The New York herald., 1872-07-06
The Rise and Fall Of Our PO-
lftical Parties.
Their Machinery Of CaucuSes, Regencies,
Kitchen Cabinets and Conventions.
And tho Brcakages by Blunders, Boilers, Out
side Parties and Factions.
Our Five Political Periods Under
the Constitution.

one people, also now dear to Ws"sa" you
"By the Eternal the Union must and shall be pre-
SG Is s.S Ss,srs are ssSas Ss
The extraordinary attitude in which the demo-
cratic party now stands before the people, on the
basis of coalition with all the other anti iadminis
tiatve elements OF the country, and In support OF
liberal republican candidate and platform for the
defeat OF General Grant in the approaching Presi-
dential election, perpexes the politicians on all
sides, and casts them adrlft in reference to the
probabilities Of the contest In this extremity the
lessons OF the past may serve to throw
some light upon our present political
complications, and under this impress
sion we herein propose to lay be'ore
our readers a brief recapitulation OF our several
Presidential elections and OF the parties issues
involved, following with such explanations as will
serve to indicate the rise and fall OF political
parties, factions cliques and politicians, and the
political changes through which we have passed
since the time of Washington.
In assuming this interesting task we will begin
at the root OF the matter. which Is the office OF
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Our President Is elected for four years. His COM
pensatlon embraces salary sf $4,000 year. fur
nished house In a sickly locality to live in, with
small conservatory attached and near 1t little en-
closure in which to dry the family washing stabllng
for two three horses, the franking privilege and
political and agricultural library, limited to the
trashy works issued from the Congressional
printing ONCE. His duties are twofold-those
defined In the constitution, which we need
not here repeat, and those established among
'the time -honored principles" Of oil our political
parties, among which he Is required, In civil service
reform and In retrenchment to reward his faithful
friends and to punish his enemies; to take care
that the spols are faithfully distributed by this
rule, and to this end 1t Is incumbent upon HIM to
keep open house, day and night, for consultations
and private dinners with his party advisers and de-
pendants at his own expense, and to run the gov
ernment, peace or war, as circumstances may de-
mand in the interest Of the party electing him.
HOW THE PRESIDENT IS ELECTED.
The manner Of eectlng the President is pre-
scrlbed in the constitution but the machinery by
which he is elected is quite another thing. This
machinery, after washington (who was the unani-
nous choice OF the people Tor two terms, and who
would have had another had he not positively In
Advance declined it), was controlled first by the
Congressional party caucus; next by kitchen cabi-
nets and party regencies, and next by national
party conventions the system which still continues
In force.
Under the constitution, as originally adopted
two candidates, by each party In the field, were
nominated for President, and the highest on the
list in the electoral vote given him was made the
President, and the next highest the Vice Presi-
dent, provided that in each case his vote was
jority OF all the electors otherwise the election
was turned to the House OF Representatives.
We shall explain further on how this plan came to
be changed in an amendment OF the constitution
OUR PRESIDENTIAL PARTIES
There was an administration party and IN oppo-
sition party from the very beginning OF the govern
ment, and q very ferocous and INSCRIPTIONS party,
too; but this opposition did not enter the Presi-
dental field TIL after the retirement OF Washington,
and then the fray began between the ins and the
outs, which, with one exception that OF 1920, In
the reelection OF Monroe by general consent, has
been repeated every four years. from that day
down to this.
l796.-THE FIRST PARTY CONTEST FOR THE PREsI-
DENCY-ADAMs VS.. JEFFERSON.
The French revolution Of 1889 exerted powerful
political influence in the first organization OF par
ties In the United States. From the high-handed
assumptions of the French republic and Its agents
and emssaries 1t was as much as Washington could
do to MAINTAIN relations OF peace with 1t. But
France had rendered such incalcuable services in
the cause OF our independence that large body OF
tepuSic in spite Of its JscoSinicai excesses Thus
sympathy for France under JEFFERSON, we may say,
was the fcnndation on Of the old republican party
and ideas of the French republic was leading idea
OF the federal party in the contest OF 1895 between
party OF Washington, and Thomas Jefferson, the
head OF the republican party.
As we have stated, under the constitution as
originally adopted, each party in the field voted for
two candidates for President and the candidate
receiving the largest number OF the electoral votes
Of the several States, II majority Of all, was the
President and the next highest II majority OF all
the votes, was the Vice President In this contest
OF 1895 the federalists supported John Adams and
Thomas Pinckney as their candidates. and the re-
publicans concentrated their whole strength on
!eneIson Their electoral vote was much scat
choice ior Presidents but as the fight was really be-
tween Adams and Jefferson their vote respectively
Will serve our present purpose.
The Total number Of electoral votes cast
rf which ma,or,;v 13s
~ WHICH ~ majority was. as..................... 10
Jefferson received, ~
A narrow escape for Adams notwith standing the
FUN % nc resn IRON washington administra
President and Jefferson as Vice President. 90
l600-THE SECOND CONTEST BETWEEN ADAMS AVN
JEFFERSON.
In this contest the two Pres Dental candidates q,
che federalists were Adams and Plnckney, and the
two republican candidates were Jefferson and
Aaron Burr. The votes OF the electoral colleges Of
the thirteen States or the Union at that time
For For Serr sensrs0n 7s For For P1innekney. 1n o.
There being tie between JEFFERSON and Burr the
election was carried into the House OF Representa-
tves for ".decislOn as to which should be the Pres
eent an. shich the Vice President. There was a
very exciting and somewhat alarming struggle IN
tne House and outside between the supporters OF
eacn OF these men. We have heard II said that as IL
was clearly the wish Of the republican party that
yenerson should be President, his jealous friends
nad organlzed In Washington for q coup detdt In
ne evens OF the election OF Burr but on the thirty
xtn Daliot 10 the House this danger, II IL existed
was avoided In the election OF Jefferson President
Burr thereby becoming Vice President
18OI--TUH On ANCu ruu co~.-.-.--.
~ Sc SONS SECOND ELECTION
In the session Of Congress OF 1903, to a void the
recurrence OF such a Presidential diIjcuItv and