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Nothing is repudiated. We will inquire presently whether their
principles, practices and purposes have been similarly disposed
of. Should it turn out that this is one, it will not be the first
instance by very many of individuals or societies becoming
ashamed of their origin and renouncing their names and asso-
ciates. But some of these have found it difficult to throw off or
obliterate all family features and peculiar characteristic marks.

The American party,—what is it ? Verily it is difficult to tell.
The appellation is a proud one. The term American applies
equally to all citizens, at least of these United States. It would
seem to be an absurdity, therefore, to assume it as a designation
of any particular portion of those citizens, or of a political party
amongst them. Names are properly taken and used to distin-
guish men and things from each other. They are, or should be,
the sign or sound which conveys to the mind the ideas associated
with and distinguishing from others the man or set of men, the
principles, policy, political association or other thing to which it is
applied. This is the proper use and office of names. When,
therefore, a term is assumed and used as a name, which has not
this definite sense, but is equally applicable to thousands and
hundreds of thousands of other men and things than those meant,
it causes a confusion of ideas in the mind, leading inevitably to
delusion and deception.

Diplomatists have said that language is used to conceal ideas.
If this be so, and concealment and deception be the purpose and
policy of this newly baptized "American" party, then, indeed,
the name has been wisely appropriated; for it certainly has and
will continue to effect those ends. History, however, tells us
that the purposes of the presumptuous ambition of the Babylon-
ian hosts were frustrated by a confusion of tongues, and conse-
quent confusion of ideas. Something of not a very dissimilar
fate seems to be impending over the heads and likely to befall the
ambitious, not to say evil, designs of certain recently organized
hosts in this country, usurping the name and style of Americans.
They, or their high priests, were dispersed from a Grand Council
in the city of Philadelphia, in June, 1855, with a remarkable
confusion of ideas and purposes. Large fragments, fleeing to the
North-east and gathering around them there the multitude, de-
nounced in divers places the acts and doings of the Grand Na-
tional Council from which they were scattered; and we find,
among other things, a platform of the "American party,"
put forth in Massachusetts, and re-echoed and responded to with
great unanimity by professed members of the party there, of high
and low degree, in which the Grand National Council of Phila-
delphia is severely rebuked, and other principles and purposes
solemnly set forth in the following words :