Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-02-27
THE OLD FEDBRALISTs.
BY RICHARD HILDRETII.

In all our history there is nothing more cur
ious or more instructive than the history of the
Federal party, or, to speak more exactly. the
history of the opinions which have been enter
tanned as to the doctrines and merits of that
party.
BY the Federal party, we mean the party in
power during the administration of the first
two Presidents. This party had its origin in
the rally made in behalf of the Federal Con-
stitution-in the first place. to procure its ra,i
fication by the conventions called to deliberate
upon it in the several states {; and when that,
by great efforts, and by very small maorilics in
the most important states, had been accom-
plished, to carry the constitution into practical
effect, and to give to it such an Interpretation
as might secure to the National Government
power and influence enough to maintain its own
existence, and to fulfill the great national pur-
poses for which it had been formed.
Pre-eminent among the pillars of this party
were the two Presidents, Washington and John
Adams, the two ChIef-Jusices JAY and Els
worth, Alexander Hamilton and, at the com
mencement, James Madison, though he speedily
abandoned the Federal side and lent all his
great abilities to the oppostion-a loss however,
for which the Federasts might find some con-
ISOLATION in the accession and strong adherence
of Patrick Henry to their side.
Engaged as this party was in so great and
noble a work,-a work, too, which, in spite of
all obstacles, as if by the direct support and
special Intervention of a experimenting Proyi-
dence they were enabled to carry out,-the
work of consolidating the American Union and
founding our National Government, they en-
countered, almost from the very outset, Il most
fierce, bitter, and malignant opposition, led and
Unanswered by Thomas Jefferson with incom-
parable political skill and an untiring pcrsevcr-
ancc. This man-one of the slrangcst ano-
males that ever eXisted-by taste, habits, and
lifelong practice Slaveholding aristocrat. in
theory an ultra democrat, combining, however,
in that theory the repugnant ideas of absolute
authority in the body of the people, to be exer-
cised by such agents or agent as they might see
fit by universal suffrage to appoint, and of AN
anarchical liberty on the part of individuals
hardly consistent with any government at all
his iavorite maxim being, The fewer the laws,
| the better the government. He even went so
far as to express the opinion, in letter to IA
friend on the subject of the Shays instruction
in Massachusetts. that it was necessary in all
governments to have an instruction as often
as once in twenty-five years. to keep the rulers
in order. And it was in the same spirit that he
alterward connected the doctrines of strict con
! StructiOn and state rights. of which we are now
reaping the fruits,-doctrines which he cmbod-
led in the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions
of 1893 and l799 of when he furnished the
original drafts, atterward indorsed and put forth
as their own by the legislatures of those states
II was this strange conjunction of nconsis-.
tent ideas-an inconsistency Of which he seemed
and doubtless was, utterly unconscious--that
enabled Jefferson to accomplish the downfall Of
the Federal party, by combining against il the
great body of the Shareholders, the lawless back.
woodsmen, impatient of all CONTROL and the
democratic sentiment which at that time swept
| over Christendom with epidemic fury.
The Federalists were ousted from power, and
Jefferson as President was installed in THEN
place, followed by his two leutenants, Madison
and Monroe. During all this twenty -four years
the Federalists-so far as concerned any parti,
cipation in the administration Of that Nationa
Government which they had saved from being
slranged in its cradlc-were a prescribed and
outlawcd race. They were maligned and held
up to popular hatrel as arstocrals and tyrant,
who had sought to establish tyranny; re-
suit which had only been prevented by the go
rious revolution, as it was called, which hac
thrust aside John Adams and his alien and Sc
diton laws, and standing army, and midnight
/ Judges, and raised Jefferson to the Presidential
chair.
So persistent was this prescription that ever
John q. Adams-whose political career subSe
!, quent to 1908 was based entirely on the verba
remuneration Of his Federal political principles
'nough. ike Peter, who denied his Master, ht
sun adhered to them In vi, heor-so persistent
we we say was this prescription, that even JOIN
pulncy Adams, though supported for Preside If
y! the great body of tle Federalists. hardl,
: uareu 10 appoint single Federaist To office
while all the young men born of Federal father,
, and educated in Federal principles who asnret
to political distinction, commenced, for III,
most part, by renouncing and malipnin,, ,ha,
been educated. 1t was not til jackson h3. INV
President, and after the lapse of third aS :
! century that the members of the old Federo
party were again recognized as possible eand;
dates for offices under the Federal Government
But even their resolution and admittance int
the circle of candidates for office could only b
] obtained by loudmouthed denunciation a
LII Enhnrnli.nn nnl Il ,,rnnlnnA.. IL, - :.