From such calculations and speculations must have sprung
forth the famous eighth article of the platform. Here it is.

" Resistance to the aggressive policy and corrupting tenden-
cies of the Roman Catholic Church in our country, by the ad-
vancement to all political stations, executive, legislative, judi-
cial or diplomatic, of those only who do not hold civil alle-
giance, directly or indirectly, to any foreign power, whether
civil or ecclesiastical, and who are Americans by birth, educa-
tion and training, thus fulfilling the maxim, 'Americans only
shall govern America.' The protection of all citizens in the
legal and proper exercise of their civil and religious rights
and privileges; the maintenance of the right of every man
to the full, unrestrained, and peaceful enjoyment of his own
religious opinions and worship, and a jealous resistance of
all attempts by any sect, denomination or church, to obtain
an ascendency over any other in the State, by means of any
special privileges or exemption, by any political combination
of its members, or by a division of their civil allegiance with
any foreign power, potentate, or ecclesiastic."

Look at it; read it, study over it, and you will find in its
structure, arrangement, words, sentences and whole context,
proof's conclusive of the actuating motive, the general object,
and particular purposes with which it was put together. The
examiner will find it like certain prints, which, to the eyes
of the casual or ordinary observer, present certain figures
grouped together, about which he notices nothing remark-
able or striking, but which if he gaze at one of them fixedly
and attentively for a little while, so attentively as to bring
to the eye those rays only which are reflected from the picture,
excluding all others, will gradually seem to unfold itself and
present to his view feature after feature of an extended,
varied and complimented scene. So it is with this eighth
article—it is necessary to view it closely and thoughtfully ;
so viewed, gradually its true features and meaning, its
characteristic purposes and principles, will unfold them-
selves to the scrutinizing mind from its artfully woven
web, and the principle of proscription, both of Catholics and
citizens of foreign birth, which stands so prominently in the
foreground of Know Nothingism, will be seen as the lead-
ing, almost the only noticeable and peculiar principle or
purpose here put forth.

"Resistance to the aggressive policy and corrupting
tendencies of the Roman Catholic Church in our country, by
the advancement to all political stations, executive, legisla-
tive, judicial or diplomatic, of those only who do not hold civil
allegiance, directly or indirectly, to any foreign power,

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