The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-02-01

A radical difference of opinion prevailed
among the patriots of the Revolutionary age
regarding the attributes of the national
Government; and that difference has con-
tnued to exist down to the present day.
Those who asserted the essential dignity OF
human nature and professed the new dogma
OF equality rs the corollnry of liberty, main
tanned that the Srlte Governments should
be supreme. They were unwilling that
central authority should be clothed
with tho power to cocrce State.
They feared TINT such a Government, il
established, would deprive tho people
OF their liberty, and would assert over them
an authority as oppressive and hateful as
that from which they wcro struggling to
cmancipato themselves They believed in o
Government republican in form and demo-
cratic in spirit, provided its powers wcro
strictly defined and limited. They looked
with wary. not to say n suspicious. eye
upon every scheme tending toward centrali-
cation Their own experience and that
OF their fathers had forced them to
those conclusions. In the words Of one of
their number "on their hearts the fires OF
persecution had burned hatred Of royalty
too deep to be erased" The ilustrious au-
thor of the Declaration of Independence was
their acknowledged leader.
On the other hand wore arrayed those who
regarded local sclf-Sovcrnmcnt as made
quate to meet tho exigencics Of tho public
service. TLoy believed that Government
modelled after that OF England should be
established ovor the United States, and that
the Governments Of the several States, il
they could not be entirely eliminated, should
at least be reduced in Importance These
wero the men who favored what was called
strong government AS might have been
expected, the officers Of the army, especially
those Of tho higher gradations OF rank,
were almost to man strong government
men. An army is n despotism and an aris-
tocracy combined. Knowing no instrument
tally but force. II takes no account OF the
reason and conscicnccS OF mon. ALEXANDER
HAMILTON was tho ablcst and most dis
tinguishcd champion of this system.
During the progress Of the War Of Inde-
pondonce these conflicting opinions did not
seriously disturb tho public mind. But upon
the cessation OF hostilities thoy were soon
developed by tho formation Of political
parties. When tho draft OF the Constitution
was at longth disclosed by the Convention,
tho energies OF tho strong government mon
were eXortcd to the utmost to secure its rati-
flcatiOn by tho States. Its friends assumed
for their party tho name OF Federalist, be-
cause they favored Federal Government
under tho new instrument They We're broad
constructionists, because they desired to in
terpret the Constitution so as to invest the
central Government with great amount OF
power. Tho Federalists were, however, in
decided minority until the beginning OF
WAsHINGToNs Administration.
Those who opposed all efforts to change
the existing articles OF confederation wore
called Anti-Federalists They received this
designation from their opponents, because
they resisted a consolidated Federal Govern
ment This party was In power until the
articles OF confederation were superseded by
tho present national Constitution. 1t repre-
sented the ideas and feelings that prevailed
among the masses of tho people during the
War OF Independence. Conspicuous among
the Anti-Federallst leaders wero PATRICK
HENRY Of Virginia, JOHN HANCOCK and SAM
uEL ADAMS Of Massachusetts,, and GEORGE
CLINTON Of Now York.
This party distrustcd tho Fedornlsts
Thoy charged them with wishing to estab-
lish Government which would grasp an
excessive power and would eventually be-
como tyrannical and oppressive. They in
sisted that the restricted powers OF tho con-
federation were sufficient to meot tho wants
OF the country. Nothing but absolute necos-
sity lod them to change this opinion. As by
degrees tho Union which had existed among
the colonies approached dissolution. certain
Anti-Foderalists, as choice OF evils. would
scQuiesce In the views OF their opponents.
When at length tho Constitution, whioh