American politics (non-partisan) from the beginning to date : $b embodying a history of all the political parties, with their views and records on all important questions. Great speeches on all great issues, and tabulated history and chronological events.

[Illustration: Th Jefferson]




                           AMERICAN POLITICS
                             (NON-PARTISAN)
                      FROM THE BEGINNING TO DATE.
                               EMBODYING
                A HISTORY OF ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES,
                                  WITH
          THEIR VIEWS AND RECORDS ON ALL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
                  GREAT SPEECHES ON ALL GREAT ISSUES,
                                  AND
              TABULATED HISTORY AND CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS.


                        BY HON. THOMAS V. COOPER,
 Member Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1870–72. Senate, 1874–84.
           Chairman Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania,
                         1881–82–83–84–85–86–87.

                                   AND

                         HECTOR T. FENTON, ESQ.,
                         Of the Philadelphia Bar.

                      FIFTEENTH AND REVISED EDITION.

                              PHILADELPHIA:
                       FIRESIDE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
                                  1892.




     Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1892, by the
                      FIRESIDE PUBLISHING COMPANY,
    in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.


                         ALTEMUS’ BOOK BINDERY,
                             PHILADELPHIA.




                         Respectfully Dedicated

                                 TO THE

                              PROPOSITION

 THAT ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS SHOULD TAKE AN INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS.




                                PREFACE.


The writer of this volume, in the pursuit of his profession as an
editor, and throughout an active political life, has always felt the
need of a volume from which any important fact, theory or record could
be found at a moment’s glance, and without a search of many records. He
has also remarked the singular fact that no history of the political
parties of the country, as they have faced each other on all leading
issues, has ever been published. These things prompted an undertaking of
the work on his own part, and it is herewith presented in the hope that
it will meet the wants not only of those connected with politics, but of
all who take an interest in public affairs. In this work very material
aid has been rendered by the gentleman whose name is also associated
with its publication, and by many political friends, who have freely
responded during the past year to the calls made upon them for records,
which have been liberally employed in the writing and compilation of
this work.

                                                        THOS. V. COOPER.

[Illustration: _A Hamilton_]




                           TABLE OF CONTENTS


                BOOK I.—HISTORY OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES.
                                                                   PAGE.

 COLONIAL PARTIES—WHIG AND TORY                                        3

 PARTICULARISTS AND STRONG GOVERNMENT WHIGS                            5

 FEDERALS AND ANTI-FEDERALS                                            6

 REPUBLICANS AND FEDERALS                                              8

 DOWNFALL OF THE FEDERALS                                             12

 DEMOCRATS AND FEDERALS                                               17

 JEFFERSON DEMOCRATS                                                  19

 HARTFORD CONVENTION                                                  20

 TREATY OF GHENT                                                      20

 CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS                                                 21

 PROTECTIVE TARIFF                                                    21

 MONROE DOCTRINE                                                      23

 MISSOURI COMPROMISE                                                  24

 TARIFF—AMERICAN SYSTEM                                               25

 TENURE OF OFFICE—ELIGIBILITY                                         27

 NULLIFICATION—DEMOCRATS AND FEDERALS                                 29

 UNITED STATES BANK                                                   31

 JACKSON’S SPECIAL MESSAGE ON THE UNITED STATES BANK                  33

 CONCEPTION OF SLAVERY QUESTION                                       35

 DEMOCRATS AND WHIGS                                                  37

 THE HOUR RULE                                                        39

 NATIONAL BANK BILL—FIRST                                             41

 „      „    „    SECOND                                              43

 OREGON TREATY OF 1846                                                47

 TREATY OF PEACE WITH MEXICO                                          49

 CLAY’S COMPROMISE RESOLUTIONS                                        51

 ABOLITION PARTY—RISE AN