Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-05-02
THOMAS JEFFERSON.

The following remarks are copied from the
Liverpool Albion, of March Cos
Monarchical governments have been charged,
by the admirers of republican institutions, with
too great proneness to bestow sinecure places
and pensions upon public men. The expendi-
ture of portion Of the public money. on such
persons, has been a commodious theme Of de-
clamation in the hands.of those individuals "a
mong US, who are, from whatever course, dis
satisfied with the institutions of their native
country, and who sigh for the arrival of that
happy period, when they hope to see republic
established upon the ruins of the British mo-
narchy. Unquestiopably, kings and ministers
NAV, in many periods Of our history, have been
lavish in the bestowment of places andp ensions
upon very undeserving objects. They may al
so, we readily admit, have bestowed them for
purposes, not very patriotic. But, although
the royal bounty which was originally intended
TO be bestowed on men who had 'done the state
some service" may have been occasionally ex-
ercised improperly, we are ready to maintain,
that it is right and proper that the power TO re-
ward public servants and public services, should
be lodged in the sovereign. The principle OF
reward is not only recognised, but acted upon
every day in private life; and why should the
monarch be restrained from doing that which
his subjects are permitted constantly to do?-
1t may be said, that the money which the pri-
vate individual expends upon deserving OBJ
ject, is his own? whilst the money which the
sovereign bestows has been drawn from the
pockets of his subjects. This may be true; but
the monarch must, in bestowing reward upon
men who have fought, and bled, and toiled in the
public service, be viewed as exercising pre-
roeative with which he has been intrusted for
the good Of his subjects. We have been led to
make these remarks by having peruSed, in the
American papers, an account OF the pecuniary
embarrassments under which Mr.. Jefferson la
bors; embarrassn9nts which have compelled
him to apply TO the legislature Of Virginia, for
permission to dispose of his patrimonial estate,
BY way of lottery, 10 meet the clamorouS de-
mands of his creditors. This celebrated states
man has devoted the best Of his days to the SER
vice of his country; and it is stated, in the pa
pers that his present embarrassments are owing
to the expressing nature Of the high and i'm
portant duties which, when in Office, he had to
perform.
The result is, that the ex-president Of the u
nited States, after life spent in the service of
the republic, is now, in his old age, on the verge
of poverty. Now, we maintain, that 1t is the
duty of the representatives Of high spirited
people, like those the United States, to make,
in their public capacity, some provision for the
decent maintenance Of its public men, who, in
the conscientious and faithful discharge OF the
duties intrusted to them by the state, h ave not
had leisure or opportunity to pay that attention
to their private affairs which, it is probable,
they would have done, but for the allengross-
ing nature of their public avocations.
If The American congress should permit one
Gifts most celebrated statesmen, after long life
of toll and anxiety in the service OF the nation,
to close his days in penury, it will, in our OPT
nion reflect little credit either on their berali-
ty or their patriotism. Should they neglect to
make some provision for Mr.. JEFFERSON in old
age, it will form striking contrast OF republican
niegardfness with what has been styled moaar-
cbical profusion. In such case, however, we
should prefer the profusion of the one to the
niggardliness of the other
The Bunker Hill Monument is to be an OBJ
elisk, built Of Quincy Granite, go feet high
80 feet in diameter at the base, and Is feet at
the summit--the walls are to be constructed OF
II courses Of stone, off feet inches in thick
ness, and each block will probably weigh from
three to five tons hollow cone will rise from
the centre, around which flight OF stairs will
ascend to the summit The base OF the cone
will be feet, the apex 4, in diameter The
work is to commence Immediately. .4propos.
What has become Of the Washington Monu-
ment project of this city! Frssnans Journal,