The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-10

fessed to represent tho true Republican
and patriot policy, in opposition 10 an in
crease of the power of the Executive NJ
the expense Of the Legislature. the policy
which Jefferson represented In i7os and
1900. They were, In other words. opposed
TO the high prerogative or Tory doctrine
propounded by jackson, who. by his de-
fance Of the Supreme Court, his disregard
OF the rights OF the Senate, his high-handed
Use Of the veto, and his summary removals
Of political opponents without assigned
cause. seemed to be concentrating; upon
himself all the functions OF government.
We arc reminded that Prof Burgess has
expressed the opinion that the funda-
mental question raised by the Wings was
I whether We 'hould have Parliamentary
Government or Presidential Government.
Should the Executive be coordinate with,
and independent Of, the legislative branch.
! or should Congressional control be estab'
liahed over the Administrator? Prof.
! Burgess thinks that II the people had Al-
| lowed the Senate's oensure Of jackson to
| stand. II they had authorized his ifnpeach-
| ment by the House, II they had reversed
his policy with regard to deposits and the
| United States Bank, the Executive would
have been authenticated to the control OF
| Congress. and Executive Independence
would have been ultimately destroyed
1t may be that such would have been the
! ultimate result had the Wings triumphed
over jackson, but Prof Woodburn cannot
find any proof that such an interpretation
of the issue was in the minds either of the
jackson Democrats or Of the Wing oppo-
sition. The Wings never formulated and
no y>1op pfo oh a n q a,,D
for the Federal Legislature. They did
not profess t, embody such principle;
rather did they revive the old anti-preroga-
tive sentiment OF the English Wings and en-
phasize the dislike OF one-man power and
the preference for representative govern
ment. They did not advocate a change in
the Constitution by which the veto power
should be modified and Executive influence
over public policies restrained, until the
Vice. President elected by themselves
(Tyler) who became President by accident,
had used hts veto 10 defeat policy that
had been known as distinctively Wing.
When, after Tyler's Administration, the
bank question and the tariff question dropped
out Of public notice. the question of gov
ernmsntal form also disappeared. which,
in our authors judgment. indicates that
the latter question was not regarded as
fundamental by tho Wing leaders Of tho
day, but merely az accessory to their
economic policy.
Prot WOODBURY. holds that in 1884, when
the party name frst came into use, the
Wings should be looked upon as party
of opposition rather than as representatives
of principles. Jackson's positive policy had
aroused many elements Of the electorate
against him. The aim Of the Wings was
10 marshal these forces somehow under ono
banner The diverse, not tn say conflicting.
constituents of the Wing party whom
first organized are thus described: First. the
National Republicans. who, under Clay and
John Quincy Adams, had advocated the
American system" which comprised a
national tariff a national bank and national
internal improvements. This group un-
do,Ibtedly represented positive economic
principles: but they we're National Republic
can principles rather than Wing, and they
had been formulated before the Wings, as
a party. appeared in the political arena.
Secondly. the nuIlifers and extreme State
Rights men, who were offended by Jack
son's policy toward South Carolina. which,
az they thought, threatened the legitimate
rights of the States. In this group were in
cluded not only Calhoun and the South
Caroliniane. but John Tyler and other repre-
sentatives OF the old Virginia school.
Thirdly. majority Of the persons known as
Anti .Masons.' Fourthly. former jackson
men, who condemned his 'high-handed
conduct in the use Of the veto and Of the
removing power. Filthy. the personal enc
mics OF jackson. who considered him in
competent. and guilty Of unconstitutional
,s,irpations In these Ave diverse elements
there was no hasis for a party OF organic
unity and, as a matter of fact, the Whlgs
never wore a party OF f1ed principles and
harmonious purposes. In most Of their
campaigns, the party managers spent their
time in beating up recruits, regardless Of
principles, the bsne OF the party throughout
its national existence As Prof. Johnston
has pointed out: sNo delegate could come
amiss to their conventions; the original
Adams Republican, the Nuliaer Of South
Carolina, the Anti Mason Of New York or
Pennsylvania, the State Rights delegate
from Georgia, and tho mass Of the dissatis-
fed everywhere could And q refuge In the
Wing camp. The party asked no questions.
II ventured but twice In its history asa and
1882 to adopt q platform Of principles, and
II ventured but once Cs44) to nominate
a candidate for the Presidency who had
any avowed political principles. Our
author recalls that In 1870 theWhig platform
was only q shout for harmony among all
the anti -Jackson and anti Van Buren, forces.
and its campaign was but a successful effort
to drown the national reason In an outburst
Of political excitement, brought about
by the -claptrap OF PROFESSIONS, songs,
emblems and slang!' In is4s. its platform
WAS simply eulogy Of Zachary Taylor's
military achievements and an attempt to
convince the voters that Taylor was Wing.
There Is no doubt that. a. Jackson's per-
sonalty faded from the public view and
as economic questions sank In Importance.
while ON the other hand. the slavery ques-
ton became prssminent, the Wings were
still less able to act unitedly. The Northern
and Southern wings could not be held to-
gether. The Wilmot Proviso. tho pro-
pcssi TO prohibit slavery by Congressional
action In the newly acquired Territories
acted as a dividing wedge. II the Whigs
succeeded In ls4s, a. they had In 1910. in
electing their candidate, who in each case
was milit ary hero, without any known
political principles. this was because Of the
division between the Barn Burner and
Hunker Democrats in the State OF New
York The Whips included atronp Dro-