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

State of Parties and the Country.
ists, monarchists, consolidatives, terrorists, anarchists-black
spirits and white-all uniting, as in a common cause, for the
overthrow of those barriers which republicanism had reared
against federalism-the priest at the altar of the former, in
his insane rages, becoming the creature, for the moment, of
the very adversary whom hle was chosen to denounce.
But, this aside, it was under Jackson that the Democratic
party attained its certain ascendency. Then it was that the
party organization worked on well-oiled hinges, and its
mighlty wheels rolled triumphantly over the prostrate carcass
of Federalism. Up to this period the struggle had really
been indecisive of result; but the mere will of Jac(kson-the
firm grasp which he had upon the popular heart holding it
as it were in the palm of his hand, and master of all its puils T-determined the contest. Up to this period the Federal had made frequent and good fight. They had the most
wlth. They had the best social position. They possessed
the A experience in affairs; they were the masters of po;litical intrigue as well as science, and their lordlier carriage
naturally depressed and overawed the simple vulgar. But,
with the rise of Jackson, the prestige vanished. His com bativeness resisted the shows of authority; and it vanished,
like one of the ghosts of Ossian-shaking black brows, and
looking as friightful as it could in going, but doing no harm,
and leaving only the usual sulphlurous smell behind it. From
the moment of his coming into the field, all the successes of
the Federalists were delusive-saving the one we have indicated-the mischiefs of which still hang about us, and the
result rather of Democratic disorganization and misconduct,
than of any evident vitality in the doctrines of their oppo~nents-any resuscitation of their strength, or increase of
favour in the minds of the people. In effect, the decree of
democracy having gone forth, as a fixed fact, not only for
ours, but for most other countries, it follows, that the defeats
of the Democrats can be temporary only, and tlhe firuit of
their own wrong-headedness, failing virtue, or the treachery
of their trusted leaders.
If the ascendency which was maintaine(l by the Democratic party, during the two administrations of Jackson, is
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