Southern shield., 1856-02-23
Americassm.

extracts imbodying the true principles on which the party should stand. It says:
 "eNonc but Americans torule America tbe Union must be preserved no foreign in- reference in American affairs; inviolability of national treaties; no union of Church and State, personal morality indispensable to office an open Bible in all public schools :; thorough reform of the naturalization laws 1; capitation tax to exclude foreign paupers ; no appointment of foreigners on diplomatic posts; 8 just tariff on imported luxuries; in all necessaries free trade; strict economy in the government.
 "This is the American platform. This is the platform on which Americans are build ing up the hopes and destinies of America Never was there a platform of principles more sound or more glorious and never was there one reared in a>more eventful time than this. The wellnigh miraculous progress of the United States, the marshalling of the hosts of Europe in arms, the startling revo- lutions in Asia, and the steady march of civilization on tue coast of Africa, all unite to hold forth the nations of the earth in an aspect of excitement, agitation, and reform, such as they never presented before.
 x X x
 '' Is America, indeed, to be the light oi the world Then must she trim the lamp of her destiny with her own hands. Is America to be the salt of the earth? Then must she hold for ever the savor of her birth right. She must not hide her Americanism under a bushel, nor sell her inheritance for a mess of pottage. The sons of the men and the daughters of the women who first lit the vestal flame of liberty on these distant shores, must be her chief counselors in all her high places: and the cup wherewith she pledges her faith to the world must be the cup of Jacob, and not of Esau. She must be a living epistle of virtuous breathing, speaking Americanism, known and read among all men. On all her banners. on all her es- cutcheOns on all her temples dedicated to freedom, education, and religion. clustering among the stars and rolling along the stripes of her national ensign, must shine fer the declaration, None but Americans shall rule America
 '' The sentiment we thus advocate is en- shrined at the foundations of our Union. It is ingrafted with the sovereignty of the States. It will forever keep foreign inter meddlers from damaging the governing pow CTS of this continent. The spirit that guides it will preserve inyiolate all our treaties with other nations. and thereby prevent all lawless expeditions, and too great expansion of our territories. Actuated by this sentiment, the Church and the State must forever be kent asunder while none but those who have per- sonal probity, as well as intelligence, can con- trol the councils of the nation. The sacred volume, without note or comment, will speak its words of instruction and warning within the walls of the school room, where the chil- dren of the rich and the poor meet together on equal terms.
 " The ballot-boX, the grand palladium of our liberties, will be guarded from the pro- fane touch of ignorance, bribery, and corrup- tion; the foreign pauper and alien criminal cannot burden our poor-houses with taxes, nor fill our prison-cels with felons; our rela- tlons with other powers will not be involved by abrupt repulses on the one hand. nor en- tangling alliances on the other; American labor will be fairly protected against all un- fair foreign competition; our excessive i'm portations will cease; our domestic products will be fOstered; administrative extrava- gance, that bane of republics, will come to an end; and, to crown the whole, American Presidents, with American Cabinets. and an American Congress, will unite their counsels and put forth their patriotic labors to hand down unimpaired to posterity our broad in heritance-an inheritance purchased at the costly sacrifice of the blood of our fathers
 X
 America welcomes the stranger to her domain as a guest, not to be her ruler. If N the foreigner from abroad unites with the sons of the soil of America to develop her resources, to increase her wealth, to extend her republican glory, 1t should be enough for him that he shares in the great and lasting. benefits she confers upon him; that he is protected in his person, guaranteed in his. property, and guarded in his rights against all the tyrants that would oppress him. Wat more can the foreigner justly ask? Bit let him ask more or less, he may rest for ever assured that America will always keep her own honor in her own hands. She will never cOnfide the ark of her liberties to the care of strangers.
 2" What the Irishman does in Ireland. what the Englishman does in England. what the Frenchman does in France, what every native reciplent of power does in the land of hisl birth, the American does. and does rightly ] Tn America. When the upright foreigner has reslded Tn America tWenty-one years when ne has carefully studied for that length off tune our form of government, and the pract- cal workings of our Democratic institutions when he has thus witnessed the operations of our laws; learned to prize, at its true worth. our system of universal education and entire loleration in religion; when he has washed away at this free fountain opened in the wilderness, every alien prejudice, every extra neous alliance, every vestige of devotion to kngly rule and papal supremacy-then, but lnot, not till then, is he qualified to assume the high position of an American elector. Heed us well, o foreign brother! and be not angry with us that we would guard the sanctuary and shrine of our destiny. It is TOT your good as well as ours that we thus rear aloft the standard of living nationality. Let that standard be borne above you by American arms, and you will be safe. pros porous, and happy. Strive to bear up its glorious folds in your unpractised hands. or. worst of all, seek to emblazon upon them any ' imported insignia of superstition and wild6re and instantly you meet the fate of the profane wretch who fell dead in his mad attempt to steady the ark of God For we remember tne farewell words of Washington, our father, when he said, Against the insidious wiles of f Orelgn influence the jealousy of a free people must ever be awake.
 ' Here, then, at the portals of Washing 'oEs tomb. we rest the American platform. = Y ~~--~>-~~1