The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-12-23


,,ernhio ON their thrones and that thrones had been
shivered by the lightning of It's wrath La CASING
his eyes the face OF the globe ne pehs'' Is
true the mighty spirit OF PIoteslaDiism walking ~"
The waters but confined and limited IN lis empire
and even lis garments dyed in the blood OF The mar
tyr. ,;.u
of the blessed Redeemer, converted into supeiSll-
iious ire, and locked up ia gloomy ana ierociou
mystery The sentence of the terrible ipquisnof
sounded i'm his ears followed by the clank OF chains
and the groans Of the victim II he looked IN the u
reclion rom whence the sound proceeded he saw the
fires of the auto de fe consuming the agonized body OF
The offender and thus finishing the last acl OF ibis
horrible tragedy He felt the full force OF this pcturr
and regardless Of all personal danger set about inc
accomplishment of he noble purpose OF se'ilng iree
the mind He who had SO much contributed To the
unbinding of the hands of his countrymen, would
have efl his work unfinished if he had not also un-
filtered their consciences. True, he had in all this
great work able coaduors, who, like himself, had adj
yentured all for their country but he was the ,'rea
Captain who arayed the forces, and directed Inc as
saui Let it, then, be hencefoTth proclaimed To the
world, that mans conscience was created Tree that
he is no longer accountable his fellow tor his
egous opinions. being responsible therefore only to
his God that II Is impous IN mortal man, whether
clothed in purple or in lawn, TO assume the Judg-
ment seat and that the comm elton between Church
and State is an unholy alliance, and the fruitful
source OF slavery and oppression; and lot 1t be dis
solved. What mpershable monument has Mr.
Jefferson thus reared To his memory and how strong
are his claims to gratitude. When from every
part of this extended republic the prayers and hanks
giynCs of countless thousands shall ascend to the
Throne OF Grace each bending at his altar, and
worsh piping his Creator after his own way, shall not
every lip breathe blessing on his name, and every
tongue speak firth his praise Yes, he was born
blessing TO his country, and ia the iulness Of time
shall become blessing To mankind. lie was IN
deed precious gift most beloved refoImer. Shall
not then, while weeping over his loss offer thanks
TO the Gvef of every perfect gf for having permit
ted him to live
But my countrymen we have still further reason
for the epest gratitude. He had not yet finished
his memorable efforts in the Of human liberty
The temple had been reared, but 1t was exposed TO
violent assaults from without. Those principles
which in former ages had defeated the hopes OF man
and had overthrow Republics, remained to be hunt
ed out, exposed and guarded against The most
powerful of these the concentration and perpet-
uation of wealth in the hands of particular families
and the creation thereby of oyerweening aristo-
crazy The fatal influence of this principle had been
felt in all ages and in all countries The feeling Of
pride and haughtiness which wealth is so well calcu-
lated TO engender and the homage which mankind
are unhappily much disposed to render it, causes
the perpetuaton of large fortunes in the hands OF
families the most fearful antagonist TO human liberty.
Marcus Crassus had saId that the man who aspired
to rule Republic should not be content until he
had mastered wealth sufficient to maintain army;
and Julius Caesar paved the way to the overthrow OF
his neXhaustble stores of largesses to the people.
Mr. Jefferson saw therefore, the great necessity for
reformation IN our opal CODE and the act abol-
ishing entails, and that regulating dcscents are, IN
all their essential features, the oifsprnss OF his well
constituted intellect. He has acted throughout on
the great pr nciple of the equality Of mankind; and
his every effort has been directed to the prosecution
of that equality among his countrymen. How pow
erul in It's operation is our descent law IN producing
this effect Founded on the everlasting principles of
ISt he trtIits
of the parents labor. The irst-born is no longer
considered the chosen Of the Lord but Nature asserts
her rights, and raises the last to an equality with the
first hus it is that the spirit of proud indcpen-
dence suspicious to the durability Of institu-
tons, is engendcred in the bosom of on citizens;
thus it is that under the influence OF an Agra
ran law in effect, while nature instead of being sup
pressed, is excited by new stimuli The great law
giver of Sparta in vain sought to perpetuatc the
principle of equality among the citizens of the then
renowned Republic by GUS measures all of which
ultimately failed but there is measure which can
not fal--a measure which depends not upon v,nera-
ton for the character Of any one man. but lays hold
of the affections and records its perpetuity in
| the great yo ume of nature-a measure which will
| every day conspicuously deveope its beauties
--one without which the blood shed in the Revolu-
ton would have b shed in vain--without which
! the glories of that struggle would fade away
st but another proof of mans incapacity for self
government. What more shall | say of it May |
not call it that great measure which, to our political
| like the sun to planetary system, imparts light
and heat unveils all its beauties, and manifests its
strength. Tell me, then, We destinies that control
the future, say is not this mans fame inscribed in
adaman? Say, men of the present age, ye lovers of
liberty, We shining lights from amid the gloom of the
world, say, do, S Virginia claim too much when she
pronounces her Jeiei wiser than the aw-gvers Of
antiquity Tell me, then, men Of America, have
you not lost your father your bene Factor your best
friend And you, the men Of other countries where
the light of his example is now but dmly seen; you
who constitute the salt of the EARTH will you not kin
die your lamps IN the mighty blaze of his fame and
distribute the blessings Of his existence around you
| Here then mig ht stop The cause of this mourn
| full procession is explained the picture might be
considered as finished his claim to the gratitude of
mankind is made manifest, and his title to immortal
y is established But his labors did not here
have still to exhibit him to you in other lights than
| those in which we have already regarded him; to
present other claims to your veneraon and gratitude
Passing those incidents which history has alrea
dy recorded, let regard him. while in that station
which now FILL more by the kindness of the public,
| than from any merit Of my own. We here recog-
Mise in him, the able vndicator of insutcd America
against the sarcasms Of European philosophy. In
dulgng in the visions Of faacious theory, it at
tempted to be proved that the flush and glow, which
nature assumed on the other side of the Atlantic,
| converted on this continent into the cadaverous as
pect Of disease and degeneracy. That while she
| walked abroad over the face of Europe, in all her
beautiful proportions, here she hobbicd crutches
and de5encrated into dwarf, How successfully he
| threw back this SANDER upon Our calumniators let
| the world decide His notes on Virginia will bear
him faithful witness ISLANDERS upon nations make
| the deepest and most lasting impression. They fall
not on one man, but on whole people, and if not re-
| luted tend to sink them in the scale of existence.
| IT, under any circumstances, they TO be depreca-
ted, how much more are they to be So when publish
ed against nation not in the griste Of man
hood, unknown TO the mass of mankind and struggling
| to be free. Such was the condition OF America at
that day. Shut out from free intercourse with Eu-
rope by the monopolizng spirit of the parent State,
she had remained unknown TO the world, and was
garded as an extensive wild within whose bosom the
fires of genius and intellect had not yet been kim
died Mr. Jefferson saw then the injury which she
would sustain il these slanders remained unreluted.