The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
OTTUMWA, IOWA, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 4, 1855


was public one. He entered political life |
at time when it first became evident that a
war with England must occur, and threw him
self into the extreme party. He was admira-
bly, fitted for success in a Legislative body
His talents were deliberative rather than ex-
ecutive. He had no power in debate, but he
possessed qualities which we believe are more
uniformly influential in public assemblage,
tact, industry, ccncllitory disposition, and
systematic habits of thought. He was always
familiar with the details of Legislation. The
majority Of members Of the Legislature can
seldom know much about its business. Those
questions that require attention and become
party tests are inquired into but most matters
attrack no attention and are not party tests
Only few men Of great industry and rare
powers are familiar with these. In the British
House Of Commons, it is said, there are not
more than thirty or fortyvsnch members. In
either branch Of our Congress the proportion
is no larger. II is great power to know that
which others find it necessary to know and if
to this information one add good judgment and
a persuasive intellect, his influence will be al
most unbounded. Young as he was, no one
could approach Jefferson without seeing that
he had read and thought much. While most
of his comrades in Virginia had been wasting
their youth in horse-racing and cock-fghting,
he had been an enthusiastic student Of books
and Nature. Upon all subjects likely to ex-
cite inquiry his knowledge was full and pre-
else, and his opinions those Of sagacious and
philosophical mind. His manners were at
tractive he never engaged in adispute he ex-
society for information or an intelligent COM
parison Of opinion but his lips were closed in
the presence Of disputant. The patience
with whichhe listened to others, and the mo-
dest candor with which he expressed hims elf,
usually disarmed the contentious; when they
did not, he went no farther. If his views were
false, he did not wish them to prevail if they
were true, he felt certain that sooner or later
they would prevail. A temperament like this
would have placed a less firm man under the
inputation Of disingenuousness but such an
imputation could not rest upon him. No one
was in doubt as to his opinions. He generally
anticipated inquiry, and selected his grounds
before others saw that action would be neces.
sary. There were capable lawyers and men Of
| wide experience in our Revolutionary legisla-
ture, but there was no one whose influence
was more powerful and felt upon a greater va
riety Of subjects than that Of Jefferson.
He might however, have possessed all these
| characteristics, and enjoyed the consideration
among his fellow-iegislators which they con-
| fer, without being well-known to the public,
| if be had not united to them the ability to
write elegant and forcible English. The cir
cumstances of the time made literary talent
unusually valuable. The daily press has driv-
EN- the essayist out of the political field. But
upon politics had been usual in England !; in
this regard pamphlets then occupied the place
of our newspapers. Bolingbroke, Swift, john
son, and Burke, all Of the serious and some of
the gay writers, acquired reputation by this
kind of effort. Neither were the speeches of
leaders circulated then as at present. At the
time OF the Revolution, an oration never reach
ed those who did not hear it. This gave a
great advantage to the writer. The pamphlets
OF Otis and Thomas Paine were read by null
titudes who never heard word Of the elo-
quence of Henry and Adams. A high stand
ard of taste had been created, and success in
political dissertation was difficult, but, when
obtained, it was of proportionate value, and
the source of wide and permanent influence -
Jefferson found function requiring much the
same talents with the pamphleteer, but possess
| sing some advantages over it. The obly
means which the Continental Congress and the
colonial legislatures had of communicating
with their constituents and the mother country
was by formal addresses. These documents
were arguments Upon public questions, posses
sing the force which an argument always has
when 1t is the expression Of great numbers of
| minds. An audience was certain. AT home
| they were sure to be read, and in England
| they attracted the attention Of every one con-
nected with affairs. JefFerson's literary tall
ents were soon discovered. One successful
performance in the Virginia House of Dele
gates established reputation which the Dec
laration of Independence has made immortal
Gro E EcoNTINUED.)
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