Ihave been asked to write an article on American politics, and publish it in the North-China Daily News; and I have thought a brief presentation of the fundamental differences between the Democratic and Republican puties would make the subject more intelligible. the Republican party was founded upon the idea that its construction should be liberal, and therein lies the great fundamental difference between the two parties. And which is right and which wrong can only be determined by historical re: erences.
The contention in favour of a liberal construction of the Constitution originated in the belief that the instrument was the work of the whole people, and not that of the people of the States acting sep rately. Phe question is one of great nicety, but historic fact er it accurately, When the American Colonies achieved independence they were recognised separately by Great Britain; they were not re~ cognised as a whole, but as distinct and independent Colonies; and when the Con stitution was framed, it was framed through the agency of representatives of the States, each State having its own representation in the Convention, and voting by Sustes and not by the majority of members. That is the way the Constitution was framed; and when it was submitted for ratification it was not submitted to the people as a whole, but to the States to be voted upon by them separately and independently. There can be no doubt to this fact, because some of the States refused at the time to ratify the Constitution, but notwithstanding such refusal the number prescribed had ratified it; and that way the beginning of the United States under the Constitution.
As the Colonies had been recognived separately, and ay the Constitution had been ratified by the States, acting in their separate capacities, Jefferson contended that the general government, 60 formed, could only exercise the powers conferred by the Constitution, ani that all powers not ssu conferred were reserved to the States. That was the doctrine of strict construction, snd follows the legal principle that one who nots under a power of attorney can only legally do whut the power of attorney directs.
It is difficult to understand how Jefferson could have been wrong, but there wore sume able men of his time who espoused the opposite opinion, and held that the people of the whole United States, and not of the States, had made the Constitution. But even now that opinion would seem unwarranted, for those who are citizens of the United States, and not of sume particular State, cannot vote wt all—not for Presidwut even, and such disqualification applies to residents of the District of Columbia where the National Capital is situated, thus recognising that the highest attribute of citizenship derives its rights from being a citizen of a State.
From the ratification of the Constitution to the breaking out of the Civil War many threatening questions disturbed the tranquillity of thu goverament but they were lixppily adjusted, though the farsighted saw that, when farther removed from thy stirring events among which the government was" born, the same conciliatory spirit might not prevail. And all these disturbing questions hive hinged around the doctrine of a strict or liberal construction of the Constitution, and no tone question appeared so threatening as that of Slavery.
At the time th Convention was framing the constitution, slaves were being imported into the States, but the representatives of the States, in the Convention, incorporated into the Constitution a provision that the importation of slaves should cease in the year 1808, which then left about twenty years for the trade to continue, but during That interval the States could abolish it; Popular political terms seldom indicate and it may be noted that every Southera the true dividing line between parties, and often prove misleading as to what is meant, and as often produce fatal consequences.
Phe Democratic party was organised by Jefferson upon the principle that the Constitution should be strictly construed, while State did abolish the slave trade, acting sep-orately, before the period arrived when it was abolished by virtue of the Constitution. Virginia was the first of all the States, North or South, to prohibit the slave trade, and Georgia was the first to incorporate
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.