El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-28

v-coNGREss1oNAL CAMPAIGNS

administration and when the campaign
of 1900 was fairly launched, HamiltGD
wrote letter attacking the record OF
Adams and using language quite as
ScurriloUs as any that Lyon Bache Of
Calender had used. But the Federalist
| administration did not dare to invoks
the seditiOn law to silerce Hamilton
! and the country had a new and Strikins
! illustration of the fact that the Law
was designed solely 10 :nuzzIe Demo
Gratis.
/ Jefferson Defends RESOLUTIONS.
When the campaign opened the issEe
between the Two parties was Joined
upon the Kentucky and Virginia resolu-
| lions. The Federalists attacked ,fef-
! ferson and Madison as the authors,
| and their followers as the supporters
! of these resolutions which they charg
] ed sought to disrupt tie union and de-
! stroy the constitution Jefferson and
! all the other Democratic leaders defend
| ed the resolutions on the ground that
| they We're necessary to preserve the
! constitution, since ne rights of tile
! people under the fundamental law had
been violated by the cna c-rert If the
alien and sedition laws multiplying free-
dom Of speech and Of the press, not
| withstanding the guarantees Of the
constitution Jefferson and the Dem
ocrats at that time firmly believed
that it was the intention and purpose of
the Federalist party to create a strong
central government for the benefit of
an established aristocracy and to the
detriment of the interests of the peO-
pie. That the Federalist congress and
president had in fact nuIlified the
guarantees of the bill Of rights was to
them sufficient proof of the evil intent
of Adams and his followers. On the
other hand, Adams and most of the
Federalists were equally sincere in be-
lieving that->JeffeFson - thC Demo-.
Gratis desired only to overthrow all
government and 10 substitute anarchic
chaos for constitutional order. Neither
party gave the other the slightest cred
it for honesty of purpose CIR sincerity
of conviction
First Candidates Named.
In 1900, for the first time candidates
were chosen by the parties. Adams
was nominated for president by a Sc
cret caucus of the Federalist members
Of congress, with Charles c. Pinckney
for vice president. The Democratic
members of congress, also in secret
caucus, nominate{ jefferson for presi- !
dent and Aaron 81 arr for vice president
In those times under the original pro-
visions of the constitution, each electOr |
cast his vote for two candidates for /
president, the one receiving the great /
est number being clear majority, to 1
be president, and the one receiving the
next highest number TO be vice preSi- /
dent. Contrary to the practice which /
ever since has obtained, more attention /
was paid to the congressional cam
paign than TO the presidential election,
and while all the Democrats unques-
tionably were for Jefferson for presi-
dent, all Of the 10 Democratic electors
voted for Jefferson and Burr and
thereby caused a tie. Of course the
election went into the house Of repre-
Sentatives.
Conspiracy to Elect Burr.
Whatever was left of the vitality of
the Federalist party after the elections
in 1900 was utterly destroyed by the
action of the Federalist leaders in con-
gress in entering into conspiracy TO
elect Burr president The Federalists
who had all during the compaign de-
nounced the Democratic organization
for its desire TO break up the union,
were now ready to plunge the country
into civil war by preventing the cleo
ton of a president at all, or by trick
and chicanery controverting the mani
fest will of the people. On the other
hand, Jefferson did not scruple 70
promise high office in return for votes
in the house. 1t was an era of .'practi-
cal politics" and the wonder is that the
young nation was able to survive it.
As matter of fact, the results of
the election of 1900 preserved the
union. Mr.. Jefferson in a letter out
lined the principles OF the Democrats
in that campaign, as 1.-The preservation
of rights unquestionably remaining
with the states; the freedom of religion
and of the press; trial by jury: econom-
zeal administration of the government;
opposition 10 war; to standing armies;
10 the paper money system; and to all
connection, other than commercial
with any foreign nation" The admin
istration then in power had success