The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-09-21
Thomas Jefferson.

ing smile.
Thomas Jefferson.
6 With the close Of the Texth Con
gress closed, also, Jcllcrson's admins
atration. Indeed, he seemed inclined,
!; in 1.- his private correspondence, to throw
upon the incoming Cabinet, to which,
!: no doubt, it entirely belonged, the re-
sponsibility Of the recent cl,actmcnts.
AS the retiring President came into
Office, SO he now left it, with charac-
ter very differently estimated by the
two great political parties into which
( the nation was divided. Party ami
mostly, indeed SO far from having been
s extinguishcd under his rule, rs nc had
fondlY anticipated, had broken out,
especially Of late, with new fury.
Judging as the superficial mass of
mankind always do, moro by profess
ions than by practice, by words than
by deeds, the great body of the rcti-
ring President, and all the active party
leaders, whatever might be their pri-
yate opinions, to seek to recommend
themselves to party favor and conf
dcnce by extolling him-a practice con-
tinued by large class of political de-
1nogogues, as well as by many sincere
admirers to this day-as the very per-
sonifcation Of republican wisdom and
virtue; entitled by his simplicity, his
straightforward truth, his clear and
candid judgment, no less than by his
disinterestcd and earnest devotion to
{thc rights Of man, to implicit conf
dence; confidence more that of rcli-
gious devotees in some fayorite saint.
than the limited and gua,dcd trust.
which alone, according to republican
smaxims, ought ever to be placed in
any political leader. Such, indeed,
were tie rcvcrential sentiments very
generally expressed, not only in the
sagssSlasf uai.,S
l4Etlve resolutions, Oh the obcasion of
RJetferson's retirement from office.
The Federalists, on the other hand,
together with a certain number OF once
leading Republicans, did not hesitate
to denounce the cX-Prcsdent IS an ac-
seomplished political jesuit, wonderful
ly adroit to ascend the ladder Of demo
cratical power, but whose narrow poll
cy and visionary Imagination, the poll
cy of All inland planter, the ilnagina
ton ofa pedant, disqualified him from
redeeming, as sometimes happens, by
skillful conduct Of affairs, the base
arts, the flattering Of passions and
stimulating Of predjudices, by which
ne had risen to power.
Many previous acts of his admins
tration, but especially the whole histo-
ry of the embargo, were quoted to
prove him q hypocritc and base de-
ceiver; totally forgetting, in practice,
all his professed regard for the wisdom
OF the people all his pretended reve-
renee for public opinion; all his reite-
rated objections to stretches of exccu-
tive authority; all his violently urged
attachment to strict construction of
the Federal Constitution all his ankle.
ty that the General Government should
not trcspass on the reserved rights of
the States; all his objections in gene
raj, carried often to extremes. against
Legislative Interference with the right
OF men to exercise their own Judgment
in the management Of their own per-
sonal affairs.
Nothing, indeed, could have been
less in accordance with ,Icficrso,l's DO
litical theories than to have thrust tlp-
on the country one Of the most mo-
mentous measures which it was posi-
BILE to adopt, involving the very iivcli-
hood Of tens Of thousands, without
the least opportunity to have the pub
lie opinion upon it; employing for that
purpose servilc Congress, driven to
act hastily in the dark, with no other
guide Or motive beyond implicit trust
In the wisdom of the Executivc-and
such measure the embargo, the most
remarkable act Of Jcflerson's admins
tration, unqucstionabIy WAS. Yet it
would be most rash and unjust to
charge him or any other man with po-
!ltical hypocrisy merely because, when
IN power, he did not act up to the doc
trlnes which he preached in opposition
It Is not i'll the nature Of enthusiasm to
hesitate or to doubt; and that very en- |
thusiasm, though it had liberty and
equality for its object with which JET.
ierson was SO strongly inbucd, pushed
him on, however he might thcorixc
about the equal right of all to be con
suited, to tho realization of his own
ideas, with very little regard for op-
posing opinions. With all his attach I,
Inent to theoretical equality, he was
still one OF those born to command. at
Feast to control; brooking no authority
but his own; and not easily admitting
OF opposition or contradiction, which |
ne always ascribed to the worst Of mo.
lives. In the feeling that he sought
not selfish ends, bnt the good of the
he found, like SO many
o'hef Jealous men, sanction for his