The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-11-25
Political Miscellany.
From Mites Rsgstsr.
THE sold LANDMARKS

AhE -Ol4D LANDMARKS.
Presuming that know something Of whai
seeTe the landmarks Of tbe old political partie.
10 the United States, brief notice Of then
may not be uuinteresting or useless,seeiBg thai
20 much Is said about holding caucus "a lie
I''democratic member" Of congress 10 recon-
mend sound and Underwriting g democrat, =
to the support Of the party, as president Of the
United States II Is not my intention, at least
at present. either to be deluded, coaxed, or
IdIven into, discussion as 10 the persons put
lup for the chief magistracy Of the republic---
but am willing to do What lean TO place GER
ltaingenersl subjects before the people, some
LOT shom are too young to know what parties
were, and others have forgotten their eondi-
ltion, and may find il convenient Just now 10
Idisremenaber things once deemed essential to
iconstitHte democrat Bot II any win use
THAT Wort, they ought to understand tie mean
ling that ithad in primitive times,when the lines
between parties were so strictly drawp that no
tmistake could be made about il. This will not
stir up old snfmosities,and utterly disayow the
most remote Intentions Of the sort-for Justice
compels me to say, that the 'federaIists' we're
not always wrong, nor the democrats ALWAYS
right. Some measures were, at different times
proposed by one party, that were worthy of
the support or deserved the apprehension Of
both parties--but IL was too III lch the prac-
iice ofoneto be eOatiaualiyopposedt 10 theother.
/ no matter what was the subject acted upon,
| in relation TO our foreign or domestic policy
| shall proceed to detail the prominent
points on which the parties divided in the u
nited States.
| n Nash;vc,,.srs. d,,i,,;st..s:~.. -, ~. -
count Of the neutral policy that he adopted
and maintained, on the breaking out Of the
French revolution, NOV universally &C
knowiedged to have been wise one but
especially concerning the treaty with Great
| Britain, signed at London il November.
1794, & ratified in tie following year, and
the money 70 carry it into effect appropria-
ted in 1895.
History ofLte cdse.-Previous to the receipt
ofthis treaty, much feeling had been excited
nv certain assumptions and arbitrary and I'M
just proceedings Of the British government, a
narrative Of whicn is too long for the present
occasion and an undoubtedly large majority
Of the people of the U. States was willing TO
come 10 an open rupture on account Of them :;
and there was a very warm feeling in favor
of France, because, having shaken of her
regal government, the crowned heads of Eu-
rope had entered into an Infamous league. fof
the same character as the present holy ALI
| ance. to force chains upon her. in the same
manner that the successor of Louis XVI. is
attempting to fasten them upon Spain az the
present day--to which proceeding the Brit.
lsh were party. The appointment Of Mr..
/ Jay, SfFen chfef inssioe Of the u ;. 10 nesoci.
ate this treaty, was much objected to on con-
sistutional as well as political considerations.
for he did not resign the office Of chief Justice.
and was regarded by many as being too
warmly attached TO the interests Of those with
whom he was 10 treat lit is not necessary
for me to express an opinion on this case, or
others Of its nature--l only state the facts as
personally knew they werel When the
treaty was received, president Washington
aid il before the senate, who then, as thew do
now, set with closed doors, and the president
often attended their secret deliberation.l II
was supported and opposed with uncommon
ardor-at last, and before the question on its
reception was decided, Mr.. Mason, senator
from Virginia, in the beat Of his indignation
at the whole proceeding, furnished copv of
the instrument to the editor ofthe Aurora. and
thousands of copies were almost instantly nub-
lished. The shock on the political mind of
the people, could be compared to nothing hut
that of an earthquake on the mora feelings Of
a society. Meetings were held every where
to express the public dis pprobation of the
Instrument, and TO entreat The president n
withhold his signature from it AMI perbans
nine tenths OF the yet surviving soldiers, and
sages ofthe revolution were al first opposed "a
| Il. But still the treaty was ratified bv the
senate, and Washington firmly signed II.
The mighty weight of his character. thus
thrown into the scale, brought many to a
serious paUss, and the people beg n 70 divide
into parties, pretty nearly equal in strength.
and out Of this mainly grew the democratic
md federal seets--for until Their, ii had chieay
been aOhig and tory, 50 far IS questions merely
POLITICAL had been regarded. Washington
naturally rallied round him a vast amount of
the cool people of the nation, and all persons
believed that he meant what was right. though
others, and majority. thought he had done
what was wrong. Before the treaty could Be
fully perfected, certain appropriations Of
money would have TO be made BY the house
VI representatives, and this subject was
seriously and very warmly sgitated until the
meeting of congress late ia the wear 1895.
Those, and those only, who truly fen the
importance Of the late . Missouri oDestion >
can apPrehend the then existing state Of the
iublic mind, unless thew saw and felt il AT tia,
,eriod. lheard many men say that they were
reminded OF the awful anxiety that prevailed
when the Declaration of Independence was
about to be made ia lT76--that they never
had, except at that season, been 50 moved as
they were then. Twas yet 10 nv teens, .
bat accident placed me in certain situations
wherein | had much better opportunitv.
perhaps, than most youths Of ms age, 70 know
what was going On. The newspapers were
allied with essays for and against the treaty..
IL was discussed before the people bv Ire
ablest Dea in the United States, and attacked
or defended BY smaller essayists without
Nun ..r-- L..