The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-03-01

pronch 81 our donefnl tovernment tut
war has been as useful aud glorious as that o
the Revolution, and eventually will be Sc re
cognized. But Massachusetts, must join it, O
all the disgrace will be hers
To sum up, we think the candid aud atten
tive reader will concede that our points ar,
sufficiently clear to establish the charge o
disunion against the Federal party aud th,
originators and actors Of the Hartford Con
vention. We have given extracts from th,
press, the pulpit and from the public an,
private utterances of the leading lights of the
Federalists, prior to, during and after th
Hartford Convention, all of which go to con
firm the charge that tho Federal party wa
disloyal and desired to dissolve the Union
and close with extracts from speeches of Mr.
Holmes, delivered in the Massachusetts Leg
stature, charging disloyalty upon the Fedora
party and the Hartford Convention, and as
sorting that cowardiee alone prevented then
from undertaking to cousummate their de
signs. The extract from Gillet is also i'm
portant in throwing light upon the subject
He gives a synopsis Of their results, about
which there is no controversy, and says theiI
to render il difficult to ascertain their purpo
SEES. and that the members never agreed in
their explanations. The journal did not re.
veal their intentions, and the participants in
explaining the proceedings uniformly disa-
greed. When they come before the public
with Journal not half made up, aud con
tanning so little us not to definitely show the
anmus of their convention; and when no two
members agree upon its acts aud utierances,
is it not evident that tho journal is not an ex'
act, full and comprehensive record, notwith
standing Mr. Cabots certifcation, upon which
| Mr.. Wolfe so confidently relies? Besides,
Gov. Gerry, OF Massachusetts, an observer oI
the movements, and acquainted with the ut
terances and sentiments, of the Federalist;
at that time, in his message to the Legisla
ture, in 1872, characterized the party as ''se
! .litious, inceptiye traitors, and domestic par
tisans of foreign power" Il is no proof o.
their innocence of reasonable designs, thai
they were cunning enough to keep the ey
dence from appearing on their record.
Mr.. Wolfe seems to betray morbid sensi
bility in reference to what he is pleased t.
consider neither respectful nor ''polite' il
the course Of this discussion. Twice he hal
assumed the role Of mentor towards us on thi'
particular subject, with what delicacy anC
consistency his own words will show. Hi
application of the anecdote Of the priest anC
democrat as illustrating the "bad manners
of democrats generally, is n case in point
! His allusion 10 the manner Of our speaking o
| Mr.. Blaine, and the obtrusion of his advice, OF
such subject, is SO refined, so delicate, Sc
cousiderate, and so devoid of everything lik,
impertineuce, that we arc sure il must excite
the admiration of all who read it, and thI
complaisance of the urbane gentleman him
self. But Mr., Wolfe should know that that i
not discussions it is depression, personal in ii
character, and altogether foreign to the pur
/ pose Of this controversy, which is TO clici
the truth Of history. We beg leave to say tC
Mr. Wolfe, en- passdd, that when we have
noed of his invaluable counsel in matters o
''polite etiquette as he putsit, we will Gallo
him. Until then will not propriety and con
sistency suggest to Mr.. Wolfe to endeayor tC
govern himself by the rigid rules he is SC
ready to prescribe for others.
The late hour ut which M. Wolfe letter
of last week was received, prevented us from
noticing it, in our reply, as much at length as
we desired. In his TRADE against democracy
he bids us "study up the family record. q
That work was long ago accomplished, and 1
| proud and glorious record il is. That record
shows that the democrats prevented the fed
eralists from building up a strong centralized
| government, modelled after that Of Grea
Britain, having the name of republic, in
deed, but invested with all the essential fea
lures, aud possessing all the powers and pre-
negatives of n monarchy. Hamilton who wa
the great leader of the iederalists and the mel
of his school exerted all the power aud inAu
ence at their com mand to give to the govern
inent that particular direction. He even wen
so far as to avow himselfa monarchisi, bu
Madison and his affiliated eompeers made o
1t u republic III Tact as well as in name. Mr.
wolfe says tho iederalists established III
government on a sound basis" &c. Thi
may be Mr.. Wolfe's dogmatism but it is no
history. Madison is acknowledged to be tn
father OF the constitution, as it was he VIII
did more than any other man to perfect tina
instrument, and our respondent will Lardl
claim Mr.. Madison as federalist. That re
cord points with pride TO the administration
OF Thomas Jefferson, the founder of the dem
ocratic party. During his administration thu
odious Alien and Sedtion Laws of the feder
aiists were repealed the acquisition of Louis
lana was accomplished against the strenuou
and persistent opposition of the federalists
and the unobstructed navigation Of the Mi.
sissippi thereby secured. The Tripolitan wa
was closed with victory to American proves
and the payment of tribute to the Barbar
States broken up. All this is the family re
cord of the democratic party. More thanthi,
that record shows that oil the acquisitions q
territory from that timeto the present, exceT
the comparatively worthless one of Alaska
was the work OF the democratic party. Tn
democrats asserted the freedom of the sea