Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-10-07
A AmeriCaM Political Partles..
Their Historical Names AMl
Prominent Leaders.

Prominent Lenders.
The controversy carried on in our
columns by several distinguished
writer's as to who stood godfather at
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 parties
after the adoption OF the Constitution
were Federal and Republican. The
more conspicuous leaders of the form
er were John Adams, Alexander Ham
ilton, and John Marshall; of the lat
ter, Jefferson, Madison and George
Clinton. Amongthc prominent young
members of the Republican party,
were Henry Clay, Dc Witt Clinton,
and near the close OF Jeaerson's ad-
mnistra,ion John Quincy Adams, all
of whom subsequently became distin-
yuished opponents of the same party.
The Republicans favored restriction
of the powers OF the National Govern
ment, and advocated State rights, while
the Federal.sts held antagonistic cpin-
ions on both these subjects.
The two parties continued to bear
the names until the era of good feeling
under the second term of Monroe's ad
ministration, when the Federal party
expired During the administration
OF John Quincy Adams, his opponents.
under the lead OF Van Buren, and Jack
son, assumed the name Of Democrats
or Democratic Republicans, the latter
being the favorite designation i'll New
York; while their antagonists called
themselves National Republicans, their
conspicuous chiefs being Clay, Adams,
and w ebster. During this period a
third party arose, called Anti -Masons,
whose founders and leaders were
Thurlow Weed, Thadfeus Stevens,
and William II. Seward This party
exerted good deal of influence in
moulding the politics OF New York
and Pennsylvania, but on national is
sues it 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 essentially
Large numbers of old Fedcralists went
over to jackson, while respectable
body of Democrats rallied around
Clay. Near the close of Jackson's ad
ministration the party OF Clay and
Webster was made up OF the mass Of
the old Federalists, now called the Ma.
tional Republicans, and the rank and
file of the anti. Masons. Scarcely had
Van Buren, pronounced his inaugural
address when the opposition to the
Democracy assumed the name OF Wings
Gen. James Watson Webb, of the
Courier and Enquirer, claimed the honor
of bcstowng upon that great and pow
erful organization the popular cogno
mon which 1t bore through eighteen
eventtul years.
Soon after the formation OF the
Wing party the Slavery question be-
gan to assume prominence in national
affairs, ard resulted in 1910 in organ
izing the Liberty party, which, though
small in numbers, inculcated doctrines
that ultimately controlled the country
and, as the fruits OF a long controversy
and successful war, incorporated into
the Constitution those amendments re-
specting slavery, the rights OF citizens
and universally of suffrage, which
have SO radically changed that instru
ment. Among the founders and lead
ors OF this party were James G. Birney
Gerritt Smith, Joshua Liavitt, JOIN
G. Whittier and Henry B. Stanton
From the same root sprang first tho
Free Soil party in 1874, in which Sal
mon p. Chase aud John p. Hale were
distinguished, and then the Free Dc
mocracy in 1913, with its famous Buf
falo platform, whereof those eminen,
Barnburners, John Van Buren, Samuel
J. Tilden, Sanford E. Church, and
Dean Richmond were the main archl
tects-Martin Van Buren,, better
known as the Sage of Lindenwald, be-
ing the chief cornerstone. This ccle
bratcd organization swept into tho
ranks all the Liberty party, all the Free
Soil party, a majority OF the Democrat
ic party of the State of New York
and large number of Democrats and
a respectable sprinkling of Wings
throughout the Free States.
This remarkable party, though il
did not dwell among men for great
while, lived long enough to prepare
the way for the advent of the Repub
lican party. Under the inspiring lead
OF John Van Buren,, it was the pre-
cursor of the new political dispensatiou
of 1854, when the Free Soil princi
PIES of the Buffalo platform furnished
the. material for the erection OF the
great political organization which fol
the past ten years has ruled the coul,'
| try.-NeW York SIN.
Tho first stone bridge with an arcl,