The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-07-09
JEFFERSON AND THE WINGS.


No one can be so unblushing rs to deny the fact
that the wings came into power by sounding forth
the praises of JEFFERSON, and by pedging them
selves to walk by the guidance of his principles
Need we recall the hundreds Of declarations of adj
hercnco TO these principles made by Harrison in
his various speeches Need we allude to the re-
pcuted professions of Jeilersonian democracy that
were reiterated in the columns of the wing journals:
We now have space to quote but one of these dec
larallons 1t is comprehensive. 1t is u summary
of all the rest, 1t is from neof the speeches Of
that chief sharpencr Of guilotne axc-the eleventh
hour Jeiersonian democrat--DANIEL WEBSTER.
Support democratic measures said this great
rewarded electiOneerng partisan to the people of
PatchOgue, at the "mass convention" sLj9"bW
do not take names for things, and professions for
priRcipleS--BY DEMOCRATIC MEASURES, |
MEAN SUCH AS THE GOOD OLD DEMO-
GRATIS or THE PAST TIMES WOULD
HAVE SUPPORTED-SUCH AS MIR JEFFER-
son WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED-sUcH AS
VIRGINIA, TIE PURE SCHOOL OF DEMOC-
RACl, WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED. SUCH
MEASURES ADVISE YOU TO sUPPORT."-
This was circulated far and wide, by whig press
es, Similar professions dangled constantly on the
tongues of the wing patriot orators, from Lone
JIM up 10 the great EXp1Under himself And with
of " the spells system.' .JCGcrsoaiGR principles,
then, are to constitute, in Jeerson's own language,
"THE ToUCHsroNE BY WHICH TO TRY THE
SERVICES OF THOSE WE TRUST" Ifthe wings
are honest, they will ask no other; if the people
are yiglant of their liberties, they will occCPi of
none, leilcrsonlan principles and Jclcrsohlan
practice-lei us look at these once more, as they
were applied 10 removals from office.
We have shown, from lellerson's own words,
that he opposed, in private letters the system of
prescription, and that, while he made go fer
changes" not even the vile abuse Of federalism
could ''proroke" him to make ''gcneroI swCcp
of The fe3cr0lisis ont If oGce;" we have shown
that, in FIFTEEN MONTHS, he made but
Y-FOU r removals, TWENTY-ONE Of
which were those of John hddms's midnight APP
pointmenrs. Ills noble Inaugural Address of 1901
brcathes the most raterna spirit: He hare caN-
CT By Inherent names brethren Of The same priH-
ciWe," it says; WE ARE ALL REPUBLICANS:
WE ARE ALI fEDERALIsTs.h And he cAhOrt-
ed all to study "harmony and affection" Let us
"uaHo wih oaehcqridad one mimi, let rs rc'iore
10 sociol intercourse that harmony dnd affection,
ciihoW which liberty, anil ereR lie itself, are bUi
drcary filings. .Aad let as reject that, HAVING
BANIsHED FROM OUR LAND THAT RELIGIOUS
INTOLERANCE UNDER WHICH MANKINp so
GAINED LITTLE, If WE COUNTENANCE A
POLITICAL INTOLERANCE, As DESPOTIC,
As WICKED, AND CAPABLE OF As BITTER
AND BPOODI PROSECUTIONS"
Such was Jeilerson's public podgc. Such is the
principle that .IGfcrsonian democracy requires
should be carried out The few removals Jeler-
son made were thrown, "ds much as pOssi6le," he
says, con delioqueHis, on oppression, on iHioi-
ernncc, on Gpli-rerOlWionary adherence 10 our
enemies" Even these cases he often deporcs
lie speaks of the course he was obliged to pursue
az a 'paniul Operaion''--as causing 'privatc dis
tIess'-as "dsagreeablc business" lie would
promote union; "fOr the moment,' saws no in one
of his letters to Lew LINcoLN, "which douH
coarincc me TINT It heating Of The nation into one
is imprdcticnbIc, WOULD rE THE LAST MO-
MENr or MY WISHING TO REMAIN wHETE !
AM" How opposite this 10 the savage icrocily
of Atlas whiggsm' Such prescriptions in JEFF
ferson's own words, is AS DESPOTlC, As
WICKED"
Can even Mr. Webster believe these proscriptive
measures are such measures "as NIr Jefferson
would have supported ?" Well may we evclaim
with him" Do not take names for things, and
professions for principles
Again, let us look Mt Jclerson's practice, for
deeds speak louder than words. After the demo-
Gratis had been in power over ONE YEAR, they
were enabled TO present the following statement,
in the independent Chronicle of March IL, 1902,
then the official organ Of the democracy of Massa-
chuseils II is from an article in reply 10 tho fed
era "CALUMNY" that jefferson had committed
injustice, in giving the Democrats some share in
the Offices Remember the democrats had been in
power orer gear!
"Thero arc not more than -FOUR or
FIVE REPUBLICANS now in possession of nation
al offices of any considerable importance in MAS
sACHUsETrss and MAINE, and very few in sub
ordinate grades; uhiIe The number Of fcderdiisis
still in o0Cc undcr Tie general government, is
loo gicri 10 Admit Of particular enumeration.
The following is a summary of them:-
Judge of the Supreme Court.
. 90 Circuit Court.
Distiic, Judges, (and the numerous commits
sioners of Bankruptcy appointed by thcm.)
2 Clerks in the Federal Courts.
= Slarshals.
Commissioner Of Loans.
Supervisor.
81 out of So Collectors Of the Internal Revenue.
% out of % Collectors of Ports.
3 Naval Officers.
Surveyors.
Besides multitude of Inspectors, Weighers,
Measures, &c.
All the postmasiers except three or FOUR
Such were Jelcrson's private opinious--such
was Jeicrsons public pledge such was his prac-
! teal comment. What objectionable impotence.
them TO ,arnish this great patriots name by con-
meeting il with such gross tyranny as now charac-
ierizcs the wing administration How infinitely
unworthy are those who bear his name on their
banners 10 wrap themselves in his mantle! Again
/ say we, in Websier's language, $40 NOT TAKE
NAMES FoR THIGHS, AMI PROFESSIONS FOR
PRINCIPLES" The husdreis of removals that
TWO MONTHS only have witnessed Is ccmnen-
tary on wing professions that the people vii re-
anire 10 lie explained. grosser violation Of sol