The Detroit times., 1910-11-01
CAMPAIGNS

would develop and enrich the WesC.
and he was for slavery because It
would enrich the South. He battered
himself. and the country agreed with
him that he had forever taken the
slavery question out OF politics by
the Missouri Compromise OF 1920. In
his ardent Young Republican days he
had defeated the oil TO recharter the
B nix OF the United States, but the
panic on 1876 caused him TO change
his mind. and In consonance with his
eencral faith IN the material future
OF the country he became staunch
defender OF the bank and therefore an
al,y OF the Money Power
But, unfortunately for Clay. there
we're important political questions
which could not be compromised and
which. IN the minds OF great ma
jorlty OF the people, were more I'M
portant than the economic and fiscal
questions which Clay thought TO make
the paramount issues. In state after
state the ruling classes had been COM
PEELED by popular revolutions TO grant
now constitutions which extended the
right of suffrage, which abolished or
reduced property qualifications. and
which embodied reforms demanded py
the new democracy. The oligarchies
oVerthrowp In the states were not
clearly different IN form from that
small number OF men at Washington
who had assumed the power and au-
thority to select presidents and ad-
minister the affairs OF the government.
II was inevitable that this general
Democratic revolution should attack
the national government. Defeated
H. 1924 by what they were pleased to
believe a corrupt bargain. the new
Democrats. with war hero for -thetF~
leader, gained control of congress In
1926, and of the presidency two years
later.
The Wings under Adams and Clay,
unable to combat openly the Demo
cratic demand for popular participa-
tlon In government. sought TO create q
diversion by a strong South American
policy in pursuance OF the Monroe
doctrine, and insisted upon a protec-
! tive tariff and internal improvements.
The protective doctrine alienated the
south, but as the Democrats were
careful not TO commit themselves on
i! the tariff. II did not succeed in uniting
the north
Although at this distance II Is clear
that the administration OF the second
Adams made a most excellent record
| for itself, the people OF that day looked
upon Adams as Federalist In dis
guise. who sought TO build up an aris-
tocracy aud 10 do by indirection what
| his father had failed to do by direct
methods. The Adams administration
was without It's own volition forced
/ into the position OF representing the
aristocratic idea as opposed to the
/ Democratic conception Of government.
\ II was a remarkable coincidence that
/ in 1923 John Quincy Adams received
electoral votes only from the same
states which were carried by his
father in 1900, while Jackson carried
all the Jefferson states OF 1900 and all
OF the new states which had been
added TO the Union, with the excep-
tion OF Maine. which was, OF course.
Included In Massachusetts In 1900.
II is furthermore remarkable that
while the Adams Whig party was sue
cessful only In New England, New Jer-
sey, Delaware, Maryland and a part
OF New York, the sectional division
OF the parties was not yet apparent.
Both Jackson and Calhoun were from
slave states and both were large slave
holders. yet the Democratic ticket car
ried Pennsylvania by more than two
70 one and received 75 OF its 17S eIec-
toral votes. OF which nine we're from
slave states, so that in the free states
the Wings cast but one more electoral
vote than the Democrats. This fact
was cited by Thomas H. Benton to
show that in 1928, almost a decade
after the Missouri compromise, there
was no hostile sentiment at the north
toward the slave-holding states.
The new Democracy did not intend
tc limit its demand for control over
the Offices to those chosen by vote.
They demanded that the representa-
tives of the "oligarchy" holding fed
eral Offices be appointment, should be
removed and that their places be filled
by representatives of the people"
Before the end OF Adams administra-
ton. and after Il was known that
Jackson certainly would succeed to
the presidency, the Democratic senate
refused to confirm nominations made
by Adams, and every place possible
was held open for the incoming ad-
minlstration. When Gen. Jackson got
tc Washington before his inauguration
he was literally beseiged by hungry
Office seekers. More because OF the
temper OF his party and outside pres
sure than because OF his own desires,
Jackson turned out the old ONCE hold
ers. and appointed his own partisans
in their place. Thus was created the
spoils system and thus was established
the influence Of federal patronage in
national politics. which has been used
by every president since that time.
But there was trouble ahead. Tho
tariff question was becoming acute,i
and threatened to assume the form OIL
a sectional dispute. The agitation for
the purchase OF Texas was bringing
the slavery question into public atten-
7 ton. One or two other OF these purely
sectional issues must have become the
principal issue II II had not been for
a personal conviction OF Gen. Jackson.
In his first message to congress-,
against the advice and In opposition
20 the will OF his cabinet and his most
| trusted advisors, he made an attack
upon the Bank Of the United States.
The bank was not at that time a po-
litical Issue. but Jackson's attack
made Il 20. Instantly the country was
p nged into a great political strug-
! gle between Jackson, backed by the
new Democracy and the machines
OF New York and Pennsylvania on the
one hand and the Bank OF the United
States backed by money power. on
tho Ofhpr