Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-10-19
From tie Connecticut NiTrar.

Fran tie Connecticut NiTror.
A brief history of political parties In the
u. States, may be of some use IN estlmat~
ING the character Of those who pretend to
~ BE- the real, and almostthc exclusive trends
< of the county.
When the constitution was formed and
= offered to the states for their adoption, it
4 met with strong opposition from various
: quarters, by party who were from that
! onnosition. called ansi-fed> % lists. Among
these. were Thomas Jefferson Geo. Gin
ton, Elbridge Gerry, and considerable
number of others who have since Inquired on
the stage Of politics, as the great friends OF
~ that very cons,tutien, and CT the people
- whose affairs were to be regulated by It,
Onposed TO them, and in favor OF the con-
stitution. were George Washington, John
Iay. Oliver Ellsworth, Charles Z. flnck-
:. new. Alexander Hamilton, Rufus King, aud
rbe multitude of distinguished names, ov
whose labor it was formed, adopted, and
conducted, for IL years, and who conPos-
OF the -paliY, which, from TIC
uniformly known by the name of tederalists.
: This party have been Uniform, and I'M
chanseable in their political conduct. Gen.
Washington was their illustrious leader ;
: and in the path which he pointed out, they
: have steadily proceeded.
When Genet matie his entry into the y.
States, as the envoy Of the bloody revolu-
tlonists of France. he found j. expedient
ito mould the old -frderal;sts intca dit.
ferent shape, In order to create French
sinGuence amongst US. For this upos n
! Imitation Of his countrymen at home, he
,orgaized Jacobin Clubs at Philadelphia, N.
York, Boston, SC. &c. established scheme
>of intercourse and CO operation, which, in
sis progress, bid fair to control the public
saffairs ofthe nation. One great object in
view, by the formation of these clubs, was
Ito produce aaaioa and conformity ef opi-
u,ion among the party. Although public
indignation soon frowned these associations
Unto nominal silence, yet the important con-
tsequence which have mentioned was eff
fecte9. The minds of the party through.
Tout the United States, were soon drilled in.
ito perfect discipline, and thej thought,:poke
and acted, only as they were directed by
their superiors.
After constant and vehement att.ck on
sthe tederalists for a succession ofyears, and
under the eye and direction of Mc. Jeffcr-
sson, they gave way, and the government
passed into the hands of those who opposed
Its formation, and adoption. Those who
were at first called anti.tederasts, and Sc
condly, democrats, became the ruling par
ty, and were entrusted by the people of the
country with the charge and management
of that constitution with which they had,
from the first, been in state of hostility.
Thomas Jefferson was chosen president,
and Aaron Burr vice president. AS soon
as the fact was ascertained, public reioicings
were made wherever people enough ia make
a trolic could be collected, and the party
gave thanks to something for their success.
Their two ilius,rious' leaders were fiatter-
ed and idoliZed, in the most extravaganza
and fulsome manner. From the time the
result OF the election was known, until the
votes were counted in congress. the tide of
popularity and glory, set with equal strength
towards the two candidates. But upon dis
covering that the electors had bestowed up