Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-08-04
From the National Magazine
JEFFERSON AND HIS TIMES.
COncIusiOn.

SEf fFERSON AND HIS TIMES.
Conclusion.
The political campaign preceding his first
election 10 the Presidency, one of the
most acrimonious and excited that the country
ever saw. Jefferson was assailed with partisan
malice. and many efforts were resorted to to
blacken his reputation and destroy his influ-
ence. Lies poured out their malignity, and
slander was unblushing in its deiamatfons.
Yet he never deigned to write word for
the papers in his own defense. He seemed ut
terly regardless of self, and fought only for
his principles. For these he cOutendcd in
Washington until all hopes of success fed.
lie then turned to the State Legislatures. He
drew up the famous resolutions which were
passed by Kentucky and Virginia, declaring
The Alien and SeditOn laws unconstitutional,
and asserting the rights of the states to inter-
pose their authority and power for arresting
evils growing out OF the usurpation of powers
10y Congress. Those resolutions checked the
insane career of the monarchists, and saved
the Constitution in its last struggle.
After long and fierce contest, Jefferson re-
ceived majority of the popular votes, and of
the votes OF the Electoral College, for PrcSi-
dent; but as no distinction was then made on
the ballots between President and Vice Presi-
dent, it happened that Jefferson and Burr re-
ceived the same number of votes and though
everybody knew that Jefferson was meant for
President, yet his opponents took advantage
of the omission and claimed that there was
40 election. The matter was then referred to
the House of Representatives, where the Fed
eralists, in order to defeat Jefferson, dropped
their own candidate and voted for Burr, man
who had not received one popular vote for
that office, and who was in respect qualified
for it. On the thirty-sixth ballot Jefferson tri
umphed, receiving the vote of ten states a
gaBst four for Burr and two blanks.
His inaugural was in perfect keeping with
the republican simplicity of the man. When
his predecessors were iuducted into the same
Office ii was with regal pomp and parade. Ev-
erythng was done to impress the popular mind
with the importance of the occasion and the
majesty of the President. Washington pro-
tested long against this silly mimicry of a
kingly pageant, but at last yielded. The Re-
publicans were disgusted with it; Jefferson
Hbhorred it and hence when his turn came to
go through the ceremonies, he positively re-
fused. In a plain citizens dress he walked, 3,
unattended, into the capitol. entered the Sen
ate chamber, approached the table, on which
lay a Bible, and by which was standing the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The
Senate arose to receive him. He took the oath
of office; and then to the Senate, and few
friends present, he delivered a brief yet noble
address. containing the principles which should
govern his administration. Those principles
commend themselves to everyAmerican heart.
He commenced at once the Herculean labor
of administrative reform; he discontinued the
courtly custom of levees, with their atten-
dant trair of ceremonies, their aristocratic
parade of ribbons and garters; their idleness
and dissipation of time; their corruption of
morals and manners; their waste of health and
money and their paraphernalia of despOtIc
courts. Aud in the place of these levces he
introduced the dignitied courtesies, the sub
stantiai virtues, and elevated simpliclticS of
rcpubicaniSm.
He removed from Office all who had been ap-
pointed by Mr.. Adams on the eve of his retire.
ment from the chair, many OF whom were ap-
pointed purposey, ii was thought, to cmbar-
rass Jefferson. He cut off every one who had
nsed his official influence to effect any cleo
fion. lie dismissed mGSse the large body
of Treasury inspectors, and appointed none In
their places. He suppressed every supcrfu-
ous office dependent upon executive patron
age, and removed every idle clerk in all the
departments. With the consent of Congress
he dismissed every gatherer of the internal
tax, and these collectors comprised more than
three fourths of all the officers of the general
government He reduced the diplomatic corps
TO three ministers. He reduced the standing
army from nominally one hundred thousand to
three thousand men, By these various retrench-
tnents he saved of the annual current expen-
ses of the government, about three miilionS
OF dollars and thus with the slowly increas-
ing revenue was enabled, in three years and a
half to pay of interest on the public debt a
bout fourteen millions of dollars, and on the
principal thirteen million five hundred thou
sand dollars. The odious Sedition Law died a
natural death; the Alien Law was essentially
modified and stripped of its Objectionable lea
lures; agriculture and manufactures flourish
cd commerce was extended; the internal re-
sources of the country were rapidly develop
ing, and wealth, from every quarter, was pour
ing into the nation. That was, indeed, gold
en- epoch in our history.
The people stamped their approval upon
Mr.. Jefterson's administration, by re-eiecting
him by very large majority. His second
term of office was commenced under favora,
BILE auspices for prosecuting his contemplated
reforms. He warmly recommended lnterna
improvements, and such modification OF the
Constitution as would permit the establish
ment of a national university for the promo
tion of science and the highest degrees OF ed
ucation. But this latter scheme failed through
sectional jealousies.
During this second term of his administra-
tion serious difficulties with England, which
had been accumulating from the close of the
Revolution, approached a crisis. English
aggressions upon our commerce were becom
ing more numerous and assuming a gravel
magnitude. 1t finally became apparent thai
we must go to with nearly all Europe, OIL
.ubmit to unrestrained piracy, or else for