New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-15

Nr. Bowie Of Maryland-msy we ask, by the
way, whether or not this Mr.. Bowie is the ineal
descendant and personal representative of the m-
mortal inventor of the Bowie knife lately as
serted in speech in reply to Mr.. Giddings, that
every old Federast who was In favor Of the alien
and sedition laws is now q Black Republican.
How President Buchanan and Chief-Justice fancy,
not TO mention other lesser chiefs Of the Slave
Democracy, must roll up their eyes and cry out, ct
tn Brute, upon reading this speech But the charge
as against the " old Federalsts," body is quite
as unfounded as against those two "old Federal
ists" in particular. Nothing is more notorious
than that large proportion of the then surviving
old Federaliss, and still larger proportion of the
then young men who had inherited the name and
the ideas of the old Federal party, sick Of thirty
years prescription and exclusion from all Federal
Offices. took occasion on the opening afforded BY the
Jackson campaign to ALLURE all their Old political
bereses and to come out professed Democrats.
The complete triumph of those politicians who had
relied on the passions and prejudices Of the people
over those who had appealed to their reason, their
interests and their consciences had more than ever
confirmed these aspiring and uneasy Federslists in
the doctrine of the incapacty Of the people to gov
em themselves. Hence, they easily took up the
idea that the only hope Of political promotion in
this country was in making ones self the tool of
popular passion and ignorance, and in leading of
furiously and recklessy in any direction in which
popular passion impelled. The Jackson party
agreed TO recognize, as orthodox Democrats dyed
in the WOOL any and all, no matter what their an
tectdents might have been, who would join their
ranks. Awaiting themselves Of this offer fancy,
Buchanan and hundreds of other ambitious old
Federalists proceeded TO throw up their caps and
burrah for Jackson, who indeed in his passion for
extending the power and influence of the E1ecu-
tive, was himself an unconscious convert to the
most fundamental but practical doctrine Of the
Federal creed.
But, in thus joining the Democratic party these
deserving rats from the fallen house Of Federalism
adopted not one Of the theoretical doctrines on the
strength of which the Democratic party hsd secured
the confidence and support Of the Northern States.
In their secret souls they still secuted with infinite
contempt the idea Of the equality Of all men.
Without changing one iota of their principles-in
fact retaining them in the most exaggerated degree
they only changed their tactics. They rejected
IS impractcable the old Federal idea that the
combined influence of intelligence, virtue, wealth
and religion entitled their possessors to take the
lead, AID substituted for it the policy to which
they, in their ignorance, ascribed the success of
their opponents Of the Democratic party-that Of
deludipg the people by succumbing to, aud even
infaming, their folles and thus, whatever might
become of the country securing Office, honors and
profit for themselves. This process is still going
on, down even to this moment. Quite anumber of
the political and personal representatives Of the old
Federal party in the State Of Massachusetts-al-
ways the center Of its power, and in which the
party longest retained its organzation-have very
recently, under the leadership Of Rufus Choate,
gone over to the sham Democracy, to which Mr..
Gushing, another of the set aud the special favor.
lite and present representative Of the City Of New
burypOrt, that old hot-bed of Federalism, went
over some Ten years ago.
So powerful, indeed, has been the effect Of this
infusion of old Federalism into the jackson
Democracy, that the Democratic party, still so
called, is in the condition of the famous metaphysi
cal pair Of silk stockings, darned so often and so
thoroughly with worsted that scarcely thread Of
the original fabric remained. Every democratic
doctrine, Is democracy was understood BY Jefer.
son, Madison and Monroe, has been thoroughly
repudiated by our sham Democrats, while tho
fsndspenA principle Of the Pasty Tat stu ea.I