Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-04-04
PARTY OF LINCOLN
DISCUSSED By LOUIS F. POST
OE CHICAGO
Written By Mr.. Post for the Johnston, Pa.
Daily Democrat-LincoIn's Birthday Ed-
ton, February Ia, I004-Dealins in Pol.
luted Politics Of the Past and Present.

Political history plays fantastic tricks
Who could have foretod for instance,
that the party that Thomas jefferson
founded upon the principle of human
equality before the law, would become
the greatest protag' mist OF human slavery
in American politics? Yet that meta
morphosis, amazing as it was, is more
than equaled by the one which the par.
ty OF Lincoln has undergone.
Lincoln led the young Republican
party in victorious assault upon the
slave power, as Jeffer son had led the
young Democratic party in victorious
assault upon the imperial Federalsts.
1t was the same fight on another field,
the same victory in another form. But
as Lincoln lived to see the party of JET
ferson abandon its democratic principles
and swing over to the side OF chattel
slavery, go we today have seen the party
OF Lincoln repudiate it's democratic mis-
sion and swing over to the support Of
systems Of servitude; which, though
more subtle in form that chattel slavery,
are no less repugnant to democratic prin-
ciple. What the slave oligarchy, with
its vast plantations and hordes OF human
chattels, was to Jefferson's degenerate
party OF so years ago, the pit tocracy OF
today, with its enormous special privi-
leges and an abjectly dependent people,
is to Lincoln's degenerate party now.
Jeffersons party has SO far fallen as to
promote pro-slavery policies and boldly
to enact pro.slavery laws. Lncoln's
party has SO far fallen as to promote pol
icies OF economic privilege and boldly
to legislate for class interests. The one
sold itself to slave drivers the other has
sold itself to slave makers.
Along with these paradoxical change
Of a century in American politics, still
more fundamental change has been in
sidiously accomplished. Slowly, per-
sistently, progressively, the Hamiltonism
which Jefferson routed in politics at the
elections OF 1900, has recovered all the
ground it lost then and much more be-
sides. Though driven completely out of
politics at that time, so completely that
the Federalist party, the party of Ham
ilton, soon ceased to exist, Hamiltonsm
had secured control of the Supreme Court
which laboriously planted the perniclous
roots OF Hamltonism deep in the fresh
soil of our national Jurisprudence. To
revive it's hold upon politics, Hamilton
ism then needed nothing more than the
military necessities OF civil warfare, and
the occasion for these was recklessy fur
nished bv the degenerate party of Jeiler-
son when it had fallen wholly under the
influence of slave power.
After two generations OF Americans
had been insidiously fed upon Hamilton.
ism through court decisions, and third
had become accustomed to it's operation
in the exceptional circumstances of mill
tard necessity, that imperial policy was
sufficiently equipped for another conflict
with democracy in the political arena
Accordingly Hamiltonism has agair
sprung inty politics. Having gained
possession Of the Republican party, the
Hamiltonian ideals of the old Federalisl
party have crowded out the democratic
ideals of Lincoln and Jefferson. The
party OF Lincoln has become the party O
HatLilton.
Lincoln's faith in government OF the
people by the people for the people," he
had inherited from Jefferson, not from
Hamilton. Hamiltonism tolerates NJ
ideals of equality except as listless sum
mer dreams. 1t is the modern American
name for that old class doctrine which
may he defined in the terms CT our day
as government OF the people. by thu
wealthy, for the wealthy" What Charles
1, died for, the divine right Of Kings
what the fatuous advisers OF Loais XVI
drove that fatwitted monarch to the gull
lotine for, the divine right Of the priv
legged classes; what the slave oligarchy o
the United States represented il it
crudest and rawest form, unbridled pow
er-those are the things IN principle tina
Hamiltonism involves. The form chang
es with time and varies with place, thu
issue shifts with circumstances; but tn
principle is always land everywhere tn
same. 1t is exploitation through lega
privilege.
The modern American name for thi
is properly Hamiltonism, for its pur
poseful supporters Of today are invaria
bly, Hamiltonians. Without exception
they are inspired by Hamilton's aristo
cratic ideals. 1t is into the control o
such rnen that the Republican party ha
fallen. From the Jef1ersonian party c
Lincoln it has become the Hamiltonial
party dwell, OF anyone you pleas