Washington telegraph., 1855-12-26
The Americans at Louisville, Ky,

The Americans at Louisville, ky,
At the great Mass Meeting of the Amer
ican party. held at Louisville, KY, on the
9th and 2Sth ult.. the following resolutions
we're unanimously adopted:
1st The union of the States founded O.
riginally on political and commercial neeessi-
ties, affords the best assurance ie not the on
" guarantee for the future preservation of
.7t'se liberty, and promotion of the prosperity
Of the American people. It ntsss and shall
be maintained.
ID. The General Government should be
administered under a strict observance Of
the limitations upon its powers imposed by
the Constitution, and yet by a sufficient use
of the powers granted it should achieve and
promote the objects for which it was institu-
ted
81. Cherishing our own right of private
judgment in matters of religion, we respect
the same right in others. As Americans.
we are opposed to the union of Church and
State. We are opposed to Ecclesiastical
combinations Of whatever sect or denomina-
,tion, to produce political effect in our coun-
try. Advocates of civil liberty, we are
staunch advocates also of free church.
Any attempt by a foreign power to assume
political government within the limits of
these States, under the pretence of Ecclesi-
astical jurisdiction, cannot be recognized in
any other light than as an assault upon the
institutions of America and we will not sus-
tain any one who advocates, assists in, or
willingly submits to such interference.
4tb. Every government possesses the
right to prescribe the terms upon which
foreigner may be admitted to the privileges
of citizenship within its Jurisdiction. Such
privilege to the foreigner is boon confer
red, and is not a right Inherent. In this
cenfederacy, where the sovereign power de-
pends for healthy exercise upon the virtue
and intelligence Of the voter and his acquain-
stance with American institutions, the privi-
lege Of citizenship should be granted only up
ON such tests as certainly insure quali6ca-
tions in the person equal TO the proper dis
charge of the civic responsibilities to be as
sumed, Experience has proved the existing
laws touching naturalization to be unsatis-
factory and unsafe. To increase the guards
around the right Of suffrage and to insure
fidelity to the Constitution. founded on
thorough -lsrso.sied:sc of-and attachment to
American institutions, additional legislation
is necessary by Congress.
5th. No State of this Union ought to con-
fer the right of suffrage upon any but citi-
gems of the United States
eth The people Of Kentucky having in
primary assemblies and at the polls ratified
and approved the platform of the American
party adopted at. Philadelphia in June last,
this meeting reafhrms those principles, and
calls upon every lover of the country and the
Union to assist in maintaining them as the
basis Of political action.
7th, The Americans of Louisville, while
they deplore the events of the 9th of August,
DO not feel in the slightest degree response
bic for them, because they know and make
this public declaration of the fact that no
scheme of violence had been concerted, nor
was any meditated by them. They know
and declare that the rioting originated from
the wanton assaults made by foreigners upon
unofending citizens who were not meddling
with the election. They are not to be drawn
into further controversy upon this subject
than to express generally, that whenever
like occasion shall exhibit similar reckless
ness and wickedness upon the part of their
adve7saries, the Americans of Louisville will
firmly maintain their rights at every haz-
gard
The meeting was addressed the first day
by Gen. Williamson of Pennsylvania, Mr..
Sheets, of Indiana, Mr.. Prescott, of Massa-
chusetts and Humphrey Marshall of Ken
tucky.