Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/275

 THE CIVIL WAR THROUGH SOUTHERN GLASSES 26l

term " Democratic," as applied to it, was a misnomer, inasmuch as the South was not, properly speaking, a democracy, but rather an oligarchy ; while, even among the whites, the franchise was practically limited by a property and an educational qualifi- cation, the class of whites at the South possessing neither, being in too small a minority to make any appreciable impression on electoral results.

This, however, is something of a digression. To return. That there have always been Democrats at the North and Repub- licans at the South goes without saying. But this fact by no means invalidates the truth of the statement that, taken as a whole, party lines corresponded with geographic boundaries. As early as 1790 there was a difference of opinion between the leading statesmen of the North and South on the subject of gov- ernment.

Failing to get his principles incorporated into the Constitution, Hamilton next tried, as a prominent member of Washington's Cabinet, to give a monarchical interpretation to a democratic constitution, but Washington's popularity was so great that during his term of office no headway was made by the Federalists in subverting the Constitution.

Under the presidency of John Adams, however, conditions were reversed. Adams was originally a Republican, but, accord- ing to his lifelong friend and rival, Jefferson,

the glare of royalty and nobility during his mission to England had made him believe their fascination to be a natural ingredient in government. And on his return to the United States he was taken up by the Federalists and by them made to believe that the general disposition of our citizens was favor- able to monarchy.

Under Mr. Adams's administration many oppressive acts were passed by a Federal majority in Congress ; among them the "Alien and Sedition laws," which endowed the president with truly despotic powers. But with the year 1800 this state of things was brought to a close by the election of Mr. Jefferson to the presidency.

The defeat of the Federal party was brought about by the action of the united South under the leadership of Jefferson and Madison. These patriots drew up the celebrated "Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions" which were adopted by the whole South, the substance of which may be given in few