The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30
Cause and Effect Explained by a Re.
prospective View OF our Political
HistOry, ..
IsUBJECT Continued
To The Editor of the Pioneer and Democrat

people thereof felt that their union as one
nation was absolutely essential to peace, SCI
curity and prosperity. Their political in
structors were, generally, highly educated,
versed in classic lore, and conversant with
the history and polity Of nations. The
low and ignorant order of politicians, who
rise to the rank of statesmen in our day,
will search in vain for their prototypes in
that Golden Age Of the Republic.
But, while the people of all the States
ardently desired a more perfect union,'
they were nervously anxious for the preser.
walton of their State sovereignties aud
therefore most grudgingiy yielded power 10
the General Government, cautiously grant,
ing not an iota more than was deemed alb
solutey necessary, to bind the Union to-
gether; and to enable it to exercise what
were acknowledged to be its essential exec.
utive, and administrative functions.
State pride, state interests, and State
rights prevailed alike in the whole thirteen,
and union was anxiously desired only be,
cause it was manifest necessity.
What the mass of the people of all the
States most feared, was that the new Con-
stitution granted too much power to the
General Government. The great States,
especially Massachusetts, New York and
Virginia, were exceedingly fearful that they
might jeopardize their controlling influence,
and be overpowered by combinations of the
smaller States; while in the latter the
people feared that they might be crushed
beneath the united weight of the former.
1t was the opinion of the most enlight-
ened patriots of that day, and of the best
informed historians Of the period, that from
these causes, and incidental considerations,
the Constitution would have been rejected,
had it been submitted directly to the suf-
frages of the people.
Even after the ratification of the Con-
.stitution by ten Conventions Of the States,
its fate in New York, Virginia and Rhode
Island, was very doubtful and its rati6ca.
tion accomplished with great difficulty, and
in the presence of violent popular hostility.
Itwas only through the influence, acquired
by their sacrifices and services in the Revo-
luton, that the patriot sages of that day
were enabled to procure an acceptance Of
the Constitution by the States ard the
people.
After the Constitution was adopted by the
thirteen States, all parties and sections &C.
quiesced in its support. But the old sec~
tional interests, opinions, and prejudices,
revived and soon reappeared in the for
nation and conflict of political parties.
The party issues of that day originated in
geographical struggles for power and re.
peating the example of Athens and Sparta,
Massachusetts and Virginia acquired the
headship of the opposing leagues.
Politicians, like most men, are only bus
led on the surface of events, which is direct.
ly exposed to the warm sunshine of popular
favor, while the people themselves oppose
only "tbe fronting foe.''
From the struggles between Massachu-'
sets and Virginia for the headship of the
Republic, have resulted the politics, the
issues and the parties, ard the great events
which have transpired in the experience of
the American people. We are thus far
only repeating the history of classic Greece.
What is to happen may Or may not COM
plete the parallel. The wisest can only say.
the future is shrouded by an impenetrable
veil.
Out of the struggles between Massachu.
sets and Virginia for the headship of the
nation, originated two great political parties
1.-The Federalist and Republican, the latter
derisively called by the former, the "Demo-
cratic Party" an epithet hoDored by success,
and finally accepted as name of proud
political distinction.
10 this contest for ascendency, our Amer
lean Athens, like its prototype, sought
commercial power and commercial combs
ations; by alliances with capital and manu-
featuring industry, secured by bounties to
shipping, by tariffs and money institutions.
Our Virginian Sparta erected an oppo-
sing system, more abstract and theoretical,
yet appealing directly to the instincts and
passions of the people, whose liberties they
would surround with wall of men, exalted
to the highest patriotism by sentiments Of
honor and free born dignity; jealous Of
rights, preferring their possession in pow.
erty to their loss in opulence.
The representative men in these opposing
political schools were Adams and Jefferson
knowledge is power" Scholarship is
the offspring of leisure and ambition. In
that day there were, as general rule, only
two classes of men residing in the thirteen
States, who enjoyed that degree of leisure
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