The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-25
Memoirs ft.e Administration of Washington

Memoirs Of The Administration of Washington
ard John Adams-Ediic ted from the papers O.
DINER WoLoorr, Secretary of The Trsasur,
by GEoEGE GIBss.-2 rois.--Nsw YoRS
Printed ,or the Subscribers, 1916.
This is valuable contribution TO the history
of the United Sta,es:-it is an account Of the
Federal Administrations of our country. written
by one inheriting Federal feelings and pre- udi-
ces, and prepared from the papers of FEEDER
; ecretary of the Treasury. No one can under.
stand our Past, or speculate inieligentiy upon
our Future. without knowing what was en-
bodied n what We call Federalism. and seeing
clearly how much Of that spirit Yet survives,
and where il is 20 be found. Federalism wa,
the spirit Of Capitalization, of efficient Govern
ment, Of ant-anarchy. 1t was, and is, the con-
servatiye power of our Government,-w,houi
which i; would never have originated. and could
not now exist. Until Hamilton's schemes were
brought forward, Federalism and anti Federal
ism, meant simply friendship for the Constitu.
ton, and enmity TO it. At this day, after so long
enjoying the blessings which date from the adop
ton OF fiat Constitution, shall we turn round
and use terms Of opprobium toward the party
and the principles which gave ms that great In
sirument' 1t is worth noting how Kentucky
has grown in adherence TO the true Federalis
faith:--ia the Convention Of Virginia, held in
l7s-. out of fourteen representatives. from the
district of kentacky, eleven voted Against the
II
against Feceralism:-and ten years later. upon
the passage Of the Alien and Sedition laws, Ken
lucky, by the unbroken voice Of her Senate. The
nearly unanimous vote Of her Representatives
and the approval Of her Governor, gave hersel
TO the cause of notification, Of anti Federalism
Now all is changed. Wings and Democrat.
alike swear allegiance 10 our Bond of MON, anC
disclaim the modern notification of Calhoun
Blu, Federalism means something beside ale
glance 10 the Constitution, it means an adhe'
renee TO those measures which from 1870 to
lo00. were deemed, by the party in power, thu
trainers Of the Constitution, necessary 10 the
continuance Of that Instrument; adherence tC
the Funding system, the Bank. Tariff, and 9th
er measures Of that day. This Federalism i
dead, for it was not the essential thing; it wa'
a mere accident, result, circumstance: the es-
sence was, throughout, adherence to hose meas
ures which would preserve the Central Govern
ment against the lealousies Of the State Gov
ernments: the Constitution against notification
In this, the true meaning of Federalism, wher
applied to the faith of Jay, Marshall, Hamilton
Wolcott, Pickering, and Cabot,-who is now no
of that faith! A little band of slave holders il
South Carolina. Now, these memoirs Of VOL
colt hclpus TO Understand Federalism in IFS true
broad sense, the sense which was in the mind o
Madison when he helped to write the papers ofth
"federaiist;" aud also the small, accidental
Federalism which stood by Hamilton, and elect
ed Adams, and gave a venom TO the politics "
the time which is not yet gone from the naiiona
blood and therefore we say these memoirs ar
exceedingly valuable AS materials toward Ill
history of the United States. The letter
of the Wolcott's, father, son, and broihcr,-
| 1.-THE son being the subject of the memoir;
those of the Goodrches, Of Trumbuli
Sdboi. hHts. ''"" may
ers--lst us into the household, TO the hrcsidt
anu dinner table of Federal ism, and we see il
honesty, and its violence, its faith anu its unfair
ness, It's devotion to the Constitution, and its ha
tired Of Tom. Jeffcrson,-its home quarrels be
tween Hamilton and Adams,--its genuine Saxo
obstinacy, conservatism, and love of right
with singular d:stinctncss. And with the res
Is shown the real want OF faith which fedcra
ism had in the masses; the mingling OF oil
English aristocratic feeling with the ncw-bor
Democracy of the REVOLUTIONARY there
also shown the cause of this want Of faith.-
Had Jay and his fellows lived now. they woul
have been as much in the lead as they were ]
their own day; their doubts and fears were nj
of the essence, but of the accident Of Fedora
ism; truer souls, purer hearts, nobler minf
were never encased in clay. However widel
We may differ from them, however prejudice
we may think them, however we may smile
the occasional extravagances Of Mr.. Gibbs.
any other of their warm defenders, let us new
forget that none stood closer to the heart
' Washington than the great Federal leaders.