Washington telegraph., 1856-05-28
THE FEBRUARY PLATFORM.

THE FEBRUARY PLATFORA.
The necessity of radical change in
the existent system by which foreigners
are invested with the rights of citizen
ship, is an admitted fact. Fully commit
ted to the maintenance of the doctrine
contained in the ninth section of the
February Platform, it only remains for
the American Party to set forth, in their
true light, the reasons which have led
the party to the PRONUNCIATION and adop-
ton of this policy, to secure the attention
and support of all who really desire the
perpetuity of the existing institutions of
America. 1t is difficult to attain and
hold the golden mean between the distinc-
tion of classes upon the one hand, and
the utter abrogation of all differences,
whether of opinion or fact, upon the
other.
The memorable contest brought about
by the Declaration of Independence, which
elevated man from the condition of pup
pet, moved at will by his mental superior,
to the dignity of freeman, was an out
lay none too costly for glorious liberty,
which the inheritors should seek to per-
petuate. This liberty was bought with
toll and suffering, and the compact which
secured it to us was cemented with blood
1t was given to US in perfect form
Embodied in confederate agreement,
which secures to each his rights, and pro-
vides for the good of all. the Constitution
of the United States was framed for the
benefit of those who achieved the liberties
which it guarantees Search the whole
record of the past, and in point of merit,
no instrument can be found which can
compare with it. Not the least noticea-
BILE feature In our Constitution, is its un-
limited capacity for adapting itself to the
consistent and conservative development
of the capacities of the Republic. This
development must be consequent upon a
proper application of the principles of
the Constitution to the material to be
worked upon. Man has never been con-
stitutionally as free as he is unde: our sys-
tenn of government Anarchy has sue
ceeded the misrule which has followed up
on the subversion of established forms of
legislation and upon the heels of anar-
chy has followed the exercise of the des-
potic power of single will. They who
have been ruled the worst have the most
extravagant ideas of liberty The Amer
ican people know the effects of the work
ings of our system of Government, and
the conservative body of this people do
not look for, do not desire, and are op-
posed to any change in the existent insti-
tutions. Is it so with all men who find
home in this free land? Let us look at
this matter and examine facts. For the
sake of being explicit we here assert that
the American party aim vigorous and
determined blow at the privileges now
wrongly pertaining to tbe foreign-born pop
ulation of America, and with which some
would fain invest all who may hereafter
emigrate to those shores The American
Party declare in their Platform their in |
tention to effect
''9th. A change in the laws of natural
ization, making a continued residence of
twenty-one years, of all not hereinbefore |
provided for, an indispensable requisite
for citizenship hereafter, and excluding
all paupers, and persons convicted of
crime, from landing upon our shores but
no interference With the vested rights of
foreigners.
The language of the foregoing section
of our platform declares, in unqualified
terms, the nature of the positions assum-
cd and the objects aimed at by the party |
The questions to be considered in connec-
tion with the examination of the weight |
which should be attached to these posi- |
tions, are, as We take it, not whether
America is vast asylum, In sense In
which that word should not be used, for
the poor of earth, and the out cast of all
nations; or whether the American people
ought to submit to taunts and jeers from
the foreign-born minions of foreign des-
pots, and remain supine and inert when
their dearest rights are attacked, and the
palladium of their social and political
liberties openly assailed and boldly threat
ened with demolition but the questions
are-and they must be answered sooner
or later in the Affirmative by the American
party Or in the negative by the anti-Ameri
can party-whether it does not behooye
Americans, whether born amid the rug
ged fastnesses of the North, or on the
sunny plains of the South, to league to-
gether-aye, league together, if it be ne
cessary-to preserve their nationality and