ghly acquainted themselves with its history. The Democratic party
of to-day was originally known as the Republican party. The warm
discussions on the national constitution engendered party spirit in the
new republic, which speedily assumed definite forms and titles, first as
Federalist and anti-Federalist, which names were changed to Federalist
and Republican, or Democrat.

The Federalist party, headed by Alexander Hamilton, favored much
concentration of power in a national government, but perhaps not more
than we have to-day, and, in fact, not more than is really essential to
the upbuilding of a stable republic like ours. There can be no question
but that Washington held to the same views; but Washington was the only
great man America ever produced who rose so far above political parties
as to absorb them all. He has never been classed as belonging to either
party. The Republican or Democratic party favored State sovereignty and
the diffusion of power among the people.

The American people had had such bitter experiences with monarchs that
they dreaded anything which savored of monarchy, and it was argued that
a centralized government was but a step in that direction. On the other
hand, Federalists pointed out the danger of State sovereignty, which
would surely in the end disrupt the general government. Subsequent
history has proven that the Federalists were right. We have said that
Washington was a Federalist at heart. His enemies, meanly jealous of his
popularity, often declared that he was a monarchist.

Meanwhile, a revolution, violent in its nature and far-reaching in its
consequences, had broken out in France.

It was the immediate consequences of the teachings of the American
revolution. The people of France had long endured almost irresponsible
despotism, and were yearning for freedom when the French officers and
soldiers, who had served in America during the latter years of our
struggles for independence, returned to their country full of republican
ideas and aspirations. They questioned the right of the few to oppress
the many, and the public heart was soon stirred by new ideas, and in a
movement that followed, Lafayette was conspicuous for a while. The king,
like many tyrants, was weak and vacillating, and soon a body called the
states-general assumed the reins of government, while the king was in
fact a prisoner. The terrible Bastile, whose history represented royal
despotism, was assailed by the citizen