After the war the Federalist party disap peared. The ensuing °era of good feeling* soon led to a period of personal politics, culmi nating in the Presidential campaign of 1824, in which there were four Republican candidates. Meanwhile the system of legislative and Con gressional party caucuses, which had nominated candidates for executive offices, had grown into disfavor; and local and State nominating con ventions had come into use.
Democrats and A new alignment of parties arose after the election of 1824, which continued through the second quarter of the, century. One of these, under the name of Democrats, represented the more radical wing of Jeffersonian Republicans, and controlled the national government most of the time until 1860. Originating in personal loyalty to Jack son and a vague but pronounced feeling or a more democratic control of the government, which was strongest in the newer parts of the country, this party represented a strong na tional spirit, and in the case of Jackson there was in practice a vigorous exercise of executive leadership. But the policies of the party were affected by the traditional views in favor of strict construction, the limitation of the central government and emphasis on State's rights; and it opposed the national bank, protective tariffs and internal improvements. Later as the slavery question became more acute the State's rights doctrines of the party aligned it in op position to attempts at national restriction of slavery.
In opposition there was organized a new National Republican party, which soon merged with other minor parties into the Whigs. Un der the leadership of Clay and Webster, and supported by the financial and business classes, the Whigs revived and developed some of the nationalistic policies of the Federalists. They favored a liberal construction of the Consti tution; and in particular supported the na tional bank, protective tariffs and the construc tion of internal improvements. At the same time, unlike the Federalists, the Whigs opposed executive dominance and favored Congressional control of the government. The Whigs were strongest in the Northeast; but had also a con siderable support in the South. But while they had a larger popular following than the Fed eralists, they gained control of the national government only for brief intervals; and these temporary successes were secured by com promises inconsistent with the principles of their leaders. In the end the party failed as the result of an attempt to compromise on the slavery question.
During this period the machinery of party organization was more highly developed. The system of nominating conventions was firmly established, culminating in the national con ventions for the nomination of Presidential candidates and the adoption of party platforms.
Minor Parties and Factions Before 1860.— From time to time minor parties and factional divisions of the leading parties have appeared in American politics; and some of these have played important parts in the evolution of the party system. Very ephemeral and unorganized factions were the Quids (Republicans opposed to Jefferson) and the Blue-Light Federalists (opponents of the War of 1812). The Anti Masonic party also had a brief duration; but by holding the first public national nominating convention (1830) marked a significant stage in the development of party institutions. Dur ing the dominance of the Democrats, internal divisions arose, especially in New York State, such as Locofocos, the Hunkers and the Barn burners. Later the Whigs were divided be tween and °Cotton" Whigs and °Silver Grays." Of more permanent influence were the anti slavery parties. The early Abolitionists op posed political action. But the Liberty party nominated candidates in 1840 and 1844. In the next two Presidential campaigns the Free Soil party showed an increasing opposition to the extension of slavery.
Meanwhile opposition to the political in fluence of Roman Catholics and recent immi grants became a factor in local elections, and, aided by the disappearance of the Whigs, led to the organization of the American party, commonly called the "Know Nothings," which carried a number of States in 1854, and polled a considerable vote for its Presidential candi date in 1856. This party was soon absorbed by the new Republican party; although the sur viving conservative Whigs formed the main support of the Constitutional Union party in The Republicans to 1876.— Following the struggle over slavery in the regions acquired in the war with Mexico, which had resulted in the Compromise of 1850, the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, reopening the question of slavery in those Territories, and involving the revocation of the Missouri Com promise of 1820, forced the slavery issue to the front and led to a radical party revolution. At the Congressional elections in 1854 a ma jority of "Anti-Nebraska" men were elected to the House of Representatives, under various party names; and these soon combined to form the new Republican party. This was composed of Free Soilers, most of the Northern Whigs, and Anti-Nebraska Democrats. While unsuc cessful in 1856, it proved a strong opponent to the Democrats; and in 1860, with a divided opposition, the Republicans elected Lincoln as President.