“You just want the Democrat Party to go away, don't you?” “Why, yes. Yes I do.” I've played that little Q&A many times over the years. What that question belies is an ignorance of the long history of our nation’s two party political system. Political parties have come; and political parties have gone. Here's a look at what “did in” the Federalist Party.
Prior to dissecting the Alien and Sedition Acts, let us not fall here for the error of judging the past through the lens of the present. As discussed last week, America was locked in an undeclared naval war with France at the time, and the new nation had no experience with a transition of power between two opposing political factions.
In dealing with threats to the nation from without, portions of the original “Alien” statutes were used with lightning speed within days of Trump 2.0 in order to send “Maryland Men” to El Salvador's big, beautiful CECOT Prison: Mas! Por favor, El Presidente con la Bueno Cabello.
It was that second part, the Sedition Acts, that put the nails in the Federalist Party's coffin. By criminalizing speech critical of the Adams Administration, the Federalists played right into the Republican (Jefferson) caricature of the Federalists as monarchists.
The resultant “Revolution of 1800” ended the Federalist Years. There were last second machinations by the Federalists (particularly with an attempt to pack the judiciary) but in the end President Adams rode out of the D.C. swamp early on the morning his single term expired; and President Thomas Jefferson allowed Adams (and the other Federalists) to go home, unmolested. The Republic has survived without the Federalists. The Republic would —most certainly— survive the loss of today's Democrats (or Establishment Republicans). “The dog barks, but the caravan rolls on.”
Next Week: President Thomas Jefferson’s Foreign Policy Big Idea
Shane Morris is a retired soldier and teacher. Contact at sigm11@yahoo.com (Subject: NtC)
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