The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-01

new party. We never saw more political truth il
SO few wing words. Thanks again for this con
fession.
!, And how completely does our past history Of par
ties of the country illustrate thisl Take the time
of IT'S az a proper epoch. These then timd men
prerogative men, ories-full one-lhird Of the popu
aiion of the colonies ESQ writes somewhere Johr
Adams) were of this class Ii was not theu thai
sought change; that proposed "new policy" tina
sought an ''organic reform" They astood upor
the principles OF the past" they were satisfied
with kingy government; and they appealed to the
prosperity everywhere around, just as the kina
conservation does noio, for proof of its benefcence
10 them, the revolution the declaration of indepen
dence was an experiment; they predicted from ii
Take, also, the epoch of 1887 as another fit peri
3D. They were just such men who came together
to form a constitution. They too stood upon the
past. Where, under the shining of the sun, they
asked was there instance Of an elective democ-
racy that had stood the test of popular passion
Nowhere; this popular government was a new
thing These elective presidents and elective SEN
aes were new things they had not been tried, save
where they had been found wanting. This idea
that man can govern himself had "never been con-
secrated by experiences" away with il. They had
fear, but not hope before them behind them was
the past with its legitimate principles of govern
ment. And these men of the past could see no light
so luminous as that which radated from the Brit
Hamilton, Adams, Morris, Ames and others; your
democratic theory is untried and we know il is the
pathway to anarchy Hamilton, for instance--so
says hispotcal friend, Gouverneur Morris, Sparks
Life, vol. g. p. 900, )-"hated republican government
because he COMPOUNDED it with democratical govern
ment and he detested the latter because he believed
il must end in despotsm, and be, in the mean time,
destructive Of morality. He never failed to
advocate the excellence of, and his attachment
to, monarchical government"
Such it is now confessed was the date of the or
ign of the wing party--such the character Of wing
administration; its distinctive feature is a reliance
upon the past.
This address contains one great error, in making
Washington to be the founder Of the wing party OF
to-day, and the federal party of 98. This was an
old federal game, and it is most unjust to the father
of the country. Washington has a nobler niche in
our temple than to be considered the founder of the
federal party; he stands FORTH above all the patriots
AS THE FOUNDER OF THE UNION. Undoubtedly he
asscnted to many of the old federal measures; demo-
Gratis at the time regretted this, and said But to
assent to special measures Of the party is one thing
to be the founder Of party, is another. twas not
Washington that loved monarchy from principle; moth
ing OF thisno not line Of be found in his wri-
tlngs; tits IN the productions of such as Hamilton,
John Adams, Morris, that solid columns of such
matter can be found. 1t was not Washington who
regretted the theory of popular government,
and stood upon the past; mol to see thorough
contempt of the people, read the works of the
federalists. 1t was not Washington who de-
nounced the early principles of the French revolu.
tion and poured rdcule on the Lafayette that pro.
fessed them, and lauded the legitimate 'Bourbons;
such sentiments must be looked for elsewhere--in
the works of the jays the Harpers, and Pinckneys.
No! Washington was true wing of IT'S, not
afraid to ''seek organic reforms" and true repub-
can of 1887 not afraid to trust power in the hands
OF the people. He was with Jefferson and Madison
and the founders ofthe democratic party in theory;
and it is sheer calumny upon his memory to link
him with the monarchical doctrines of the founders
of the federal party. To do il, history must be
fasifed, and bis support of particular measures
tortured into endorsement of political principles
that he always indignantly spurned. Mo- the au-
thor of this address knows that, SO far as men can
be said to be the founders Of parties, Hamilton
was the founder the wing party, and Jefferson Of
the democratic party.