t.is description of the present attitude and
pu-:.o-cs of the two great political parties upou
uucstiotis of the day is a fair and reason
,. . ti,.. h is not claimed that the Democratic
;..r-y is entirely right upon every conceiv-
subject that divides public opinion, or
tt.at the K-piibiicau party is entirely wrong,
-i l t o one !.,it the most bigoted partisan
"'i.d iii-isl upon so absurd a claim; but wo
-':h:mt that upon the great vital issues of the
-he material points in dispute-the De-t:-
ra. y hold the vantage ground and more
n-i-ctly r -pri -eiit the principles and policies
"a. 1; .-.re l.e-t calculated to subserve the
"i.t-t inter,:-, of the wholecountry. It may
'w truthfully conceded that the masses of all
liirta are sincere in their convictions, and
r.at the lUiTer. nees which exist among us may
-tr-clyhe attributed to different methods of
i-ivsoning. I'.i-T. rent habits of thought and dif
ierent i-ilu- at ional acquirements.
i: I ni-ri si.4. totU-Iine the one fundamen
ta'. c.tfferem e between the two parties 1 should
".te that one believes ill a strict construction
-:e federal constitution and the other in a
' ' tie. ( 'ne party la lieves that the general
K--c ' t :,:i:ei.;'s lowers should be confined to
v. ii;. :: are speciticaily granted, and that
.ttijianbe done under the "general wel
" clause exicpt the exercise of those fune
s which r.re incidental and necessarv tn
fr,
t:i :.
