Smyrna times., 1869-10-27
American Political Parties.

The earliest titles assumed by parties after C
the adOption of the Constitution were Federal r
and Republican. The more CONSPICUOUS lead
ers of the former were John Adams, Alexan-
der Hamilton and John Marshall; OF the TAT
ter, Jefferson, Madison and George Clinton.
Among the prominent younger members OF ,! {ne
Republican party were Henry Clay, De Witt !
Clinton, and near the close of jefferson 5 ad-
! ministration, John Quincy Adams, all OF whom
subsequently became distinguished opponents
of tha same party. The Republicans favored
restriction OF the powers of the National Gov
ernment, and advocated State Rights, while
the Federalists held antagOnlstic opinions on
both these subjects.
The two parties continued to bear these |
names until the era OF good feeling IN the sec |
ond term of Monroe Administration, when
the Federal party expired During the Ad-
ministratiOn of John Quincy Adams, his oppo-
nents, under the lead of Fan Buren, and Jack
son assumed the name Of Democrats or Demo
cratic Republicans, the latter being the favor
ite designation in New York; while their
antagonists called themselves National Repub-
2 licans, their conspicuous chiefs being Clay,
, Adams and Webster During this period
= third party arose called Anti MasOns, whose
2 founders and leaders were Thurow Weed,
d Thaddeus Stevens and William H.. Seward
e This party exerted great deal of influence in
e moulding the politics Of New York and Penn
e sylvania, but on National issues it was in close
e accord with the party of Clay and Webster.
II Under the Administration of Jackson the
n materials Of which parties were composed
changed very essentially. Large numbers OF
It old Federalists went over to jackson, while a
}? respectable body of Democrats rallied around
at Clay. Near the close Of Jackson Adminstra
Sc ton the party of Clay and Webster was made
I'd up of the mass of the old Federalists, now cal
OF led National Republicans and the rank anC
h. file of the Anti. Masons. Scarcely had Val
ks Buren, pronounced his inaugural address whel
MS the opposition to the Democracy assumed th
lst name of Wings. Gen. James Watson Webb
he of the Courier and Enquirer, claimed the homo
er of bestowing upon that great and powerful OF
ed ganZation the popular cOgnomen which 1t Dol
eet through eighteen eventful years.
Ter Soon after the formation Of the Whig party
lks the slavery question began to assume prom
nence in National affairs and resulted In lS4
hes in organizing the Liberty party, which thoug
lat small in numbers, inculclted doctrines that u
ing timately controlled the country, and, as th
tile fruits of long controversy and successf
Ort war; incorporated into the Constitution thos
m, amendments respecting slavery. the rights.
the citizens, and universally of suffrage, whiC
CgO have so radically changed that instrumen
Among the founders and-leaders of this par
were James &. Briney, Gerrit Smith, JOSH
Leavitt, John G. Whittier and Henry B. Sta
ton From the same root sprang first the FIR
III DOH party Ol 1Oft, Ill WHICH, OdlulOu Oho
ries and John p. Hale were distinguished, a
t to then the Free Democracy of l848, with its
nous Buffalo platform, whereof those emine
for Barnburners, John Van Buren, Samuel j. /
ts." den, Sanford E. Church and Dean Richmo
were the ma in architects-Martain Van Bur,
amp better known as the Sage of Lindenwald, bel
q and the chief corneEstone This celebrated orga
49,, cation swept into the ranks all the Libel
ou party, all the Free Soil party, majority Of
=, or Democratic party OF the State of New YO
i: 6. and large number of prominent Democr
bra and respectable sprinkling Of Wings throui
out the State.
,fter 1'his remarkable party, though it did
dwell among men for great while, lived Il
arose enough to prepare the way for the advent
the Republican party. Under the inspir
lead of John Van Buren, it was the precur
this of the new political dispensation of Sj4-5 W
the free soil principles of the Buffalo platte
made furnished the materials for the erection of
OFi'N great political organization which, for the
lring ten years, has ruled the country.
These historical "reminiscences show that
Democracy have been more tenacious of t
mann name than their opponents. But Mr. Linz
o,r,, used to insist that though the Democratic
ty have saved its name, the Republicans
stolen away its cardinal principles, and
no was the latter were now the only orthodox dlscl
elites of Jefferson. N Y Sun.