The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-06
CENTURY OF POLITICS.
The Fcdcralists, the Old Democratic
and Whig Factions, and the Rcpub-
lican Period,

From the Philadelphia Press.
When William Mckinley stands up
to take the oath of office as president
of the United States on the 4th of this
month exactly 100 years of American
politics will be completed. 1t Is true
that the government had been in ex-
istence for eight years before John Ad-
ans was inaugurated in this city In
1897, but during Washington's two
terms in the presidency political par
ties can hardly be said to have existed.
The public sentiment which was to
justify their organization was being
gradually formed. but they did not
spring into being until it was known
that the decision of the father of his
country to retire to private life was un-
alterable.
This century of politics naturally falls
into three periods. The first begins
with the administration of John Adams
in 1897 and closed with the administra-
ton of his son, John Quincy Adams, IN
1929. The second includes the period
between Jackson's first Inauguration
and the close of Buchanans term in
1861: and the third stretches from the
induction of Lincoln into the presidency
to the present time. The first period of
thirty-two years is marked by the rise
and death of the old Federal party and
the birth of the Democratic. or as 1t
was then called, the Republican party.
The first and probably the last admin
istrations. of theis period were FEEDER
alist, although it is difficult exactly to
classify the administration OF John
quincy Adams. No one of the hVe
presidents of that period can be said
to have had a successful career. The
quarrels of the Federalist factions ana
the alien and sedition laws brought
humiliation and defeat to the elder Ad-
ans; the disastrous embargo pollcy
shadowed Jeffersons exit from the
presidency; the blundering manage
ment of the war of 1872 added nothing
to Madison's fame the do-nothing pol
icy of Monroe left little to his credit,
and the cry of a bargain with Henry
Clay clouded and embarrassed the
younger Adams.
With the advent of General Jackson
into the presidency in 1929 began the
second period of American politics. It
is distinguished by the consolidation of
the Democratic party and the coales-
cence of the old Federalist factions
into the Whig party. With this period
began the SDOllS era IN American DOL
tics, and it also saw the rise and domi-
nance of the slave power. Political
life sank to lower level than it had
reached before or has touched since.
In the thirty-two years included in
| this period there is little to inspire the
| lover of free government. Jackson
| force of character and his successful
| fight against Calhoun's nullificatior
| plot helped to redeem his administra-
| tion from failure. But beside the val
! or of the American soldier in the MeXi.
can war there is little in the story oi
the administrations of Van Buren, Ty'
| lei Polk, Fillmore, Pierce and Buchan
an to which an American can !Oos
back with pride. The elder Harrison
and General Taylor lived too bries 6
time to prove whether they would hav,
been successful presidents.
The period of American politics t
which the nation will always look bacl
with pride and admiration began Il
1861 with the accession of the Republ
can party to power. The magnlficen