American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1856-02-07
Americanisn.

The Petersburg Intelligence of the 14lh
instant contains the following patriotic de-
claration in an editorial devoted 10 the
Richmond American, to wit:
"We most heartily do sire to cooperate
in the good work of placio !, American priu-
ciples in the ascenden cy, believing that
the publication and So lystipn Of our gov
ernment and Union de- pend upon it,
This is anoble sen iment, and we sin
cerely hope that pre- SIS will prove its sim
cerity by cooperating with all those who
believe that the ''pr riti"ation and salvation
of our government and Union depend up,
on placing Ameri can principles in the as
cendancy." Aud now what are "Ameri-
can principle?" For what purpose was
the American r,arty formed? What Is the
Ultimate scope Of its objects? Has it any
thing to do wi III the tariff question? No
it neither der lands horizontal nor a pro-
tective tariff. Has it any creed en- the
question of banks? Not neither advo-
Gates National Bank. State banks, nor a
sub Treas ury. a -
Has it any creed on the question of roads,
canals, harbors. or public lands? None
whatever. 1t leaves these questions to
the free action OF the Representatives OF
the reople, or to the States! Was the A.
mo, lean party formed TO enslave the Afri-
can race? Certainly not. Was It formed
to get up a crusade against those who hold
Africans in bondage? Certainly not. Il
is then as a party neither pro bank nor
anh-bank, protarif nor anti-tariE, pro-in-
ternal improvement nor onti-internal i'm
provement, proslavery nor hi-slavery,
but it is a party formed to carry into'effec
the maxim that "Americans shallrule A.
5 merica,'' and to this end proposes to ex
tend the term of probation before natural
$ izing aliens; to enact laws excluding pau
4 pers, and criminals from our shores; and Il
: con6ne the right of holding Office prospec
f lively to native-born citizens. .,l go
Q Will the Petersburg Intelligencer, o.
$ any other paper protesting ga desire to co
$ operate in the good work Of placing Amer
0 lean principles in the ascendency," b
: kind enouge to inform us, whether the le
9 gitimate purposes Of the American party
: to-wit: the "pacing of American princi
:. Piles in the ascendency" are likely to b
r promoted by embracing the questions o
tariff, banks. sub Treasury. railroads. ca
g mails. harbors, public lands, slavery, or an.
d other outside issue? Ought any one, two
n or more of these matters to be incorporate,
). into the American platform? If the intel
IS ligencer should single out one of these sub
i jects, and say that it ought to go into tn
i platform, then, somebody else might wit
: equal propriety insist, that some other sub
iect should also be included in the pla,
e form, and before all the members Of th
(, party. or even al sections of the countr
is could be gratifed in this respect, the pla.
n form would break down from the weight q
T. matter piled upon i. .@el-
y If the South claims that their interest
in slavery should be especially protecte
II by the American platform, the North woul
ii have an equal right to insist, that "a pre-
4 tective tariff" should form another plan
10 in it, while the West with equal prophet
ID would demand, that the improvement {
4 rivers and harbors" should bein like mar
nj ner taken under the protecting wing of tn
III American. platform! Whsre woald Til
,s thing ends Why, California has alread
i resolved that her vote shall be given to n
Presidential candidate who will not SUI
ID port the Pacific railroad proposition, an
O. we expect every day to hear Of an amend
10 ment by the people of Texas to this prC
k posal, towit that the candidate forwhol
r. she votes must not only favor the Pacif
an railroad, but must favor the 4erds route ft
that scheme!. ls., .s. ~. ,.-,e,
10 Thus it is. that the moment the Amer
s. can party attempt to embrace in its pla
ed form any question not contemplated in u
be original purpose Of placing America
ot principles in the ascendant" It will |
rn clogged' with every sectional measure