The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-12-03
THE OLD FEDERAL PARTY.

The follow!ng historical chapter IS from
the Washington correspondent of the Mem.
phs Eagle and Enquirer. As tho writer
truly remarks, thousands denounce the "Old
Federolsts without knowing why, or what
their principles were:"
"For the last forty years or more, it has
been the custom of the great majority Of the
American people, and OF that portion espe.
cinly which belong to the Democratic party,
tn denuunce ih unmeasnred terms the "Old
Fedcrallsts;" thousands doing it habitunlly,
without knowing why, or what their princi-
pies or measures were. A defeated party is
somewhat like defeated revolution; all be-
longing to it are traitors in the eyes of all
others, aud deserving of the halter; while
those who are triumphant become PATRIOTS
IT was the fate Of the Federal party to fall,
and having fallen, from that day TO this there
were none so poor to do II reverence. 1t was
dead lion, and every ass could bray over
and kick il with impunity. or late years the
men have been rare who have had the cour-
age to speak of it ms 1t was, nothing eXtanu-
a,ing, nor setting down ausht in malice and
even those who were once members of it, in
full communion and good sthnding-who had
been cherished and honorrd by it in the day
"f its prosperity and power, have like Peter,
thrice, ave, three times thrice, denied nll
knowledge of, or connection with it, md to
hide the sin "f Federalism, have become the
most ultra Democrats.
have been led tn make these observations
from reading an extract from the first volume
"f the Constitutional History of the United
States, BY William Archer Coke, who has the
courage and tn" candor to speak of the Fed
ernlsts in STRAIN to which the ears of the
present generation are quite unused. lie
says
"The Constitution (of the United States }
meeting with hold and energetic opposition
hv respectab party, because it created n
str. nger government than was deemed by this
party safe and proper, its advocates were
branded as Federalists; which epithei at first
used as n designation of the party who advo-
Gated the Constitution, was ultimately EN-.
ploy ed to note those upon whom the vain en-
deavor was made to characterize rs inimical
to republican government. 1t was falsely
charged upon them that they wished to pro.
mote their design by taking from the States
their rghtful sovereignty, and conservative
power in the Federal Government. The
terms became one of party distinction. They
succeeded IN procuring the ratification of tie
| Constitution. THEY GAVE THE GOVERNMENT ITS
EARLY STAMP AND DIGNITY OF CHARACTER. We
may at this day look bnck in proud admra.
tion upon the early Federal party as the Fa-
thers Of the Republic. They were and are
now uniustly visited with errors they never
commit ed. They have been falsely slnndered
because the people were unacquainted with
their character and sentiments, or listened
with over confidence to the voice of the un
scrurulous. n
No greater eulogy can he presented to the
world of the virtue of the members, the ne
cessity and practical Advantage of the mea
sures of the Federal party in the first days o
our Republic than the historic truth that
among its leaders are found Washington
Franklin, Hamilton, Jay, Madison, Randolph
"a large majority of the United States Con
gress for eight years: and the fact of the sue
cess of the government Of which Washington
was President. The historian requires nc
other facts, an enlightened age no other ar
guments."
Such tribute to the old Federal party has
never before, to my knowledge, come from
the impartial pen of history; and it is the
more to b" admired inasmuch ms it shows
that the writer has not the fear of prejudice
and party rancor before his eyes, hnt dares tC
utter what truth dictates, whoever approves
OF whoever condemns.