State of Parties and the Country [pp. 1-53]

Staite of Parties and the Country.
not say that party was quite as virulent and vicious in the
days of Washington as in our own. There was just as
much corruption in the high places, just as much grovelling
baseness in the people, as we may complain of now. If
there is any difference, making against our securities to day,
it lies in the secret of our greater prosperity. All prosperity
has in its core a certain germ of danger, the natural
growth of the prosperity itself; and success generates a vicious confidence in our strength which is always unfriendly
to our securities. Still we live-Bwe flourish-we are apparently as secure as ever; and the very trials through which
we have gone-threatening as at times they have been
-have unquestionably strengthened our muscles for worse
encounters than ever tried us in the past. We are bound to
hope, therefore-to exult, perhaps-in our condition; but it is
the part of wisdomS*o do so with fear and trembling —withl
moderation at least-.and without once forgetting any of our
precautions. Nations arc mortal as well as men!
The struggles ofiparty began with our confederation.
Washington himself, claram et venerabile nomen, was not
with the popular party, ii sympathy or conviction. He had
been brought up in the old English school, which, even in
the Colonies, was usually conservative, and felt its way, alwavays, in effecting its progresses. His mind was not one which
very eagerly grasped at any progress involving changes
of society or institutions. It was a steadfast mind, but
slow nobt)le and eminent, but disposed to be stationalry; full
of faith, but not ardent; aspiring, but always xvithl due de ference to the metes and bounds of power, as recognized
by the laws of the land, the habits of society, the reserves
and hesitances which distinguish a fastidious pride, and an
always watchful conscientiousness. Fabian in his military
policy, he was not less so as a civilian. Civilian, properly
speaking, he was none; and his habitual mental caution was
always adverse to the changes which were obtrusive in
their aspects. How, indeed, he came to be a revolutionist,
is one of the most curious problems in his career; since it
is very certain that he indicated, of himself, none of the routes
to revolution, and was by no means conspicuous among
A!'
2
[July,