The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-02-15
@The Truth Of History. 4

I AAttcH 'tfttcsa stAAcu thai my 0tfCCt was 10
have the people read the book | felt per-
feetly willing 10 leave Il, without comment, TO
the good sense and Judgment Of an intelligent
community. In my Judgment the "Advo-
cate would have shown higher apprecia-
ton Of the intelligence Of its readers and Of
the history too, had it allowed the work to
pass an examination on its own merit without
comment
The simple fact that two and half columns
were devoted to justification Of the book is
significant.
But as the Advocate has seen fl to open
the discussion upon the "Truth of History
and in its elaborate article under that head
thrown out challenge, feel little too
plueky to suecumb without making defense.
What presumption How audaciousl
To 60 TO battle on such unequal terms
One elod-hopper farmer, whose t'edueation
has been sadly neglected, against three ex,
/ perieneed journalists, all men Of erudition and
eonvsrsant with all history The contest is
as unequal as was that of little David going
out to fight the giant Goliath Of Gath, The
strength and arRor are both on one side.
But we are told that the race is not always 10
the switl, nor the battle to the strong.
As am the challenged party, flor it il a
virtual challenger claim to choose my own
way in meeting my adversary, shall begin
by going back to the origin Of political par
/ ties in the United States. quote from Noah
| Webster, the author Of the great American
dictionary, man who is recognized by every
American citizen as a great and good man,
without political aspirations. Mark it with
out political aspirations, for this must add
| great weight TO his testimony, where questions
involving political parties are concerned. He
says, in his history Of political parties Of the
| United States, THAT the Democratic party,
4 with few or no exceptions, opposed the rati-
/ heahon OF the Constitutions; and beyond a
/ question had that opposition succeeded an
1 archy or civil war would have been the conse-
/ quenee. The Fedvalists made the form Of
! government, and, with immense efforts. pro-
cured It TO be ratified in opposition to nearly
one-Aalf Of the citizens Of the United States,
headed by some Of the ablest men in the
! Union In confirmation of the opposition
to the constitution here mentioned BY Web
ster, are the able arguments OF Hamilton, jay
and Madison, combating the objections TO the
Constitution by its opponents, now published
in n volume, entitled, 1.-The Fedeulist."
| Then il is evident that ,he Federalists inau.
I gurated the government Of the United States,
I established the policy that Observation-Disclosures
I paid the enormous war debt, aud set the ma.
| ehinery of government in successful opera
I ton. Soon the French revolution broke out.
! The royal heads Of Louis 10th and his queen
were taken of. Society soon reached a deplor-
able condition. The Sabbath was abolished,
churches desecrated aad plundered; their
bells taken down and cast into cannon. A.
theism had taken the place of religion, and
government was a wholesale system Of muir
der-the Reign Of Terror established under
Robespierre aud his Jacobin associates.
At this crisis Of affairs in France NJ. Genet,
minister OF that country, came TO the United
States. A few days after he landed, which
was at Charleston, South Carolina, he under
took to authorize the arming Of vessels in that
port, and the enlisting of men, giving COM
missions IN the name of the French Govern.
meuL Under his auspices Democratic clubs,
modelled after the Jacobin clubs of France,
were inaugurated. And when the govern
ment demonstrated against such an assump-
ton Of authority, he threatened to appeal TO
the people. They only, he declared. and not
the delegated authorities, possess the soyer
eighty IN Democratic State. Washington
was then President, aud he ordered Genet to
leave the ceautry. For his determined resis.
lance 10 these usurpations Of a foreign minis
ter he was attacked in severe animadversions
by leaders of the Democratic party. Hi.
dreth's History Of the United States, vol. ID.
p. asa says:-"The great alarm-cry Of the lead
ers Of Democracy at this period was, tina, the
ksderalists sympathized with England and
hated France; that hence it was clear they
were monarchists at heart and designed 70
overthrow cur republic and establish n mon
arehy IN It's place. Washington was openly !
and repeatedly charged as a traitor, enter.
tanning these views and purposes. IL is now 1
known, as already intimated, that Jefferson |
encouraged, and even paid some of the edi. /
tors who made these charges"
If leaders Of the Democratic party then |
charged with treason one Of the puresi patri. /
OTIS that ever lived in any country, the man Of
whom Benjamin Franklin, in his last will and
testament, IN beqneaihing him his gold headed
walking stick, thus speaks:-"Ihis tcane)
give to my friend, and the friend Of mankind,
Gen. Washington. iii we're sceptre he has
meriIed it, and would become it
! say, If such a man was accused Of Goa
spiracy against his country, is there any won.
der that the Hartford Convention should have
won from Democracy all the opprobrious epi,
thets that the English language eauid furnish 2
The howl OF treason raised then in the heat
Of party strife has been caught up by every
little partisan pygmy and echoed and echoed
down 10 the present
There might some allowance be made for
those who, with excited passions, gave utter
tAAaNN ~ ~ NhaAsGaf uut inert
no apology for maintaining these improved
assertions after lapse of more than half
century.
| have gone TO some length TO show the rise
and progress Of the two great political parties
OF this country. | want il understood who
were the founders Of the Federal party, and
what that party accomplished for the good Of
the country | want il known that Washing.
ton, Adams, Hamilton, Jay, were its leaders;
and want it understood that it is this same
party that Blackburn 4 Mcdonald calls Blue
Light FeCieralists, thereby intending to fasten
upon that party the ignominious shame that
attaches to conspiracy and treason.
The Advocate says:-"H History. all his.
tory within our knowledge, afhrms the asser-
tons concerning the ''Blpe Light Federal,
lists, yet it has failed to quote from any his
torian to prove its assertion.
| will not now enter into an analysis Of the
| quotations made by the Advocate will
reserve that for another paper. In my next
effort ] shall attempt TO show that the refer.
enees made by the advocate fail 10 sustain
the purpose OF establishing the charge Of trea.
son which Blackburn Mcdonald have made
in the case OF "Blue Lights and the Hart.
ford Convention" will even attempt to do
more than retute the assertions of the ''Adyo-
cate" | will produce testimony, positive
testimony, TO prove that the Hartford Con.
vention originated with the people and the cir.
cumstanees Of the times, and not with con.
spirators. d. WoLFE.
n. B.-ifit should SO happen that do not
get my next paper ready for next weeks issue
1t will be because Of the delay in the coming
OF such books as need for reference.
Mr.. Wolfe leaves the field Of history
II
and enters that of politics, The object of
the Advocate 10 taking any notice of
Mr.. Wolfe's essay, which was supposed 70
be of sufficient importance as to deserve
publication in two papers, was simply to
sustain historical facts which he would
have the public believe were false and
sought BY the school authorities to be
forced upon the youth Of the State.
Mr.. Wolfe leaves the points of contFo-
vesy, and with The same ''intuitiye
knowledge which We forcsaw his denial
Of the facts Of Blackburn & Mcdonald
which he last yeek disclaimed and now
acknowledges, We see thst be intends TO
take serpentinc walk through everything