The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-09-06
THE AMERICAN NATIONAL PLATFORM.

I. An humble acknowledgement to the Supreme
Being who rules the Universe for His protecting
care, vouchsafed to our fathers in their successful
revolutionary struggle, and hitherto manifested to
lis. their descendants, in the preservation Of the lib
critics, the Independence and the union OF these atates.
II. The perpetuation Of the Federal Union as the
palladium of our civil and religious liberties, and the
only sure bnlwarl of American independence.
III. Americans mast rule America; and to this end
native born citizens should be selected for all State,
Federal and Municipal Offices OF Government en-
~ployment, in preference to naturalized citizens ner-
~erthcicss.
~. Persons born Of American parents residing
cmporari]yabroad should be entitledto all the rights
Of native born citizens; but
v. No person should be selected for political sta
ton, whether of native or foreign BIRTH who recog-
nizes any allegiance or obligation of any description
to any foreign prince, potentate or power, or who
refuses to recognize the Federal and State Gorstltti,
lions leach within its sphere) as paramount to all
other laws as rules os political action.
vi. The unqualified recognition and maintenance
of the reserved rightsof the several States, and the
cultivation OF harmony and ~fraternal good will he
tween the citizens of the several States; and to tins
end, non-interfcrence by Congress with questions
appertaining solely to the individual States, and
non-intcrvention by each State with the affairs OF any
other State. ~ .,.... ...4
VII. Tho recognition of the right of the native
born and naturalized citizens of the United States,
permanently residing in any Territory thereof, ito
franc their Constitution and laws, and to regulate
their domestic and social %atlairs, in their W mode,
subject only to the provisions of the Federal CONSTR
tuition, with the right of admission into the Union
whenever they have the requisite population for one
Representative in Congress; Proetded alicGgs, that
none but those who are citizens of the United States,
under the Constitution and laws thereof, and who
have q fixed residence in any such Territory, ought
to participate in the formation of the Constitution, or
in the enactment Of laws for said Territory Or State
VIII, 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 polltl-
cal Office, unless such persons shall nave been MAUI
ralized according to the laws of the United States.
TX. A change in the laws of naturalization, making
n continued residence Of twenty-onc years, OF all not
heretofore 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
lightaof foreigners.
K, OpDosition to any union between Church and
State; rs interference Wit, religious h,itl, or worship,
and no test oaths for Office, except those indicated in
the fifth section of this PLATFORM
XI. Free and thorough investigation into any and
all alleged abuses of public trnctionaries, and 4 strict
economy in public expenditures.
MI. The maintenance and enforcement of all laws
until said laws shall be repealed, or shall be declared
null and void by competent judicial authority.
XIII. Opposition to the reckless and unwise policy
of the present Administration in the general manage
ment Of our national affairs, and more especially as
shown in removing % Americans (by designation
and conservatives in principle from Office, and placing
foreigners and ultraists in their places; as shown in
u trucking subserviency To the stronger, and an in
solent and cowardly bravada towards tho weaker
powers; MS shown in reopening sectional agitation,
by the repeal of the Missouri Compromises; as shown
in granting to unnaturalizeh foreigners the right to
suffrage in Kansas and Nebraska; as shown in its
vacillating course on the Kansas and Nchrasks qucs-
ton; as shown in the removal of Judge Bronson from
the Collectorslip of Newfork upon false and untcn-
able grounds; as shown in disgracing n,csitorious
naval officers through prejudice or caprice; and as
shown in the laundering mismanagemeat Of our for
eign relations.
XIV. Therefore, to remedy existing evils, and pre-
vent the disastrous consequences otherwise resulting
therefrom, we would build up the American Party
upon the principles hcreinbefore stated, cschcwing
all sectional questions, and uniting those purely ma
tivnal, and admitting into said party all American
citizens ~(referred to in the third, fourth and tiftl,
~sections) who openly avow the principles and opin-
ions heretofore expressed, and who will subscribe
their names to this platform; Provided, nevertheless
that d majority of those members present at any
meeting of a local council, where an applicant applies
for membership in the American Party, may, for any
reason by them deemed sufficient, deny admission to
such applicant.
Nv. A FREQ and open discussion of all political
principles embraced in our platform.