The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30

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opulent of their class.
Intellectually, therefore, the clergy be-
came the political instructors of New Eng
land; the opulent Virginia shareholders, oil
the South. And thus by the force Of acci.
dents, the aristocratic cavaliers of England
became the Democratic teachers of Ameri.
ca while the Democratic Puritans, living
in their offspring, who had been exiled
because, we are assured, of their devotion to
freedom, became the opponents of Democ.
racy and the great American conservators of
power.
Issues had been changed, positions re-
versed, but the quarrel began on the soil of
England was renewed in the wilds of
America The invidous comparisons, the
animosities, there engendered, and stiff1ed
here, only during the crisis of mutual peril
were revived vigorously on the secure &C.
QUESTION ofpeace and prosperity.
The cavaliers, aristocratic by nature, be-
came the most ultra Democrats. They
were in favor of raising all white men to
the highest dignities of freemen and, as is
always the case, they became enamored of
their own offspring, recognizing in its fea-
lures, the true expression of virtuous legiti-
macy. Their Democracy became sincere.
In the way explained, originated our
American Democratic party. Its cardinal
principles were the rights of the citizens
and the sovereignty of the States. TO Ma
tional Banks, and projections of special in
terests, it was naturally opposed, yielding
opposition only from pressing expediency
or necessity.
The logic of its creed, favoring the am
bition of its champions, made them the ad.
vocates of liberal naturalization laws, of
annexation OF territory, and the admission
of new States.
The retrospect in this crude dissertation,
already made of our political history, is
necessary to clear understanding of what
is to follow.
Although the States of New England,
following the lead of Massachusetts, gen.
orally supported the Federalist Party with
great unanimity, their institutions were, in
fact, the most democratic of the Union.
The body of the people there, were better
educated, land better understood the science
of government, and were better qualified,
in every way, to maintain free institutions,
than were the inhabitants of any other sec-
ton of the Union. 1t was interest that made
them so ambitious of rule, exclusive, and
opposed to extending "the area of freedom
to new lands aud new peoples. Their pride
of education and "steady habits" although
they had ceased in the main to be Puritans
made them also in some degree pharisai-
cal.
Their political plan was close alliance
with the Slave States of the South, against
their commercial rivals of the Middle States !;
and they considered this necessary to pre-
serve the balance of power, among the
States, as it existed at the time the Union
was formed. They regarded any disturb
ance of this "balance,' by the acquisition
of new territory, and consequent creation
of new States, as direct, palpable and
dangerous violation of the Constitution.
Constituting the main support of the Fed.
eralst Party, their policy became the car.
dinal principles of its creed. This party
originated in no hostility to democracy
but in patriotic resolution to maintain the
Union and the Constitution, at all hazards;
and it gave to the administration of Wash
ington, an unqualified and Jealous support.
At the same time, all the elements of sup
pressed hostility to the Washington admins
tration, or to any feature of the Constitu-
ton, were converging to common centre,
and in fact subsequently became the nucleus
of the Democratic party.
While the administration of Washington
was regarded with much disfavor in Vir-
ginia, it received the hearty support of New
England.
It's warm partisansin the Southern States
as we'll as in the Middle States, became from
this cause, politically allied with New Eng
land.
AS is always the case, and was then as
now, local interests, vitalized by am
bilious men, had, however, more influence
in the formation Of geographical combina-
lions and conflicts, than any mere sentiment
of philanthropy or system Of comprehens i've
patriotism.
Maryland and Delaware possessing com.
mercial advantages, ambitious of their inn
provement, and, at the same time, sharing
with New England, a feeling of rivalry
towards the Middle States, and their COM
peting maritime emporiums- Philadelphia
and New York-became the allies of New
England and supporters of the Federalist
cause. This common interest was only in