Memoirs of John Adams Dix; comp. by his son, Morgan Dix.

1828-1830.] THE ANTIFEDERALISTS PE VAIL.

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the spirit of republicanism fretted and chafed! The Federalists, in power, used their opportunity to maintain their position. To do this they were forced to employ an unpopular
machinery, and made it, thereby, still more unpopular; while
their adversaries, partly from a firm belief in democracy, and
partly from the sheer necessity of gaining power, denounced
the existing system, and demanded reform. The well-known
sympathy of the Federalists with England, and their detestation of the French Revolution, added to the prejudices which
were daily growing against them.
The year which followed the election of the elder Adams
was one of furious political excitement. The friends of his
administration were denounced as in treasonable correspondence with Great Britain, and intending, by a series of gradual
changes, to uproot republicanism and establish a limited monarchy. Doubtless these charges were unfounded; but it is as
certain that the Federal party did not believe in the people,
nor think it possible that a pure, representative, popular government could succeed. We do not doubt the purity of the
motives of the Federalists of 1798; but as little can we doubt
the sincerity of the Republicans in supposing that a gradual
subversion of the government was in progress by those in
power. Such an impression gave to the opposition a tremendous elan.
Accordingly, in the year 1800 the Democratic or Republican party triumphed. Thomas Jefferson was elected President of the United States; George Clinton, Hamilton's lifelong adversary, was still Governor of New York; and all over
the Union the Antifederalists were victorious.
If anything were needed to complete the ruin of the Federalists it was the attitude assumed by many of them during
the war of 1.812-'15. That conflict was the expression of an
intense hostility to Great Britain, and a sense of insults, injuries, and wrongs which stung the American people to the
quick, and led them, though comparatively weak, to strike
back blow for blow. But the Federalists, who, notwithstandI.-7