Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-07-24
COMMUNICATION.
Federalism the Same.


Federalism the Same.
In the Indiana Journal, the phrase, progressive
Democracy" used in opprobrous sense, CONSTANT
y meets the eye The doctrines of the Democratic par
y have always been extremely odious TO federaliss
from the DAVIS of Alexander Hamilton, who in the
convention that framed the Constitution of the United
States, declared that the people are turbulent and
changing; seldom judging OF determining right
The doctrine that the people are capable Of self
government has been leading article IN the creed OF
the Democratic party This IS terror to arstocrats,
who are not willing to admit either the capacity or
right of the people govern themselves 1t
is too humiliating to their pride to put them on
common level with the laborlng man, and 10 give TO
the latter equal voice IN the government That
the rights of men have been progressively recognized
none can doubt. The constitution of the United
States which recognizes the right and capacity of the
people to govern themselves, was long stride In ad-
vance of the doctrine Of Kings prevalent at the time
of its formation, who claimed. by the grace of God,
the right booted and spurred to ride the rest of man.
kind according to their will and pleasure But what
do we understand by the term Democracy, now
used in the United States Do the party which now
bear the differ in single principle from the old
Republican party Some MEASURES may have at times
been advocated by portion Of the party which expe-
rience showed was not Of general utility. Did the
party, like the Federalists, cling to their errors
No, they abandoned them. Was this wrong, to have
been governed by experience! TO have forsaken an
error To is human, but to correct our errors IS
the part of wisdom But In what respect have the
party changed, that tie progressive Democracy is
so constantly in the mouths Of federalists Did
not the old Republican party oppose bank of the
United States on party principles Henry Clay, now
the embodiment of Federalism, declared IN his speech
against the bank in 1911, that that question
of the causes which originally divided the people into
parties and he further declared that both parties at
that time the advocating and the other OPP
posing a bank on party principles. The assumption
of the debts of the States by the general Government
in $780, advocated by the fedcrasts and opposed
by the Republican party. But the whig party
claim to have been the true Republican party from
the DAYS of Mr. Madison, from the fact that he advo
Gated bank and signed bill Incorporating that In
stitution, during the last year of his administration.
A simple question, however when candidly answered,
will set this argument aside. Was Mr.. Madison,
when he became bank man in 1876 acting in &C
cordance with his former principles If he and Clay
had as members of the old Republican party, oppos-
ed bank on party principles, did they not forsake
those principles and identify themselves with the
federal party when they became advocates of the
bank The former grounds of difference between
the parties had almost been forgotten at the close of
the last The feaerasts very adroitly dropped
their name, they have since done two or three
times which had been rendered odous by their oppo
ston to the war; and their attempts dissolve the
took the lead In the Government though they had
changed their and stolen that of their former
opponents, their principles and measures were the
same, and so continued up to the administration of
Gen. Jackson. At that time the people, like the
cent Jews when they returned from their captivity
Babylon, had become mixed multitude; they spoke
partly In the language OF the Jews and partly In the
language of Ashdod; but the immortal Jackson like
old Nehemiah, determined that this anal gamation
should not continue, and the Republican party, in
= obedience to the Constitution, induced to sepa-
rate themselves from Ashdod, and put away their
strange wives and those born of them The present
whig party therefore the offspring of Ashdod,
Moab and Ammon and if Republicans are their faith
ers, it must be admitted that they conceived IN
sin and brought forth in niquity" and true to their
ancient dolatry they still found advocating banks
and high tariff regulations, by which capitalists
enabled to plumber the labOrer Their identity with
the old federaliss is evident from their opposition
any extension of territory The croaking of the
old federalists about dissolution of the Union
sequence of the acquisition of Louisiana instructive
with their offspring the present whig party when the
annexation of Texas is mentioned. The old federal
lists opposed to the war-opposed to any defence
of our rights a nation-negociation was the cry
then, and the cry with their legitimate descend
ants. We must give up part of Maine-surrender
Oregon, rather than defend terriory-rather than
90 to war. If Democracy is progressive it must be
admitted that federalism, alias modern whggery, is
stationary at least if not retrogadng. Democracy
government In which the sovereign power is lodg
ed in the people, Progressive, advancing. Yes, let
it advance till equal rights and equal laws and mans
capacity for sef-government shall obtain throughout
the earth H.