The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1857-01-17
THE AMERICAN NATIONAL pLlTFUl NJ.

T.. An humble acknowN yement to the Sup ne
Being who rules the UNI re for His protee ,p
care, vOichsaled to oar fat RS in their 81 --sfu
revolutionary struggle, and 'therto me- sted t.
us, their descendants, in tlicA Gserva+' d the ill
critics, the independence and til ar of these States
II. The perpetration of the ,,eral Union as the
palladium of our civil and re- 'sis liberties, and the
only sure bulwark Of Amer independence.
III. Imericaas must r1 merica; and to this end
natice born citizens should We selected for all state
Federal and Municipal offices or Government ELI
~ployment, in preference to naturalized citizens nee
ertheisss.
". Persons born of American parents residing
temporarily abroad should be entitlelto all the rights
of native born citizens; but
V. No person should be selected for political sta
ton, (whetler of native or foreign birth who recog
nizes any allegiance or obligation of any description
to any foreign prince, %potcntate or power, or Whc
refuses to recognize the Federal and State Constit'l
tions {each within its sp!ere) as aramoun to al
other laws as rules Of political action.
vi. The unqualified recognition and maintenance
of the reserved rights of the several States, and d
cultivation OF harmony and ~fraternal gooa will We
tween the citizens of the several States; and to thi,
appersaining solely to the individual States, ant
non-interventiou by each State with the affairs Of any
other State.
VII. The recognition of the right of the nativs
born and natnralized citizens of the United States
permanently residing in any Territory thereof, t.
l ttNiliI liltil ttI'& - anu " iCSLIlt
their domestic and social at..A y, in their own mode
subject only to the provisions of the Federal Consti
tuition, with the right of admission into the UD&s
whenever they have the requisite population for ore
Representative in Congress; Prori3ed alt1ags, thai
none but those who are ~citizensf tle United States
under the Constltuap&-skd 1e .areos, and whc
have a fixed residence in any such Territory, ought
to participate in the formation Of the Constitution, OF
in the enactment OF laws for said Territory or State
VIII. An enforcement of the principle that nc
State or Territory can admit others than native born
citizens to the right of suffrage, or of holding poIiti
cal office unless such persons shall have been natl
rallied according to the laws of the United States.
TX. A change in the laws Of naturalization making
a continued residence of tweAty-one years, of all moi
heretofore provided for, an Indispensable requisite
for citizenship hereafter, and excluding all panpers,
and persons convicted of crime, from landing upon
our shores; but no Interference with the vested
rights Of foreigners.
X. Opposition to any union between Church and
State; no interference with religious faith or worship,
and no test oaths for Office, except those Indicated in
he fifth section Of this platform.
H. Free and thorough investigation into any and
all alleged ahuses of public tunctionaries, and a strict
economy in guile expenditures.
XII. The maintenance and enforcement of all laws
until said laws shall Re repealed, or shall he declared
null and void by competent judicial authority.
Mi. Opposition to the ~rech.esF and unwise policy
of the present Administration iii tie generalm manage
ment OF our national affairs, and more especially as
Siib''h IA iSiilVNiilE EtiiS Ndts Wy U.S. ifVlo
and conservatives in principle from Office, andpiacirg
foreigners and %ultraists in their places; as shown IL
a trucking subserviency to the stronger, and an i'll
solent and cowardly bravado towards the weaker
powers; as shown in reopening sectional agitation,
by the repeal of the Missouri Compromise; as shown
in granting TO unnatrraliztI foreigners the right to
suffrage in Kansas and Nebraska; as shown in its
vaelllnting course on the Kansas ard Nebrnsks ures-
ton; as shown i'll the removal of Judge Bronson from
the Collectorsllip of Ncwiork upon false and unten-
able grounds; as shown in disgracing meritorious
naval officers through prejudice or caprice; and as
shown in the laundering mismanagcment of our for
eign relations.
XIV. Therefore, to remedy existing evils, and pre-
vent the disastrous consequences otherwise resulting
thercfiom, We would build up the American PARTY
upon the principles lereinbefore stated, eschewing
all sectional questions, and uniting those purely ma.
tional, and admitting into said party all American
citizens (reIerred to in the third, fourth and fifth
Sectlohs) who openly avow the principles and o,ins
ions heretofore expressed, and who will subscribe
their names to this platform; Provided, nevertheless,
that ii majority of those members present at any
meeting of a local council, where an applicant applies
for membership in the American Party, NAV, for any
reason by them deemed sufficient, deny admission to
such applicant.
Ky. A free and open discussion of all political
principles embraced in our platform.