The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-04

monstrate the necessity of further legislation to
guard against evasion or abuse That opinion, so
far as know, remains entirely unchanged, and
will be acted upon steadily and decisively. The
peace of the country requires this; the security Of
the Constitution requires this; and every consdc-
: ration of the public good demands this. If the
Administration cannot stand upon the principles
ofthe message, it does not expect to stand at all
[DANIEL WEBsTER's Letter to the Union Meeting
at Wsstchester.
Washington's Administration and tho De-
mocracy.
We have had frequent occasion to be amused
at the extreme GOODNESS with which our con-
temporary of the Union claims President
WASHINGTON as a DEMOCRAT, in the party
sense of that denomination. He speaks, day
by day, Of the administrations of 'WAsHING-
TON, JEFFERSON, and JACKSON" as if they
were properly included in the same category.
All his specuations, however, on the subject
of Democracy and Federalism, are so double
edged, and cut 50 many ways, that we are
sometimes inclined to believe they originate in
the desire of wrecking the fortunes Of some of
the ld-time favorites Of the Democracy, and
waiting into safe harbor the hopes and pre-
objections of Young America. What could be
more cruel, for example, to Mr.. BUCHANAN,
than the article on Pennsylvania in the Union
of the Sd instant, in which 50 much unneces-
sary prominence is given to reflections on the
old Federal party, Of which Mr.. PoLK's Secre-
tary of State was, in his day, SO distinguished
member
In the hope Of correcting some Of the errors
into which the Union has fallen in regard to
WAsHINGroN's administration, and his alleged
connection with the DEMOCRATIC party, we
propose to call to the stand the Hon. JAMES
BUCHANAN himself, who is fully on the record
in this behalf in an Grafton delivered before the
Washington Association of Lancaster, on the
fourth of July, 1915. This production was
published by the Association, of course with
the authority of Mr.. BUCHANAN and under
his supervision. 1t is very elaborate perform
ance, and well deserves reproduction. We
advise our contemporary to refresh his histori-
cal membranes by its perusal. When he
shall have made himself master of it, he will
not SO far misrepresent WASHINGTON as to de-
scribe him as party Democrat"
After an introduction devoted to reflections
on revolutionary times, Mr.. BUCHANAN went
on to say that his Grafton should contain short
historical sketch of the most prominent actions
Of the party now (lSl5 in power in this coun-
try, and their consequences and an inquiry
concerning the course which sound policy die
tates to the Government for the future.
Though these subjects were not Immediately
connected with the celebration of the day, Mr..
BUCHANAN thought their Importance would be
his apology for discussing them. The fourth
of July was too good an occasion to be lost for
the inculcation of his old Federal" doctrines,
and for manifesting his bitter and envenomed
hostility to Mr.. MADISON and the Democracy.
Mr.. BUcHANAN's grafton is too good to be
disposed of in single article. 1t suggests too
many topics Of interest, and capable, in view
of his personal relations, of being SO treated as
to minister to the instruction and entertainment
of the present generation. We shall reserve,
therefore, for future discussion, those parts and
passages Of the Grafton which demonstrate the
claims Of MI. BUCHANAN, and many of his old al
liesinJ acksonism, to be considered 'the orthodox
republicans" Perhaps they may be, not map
propriately, considered in connexion with the
ex-Secretary's recent letter to his friends in
Richmond; but all these matters we reserve
for future reflection. Our present object is to
prick the bubble of WASHINGTON Democracy
which is daily blown by the Union.
Mr.. BUCHANAN gives the following sketch
of WAsHINGroN's administration, and of the
parties formed under it:
There = powerful faction in the United
. States opposed to the adoption Of the Federal
Constitution. The individuals of which II
composed called anti Fsderaiisfs, and soere
founders Of the Democratic party. They glorisd
in seting Themselves in array against present
admirable form of government. The authors Of
this opposition were chiefly demagogucs, who
might have rieen to the head Of State faction,
but who felt conscious that their talents would
be cclipscd when the luminarics Of the United
. States should be collected around the General
Government. To crafty their ambition, they
. wished that this country should 'continno di-
vidcd into number of petty State sovcr
egntios, without any efficient government for
their control. This they desired, although they
had the example of ancient Greece before their
eyes, and well knew that the clnshing interests
Of the States, and their mutual jeaouses, kept