New-York daily tribune., 1844-07-29
THE TRIBU N E
Democracy and Fcderaiism-Lctter from
Revolutionary Patriot.

T,lls Eiitor Of the Tribune:
The following is copy OF letter written
by an old revolutionary soldier very intelligent
old gentleman, to his son in this place, and
which that son, having been converted TO the
Wb;r faith, has consented to have published. 1t
is worthy ofperusal, not only from the sonncness
of its views, but from the source from which It
comes and the circumstances under which it was
written. NJ N. u.
My DEAR SoN-I believe have never as yet
expressed TO you any regret that you belonged to
the so called Democratic party, partly because
wished not to interfere with your perfect freedom
Of choice in this respect, and partly because
have never till lately been convinced Of any real
danger 10 our country arising from the course
and policy of that party. But of such danger /
am row most thoroughly and solemnly convinced
and. as am your father, and have lived now
to the age of cighty-three, you will not take it
smiss i. give YOU word of exhortaton and
caution j. W. Fowler Of Otscgo, that great
Wing speaker, who addressed us in this place
Yesterday, goes to your village tomorrow. Go
out and hear him, and, if he tells you the truth,
receive it. To crafty me, if for no other rea-
son, 90 and listen to hun. He will give you an
Intellectual treat at any rate, and hope will be
the means OF converting you to the Wing cause,
which believe to be the only cause Of safety to
our country.
Do you ask me for the reasons for this opinion?
will give them. You know l have heretofore
taken but little interest in party politics. But
now am compelled 20; for l remember well the
character of tho old Federal party and the dangct
TO equal liberty that ali who were truly Denocra-
tic in feeling upprehcnded from that party and
now sec striking similarity between the views Of
the old Fedcraiiss and the present so-caIled De
mocrats. On this account ! am afraid of them !;
and this Is the secret feeling that has impclIcd
TO write this letter. Let me point out the like
ness, and il they are the real Feds, and the Wings
the true Democracy, how can you go with them
longer In the first place, then, the old FEEDER.
aiss were the strenuous advocates Of the doctrine
of Free Trade, which then thought, and now
think, is fraught with imminent danger TO our
welfare as that policy would leave the great in
teress of our country under the control Of Great
Britain. And is not that doctrine, | ask, boldly
advocated by many OF the leaders of the present
Loco-Foco party And have not those Free
Trade leaders-,be Southern portion Of the DE
mocracy"-at this moment q complete ascenden-
cy over the party Did they not acquire such
an ascendency in the late Baltimore Convention
And if, by the failure OF the Wings in the corning
election, they should secure the control Of Con.
gress, will they not at abolish the Tariff po-
Icy Give John c. Calhoun and his coadin,ors
The power, aud with the sympathy now felt by
many Northern leaders for them and their doe.
trines, IS there any hope of our escaping the curse
of Free Trade system? There s a strong
point Of analogy between old Federalism and the
present Democracy that leads ne to fear and
oppose the latter as then did the former. Again
the old Federalists were for building up a
strong Erecutice Govcmment-for making the
office OF President one Of great p0aoer aud spen-
dor, like the despo,isms of Europe. And are not
these the practical views of the present Democ.
racy :" Are they not in this respect the real
Feds, and the Wings the true Democrats Let
us see. First they are for continuing the Ex-
ecutlve Veto potoer as ii rs - the Wings
are for modifying and restraining it.
This was designed by the trainers Of the Consti-
tuition to be exercised only in cases of emergency
and well remember the fears then entertained,
that the time might como when it would be
abused-when single man, for personal or party
purposes, might set up his opinion against that of
majority of the people, expressed through their
Representatives in calm and ordinary legisla-
ilon That time, you know, has already come
And who approve and who denouncc these gross
assumptions Arc not the present Democracy"
loud in their appreciation of the Veto power as it
is, and strong in their opposition to any inter-
ference with it land have they not upheld every
President in this perverted use of itl And on
the other hand, have not the Wings denounced it
even when thus exercised by the man whom they
themselves elevated to the Vice Presidency I?
And do they not now avow their determination,
If successful, to medify and restrain it Which
of the parties then arc in this respect for strong
Executive Govemmen--for giving q kinsly
power to single man Again, the Wings go
for limiting each President to single term, be
cause, with the hope of reelection, he may be
tempted grossly to abuse the powers of his Office,
and because this source Of danger has already
become great and alarming. The othcrpaIty are
opposed TO the one-term principle-to any cur
tallment Of Executive power in this respect.
And which, | ask again, are for a strong Ex.
ecutivc Government--.which the real Feds?
And Furthermore, the old Federalsts were for
throwing around all the Offices of government a
sort OF glory resembling the titled functionaries
OF lorcgn countries-for giving to the mere
opinions of Office holders and political leaders
kind of official sanctIty-a commanding infu-
ence and power. Hence the old Sedtion Law
which condemned to Imprisonment any who
should speak disrespectfuily of the President or
those in subordinate authority. And now how
Is it with the present parties Have they any Of
that sickiy respect for office-that tame subms.
SION to party leaders Let US see When the
SUBJECT of Annexation" was first broachcd in
tins contest, the Loco-F Foco papers here at the
North were decidedly against it and abored
unanimously TO show the injustice and danger OF
the scheme. But the moment their leaders in
The Baltimore Convention found it necessary, in
order TO preserve their political fortunes, to
90 Tor Annexation these papers without cx.
cepnon and the party itself, at once turned
complete summerset and came out strong Tor
Annexation in the wake and moved
al the beck of their leaders. But are the Wings
thus guilty of Il slavish reverence for Office and
political distinction 2 Let facts answer.
When they found that John Tyler, who had ii
IN his power to dispense thousands of offices, n
power which lhe Baltimore leaders did not pos
Acs'' held opinions contrary to their own, at the
very Inst act of treachery, they left him en- nasse
they gave bold, unanimous and determined
Expression Of their disapprobation. There was