Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-28

leaders defended the resolutions on the
ground that they were necessary to pre-
serve the constitution. since the rights Of
the people under the fundamental law had
been violated by the enactment OF the
alien and sedition laws multiplying free.
dom Of speech and OF the press, notwith-
standing the guarantees OF the constitu-
ton. jefferson and the democrats at that
time firmly believed that Il was the lnten-
ton and purpose OF the feederalist party
to create a strong government for the
benefit OF an established aristocraoy and
to the dstrlment OF the interests OF the
people. That the federalist congress and
president had in fact nullified the guar
antees 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 we're
equally sincere in believing that Jefferson
and the democrats desired only to over
throw all government and to substitute
Rnarchio chaos for constitutional order.
Neither party gave the other thee slightest
credit for honesty Of purpose or sincerity
Of conviction.
In 1900, for the first time, candidates
we're chosen by the parties, Adams was
nominated for president by a secret canouS
OF the federalist members OF congress. with
Charles c. Pinckney for vice president
The democratic members Of congress, also
in a secret caucus nominated jefferson
for president and Aaron Burr for vice
president In those times, under the oragi-
nal provisions OF the constitution, each
eector cast his vote for two candidates
for presidenet. the one receiving the great
est number, being a clear majority, TO be
president and the one receiving the next
highest number to be vice president. Con
-Nv4
then has obtained, more attention was
paid to the Congressional campaign than
to the presidential election, and while all
the democrats unquestionably were for
! jefferson for president all OF the seventy
three democratic electors voted both for
jefferson and Burr and thereby caused
| tie. OF course the election then went into
the house Of representatives.
Whatever was left OF the vitality of the
| federalist party after the elections in lSOO
was utterly destroyed by the action OF the
federalist leaders in congress in entering
into a conspiracy to elect Burr president.
The federalsts, who had all during the
campaign denounced the democratic orga-
nization for its desire 70 break up the
union, were now ready to plunge the
country into civil war by preventing the
election OF a president at all. or by trick
and chicanery controvertlnR the manifest
will Of the people. on the other hand,
Jefferson did not scruple to promise high
office in return for votes in the house. II
was an era Of practical politics." and
the wonder is that the young nation was
able to survive 1t.
As a matter OF fact, the results Of the
election of 1900 preserved the union. Mr.
Jefferson in a letter outlined the principles
of the democrats in that campaign, as the
preservation of rights unquestiOnably re-
naming with the states; the freedom of
religion and of the press. trial by jury,
economical administration OF the govern
ment; opposition to war. to standing
armies. to the paper money system. and to
all connection, other than commercial, with
any foreign nation" The administration
then in power had successfully interfered
with the freedom Of the press and the right
Of trial by jury. No such attempt has been
made since the election Of 1900.
In that election. although the federalistH
invoked the aid OF every great name pos
sible, the democrats won an overwhelming
majority OF the house, electing seventy-OnG
members as against thirty-four federalists.
The senate, also, for the first time, came
into control Of the democrats, by a vote of
10 to 49, Before the election OF 1902 the
membership of congress had been increased
ministratOn had in the senate twenty four
democrats and ten federalists; and IN the
house, 103 democrats and thirty-eight fed
eralists. Although the federRlist party
for many years was to retain a ghost Of
an organization and was 10 be represented
in both houses Of congress, It was dead
as a militant political organization and Il
never again was to have any part or parcel
in the affairs of government. One OF ths
last and by ali odds the greatest achieve
ment Of the Adams administration was
the appointment OF John Marshall to the
supreme bench. The election of Jefferson
: and the appointment OF Marshall at the
same time by a peculiar coincidence 50
balanced and checked the centrifugal and
centripetal forces in the government that
the beginning OF the nineteenth century
marked a new epoch in the constitutional
history of the country which, In essentials.
still endures.
BY PRBDHRIO J. RAEKIM.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Campaigns-
e V-InEurgsnOy In 1910.