Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-16


rights by legislative or executive action.
| lV.-0bedience TO the Constitution of these Uni
ted States, as the supreme law Of the land sacred
| ly obligatory upon all It's parts and members and
steadast resistance to the spirit Of innovation upon
its principles, however specious the pretexts.
Ayowing that in all doubtf1 or disputed points it
may only be legally ascertaihed and expounded by
the judicial power of the United States.
And, rs a corollary TO the above:
! /. A habit of reverental obedience to the law,
whether National, State, or Municipal, until they
are either repealed or declared unconstitutional BY
the proper authority.
2. tender and sacred regard for those acts oil
craftsmanship, which are to be contradistnguished
from acts of ordinary legislation, by the fact OF
their being Of the nature of compacts and agree
ments; and so, to be considered fixed and settled
national policy.
VA radical revision and modification Of the
laws regulating immigration, and the settlement OF
immigrants. Offering to the honest immigrant who,
from love Of liberty or hatred Of oppression, seeks
an asylum in the United States friendly recep-
ton aud protection. But unqualRedly condemn.
ing the transmission to our shores Of felons and
paupers.
VL-The essential modification of the Natural.
ization Laws.
The repeal by the Legislatures of the respective
States, Of all State laws allowing foreigners not
naturalized TO vote.
/ The repeal without retroactive operation, of all
acts of Congress making grants Of land to unnatu-
rallied foreigners, and allowing them to vote in
the Territories.
VII.-Hostility to the corrupt means by which
the leaders of party have hitherto forced upon US
our rulers and our political creeds.
Implacable enmity against the prevalent democrat
izing system of rewards for political subseryiency,
and of punishments for political independence.
Disgust for the wild hunt after office which char
acterizes the age.
These on the one hand. On the other =
Imitation Of the practice of the purer days of
the Republic; and admiration of the maxim that
"otfice should seek the man, and not man the Of
fee" and of the rule that the just mode of ascer.
tanning fitness for Office is the capability, the faith.
lulness, and the honesty of the incumbent or can
ddate.
VIII.--Resistance to the aggressive policy and
corrupting tendencies of the Roman Catholic
Church in our country by the advancement to all
political stationsexecutive, legislative, Judicial,
diplomatic-of those only who do not hold civil
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: "AMERIcASs ONLY SHALL
| GOVERN AMERICA"
The 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 unrestrained, and peaceful en-
joyment ofhs 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 tho State by means of any
special privileges or exemption, by any political
| combination OF its members, or by division of
their civil allegiance with any foreign power, po-
tentate, or ecclesiastic.
K.-The reformation of the character Of our
National Legislature, by elevating to that dign6ed
tions purer morals, and more unselish patriotism.
X.-The restriction of executive patronage, es-
pecially In the matter Of appointments to Office, so
far it may be permitted by the Constitution, and
consistent with the public good.
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 a UNCONVENTIONAL or partisan character.
And, inasmuch as Christianity, by the Constitu-
tons 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 and fountain Of all civil and religious
freedom, VIC oppose every attempt to exclude il
from the schools thus established IN the States.
XlI.-The American party having arisen upon
the ruins and In spite the opposition Of the Wing
and Democratic parties, cannot be In any manner
\ responsible for the obnoxious acts of violated
pledges Of either. And the systematic agitation
Of the slavery question by those parties having ell
evated sectional hostility into positive element
Of political power, and brought our institutions
into peril il has therefore become the imperative
duty Of the American party to interpose for the
| purpose Of giving peace to the country and per-
petuity TO the Union. And MS experience has
shown it impossible to reconcile opinions so ex.
IRENE those which separate the disputants, and
as there can be no dishonor in submitting to the
laws, the National Council has deemed 1t the be, {
guarantee Of common justice and Of future peac,
to abide by and maintain the existing laws upon
the subject Of slavery, as a final and conclusive
settlement Of that subject in spirit and in sub.
stance.
And regarding il the highest duty to ayow their
| opinions upon subject so important in distinct
and unequivoca terms, IL is hereby declared as the
sense of this National Council that Congress pos.
scsses no power, under the Constitution, TO legis
late upon the subject of Slavery in the States
where il does may exist, or to exclude any State
from admission into the Union, because its Const-
tuition does or does not recognise the institution
Of Slavery as part Of its social system and ex-
pressly pretcrmitting any expression of opinion
upon the power Of Congress TO establish or pro-
hbt Slavery in any Territory ii is the sense Of
the National Council that Congress ought not to
egislate upon the subject Of Slavery within the
Territories Of the United States, and that any in
reference by Congress with Slavery it exists in
the District OF Columbia, would be a violation Of
the spirit and intention Of the compact by which
the State Of Maryland coded the District to the
United States, and breach Of the National faith.
XlIL-Tbe policy Of the Government Of the
United States, in it, relations with foreign govern.
ments is TO exact justice from the strongest, and
do justice TO the weakest restrainin, by all the
power Of the government all its citizens from in.
reference with the internal concerns Of nations
with whom We are at peace.
XlV.-This National Council declares that oil
the principles of the Order shall bO henceforward
everywhere openly avowed; and TINT each men,
Der shall be at liberty to make known the existence
of the Order and the fact that he himself is mem
Der, and il recommends that there be no conceal
ment Of the places Of meeting Of subordinate
| cs.
r. b. BARTLETT, of Kentucky,
Prcsident Of National Council
G. D. DEsHLER Of New Jersey,
Corresponding Secretary
JANIS NJ. STEPHENS, Of Maryland,
Recording Secretary