are at
peace.
XIV. This National Council declares that
all the principles of the Order shall be hence-
forth everywhere openly avowed, and that each |
member shall be at liberty to make known the |
existence of the Order, and the fact that he
himself is member; and it recommends that |
here be no concealment of the place Of meet !
ng Of subordinate Councils.
E. A. BARTLETT, of Kentucky,
President of National Council. |
c. D. DEsHLER,o of New Jersey,
Corresponding Secretary.
JAMES N. STEPHENS, of Maryland,
Recording Secretary.