The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-01


guished the tories Of the revolution, and the fe-
deralists Of alier times. The first. opposed the
efforts 10 establish our government, and the
latter continued to embarrass il after it was
established. During the contest previous to
the establishments of the constitution the party
names were Wing and Tory-after its estab-
lishment they We're designated Federal and
anti-F Federal or Republican.
1t became the duty Of those who exerted
themselves to secure fair trial to the expert
ment Of self-government, to defend it, In
doing so they encountered not only the con-
slant hostility of federal doctrines, but also
the dangerous and pernicious evils of faction
and misguided personal ambition, and the un-
ruly disposition Of excited mutiludes to run
riot with liberty. The good principle ever
took refuge under the agis of the Republican
constitution, which was the rock Of safety in
popular tumults, and the rampant Of the expe-
riment against the encroachments Of federal
enemies.
The federal doctrine was to concentrate all
power, as much as possible, in the hands Of
the General Goyernment-to weaken the
States-to distrust the people, and to set up
the rights of property as superior to the rights
of man.
Jefferson repudiated the doctrines of the
federalists, and placed his reliance upon the
virtue and intelligence of the people. He
regarded the government as federal Republ-
can, and the people as democratic. A Repub-
lie was governed by delegates chosen to direct
the affairs Of the people, democracy, con-
sisted Of the people in their original capacity
ofindependent q equally free individuals The
democracy were competent, without regard to
property, to select their own representatives,
who, together, under the constitution, formed
federal republican government. The party
name Of the disciples Of Jefferson, has gene
rally been known as democratic republican
though, according to his own language, we
should infer that his idea would only be COM
pretended by the name Of democratic federal
republican,
Mr.. Madison, the unvarying friend Of JEFF
ferson, and who probably understood better
than any other individual the true meaning
and intention of the constitution, principally
drawn up by his own hand, never, to our know
ledge, used the term democrat A simple de-
mocrat, we think, was scarcely recognized
either by name or nature, by Jefferson or Ma
olson. Jefferson almost invariably used the
term Republican Madison never recognized
| IL. al. IL.
free as the Indian upon the prairie, may be
| called democrat But the individual who
becomes lawful citizen ofthe United States,
and performs his duties as such, becomes in
practice democratic Republican, whatever
he may be in theory. -. .
The federal party, existed during the last
war with Great Britain, under their own re-
cognised banner, since which time they have
assumed shapes more varying than those of
Proteus, and colors as changing as those of
the chameleon Federal doctrines can never
triumph, if Republicans will maintain an I'M
divided front, be true to themselves, and faith
full to the Constitution.
The ranks Of the party in which Republicans
have been accustomed to rally are, at this Pc
Rod, unfortunately, broken. The division too,
in some respects, presents to us a novel and
singular aspect 1t seems to us, if we may
so speak, as if it were contest between the
Democratic, and the Republican principle.
The federal principle, it may be, stands aloof,
watching its opportunity TO riot in the ruins
of both or the three principles, the Repub-
lican occupies the juste mitieu, or middle
ground, whose metes and bounds are the
Conservative checks" of the Constitution.
No matter from what cause, whether from
foreign influence, which has come here dis
affected towards all established forms because
disguised with its own, or whether from vi
cious spirits or aspiring demagogues of our
own-it is certain that spirit Of insubordi-
nation-a disrespect of established things and
long settled usages and practices, and dis
position to change the customs Of society and
the direction Of Government, have been mani
tested in various quarters with zeal and de-
termination, calculated at least to alarm the
minds of sober old fashioned Republicans, and
to realize to them the necessity of that " eter-
nal vigilance" which only can preserpe to us,
in purity and permanency, those free ins'i,u-
tons Of our soil, which were the last inestima-
Bile boons Of heaven to the human race.
The administration party, with whom the
Republicans have been accustomed 10 act
have the direction Of measures which will
affect those institutions for veal or for woe.
The late elections, either from the associa-
| t;ons ne tho administration or from its mea-