Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-27
WASHINGTON TUESDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 81 1856
Our Principles.

Our Principles.
First. We shall advocate repeal of the
laws Of naturalization, or il that cannot be ac-
complished, then such modification of those
laws, as viii prevent future immigrants from
becoming citizens, short of residence Of
twsnty-one years, after taking the oath of allie
glance to the United States, and of abjuration
Of all other powers, potentates, and princes.
Second. We shall advocate the passage of a
stringent law by Congress to prevent the inn
migration hither Of foreigners, who are either
paupers or criminals, and to send back to the
countries from which they come, all such for
eigncrs Of these classes as may, in violation of
such law, hereafter reach our ports; and to
require the President Of the United States to
demand from any government, which may
send hither such classes Of its subjects, imme-
diate and ample satistactionJ for such outrage,
and proper indemnity against the repetition
| thereof
Third We shall oppose the election or ap-
pointment Of any Joroign-6orn citizen to any
office of trust honor or emolument, under the
Federal or State governments, or the employ
ment or enlistment of such persons in the army
or navy IN time Of war maintaining, as we
do the opinion, that the natipe-born citizens Of
the United States have the right to govern the
land of their birth; and that all immigrants
from abroad should be content with the enjoy
ment Of life, liberty and property, under our
institutions, without seeking to participate in
the enaction, administration, or execution Of
our laws.
Fburth. We shall advocate and urge the
adoption of such an amended form Of an oath
to support tho Constitution Of the United
States, and to be administered to all persons
elected or appointed to any Office Of trust, honor
or emolument under the Federal or State gov
ernments, as will effectually exclude from such
Offices all porsons who shall not directly and
ogplicitly recognise the obligations and bind
ing force of the Constitution of the United
States, as paramount to all obligations of adhe-
sion or allegiance to any foreign prince, power,
potentate, or authority whatever, under any and
all circumstances
FIFTH. We shall maintain the doctrine that
no one Of the States Of this Union has the right
to admit to the enjoyment Of free suffrage any
person Of toreiga birth, who has not been first
made citizen Of the Unitod States, according
to the uniform rule" of naturalization pre-
scribod by Congress, under the provisions Of
the constitution.
Sirth. We shall oppose, now and hereafter,
any union Of Church and Statd," no matter
what class of religionists shall seek to bring
about such union. %
Ssoenth. We shall vigorously maintain the
pested rights Of all persons, of native or foreign
birth, and shall at al times oppose the slightest
interference with such vested rights.
Eighth. We shall oppose and protest against
all a6ridsmsnt Of religious liberty, holding
1t rs cardinal maxim, that religious faith is a
! question between each individual and bis God,
and over which no political government, or other
human power, can rightfully exercise any sn-
pervision or control, at any time, in any place,
or in any form.
Ninth. We shall oppose all "higher law"
doctrines, by which the constitution is to be set
at nought, violated, or disregarded, whether by
politicians, by religionists, or by the adherents
or followers of either, or by any other class Of
persona
/ 7sntA We shall maintain and defend the
| oonstStutsOn as it stands, the Unaon as il ex-
lists, and the rights Of the States, without di-
minution rs guaranteed thereby: opposing at
all times and to the extent of our ability and
influence, all who may sssail them, or either Of
them.
EzsoentA. We shall oppose no man, and sus-
tain no man, ON the ground Of his opposition
to, or his support Of, Democratic measures, or
WAig measures; but we shall oppose those who
oppose our doctrines, and sustain those who
sustain our doctrines
| 76slftA And lastly, we shall use our utmost
exertions to build up an "Americdn parity"
whose maxim shall be:
| AMKRIoArs SHALL RULE THEIR OoUNrRYl
AN ACT for establishing religious freedom. passed
in the Assembly of Virginia in the beginning of
| the year 1855:
| Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts TO influence Il by tenn
poral punishments or burdens, or by civil incapa.
citations, tend only to beget habits Of hypocrisy
and meanness, and are q departure from the plan
the Holy Author Of our religion, who being Lord
both of body and of mind, yet chose not to prop
agate by coercions either was In his almighty
power 10 do; that the mpious presumption of leg.
isatures and rulers civil MS well as eccesiastica
who, being themselves but hlble and uninspired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith of
Others setting up their own opinions and modes of
thinking as the only true and inallble and as such
endeavoring TO impose them upon others, hath es-
tablished and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through all time
that 10 compel man to furnish contributions of
money for the propagation of opinions which he
disbeleyes, Is sinful and tyrsnnical that even the
forcing him to support this or that teacher of his
own religious persuasion is deprving him of the
comfortable liberty Of giving his contributions
TO the particular pastor whose morals he would
make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive to righteousness and Is withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards, which, pro-
ceeding from appreciation Of their personal con-
duct are an additional Indictment to earnest and
unremittng abors for the instruction Of mankind;
that our civil rights have no dependence on our re-
hgious opinions more than our opinions in physics
or geometry; that, therefore, the prescribing of
any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by
laying upon him an incapacity of being called to