Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-07-22
American Political Parties
Their Historical Names and
prnsnn In emf Leaders.

columns by several distinguished
writer's as to who stood godfather a
the baptism of the Republican party
awakens "reminiscences concerning
the names borne from time to time
by the great political organizations OF
this country.
The earliest titles assumed by par
ties after the adoption Of the Con
stitution, were Federal and Republic
can. The more conspicuous leaders
of the former were John Adams.
Alexander Hamilton, and John Mar
shall: of the latter, Jefferson, Madi-
son and George Clinton. Among the
prominent young members of the
Republican party were Henry Clay,
DE Witt Clinton, and, near the close
of Jefferson's Administration, John
Quincy Adams, all Of whom subse-
auently bec~me distinguished oppo-
nenfs of the same Marty. The Re-
publicans favored a restriction of the
powers of the National Government
and advocated State rights, while the
Federalis.s held antagonistic opin-
ions on both these subjects.
The two parties continued to bear
the names until the era OF good feel
ing under the second term OF Mon
roc's Administration, when the Fed
eral party expired. During the
Administrator Of John Quincy
Adams, his opponents, under the
lead of Van Buren, and jackson, as
sumed the name Of Democrats or
Democratic Republicans, the latter
being the favorite designation In
New York; while their antagonists
called themselves National Republi-
cans, their conspicuous chiefs being
Clay, Adams and Webster. During
this period third party arose, called
Anti Masons, whose founders and
leaders were Thurlow Weed, Thad-
deus stevens and William IL
Seward. This party exerted good
deal Of influence in moulding the
politics Of New York and Pennsyl.
yania, but on national issues 1T was
in close accord with the party of Clay
and Webster.
Under the Administration OF jack
son the materials Of which parties
were composed changed very essen
TALLY. Large numbers OF old Fed
eralists went over to Jackson, while
a respectable body Of Democrats
rallied around Clay. Near the close
OF Jackson's Administration the
party Of Clay and Webster was made
up of the mass of the old Federalists
now called National Republicans
and the rank and file of the Anti
Masons. Scarcely had Van Burer
pronounced his Inaugural Address
when the opposition to the Democ
racy assumed the names Of Wings
Gen. James Watson Webb, OF thu
Com'ier and Enquirer, claimed thu
honor of bestowing upon the grea
and powerful organization the popu
lar cognomen which it bore through
eighteen eventful years.
Soon after the formation OF thu
Wing party, the slavery question
began to assume prominence in ma
tional affairs, and resulted in 1910 il
organizing the Liberty party, which
though small in numbers, inculcatet
doctrines that ultimately controlled
the country, and, as the fruits OF
long controversy and a successful
war, incorporated into the Constitu
ton those Amendments respectin
slavery, the rights of citizens, an
the universally of suffrage, whic
have so radically changed that In
strument. Among the founders am
leaders Of this party were James 6
Birney, Gerritt Smith, Joshua Lea
witt, John G.. Whittier and Henry L
Stanton. From the same roc
sprang first the Free Soil party, i
ls.ss, I'm which Salmon p. Chase an
.g@ihn II. Hale were distinguished
aud then the Free Democracy in 1915
with fts famous Buffalo platform
whereof those eminent "Barnburn
crs," John Van Buren,, Samuel
Tilden, Sanford u. Church and Dea
Richmond were the main architect
Martin Van Buren,, better known a
the Sage of Lindenwald, being tn
chief cornerstone. This celebrate
organization swept into its ranks al
the Liberty party, all the Free Sol
party, n majority of the Democrat
party of the State of New York, an
a large number of Democrats and
respectable sprinkling Of Wing
throughout the free States.
This remarkable party, thCagh
did not dwell among men for a grea
while, lived long enough to prepar
the way for the advent of the Re
publican party. Under the inspirin
lead Of John Van Buren,, it was tn
precursor of the new political di'
pensation Of 1875, when the fret
soil principles of the Buffalo plat
<o.,,, r,~c;ohal thu ,ofnriaIc for th