208 The Republicans

208 The Republicans         

   Tomas Jefferson , James Madison , Albert Gallatin , and their friends entirely disagreed with the Federalists on al of these points . They called themselves Republicans . In the Great Declaration Jefferson had written that government rested on the consent of the governed . He also thought that the common sense of the plain people was a safer guide than the wisdom of the richer classes . He was indignant at the way in which Hamilton defined the meaning of phrases in the Consti - tution . He especialy relied on the words of the Tenth Amendment . This amendment provided that " all powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively or to the people .＂ Jefferson thought that phrases like " not delegated " and " necessary and proper " should be understood in their ordinary meanings . He now determined to arouse public opinion . He once declared that if he had to choose between having a government and having a neWspaper press , he should prefer the neWspaper press . He established a newspaper devoted to his principles and began a violent and determined attack on the Federalists , call - ing them monarchists . These disputes became especially violent in the treatment of the ques - tions which grew out of the French Revolution .