CHAPTER III.

JEFFERSONIANISM.

There is not a man of intelligence in America or Europe, who has not
heard of the Democratic party in America, that great political
organization which has been in existence almost, if not quite, one
hundred years. Many who claim allegiance to this great party know little
of its tenets, and still fewer know its history. There are orators on
the stump, in the halls of Congress, writers for the press, all
advocating "the glorious principles of Democracy," who have never
thoroughly acquainted themselves with its history. The Democratic party
of to-day was originally known as the Republican party. The warm
discussions on the national constitution engendered party spirit in the
new republic, which speedily assumed definite forms and titles, first as
Federalist and anti-Federalist, which names were changed to Federalist
and Republican, or Democrat.

The Federalist party, headed by Alexander Hamilton, favored much
concentration of power in a national government, but perhaps not more
than we have to-day, and, in fact, not more than is really essential to
the upbuilding of a stable republic like ours. There can be no question
but that Washington held to the same views; but Washington was the only
great man America ever produced who rose so far above political parties
as to absorb them all. He has never been classed as belonging to either
party. The Republican or Democratic party favored State sovereignty and
the diffusion of power among the people.