Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-04-15
ORIGIN AND DOCTRINES OF POLL.
TIOAL PARTIES.

ORIGIN AND DOCTRINES OF POLL
TIOAL PARTIES.
The constitution of the United
States went into operation on the 4th
of March, 1879, having been ratified
and adopted by eleven OF the thirteen
states. Rhode Island and North Car
olina had rejected it; hut the latter
subsequently, ratified it on the 2lst of
November, 1889, and the former on
the S9,h of May, 1890. New York.
Virginia and Massachusetts had rati-
fed the constitution, but required
certain amendments, which they pro-
posed, aud which were subsequently
adopted.
The government was organized un-
der the constitution. at The CITY of
New York in the spring of 1888. The
first congress assembled in that city
on the 4'h of March OF that year. The
result of the presidential election
having been ascertained, and General
Washington notified of his election,
he appeared and WAS inaugurated on
the 3Oth of April, 1889. JOHN Adams
| had been previously Installed into the
Office Of vice-presideIt. Washing
toms cabinet consisted sof Jefferson,
fsecretary 7Ut ,state, HnuffSon, secre-
tary of the treasury Kuox, secretary
| of war. aud Randolph, attorney-gen-
eral.
The convention that framed the
constitution had not been unanimous,
some leading members refusing to
sanction it with their signatures; and
q strenuous opposition was made TO
it's ratification in the states, the op-
pOnents insisting that too much power
was given by it to the federal govern.
ment, that the grants of power were
lii language too vague, and that it
constituted monarchy in disguise,
which would soon absorb all supre-
macy, subordinate the sovereignty of
the states aud consolidate them into
q centralized despotism destructive of
the liberties Of the people. On the
| other side the constitution was not
only insisted on as it was, but the ef.
fort was made to enlarge the powers
OF the federal government by the
doctrine of implied and constructive
constitutional powers. and thus give
it greater force and vigor against the
states. This division of opinion
about the constitution was carried
into the congress that assembled un-
der 1t; one side iDsisting upon amend
ments and strict construction of the
grants of power TO the federal gov
eminent, aud the other side upon a
liberal, and even latitudinarian con.
struction OF its provisions. Washing
toms cabinet was equally divided on
the subject. Hamilton aud Knox took
the side of the constitution as il was,
insisting upon it with implied and
constructive powers; and Jefferson
and Randolph the other side, insist
ing upon amendments and moditica-
tl0ns, and strict construction OF the
constitution. This difference of opi,,.
ION divided the people of the coun.
try; those who advocated the con-
stitution as it was, enlarged by inn
piled and constructive powers, were
called federallsts, aud those OF the
other side, who, although they were
III favor of general government,
were opposed to a destruction Of the
supremacy OF states over internal
anu local affairs, were called anti
federaiists. This was the first divis-
ion of the country iuto parties. (Sec
Statesman's Manual, Vol. L, D. III.
Jefferson called the auti-federalists
republicans, aud some called them
| democrats !; SO that the eanti-federalists
were called republicans in some of
the states and democrats in other
states. Originally. therefore, the re.
publican party and the democratic
| party were the same thing, only ais-
ferently named in different states.
Jefferson, the most prominent found.
er, always called it the republican
party. (Sec .Jefferson's Complete
Works, Vol. 3, y. 491) But il, the
progress OF time the name of demo.
cratic party became its general des.
Equation.
Under constitutional representa-.
tive government of the people, the
terms republican and democratic as
applied 10 q political party would
per Sc import substantially the same
thing.
TIE first presidential contest be-
tween the federal party and the deEi-
ocratic or republican party took
place i'll 1896, when John Adams was
elected president, and Jefferson, be-
Ing the next highest in the votes, was
as the constitution then stood) elect
ed vice-president. But o: the cleo.
ton of 1900. Jefferson teat Adams
and was elected president. After this
the democratic c-republican doctrine
prevailed for a series Of wears. AL.
though the federallsts did not cease
to contest its ascendancy.
Jefferson was reelected in 1904. |
ana was succeeded by Madison in |
1908, who was reelected in 1872 and
Monroe was elected III 1916. After |
this the federal party disbandcd and |
dropped its OrganlzatiOn, and Mon. |
roe was re elected in 1920 without an
Organized opposition. But the doc. |
trine OF the federal party was s,iIl
advocated by leading mon and news
paper organs, anu prevailed with
every political party raised and Or
ganized to oppose the democracy. al |
though under variety of different:
names. In 1924 the congressional
caucus, VIII ch hal previously nomi.
hateu the democratic-republica tick.
ct for the presidency, made no nomi-
nation. and four candidates Henry
Clay. John Quincy Adams, Andrew
Jackson anu William III. Crawford
were candidates before the people.
The consequence was that the elec.
tlon devolved Oh tho house of repre-
sentatives, by which john Quincy
Adams was elected. In 1928 Andrew
Jackson was elected president over
Mr.. Adams. Aud in 1882 the oppos.
ition to the democratic party ap.
pealed in ali organization under the
name of the ''National r publican
party" and supported Il ticket com.
posed of Henry Clay for president
and John Sergeant for vice-president.
There Was also an anti-masonic ticket
at this election, composed of William
Writ for president aud Amos Eli
maker for vice-prcsidsnt. But Jack
sou was reelected oil the democratic
ticket, with Martin Van Buren, for
vice-presideut. In 1886 the opposi. :
tion to tie democracy appeared rs )
the Whig harly. and presented three
several tickets, un All understanding .
with the candidates, who were To- :
Gated in different sections of the ,
country, tu-wil: General Harrison :
from Ohio, Daniel Webster from ,
aud Hugh l.. White
from Tennessee. But Mr.. Van Buren,, ,
IN the democratic ticket, was ciec,ed F,
by large majority. In 1910 the oppp- ,
siIion, under the designation OF lac =
Whig party, at "A lime of great tiuau.