Gratifying Period in our History embraced by Administrations of Jefferson and Madison--The Caucus System and its Abandonment--The System useful to the Republican or Democratic Party, but not so to the Federalists--Questions proposed--Difficulties of the Subject--Two great Parties, under changing Names, have always divided the Country--Few and imperfect Attempts heretofore made to trace the Origin and Principles of those Parties--This the first Attempt with that object on the Republican or Democratic Side--The Sources of Differences in Opinion and Feeling which gave rise to our Political Divisions, and _punctum temporis_ of their Rise--Principles established by the English Revolution of 1688--Application of those Principles to the Colonies--Grounds of the American Revolution--Abstract Opinions regain their Influence after the Settlement of the practical Questions involved in the Revolution--Diverse Character and Feelings of Emigrants to the different Colonies--Effect of that Diversity on Principles of Government and Administration in the New Governments--Repugnance of the People to any Revival of the System overthrown by the Revolution--Popular Reluctance to create an Executive Branch of the Government--Confederacy of the United Colonies of New England in 1643--Dr. Franklin's Plan of Union in 1755--The Sentiments of the Colonists those of the Whigs of the Revolution--Exceptions--Discordant Materials, in certain Respects, of which the Revolutionary Brotherhood was composed--Effects of that Discordance upon the subsequent Organization of Political Parties--The Confederation, and Parties for and against it--Perversion of Party Names--Conflicts and Questions in Controversy between Federalists and Anti-Federalists--The Constitutional Convention of 1787--Different Plans proposed before it--Motives and Views of the Authors of those Plans--The Views which determined Congress and the People to acquiesce in the Results of the Convention--Adoption of the Constitution and Extinction of the Anti-Federal Party as such.