M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-23
Parties in the Time OF the Elder
Adams dminlsIraiiOn.

- AHtsCS III tMG MNuAAC d tMG EIOel
Adams Administration.
Wm. Writ. in his life of Patrick
Henry, furnishes the following in regard
TO parties under the Admihistrat ton OF
the Elder Adams. BY reading it, the
reader will ascertain what the ground
Of difference was on which the parties
stood at that day, and also whether the
parties Of the pre- sent day bear any sim
ilarity to the parties OF that time:
The fedenlists, who supported the
measures Of the new government thro'
out. were accused by their adversarie:
OF disposition To strain the cons:ruc.
tive powers Of the constitution to thei
highest possible pitch; OF seret wish
to convert the government into a sub
stdntiGl monarchy at last; to which pur,
pose the assumption Of state debts, the
establishment of the funding system
aud Of the national bank, the alarminq
increase Of public debt, the imposition Of
loan of internal tares, the establish
ment OF an army and a navy, with al
The consequences Of favoritism and ex
tensive executive patronage were alleg
ed 10 have been introduced. They were
branded with the name Of aristocrats.
name OF reproach borrowed from the
parties ia France; and were charged
with being irimical to the cause of hu,
man liberty, as was said TO be proved by
their hostility to the progress Of III,
French revolution. as well as by the al
aTming character Of those measure,
which they were pushing forward in
America. They were suspected nd ac.
cused Of preference for government
OF ranks and orders, and a secret love
of titles of nobility: of which it was
said, one Of their principal leaders had
furnished a decisive proof, so far as he
was concerned, by having proposed tn
introduction Of titles in the continental
convention which framed the cunsti.
siiulion. The party which urged the Sc
charges, took the name OF republicans,
and democrats; declared themse Ives the
friends TO liberty aud the people, and
the firm aduOcates Of government of
the people by the people. They were de
voted, with enthusiasm, to the cause OF
liberty in France, considered mum, as
the only title OF nobility which ough,
20 be submitted, and freedom and hs pin
ess as the sole objects of government;
this they contended, was the princi pc |
on which the American revolution had
turned; that the great objects of the re.
volulion could not be otherwise attain.
ed. than by simple, pure, economical,
and chaste administration of the feder.
al government, and by restricting the
several departments under the new con.
stitution, TO the express letter of the
powers assigned to them by that instru.
ment.
The federalists on the other hand, de
MED and repelled, with great acrimon,
and vehemence. the charges which had
been urged against them BY their adver.
saries. They contended that the meas.
ures complained of were warranted by
the constitution, and were necessary to
give to the federal government the effec;
which was intended by its adoption
They insisted thatIthcy were simply the
friends OF order and good gousrnment;
ami in their turn branded their adyer.
sanes with the name Of Jacobins. who
having caught the mania from France,
were overIurning all government, and
throwing everything into anarchy and
uProar, in the hope Of raising thrmselvs
to the top Of the chaos. They alleged
that the opposition was formed of :he
dregs OF an American people, headed
and goaded on by a few designing men.
and iermented into faction by the reyo.
lutimary elements thrown among them.
from abroad, in The shape vf French and
ilsh emigrants and conyicts. They in.
sisted, that it was indispensably neces>
ssary to the peace and order Of the Amer.
Ican nation, that those foreign incendia.
ries should be driven out from the land
and that the licentious fury OF our ow n
populace should also be bndled. I'm.
der this impression were passed those
alien and sedition laws, which are sup.
posed to have put an end to the fe dgraI
party in America.