Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-15
Prof Allen Johnson Lectures on
Formation of American Politics.
FIRST OF SERIES OF SIX LECTURES
Large Audience Listens to Able Lie.
ture on Early Political History of
This Country as Opening Numbea in
Second Part of Extension Course.
ITrom Wednesdays Daily.1

T. 1J.J J
In his lecture on "The Mission of
the Federalist Party" last ever ing at
the Market street theatre Prof. Allen
Johnson opened the second university
extension course and talked III, an an.
dience which taxed the seat'r Q canac.
ity of the theatre. Prof I Johnson
spoke eloquently of the earlr5 political
struggles of the men who were fine
founders of this glorious republic
There were large number of the stu
dents from the Ottumwa thigh school
in attendance and it is evident that
the present course of lectg res, Judging
from the nature and SUI .cess of the
talk last evening will be of great ben
eft to them in their Study of Ameri-
can history. Prof. John son was intro
duced in few words by A. w. Lee
and spoke in part as fo llows
1t gives me great ~ .easure to meet
you this evening and to speak to YOU
on this subject. There are two things
want to say before starting; one is
relative to the adverse criticism to
which lecturer on. political subjects
is exposed, the other consideration is
this-that in the. early times in our
country we must, not expect to find
the Well organized political parties of
the present day. There was not then
the we'll regulated, compact bodies as
now. We must know that party or
galization is of recent origin.
Hamilt on and Madison.
In the continental congress of 1882
there met tvs young men to whose eff
forts our present constitution is due.
These young men were Alexander
Hamilton and James Madison The
personalities of these two men were
very different. Madison came from
orc of the best families of Virginia.
lie studied at Princeton university.
hnd while he had a mind of great bril-
iiliancy he was of a retiring disposition.
When he entered the continental con-
gross he was thoroughly respected;
On the other hand Hamilton was of
foreign birth and when but Is years of
age he gave such promise of states
manship in his West Indian home that
he was sent to New York to be educat-
ed in Kings college, now Columbia
college. He became one of Washing
toms aides In the Revolutionary War
and served nobly After the war he
married the daughter of General Phil
lip Schuyler. He studied law in New
York and was sent with the New
Fl YORK u0leSaIlOn TO the continental
congress Hamilton was bold man
of affairs, quite different from the re-
firing and modest Madison The body
of which they were members had fall
en- into disrepute. Many of the mem
bers were men of mediocre ability
The congress was not supported and
even the members were listless and
diffident in the administration of af-
fairs. The continental congress was
often without enough members at its
meetings to constitute a, quorum and
it was compelled to adjourn on several
occasions, at one time for thirteen
days.
Congress in Contempt.
1.-THE continental congress became
known as mere debating society and
then came justly the contempt of con-
temporaries. At the outbreak of the
war of the revolution the. colonies had
temporarily united in the congress and
during the war this body proved Who'll.
ly inadequate to provide for the com
mon veal and after the war the colon
les resumed their attitude of mutual
distrust and treated congress with
glowing contempt. From 1881 to 1889
congress acted under written con.
stitution known as Articles of Con
federation" without, however, deriving
from them adequate powers of gov
eminent The body had no power to
to levy taxes nor to administer the tar
iff and had a most serious fault in that