Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-23
WASHINGTON. D. G, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 2 1856

The Convention Of the AMERICAN PARTY
OF VIRGINIA, which met at Winchester, on
Tuesdey, the 18th Of March, appointed the under
signed committee, to make publication, over their
names, of the following: ~
Basis Principles Of the American Party Of
- Virginia.
Determined to preserve our political institutions
In their original purity and vigor and to keep them
unadultersted and unimpared by foreign influence,
either civil or Religious as well as by home faction
and home demagoguism and believing that an
American policy, religious, political, and CONNER
cia necessary for the attainment Of these snds we
shall observe and carry out in practice, the follow
ing principles: 5
1. 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.
2. That no foreigner ought to be allowed to ex-
ercise the elective franchise till he shall have re-
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.
8. That whilst no obstacle should be interposed
to the immigration Of all foreigners Of honest and
Industrious habits, and all privileges and immuni-
country should be extended to all such immigrants
xcept 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.
4. That the American doctrine Of religious tol-
Grafton, and entire absence of all prescription for
opinions sake should be cherished as one of the
very fundamental principles of our civil freedom,
tains that any foreign power, religious or Political
has the right to control the conscience or direct
the conduct Of a freeman, occupies position which
is totally at war with the principles OF freedom Of
opinion and which is mischievous in its tendency,
and which principle, if carried into practice would
prove wholly destructive of our religious and civil
liberty. s
5. That the Bible in the hands Of every free cit
zen is the only permanent basis of all true liberty
and genuine equality.
8. That the intelligence of the people is aeces-
sary to the right use and the continuance Of our
liberties, civil and religious; hence the propriety
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.
T. That the doctrine Of availability, now so prey
alent 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
8. That, as general rule, the same restrictions
should be prescribed to the exercise of the power
Of removal from Office, as 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 be
supreme in the exercise of all powers not express
ly delegated to the federal government, and which
may not be necessary and proper to carry out the
powers SO delegated, and that this principle should
be observed and held sacred in all organizations of
the American party. $50
TO- That all scctarian intermeddling with politics
or political institutions, coming from whatever
source it may, should be promptly resisted by all
such means as seem to be necessary and proper for
this end.
H. That whilst the perpetuity Of the present
form Of the federal government of the United
States is actually necessary for the proper develop
ment Of al the resources this country, yet the
principle ofnon-intervention, bod on the part of
the federal government and e the several States
of the Union in the municipal sAirs Of each other,
Is essential TO peace and prosperity of country,
and TO the wcll-being and pcrmanence of our insti
tutions, and at the same time the only reliable
bond Of brotherhood and union. f
IL. The red repnbicsnism and licentious indul-
gence in the enjoyment Of civil privileges are as
much TO be feared and deprecated by all friends
70 welLregulated government and true liberty, a.
any of the forms Of monarchy and despstism.
l3. That the true Interests and welfare Of this
country, the hoaor Of this nation, the individual
and private rights off its citizens, conspire to do
mand that all other questions arising from party
organizations or from any other sonrcc, should be
held subordinate TO and IN practice made TO yield
10 the great principles herein promulgated.
ANDREW K. KENNEDY, Of Jefferson,
GEORGE d. GRAY, Of culpeper,
JOSIAH DARRS of HsI;f.r ~ ft8