Washington sentinel., 1855-02-04

"Mr. HUNTER. Mr.. President, the Senator
from Delaware has discharged a pious duty,
and discharged it veil. He has rescued the
memory of his father from On imputation which
might have tarnished it, and shown that he was
guiltless Of any such offence. His, sir. was
such an offering as flial affection might be
glad to render TO the dead. 1t was not only his
right, but his duty, to have risen, and to have
done what he has this day done.
But, sir, while he feels it to be his dpty to
take care of the reputation of his father, may
be allowed, perhaps, to say word in reference
TO great name, which is deservedly cherished
| in my own State. That Mr.. Jefferson believed
what he recorded, think no man can doubt
who has ever studied his character or his his.
| tory. That he was led into an error, and very
naturally led into an error, under the excite
| nent and the passions of the day, think has
been very clearly shown. But, sir, that he is
chargeable with culpability for preserving and
for presenting to posterity such memorials rs
those which he has left behind him, I think
cannot be Justly maintained, when we come to
consider the importance and the value Of such
historical documents. That they should con-
tain errors is natural and probable enough;
and that no man would have regretted those
errors more than Mr.. Jefferson, if he had been
aware of them, believe may say, and expect
TO be sustained BY the evidence of his life and
his career.
| Sir, to say that it is wrong for such a man
as Mr.. Jefferson, who figured in scenes SO inn
portant, to die without leaving behind him any
memoirs Of a personal character, or daily
record Of the proceedings Of the times, would
be to say that we should have denied to the
world such memoirs as those of Sully, and
i 10 Aa, avI D-ku
many others to which could allude, and which
we would not willingly lose. Sir, Of all sorts
of historical documents, these are among the
most important. may say, also, that this
kind of history is especially liable to error, and
to errors which are not easily avoided. That
such mistaks are to be found in Mr.. Jetferson's
writings, admit. That the Senator from Della
ware has proved that he was mistaken and deeply
erred in this case, admit; but whilst say so,
| ! must be allowed to declare that do not be-
| ieye Thomas Jefferson ever recorded that
which he did not believe to be true, either in
| reference to the character of fellow-man, or
in regard to any event of historical Importance
| ! must, also, be allowed to say that, although
| writings of this character may be liable to
| such errors, yet it does not follow that it was
| improper in man who saw what he saw, and
| who bore such part in the public affairs OF
| the world as he did, to leave such records as
must be among the most valuable monuments
OF human history; for the good more than
compensates for the evil which may be thus
done. Sir, they will be recurred to hereafter
| by posterity, and they will be received as one
| OF the legacies from him for which be will be
honored and remembered.
Mr.. MASON. Mr. President, listened, as
did all the Senate, with deep interest and
| emotion to the explanation which fell from the
very able Senator from Delaware, il vindica-
| tion of the memory of his father / must be
permitted to say, sir, even in his presence, that
while it illustrated the flial virtues of his own
heart, it betrayed an able and balanced
intellect. ! can appreciate the painful neces-
sity under which he was placed while dscharg-
ing this duty, achieved, will add, with such
signal success id our presence. 1t would be
gratuitous in me to any that the evidence,
which he has been enabled to adduce from the
mouldy records of time, has been conclusive.
"Sir, 1T is unfortunate that there was such a
necessity. | agree with my friend and col
league, and with the honorable Senator from
Michigan, that if we could recall the actors of
those days, the distinguished statesman who
recorded those pages would have been the first
to obliterate them. The feelings which he
carried to his grave in his latter days are
strikingly depicted in the letter which was read
by the Senator from Delaware, one of his last
letters to Mr.. Adams, who preceded him in
office. The passions Of the day had then sub
sided, and the excitement of feeling had sub.
sided with them.
but now, Sir, SO far as history is concerned,
we know how utterly impossible it is, with the
clearest and least in passioned mind, clearly to
ascertain the truth when there is excitement
and prejudice mingled with it. Mr.. jefferson,
undertook unfortunately, as think, to record
conversations at some time after they had
passed, and he undertook it when the passions
of the day had not yet subsidized, and when
none, from the necessity Of his position, had
mingled more freely in them than he had done;
and all can understand, who know anything of
the difficulty of getting at truth, how natural it
was that even such a man should have misin-
terpreted and inexperienced.
"Sir, Thomas Jefferson has left his impression
upon the age in which he lived, not only in
this broad land, but at home, in his native
State. No man did more to mould, to cast into
shape, and form the Government which now
prevails in this country-a Republican Gov
ernment, resting upon popular institutions.
The traces of bis mighty intellect are every.
where in the history Of the country. A, home.
after he had retired from public life, he gave
his whole time, and all his thoughts TO the in.
stitutions Of his native State, and to the pro-
motion Of her welfare.
Sir, the James A. Bayard of that day has
passed into history, and 1t may be said Of him,
that he bore with winning grace that high and
lofty name, which the Bayard of Dauphing
had signalized in the fifteenth century-the
chevalier who, with the virtue Of Scipio blend.
ed the graces Of Alcibiades, who lived without
fear, and died without reproach.
Now, sir, one word as TO what has fallen
from the Senator from Maryland, in reference to
the publication Of the papers Of Mr. jefferson.
1t was at my instance, l think, chiefly, that the
very learned and able gentleman who was ap-
pointed by the committee to edit this pubca-
ton, was selected citizen of Virginia, then
and still professor in old William and Mary--
our renowned and earliest seat of learning
Professor Washington. He conversed with
me frequently and freely while he had this
work under his charge; he conversed equally,
| believe, freely with the honorable Senator
e. IL n