The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-09-03
A HISTORICAL PARALLEL.

between the present political situation
and the situation of affairs during Jeffer.
sons first Presidential term.
Like the Republican party of to-day,
the Federalists had been for some time
in power. They were largely identi-
fed. too. with the successful leaders of
the Revolution, with Washington and
Hamilton, and its military heroes, just
as the Republican party is with Lincoln,
Grant and the heroes of the Civil War.
Like the Republican party, they were
allied with the more wealthy and aris-
tocratic elements of the day, and at
tracted to them the extravagant and the
ostentatious If they did not despise
economy in the public service, they dis
regarded it. They disdained simpli-
city. They preferred excessive and un-
necessary machinery in Government.
They exaggerated. as the party in
power is apt to do, the functions of the
Federal Government, and belittled the
State Governments
Like the Republicans of to-day the
Federalists believed that nearly one
half of the people of the United States
were incapable of governing Some of
them looked with real, others with pre-
tended. horror at the prospect of their
opponents getting control of the Gov
ernment. They believed, as the Re.
publicans of to day have believed, that
the country would rush to ruin if Their
rival placed his rrofane hand upon the
ark of the Constitution. They had so
long looked upon themselves as the di-
vineIy chosen and appointed rulers of
the people that they could not imagine
the possibility of such calamity's ever
happening.
when it did happen the leaders and
spokesman of the Feleralists were wild
with rage, apprehension and dsap-
pointment Like the Republicans of
to-day they felt as if they had teen
cheated out of their birthright They
could not bring themselves to admit
for moment that there was any hope
for nation that had SO far forgotten
itself and its history as to turn them out
of power and put their rivals in.
The success of Jeffer on's Admins
tration aggravated their misery. They
| were so unreasonable that they alienatcd
their own followers. and built up their
enemy's party. Mr.. McMaster, in his
second volume of the History of the
People of the United States" which has
| Just been published. is unfriendly to
Jefferson. Although fair and inst in b s
statement of facts, his sympathie; seem
| to run VII the Federalis!s rather than
with their opponents. OF extreme in
tere just now, therefore, in his review
| of the results of the Feieralist injustice
toward Jefferson, ending in their bitter
attack upon him for the Louisiana pur
chase from the French. He declares
that nothing so fully illustrates the low
state to which the once prosperous Fed
eralists were fallen as the turbulent and
factious oppos ton they now made to
the acquisition of Louisiana"
.sBut Il remnant of the great party re-
ma ned" he continues, Items of thou
sands of independent thinkers, 10 whom
good government was better than pol
itical strife, who were under the lash O.
no political chief, who believed that tht
duty of every honest man in the party
of the minority was to uphold, not pul
down, the government of the majority
so long as that government labored fol
the common good. had drawn off fror
the party of Hamilton, and now gave
warm support to the Republican cause
To them the Administration of Jefferson
deserved support.
They had seen promised reforms be
come actual reforms. They had seel
the Federalists add $3,O0O,O00 to th'
public debt in five years. They hat
seen the Republicans reduce the debt b,
So, 900, 900 in two years. They had seel
the Federalists 60 TO the very limit G
constitutional taxation in the levying o
a direct tax. They had seen the Repub
licans dry every source of internal reve
nue. and still have money to spare
Never had the Government been s.
smoothly, so savingly carried on.
with such an Administration the,
could find no fault Government b
the old friends of Washington was no
worth the money wrung from the pee
pie by the grinding taxes it imposed
Not State election, therefore, too
place out of New England but shove,
large Republican gains
The likeness between the Republics
irreconcilables of to-day and Fedora
ifreconcilables of eighty years ago
still further emphasized by the att:tud
of each toward the President in Office
ITO the narrow partisans who re
} NAMED in the Federal ranks" says tn
: historian, ''the good which Jefferson &C
complished went for nothing. 1t wa
| maxim with them that nothin
| which Thomas jefferson did was right
and that until the day came roun
when they should again be placed i
} power, the Government never would b
J stable, the country never would b
, safe. They ceased to contend TO
principle and began to contend fo
} place They became mere obstruet; or
lists, sect of the poiit cal world whic
of all other sects is the most to be dt