the boss and the machine-第2节
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potent opposition。 The second war with England lent it a doubtful
luster but the years immediately following the war restored
public confidence。 Trade flourished on the sea。 The frontier was
rapidly pushed to the Mississippi and beyond into the vast empire
which Jefferson had purchased。 When everyone is busy; no one
cares for political issues; especially those based upon
philosophical differences。 So Madison and Monroe succeeded to the
political regency which is known as the Virginia Dynasty。
This complacent epoch culminated in Monroe's 〃Era of Good
Feeling;〃 which proved to be only the hush before the tornado。
The election of 1824 was indecisive; and the House of
Representatives was for a second time called upon to decide the
national choice。 The candidates were John Quincy Adams; Andrew
Jackson; Henry Clay; and William H。 Crawford。 Clay threw his
votes to Adams; who was elected; thereby arousing the wrath of
Jackson and of the stalwart and irreconcilable frontiersmen who
hailed him as their leader。 The Adams term merely marked a
transition from the old order to the new; from Jeffersonian to
Jacksonian democracy。 Then was the word Republican dropped from
the party name; and Democrat became an appellation of definite
and practical significance。
By this time many of the older States had removed the early
restrictions upon voting; and the new States carved out of the
West had written manhood suffrage into their constitutions。 This
new democracy flocked to its imperator; and Jackson entered his
capital in triumph; followed by a motley crowd of frontiersmen in
coonskin caps; farmers in butternut…dyed homespun; and hungry
henchmen eager for the spoils。 For Jackson had let it be known
that he considered his election a mandate by the people to fill
the offices with his political adherents。
So the Democrats began their new lease of life with an orgy of
spoils。 〃Anybody is good enough for any job〃 was the favorite
watchword。 But underneath this turmoil of desire for office;
significant party differences were shaping themselves。 Henry
Clay; the alluring orator and master of compromise; brought
together a coalition of opposing fragments。 He and his following
objected to Jackson's assumption of vast executive prerogatives;
and in a brilliant speech in the Senate Clay espoused the name
Whig。 Having explained the origin of the term in English and
colonial politics; he cried: 〃And what is the present but the
same contest in another form? The partizans of the present
Executive sustain his favor in the most boundless extent。 The
Whigs are opposing executive encroachment and a most alarming
extension of executive power and prerogative。 They are contending
for the rights of the people; for free institutions; for the
supremacy of the Constitution and the laws。〃
There soon appeared three practical issues which forced the new
alignment。 The first was the Bank。 The charter of the United
States Bank was about to expire; and its friends sought a
renewal。 Jackson believed the Bank an enemy of the Republic; as
its officers were anti…Jacksonians; and he promptly vetoed the
bill extending the charter。 The second issue was the tariff。
Protection was not new; but Clay adroitly renamed it; calling it
〃the American system。〃 It was popular in the manufacturing towns
and in portions of the agricultural communities; but was bitterly
opposed by the slave…owning States。
A third issue dealt with internal improvements。 All parts of the
country were feeling the need of better means of communication;
especially between the West and the East。 Canals and turnpikes
were projected in every direction。 Clay; whose imagination was
fervid; advocated a vast system of canals and roads financed by
national aid。 But the doctrine of states…rights answered that the
Federal Government had no power to enter a State; even to spend
money on improvements; without the consent of that State。 And; at
all events; for Clay to espouse was for Jackson to oppose。
These were the more important immediate issues of the conflict
between Clay's Whigs and Jackson's Democrats; though it must be
acknowledged that the personalities of the leaders were quite as
much an issue as any of the policies which they espoused。 The
Whigs; however; proved unequal to the task of unhorsing their
foes; and; with two exceptions; the Democrats elected every
President from Jackson to Lincoln。 The exceptions were William
Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor; both of whom were elected on
their war records and both of whom died soon after their
inauguration。 Tyler; who as Vice…President succeeded General
Harrison; soon estranged the Whigs; so that the Democratic
triumph was in effect continuous over a period of thirty years。
Meanwhile; however; another issue was shaping the destiny of
parties and of the nation。 It was an issue that politicians
dodged and candidates evaded; that all parties avoided; that
publicists feared; and that presidents and congressmen tried to
hide under the tenuous fabric of their compromises promises。 But
it was an issue that persisted in keeping alive and that would
not down; for it was an issue between right and wrong。 Three
times the great Clay maneuvered to outflank his opponents over
the smoldering fires of the slaver issue; but he died before the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise gave the death…blow to his
loosely gathered coalition。 Webster; too; and Calhoun; the other
members of that brilliant trinity which represented the genius of
Constitutional Unionism; of States Rights; and of Conciliation;
passed away before the issue was squarely faced by a new party
organized for the purpose of opposing the further expansion of
slavery。
This new organization; the Republican party; rapidly assumed form
and solidarity。 It was composed of Northern Whigs; of
anti…slavery Democrats; and of members of several minor groups;
such as the Know…Nothing or American party; the Liberty party;
and included as well some of the despised Abolitionists。 The vote
for Fremont; its first presidential candidate; in 1866; showed it
to be a sectional party; confined to the North。 But the definite
recognition of slavery as an issue by an opposition party had a
profound effect upon the Democrats。 Their Southern wing now
promptly assumed an uncompromising attitude; which; in 1860;
split the party into factions。 The Southern wing named
Breckinridge; the Northern wing named Stephen A。 Douglas; while
many Democrats as well as Whigs took refuge in a third party;
calling itself the Constitutional Union; which named John Bell。
This division cost the Democrats the election; for; under the
unique and inspiring leadership of Abraham Lincoln; the
Republicans rallied the anti…slavery forces of the North and won。
Slavery not only racked the parties and caused new alignments; it
racked and split the Union。 It is one of the remarkable phenomena
of our political history that the Civil War did not destroy the
Democratic party; though the Southern chieftains of that party
utterly lost their cause。 The reason is that the party never was
as purely a Southern as the Republican was a Northern party。
Moreover; the arrogance and blunders of the Republican leaders
during the days of Reconstruction helped to keep it alive。 A
baneful political heritage has been handed down to us from the
Civil Warthe solid South。 It overturns the national balance of
parties; perpetuates a pernicious sectionalism; and deprives the
South of that bipartizan rivalry which keeps open the currents of
political life。
Since the Civil War the struggle between the two dominant parties
has been largely a struggle between the Ins and the Outs。 The
issues that have divided them have been more apparent than real。
The tariff; the civil service; the trusts; and the long list of
other 〃issues〃 do not denote fundamental differences; but only
variations of degree。 Never in any election during this long
interval has there been definitely at stake a great national
principle; save for the currency issue of 1896 and the colonial
question following the War with Spain。 The revolt of the
Progressives in 1912 had a character of its own; but neither of
the old parties squarely joined issue with the Progressives in
the contest which followed。 The presidential campaign of 1916
afforded an opportunity to place on trial before the people a
great cause; for there undoubtedly existed then in the country
two great and opposing sides of public opinionone for and the
other against war with Germany。 Here again; however; the issue
was not joined but was adroitly evaded by both the candidates。
None the less there has been a difference between the two great
parties。 The Republican party has been avowedly nationalistic;
imperialistic; and in favor of a vigorous constructive foreign
policy。 The Democratic party has generally accepted the lukewarm
international policy of Jefferson and the exaltation of the
locality and the plain individual as championed by Jackson。 Thus;
though in a somewhat intangible and variable form; the doctrinal
distinctions between Hamilton and Jefferson have survived。
In the emergence of new issues; new parties are born。 But it is
on