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History of Cambria County, V.1

CHAPTER VII.

A POLITICAL REVIEW--THE POLITICS OF THE COUNTY, STATE AND
--NATION FROM 1808.

     On National affairs, Cambria was substantially a Democratic county until 1803, when it became Republican.
     The system of our government is a subject of much interest to all classes; therefore, it is necessary to a proper understanding of county politics, to acquire correct knowledge of the national parties and their leaders. The political organizations in the townships are a part of the great system which controls the federal government.
     When the federal government was formed in 1789 there was but one party of any strength--the Federal party-of which Washington, Hamilton, Jay, Adams, Marshall, Roger Sherman, Richard Henry Lee, Pinckney, and Fisher Ames were the leaders. They continued in control until 1800, when a disagreement with John Adams caused the election of Thomas Jefferson. The differences had been smoldering for a long time, and being so far apart it was certain to cause the division. The Federalists advocated a central government, a protective tariff, a national currency, and many other policies which now prevail in the Republican party, or, in other words, it is better to have one nation than to have forty-six single states, each antagonistic to the other.
     When Jefferson succeeded to the Presidency in 1801, he organized among the farmers and planters what was known as the Republican-Democratic party as against the industrial establishments, or the workmen of the shops and mills.
     For a time, the Federalist was a northern party, and the Republican-Democratic, a southern one. So far as national politics were concerned, the former died about 1817, and locally throughout the north about 1823.
     The party of Thomas Jefferson continued in control of the general government, with three exceptions--John Quincy Adams, Harrison-Tyler, and Taylor-Fillmore administrations--until the election of Mr. Lincoln; since that event, with one exception, 1893 to 1897--the presidency and congress have been


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Created: 14 Feb 2006, Last Updated:
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Lynne Canterbury, Diann Olsen and contributors