Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-06-12

" udturallZaJlOn pTOVlueC Wy tue laws o.
The United States, it would, nevertheless
secure small portion of this limited resi-.
lence before the alien was allowed to vote
he attempt has failed, by the combined
Opposition of both the Democratic and
Republican parties, who not unfrequently
work together at the North to destroy the
American organization. And while there
has been neglect to maintain pure fran.
chise for white voters, and an open and
earnest opposition to all reforms, propos-
ing simply remedial measures for admitted
great public evils, there has also been en-
acted in New York successful measure
looking to such an amendment of the Con
stitution as would secure a general system
of suffrage to the negroes of the State
Thus, in one part of the Union State
Constitution is opened to sustain the ques-
ton of negro suffrage, whilo in another
part of the Union the alien has had con-
ferred upon him privileges wholly .un-
known to the native-born citizen. To-day,
foreign pauper or foreign criminal,
driven or banishel from the poor or prison
houses of Europe, is made in all things,
and regardless of his residence in the
country, an equal with the citizen whose
service has been lifelong, patriotic, and use
full in the land of his birth Tomorrow,
again, States in another section of the
country become revolutionary in their
plans of opposition to the Federal Govern
ment, and exhaust their patriotism and
labor in measures of mere speciality and
favor for the negro
We seek to avoid such anomalies of
legislation in both our Federal and State
governments. Their tendency is neither
toward humanity nor mercy. They benefit
neither the white nor the black race and,
whether well meant or i'll meant, result in
that spirit of strife and uncharitableness
in different States and among different
classes of people which the true men of
the country cannot fail to deplore
Higher aims and nobler objects animate
the American party We know of no
political differences between the rights of
the North and the rights of the South. All
are subordinate to the constitution of our
common country. The union of the States,
the rights of the States, the privileges of
the people in the States, and under the
Union, is our chief glory and our greatest
good. When differences Of opinion come,
as come they will, they must be settled,
not by elimination and hate, but by re-
ference to that great principle of common
protecton-THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNI
TED STATES; and if there shall unfor-
tunately again be differences of opinion as
to what is granted and what is denied by
the Constitution, the judiciary of the land,
through the authorized courts of the ma
ton, can alone make up and decide the
final issue, The constitution and the law
must, therefore, at all times and in all
places, become our rule Of action
Toleration of opinion, the freedom of
speech and of the press, the right of the
people peaceably to assemble and petition
the government for redress of grievances,
are among these specified constitutional
personal rights, and cannot be abridged
except as the abuse of these privileges is
restrained by the laws of the land. Equal
ly explicit are the rights of the States over
their own territories, and interference with
them becomes both public abuse Of power
and an act of personal impertinence. If
all men, in all sections of the country,
could realize where their powers commence,
and where they cease-if they could un-
derstand that they are no more responsible
for other mems sins than they are secure
in their own self assumed virtues all would
be comparatively well.
There are many and vital questions up
on which the American party can agree,
and to these all other subjects should be :
subordinate. They are, in brief conden-
sed in the following spirit of our National
Platform. We hold for example, as cardi-
nal maxims of public justice and private
duty, to the following rule of faith and
action;
1st The Federal Union must be main
tanned
I'd. The reserved rights of the States
must be respected,
3D., The decisions of the Supreme Court
must be enforced.
4th, The union of Church and State
must be prevented.
9th. The rights of conscience must be