Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-09-25
q. Q. EAsrmaN = 40.



the Opposition in America.
We have seen how in England the peculiar char
acterstes Of the Opposition arose out Of The pecu-
liar circumstances in which it took its origin that
having despaired Of carrying ont The policy in
which il really believed Of carrying the measures
il desired, or Of defeating those !; deprecated, It
ceased either advocate the one or 20 resist the
Othor-at least openly--and adopted The humble
policy Of watching the parry which represented the
irrepressble spirit of the age caFpng at its errors
seizing upon its weak points, fomenting difficulties
in its ranks sometimes uniting with the dissidens,
with whom it had nothing il commoa, avowing
no distinctive principle, aad apparsaIy aim
ing at no definite P9dcal obse, except that Of dis
placing its antagonists from power aad repla cling
them by its own leaders.
We have nov the humiiating task Of showing
how completely the political history Of own day
furnishes parallel to II ltof the old country How,
as the proud tories Of the day Of PITr, THURLow
andELDoE, LIVERPOOL and LIEDHURsT, were succeed
ed by the motley crew who range themselves under
DKRBY and DIsRAFLI. no two Of them pursuing the
same object. So among ourselves party which
once looked up to such giants in intellect as HAM
1LTON anu ADAMS WEBelEE anu NLA1t IS now con-
tent to struggle fer power under party orgsnisa-
fion which recognises its leaders the one hand
BELL and CRIrTEEDEs. on the other GREELEY
and SEWARD.
Il is certain that there was once a time when the
party now represented by ths Opposition had its
principles its definite policy, It's political faith.
What were they? How come they 10 he abandoned
The fundamental differences between The two
great parties I'VE speak Of the days when there rare
Two great psrties) undoubtedly originated ia the
days of HAmLToN aud JEFFERsoS; in other words,
immediately after, or rather dariag The revolution
airy struggle These were, both Of them, really
CREST nen, ana taeir names really represented two
definite conflicting principles which hota manful,y
ayOEed and arisnt'g struggled for the no-pripci-
pie system hai no eEisienos ia those days HAM
ILToS disbelieved ia the practicab.Hty ii purely
republican government. i is the fashion pGw TO say
fhst he was q Republican, bet mo- q . snocrat; we
will quarrel for names bat the grsa, fac is that
The central doctrine Of sslfgo7srnmea, as held by
his opponents was looked upon as dangerous 10 pull
lie order and national greatness II carried out in
all its consequences; he therefore in seeking FOR
Of controlling and checking the unlimited ex
eress Ct this power, and justly recognizing IN the
State Governments the sources Of lis develUrmeBi.
made it the leading principle Of his political faith
and practice strengthen the Central or Federal gov
ernment at the expense those Of the separata se
Mr.. JEFFERSON, on the other hand, thoroughly
identified himself with the spirit of the age believed
with firmly grounded faith in the principle Of self
government, ard justly recognised in the reserved
rights of the States the meas for securing the car
Tying out Of this principle sud made it the leading
object Of his policy to fortfy these against al pro
liability Of encroachmeut The part Of the Federal
government. The doctrine then owed by tho two
great parties embodied principle, represented
faith; bath parties avoved heir principle prof5ssed
their faith and the conflict Of parties was the trug
gle Of two great bodies representing anI eonieadiag
for two great principles, each of which sv5wld its
belief with pride, and inscribed Is its banners in
conspicuous characters without subtsrfuge The
Federal party on the one hand, the Republican
party on the other, expressed ia the titles they I'd
opted the principles they deaired t5 carry ont.
But this honorable warfare did net last long It;
was soon found that the federal banner could d3at
over nothing but defeated s9uadrons. The whole
force Of the sentiments animated by The inspiring
struggle Of the revolution had created spirit which
could declare itself only on che side and that was
fhe Republican.
No party can long subsist under hopeless series
OF defeats, and by the time Of Nlr. MADISON a3-
ADMINISTRATION we fad that every one called himself
Republican, and it is q significant point that the
name designating the more popular Of the old par
ties was adopted by men Of all opinions; but it
must not he supposed that if the party names was
6 . - D..
ing the popular title, the principles formerly at
ISSUE ceased to be a MISTER Of controversy. The
Federal and Republican views Of the Amer.ela
system we're just as clearly believed and as earn
estly defended a. when esch party avowed
them in the adoption of its tide For a while
the question Of war and peace took the phi
GRITTY of the old issues, but that they were
still il existence that men siI believed ia the con
hictipg principles became manifest when internal
policy took the place Of foreign relations. ThcI. It
was that those who still held The federal doctrines
having disguised themselves under the title Of their
former opponents, the latter assumed the distinctive
tide Of Democrats, and shortly after the isGerauy
disposed assumed ,hst Of whis7 BE- being emiouly
indicative OF the future, tact The r.Tauzl5 a~sum-
ed name calculated 10 throw q veil over their din
tiactivs opinions, toe lrue Republicans adopted
one more ,dnitey expressive O.! 'Ae.r political faith
than before.
Il will no. be difficult, haWcTe7. to show that the
PRINCIPLES in controversy were really The same, al
slough tha federal idea was afvarcadin detail raih
or than avowed in lhr mas-. Tae measures Of the
Federal parry. nov called Waig, were all Of ns-
ture 10 stronghold The Central government and re
srir the privcs-asu OF tar S.es ana iha % ,nocgal-