Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-23
Basis Principles Of the American Party of
" Virginia.

Determined to preserve our political institutions
in their original purity and vigor, and to keep them
unadulterated and unimpaired by foreign influence,
either civil religious, well by home faction
and home demagoguism; and believing that an
American policy, religious, political, and CONNER
cia necessary for the attainment of these ends we
shall observe and carry out in practice, the follow
ing principles:
/. 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 ex-
ercise the elective franchise, till he shall have
sided within the United States 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.
s. That whilst no obstacle should be interposed
to the immigration Of all foreigners of honest and
industrious habits, and all privileges and immun-
ties enjoyed by any natve-bom citizens of our
country should be extended to all such immigrants
except that of participating in any of our political
administrations yet all legal means should be
adopted to obstruct and prevent the immigration
of the vicious and worthless, the criminal and
pauper
A. That the American doctrine of religious toll
eration and entire absence of all prescription for
opinions sake, should be cherished as one of the
very fundamental principles of our civil freedom,
and that any sect party which believes and main
tains that any foreign power, religious or psltica
has the right to control the conscience or direct
the conduct of freeman, occupies aposition which
Is totally at war with the principles OF freedom Of
opinion and which is mischievous In its tendency,
and which principle, carried into practice, would
prove wholly destructive Of our religious and civil
liberty.
s. That the Bible in the hands Of every free cit
zen Ia the only permanent basis Of all true liberty
and genuine equality.
8. That the intelligence Of the people is neces-
sary to the right use and the continuance of our
liberties, civil and religious hence the propiety
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
4. That the doctrine of availability, now so prev
aent and controlling, In the nomination OF candi-
dates for Office in total disregard TO all principles
of right of truth, and Of Justice, is essentially
wrong, and should be by all good men condemned
g. That, as q general rule, the same restrictions
should be prescribed to the exercise of the power
of removal from Office, 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.
Q. That the sovereignty Of the States should bt
supreme in the exercise Of all powers not express
may not be necessary and proper to carry out thu
powers so delegated, and that this principle shoulC
be observed and held sacred in all organizations
the American party.
10. That all sectaran intermeddling with polite
or political institutions, coming from whateye
source Il may, should be promptly resisted by al
such means as seem to be necessary and proper 70
this end.
IL That whilst the perpetuity Of the presen
form OF the federal government of the Unite
States is actually necessary for the proper develop
ment of all the resources Of this country, yet tn
principle ofnon-intervention, Of both on the part Q
the federal government and of the several State
of tho Union in the municipal affairs Of each othe'
Il essential to peace and prosperity OF our country
and to the wel-being and permanence OF our inst
tutions, and at the same time the only rehaol
bond Of brotherhood and union.
IL. The red republicanism and hcentious ndu
gence in the enjoyment Of civil privileges are
much to be feared and deprecated by all FRIEND
to well-regulatcd government and true hoerty,
any Of the forms Of monarchy and despotism. :,
13. That the true interests and welfare OF 20
country, the honor Of this nation, the individu
and private rights of its citizens, conspire to O
mand that all other questions arising from par
organizations, or from any other sonrce, should
held subordinate to and in practice made to yie
to the great principles herein promulgated.