Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 2).djvu/181



opposition to Van Buren's administration consisted of heterogeneous elements. There were the original “National Republicans,” organized while John Quincy Adams was President; there were various groups of Democrats, who had been driven into opposition during the “reign of Andrew Jackson,” partly by the removal of the deposits, partly by the specie circular, partly by disgust at the expunging resolution; and there were, finally, the “Conservatives,” who revolted at Van Buren's sub-treasury scheme, in which they saw a systematic war upon the banks of the country. These elements had an object of attack in common; but they disagreed among themselves, more or less, about everything that would constitute the positive part of a party programme. It is true the old National Republicans, forming the bulk of the Whig party, were among themselves in tolerable accord about the construction of constitutional powers, the tariff, internal improvements, and, in a less degree, about the National Bank question. But among the auxiliary forces, the “wings” of the party, there were many strict constructionists, anti-bank men,