Thibodaux minerva., 1856-03-08
American Platform of Principles.

Philadelphia on the 22d ut., rescindcd the Pla,
form of June last and substituted the following, b
"a vote of Ill to II. 1t will be perceived tba
secrecy, oaths, and the implied religious test, hav
been abolished. On what string will the Democ
racy play now? The party now stands upon tn
broad national platform that none but natives bor
shall rule America.
l. An humble acknowledgment to the Supreme
Being who rules the universe, for his protectn!
care vouchsafed to our fathers in their successful
Revolutionary struggle, and hitherto manifested u
us, their descendants in the preservation of th
liberties the independence, and the union of thes
States.
2. The perpetuaton of the Federal Union, a.
the palladium of our civil and rcg gous liberties
and the only sure bulwark of American Indepcnd
ence.
3. Americans must rule America, and to th:
end maire-borm citizens should be selected for al
State Federal, and Municipal offices or govern
ment employment, in preference to naturalzed cti
zens; nevertheless,
4. Persons born of American parents residing
temporarily abroad, should be entitled to all the
rights OF natiyc-born citizens; but
5. No person should be selected for political
station (whether of native or foreign birth) who
recognises any allegiance Or obligation of any de-
scrpton to any foreign prince, potentatc or power
or who refuses to recognize the Federal and State
Constitutions leach within its sphere) paramount
to all other laws, as rules of political action.
8. The unqualified recognition and maintenance
of the reserved rights of the several States, and
the cultivation of harmony and fraternal good will
between the citizens of the several States, and to
this end, non-interference by Congress with ques-
To tbo
and non-interventon by each State with the affairs
of any other State
7. The recognition of the right of the native
born and naturazed citizens of the United States,
permanently residing in any Territory thereof to
frame their constitution and laws, and to regulate
their domestic and social affairs in their own mode
subject only to the provisions of the Federal Con-
stution, with the right of admission into the Union
whenever they have the requisite population for
one Representative in Congress. Provided, always,
that none but those who are citizens of the United
States, under the constitution and laws thereof and
who have fixed residence in anv such Territory
ought to participate in the formation of the Con-
stitution in the enactment of laws for said Ter
ritory or State.
8. An enforcement of the principle that no State
Or Territory can admit others than native-born
citizens to the right of suffrage or of holding po-
itical office, unless such persons shall have been
according to the laws of the United
States.
9. A change in the laws of naturalization, ma
King continued residence of twenty-one years, of
Ill not heretofore provided for, an indispensable
equisite for citizenship hereafter, and excluding
Ill paupers, and persons convicted of crime, from
anding upon our shores but no interference with
he vested rights of foreigners
10. Opposition to any union between Church |
nd State; no interference with religious faith or
Vorshp and no test oaths for Office except those
ndicated in the 9TH section of this platform.
II. Free and thorough investigation into any
nd all alleged abuses of public functionaries, and |
strict economy in public expenditures.
IL. The maintenance and enforcement of all |
sws until said laws shall be repealed, or shall be
eclared null and void by competent judicial au-
lority.
l3 Opposition to the reckless and unwise policy
the present administration in the general man.
cement of our national AFFAIRS and more especially
5 shown in removing " Americans (by designa-
on) and conservatives in principle, from Office,
nd placing foreigners and ultrasts in their places
shown in trucking subserviency to the stronger
I'd an insolent and cowardIy bravado towards the
eaker powers; as shown in reopening sectional
citation, by the repeal of the Missouri Compro.
Use; as shown in granting to unnaturalized for
gners the right of suffrage in Kansas and Ne
'aska; as shown in its vascating course on the
ansas and Nebraska questions; as shown in the
moval of Judge Bronson from the Collectorship {
New York upon false and untenable grounds ,
shown in the corruptions which pervade some a
the departments of the government; as shown I
dsgracng meritolious naval officers through j
ejudice or caprice; and as shown in the blunder- a
9 mlsmanagement Of our foreign relations.
IA. Therefore, to remedy existing evils, and pre-
mt the disastrous consequences otherwise result /
3 therefrom, we would build up the american I
rty' upon the principles herentofore stated, es- q
ewing all sectional questions and uniting upon y
ose purely national, and admitting into said party r
American citizens, (referred to in the Sd, 4th,
d 5th sections,) who openly avow the principles .
d opinions heretofore expressed, and who will E
bscrlbe their names to this platform. Provided, n
vertheless, that ma ajority of those members 4
esent at any meeting of local council where an Il
plicant applies for membership in the American
rty may, for any reason by them deemed suffi 8
mt deny admission to such applicant. Il
l5 A free and open discussion of all political Z
nciples embraced in our platform. =
UNLUcKY EXCURSION ON THE OPELousAs RAIL-
ADA large number of gentlemen, by invi- -
ion of the Board of Directors, on Saturday 9
'rning started on an excursion over the Ope- :.
lsas Railroad, the occasion being the opening -
the railway to the Bayou Beuf at the head "
Atchafalaya Bay, distance of seventy three !
les hence. The train of cars in which the -
npany Travelled had reached the neighDorhood =:
the Bayou des Allemands, some twenty five q
les from the city, at about IL o'clock, when !,
} cars ran off the track, but fortunately no " "
; was injured. All attemps to 20 on, or u
ne back, were Intellectual, and messenger 8.
S sent to Algiers for assistance. A locomo- =, -,
was sent out to their aid, but, this, like t. !.
'e, when within few miles of the Bayou, ran "a "a
IN some cows in the dark and was thrown of :.
track, and rendered unfit to proceed. .; .;
The company then at the Bayou des Ale ~ ~
nds numbering some two hundred gentlemen, ~
re obliged to put up with the trifing incon- -,
Hence of spending the night there, bestow- "a "a
themselves as best they could-some doing =, y,
the benches in the cars, others in the two or ~ ~
ee houses at the crossing, and others cooling y; IL
ir heels by long walks along the railroad III
ck, during which they had ample opportunity J.,
admire the surrounding scenery Of swamp "a "a
prairie, and to study the geography of the ~ ~
vens. A small grocery-the only one in the =: -: