, 1840-11-07
THE RESTORATION.

the one favoring the advancement Of civiliZa-
ton and improvement, and the other for re-
tarding it, and checking the spirit of pro.
gress. The last rely on example and pre-
cedent, the first or principle and the lights
of experience. Institutions originating in
ignorance, injustice, or violence, having the
recommendation of time, however i~nconsis.
tent with the spirit of the age. corrupted by
abuse, proved by experience to be unlriendly
to the general interests of humanity. are
pertinaciously adhered to by the conservative
party every where. Every advancement in
civilization and in civil institutions. is regard.
ed by them as a dangerous experiment, an
alarming innovation, fraught with the most
mischievous and fatal consequences. Every
of the human race, during the last Two cen
tnries. both in Europe and America. has been
steadily and violently opposed by the Con.
servative party. lfthey are ever the advo-
Gates Of change, it is not TO advance in the
progress Of government, but to retrograds,
and retire to fmmer institutions and usageS.
The American Revolution. which was the
greatest advance in the science Of govern
ment, and the cause of liberty. of which his.
tory affords any record. was violently resist
ed by the Tories, the conservative party of
that day. on the groud that it was safer and
better TO remain a part Of the British empire.
and subject to the monarchical institutions
of that country.
In the establishment of the Constitutions
OF the States. and more especially in the con
vention which framed the Constitution of
the United States. these two parties were
distinctly developed.
The conservatives, although Wings in the
war, and friends of independence. when
called on to form Il government for The 81 ties.
severaIly and collectively. wished Ia a
dept the British system rs a model; and nj.
though they did not think it prudent To retain
the lame of king, they desired Il president
and Senate for life. n permanent Judiciary.a
National Bank, all the essential features of
the British system. JOHN ADAMS. HAMiLroN
and Others. openly declared that they cnnSid-
cred the British system the most perlec,
Government in The world. HAMILTON. when
he signed the Constitution. observed that it
was not n sys en- to his mind. but he hoped
it might prove in practice better than it APP
peared in theory. GovERYEUR MoaRs he
ing asked how he liked the Constitution re-
piled, Sthat depends on how it is cnnstruod.'
This party, having got a maiariiy of ;aarir
friends into every branch Of the new Gov
eminent, undertook so to cnnSirue the Con
stitution. as to bring it more into cnnfnrmiiv
TO their VIEWS. ora nearer approach To the
British system. And JOHN ADAMS. vino was
distinguished for his franknesS. said that it
might be necessary, by a new convention. to
modify the plan, so as to give it a nearer
resemblance TO the British Government
Not believing that popular intelligence was
a safe basis of political power, they sought
to check and balance the popular principle
by various permanent arIsiocratic elements.
such as an independent Judiciary. a National
Bank. a funding system. and above all. n
restricted freehold suffrage, and a union of
the Church with the State.
The Conservative party Of this period.
who longed to return to the flesi-pots of f.
gypt. and aSsimilate cur institutions to the
corrupt system of England, took the name
of FederaIist. The movement party. who
were for maintaining a pure, simple Repub-
lie, resting on the popular will. were called
Democrats, or Democratic Republicans.
A long and severe struggle ensured be-
tween the adherents of these opposing prin-
ciples. The latter succeeded bv "A small
iiiuJoihS VI 'Ht uiit titClpIdi VOTES. lnplT
success was followed by an entire change in
the Administration and policy of the Gov
eminent, which, in the language of Mr.. JET
FERsoN, twas brought lack to its Republican
tack" And so successful and popular WAS
the return to a "wise and frugal Adminis,rl-
tion, which restrained men from %injrring one
another, leaving them otherwise free in their
pursuits Of enterprise and industry, and
which did not take from the mouth of laoor
the bread it had earned that at the end Of
four years. Mr.. JEFFERSON was reelected al
most without opposition, only fourteen votes
being given against him.
But Notwithstanding this signal triumph
of the Democracy at that Interesting period.
the contest between the two parties bv no
means ceased, but has continued to the pres.
ent day. The pure. simple, repubI can doc
trlnes OF Mr.. JEFFERSON. and the reforms he
introduced. were treated with coniempt and
rldlcnle by the Federal Conservatives, and
his character vilifed and illuminated with
more asperity of language and feeling than
that of any other individual in the page of
historu